Household - Routine or Winging-it?

Slowly57

I noticed the Fly Lady thread - but wondered if folks preferred a set routine to winging it?

I really dislike doing household chores - I don't mind untidy but not dirty - so I do them. Have spent AGES finding a 'place' for various things. Half the battle is putting things back!

I've decluttered as far as my comfort-level will stand (I'll never be a minimalist lol)

How do you do things OS?

moneyistooshorttomention

Winging it probably about sums my housework up:rotfl:.

I've just about persuaded myself into a weekly housework routine - bathroom/kitchen/floors/ironing. I've designated Sunday basically as the day for doing that - as Sundays here are usually so quiet that I might as well do something like that on them. I don't always convince myself:cool: Washing-up happens twice daily on average (though I'm someone that cooks from scratch).

I keep things somewhat in train by having a tasks list up on the fridge door and try to be firm with myself about doing something off it daily - unless it's a day full of outside activities.

I'm in my 60s - but still having to tell myself logically that there's no-one else being paid to do the housework - so I must do it myself:rotfl:Things probably stay looking reasonable by most peoples standards - just because my own standards (ie of how I think things should look) are very high (based on Armed Forces upbringing.....). There is a difference between the absolutely immaculate in all respects I think they should be/aim for and how they actually are.

pollypenny

Wing it. That flylady thread terrifies me.

I do what's needed, when it's needed - or maybe a bit later!

Eventually cleaned some Windows. Missed doing the inside the last time the window cleaner came. I know it would be easier to do it regularly but .........

ripplyuk

It's a strict routine for me. I even have a 'household book' with lists of everything that needs done weekly, monthly, during spring cleaning etc.

I find it less stressful as it means I don't really have to think about it. Also, since it's done regularly and in small 'chunks', it doesn't take much time at all, whereas if I let it build up, it would be hard to motivate myself to spend the entire day cleaning.

Caterina

Pollypenny it terrifies me too, as does the Kondo thread! Winging it by the skin of my teeth and I have been known to call a lovely cleaner who knows me and is happy to do a 2 hours blitz as and when! I would rather eat save and scrimp and have this little luxury than go out for a meal (cooking is the one home task that I don't mind, in fact I love it!).

ScotinLondon

We wing it - i work FT and study PT too. Hubby tries to do as much as his health & mind allow. However, he does to the washing up, which i count as a blessing.

The house is not messy but could do with a clean now...think will have to start getting up earlier to do a little every day.

SIL

Sayschezza

As I am a neat freak and don't hoard I don't have to spend very long on HW but it is sort of routine. Monday's I change beds and clean bedrooms and bathroom and if I can be bothered I will clean downstairs too. If it's a BH or something better comes along everything gets done on a Tuesday or left until the following week. Downstairs is usually done on a Tuesday anyway. Washing is done whenever there is a load. Ironing is usually done Wednesday and sometimes OH does it. Shopping I try to keep to once a week but OH will do top ups if necessary. He also deals with the rubbish. I do the garden mainly at weekends. We are retired so it's fair we share chores.

maman

I'm fortunate in that my DH was well trained by his mum and likes to do all the cleaning....so I'm happy to let him get on with it.:D


The tasks that are 'mine': cooking dinner (he does breakfast and we sort out our own lunches), laundry and food shopping I have a very vague routine.


Dinner I obviously do most days and I have a meal plan for that. Laundry I do when there's enough accumulated and ideally on a good drying day. Ironing I do a minimum and try to do on Monday when Martin's :money:on the radio but happy to leave it if I'm doing something else. Food shopping I've always done after work on a Friday and although I don't work FT any more I stick to that unless I have something else on when I'll happily move it. I always do a shopping list to match my meal plan and I'm good at keeping a freezer inventory and using up fresh foods.


I have done a version of MK in that things do have a place so I put them back although there's always more sorting of stuff that I don't use that could be done.


That's organised enough for me.:)

System

Strict routine and everything has to be just right.

Lists are my best friend.:)

[Deleted User]

I do wing it mostly as I lead a pretty busy life ,even though retired.in fact I probably do more at Dds house during the week than I do at my own but then I do look after three of my DGS as well, and stacking the dishwasher or prepping some veg for Dd as she and her OH do work long hours isn't a problem .The boys hoover round for me and tidy up so it looks reasonably clean when she comes in from work and I will ahng the washing out or put the machine on for her as well.My housework consists of hoovering around and the washing gets done depending on what next days forecast is a sI like line-dried clothes.I iron when there is enough to warrant it. Tidy up as I go along, but my house is fairly tidy anyway as I'm not there a great deal during the week.I always wash up last thing before I go to bed and baking is done on a Saturday or Sunday morning. I don't really have a set day for doing things and once having done the jobs on my to-do list I have the rest of the day off for doing what I enjoy of my many hobbies and pastimes life is for enjoying and the dust will still be there after I'm long gone I would rather mooch through the woods with my DGS than worry about a bit of dust on the TV.The boys are a great joy to me and soon they will be grown and gone so I make the most of them while I can :):)

CathA

Sayschezza wrote: »

As I am a neat freak and don't hoard I don't have to spend very long on HW but it is sort of routine. Monday's I change beds and clean bedrooms and bathroom and if I can be bothered I will clean downstairs too. If it's a BH or something better comes along everything gets done on a Tuesday or left until the following week. Downstairs is usually done on a Tuesday anyway. Washing is done whenever there is a load. Ironing is usually done Wednesday and sometimes OH does it. Shopping I try to keep to once a week but OH will do top ups if necessary. He also deals with the rubbish. I do the garden mainly at weekends. We are retired so it's fair we share chores.

Are we related? Lol. I have a routine as well, makes everyone at work laugh. On Wednesday when I go to work, one of the girls always asks if I've changed the sheets and cleaned the bathroom (Wednesday's jobs) And yes, I always have!

I have set days for doing things but if I can't do it that day for some reason, it either gets moved to another day or left until next week, as if housework is done regularly it doesn't pile up into a mammoth cleaning catch up!