To think that it is infant impossible to keep a house tidy with a preschooler and dogs...

[bibbetybobbityboo]

I am off work at the moment and spent 2 days last week trying to get on top of the housework, I was then hoping to use my days off next week to do some organising of cupboards and clearing things out but the reality is, just staying on top of the daily chores seems to be an almost impossible task! DD and DH have just popped out and I am sat on the sofa looking around me not knowing where to begin. There's washing up to be done the washer needs loading, there are toys and books strewn all over the house in literally every room, the front window is filthy where the dogs have had there noses up against it, the beds aren't made, there are various cups and glasses left out, a thin layer of dust and dog fuzz on everything, I daren't lift the sofa cushions, the dining table needs cleaning, there's a mountain of post to be sorted in the hallway, my desk is a mountain of paperwork to be filed and sorted. I seem to never stop yet the house still looks like this. I try to prioritise spending time with DD when were both at work but then I stop and look around and as fast as I tidy it all looks like this again moments later. If anyone came round now I'd be mortified! I'd really like to not care and try and remember all those quotes you see about children remembering the fun things and not the mess but in reality I'd quite like to live in a nice house too. Am I just doing this housework thing all wrong or does everyone's house look like this really unless you have a cleaner twice a week. And yes I realise I could have done half a dozen jobs while I sat typing this but I'm just feeling a little bit overwhelmed by it all rig now. Deep breath and try and tidy more things that are being messed up again I guess...or just go out for the day and ignore it all!

[HollyBerryBush]

My mother managed to keep a perfectly respectable show home, including a vary hairy mutt - I have no idea how she did it - she must have had us all well trained But her standard phrase was "wash it, dry it, put it away"

[Justforlaughs]

HAven't got a dog, but it's impossible to keep any house tidy when you spend all day on mumsnet! I know, I've tried

[Satnightdropout]

I find doing a bit every day helps keep on top of it. I do about half hour each morning with baby in baby carrier and getting either toddler to help (makes them feel important, lol) or he'll play with his toys. If I leave it for a day it builds up too much and find it hard to find the the motivation the next day to sort it.
Tbh, I wish I could just leave it, give myself a break, but absolutely hate clutter and really gets to me if there's no organisation to the place.
Nobodies going to see you as lazy if your place is slightly messy, if they've had kids they'll know how hard it is to keep a tidy place. Just think, when they start school you can start getting your tidy place back :)

[Isitme1]

I would start downstairs on 1side so if you have a window at the front of your living room start there.
Hth x

[Bumblebee333]

I know exactly how it feels. best thing to do is make a list of all the things that need doing and tick them off as you do them. once you have done that add to the liat how long it took to do each thing and how often that thing needa doing. Then look at your weekly schedule and make a timetable for yourself. I know itay sound regimented but once you are at that stage it wont feel so overwhelming. good luck.

[TheVermiciousKnid]

Not many people seem to know this, but it is in fact not just impossible but illegal to keep a house tidy with children of any age and pets (or even without children or pets). Or so I keep telling myself.

[bibbetybobbityboo]

I should say I work full time usually. I think I need a strict regimented morning and evening routine to keep on top of everything. It's too tempting to just collapse in a heap after putting DD to bed and doing any work I have to do in an evening. I need to schedule in half an hour for me and DH to blitz the house every evening. I guess laziness is the culprit here really!

[Soopermum1]

start with essentials. get washing on and out on the line asap to make the most of the good weather. get washing up done.

you need clean clothes and clean cups, plates etc. that way if you get distracted the basics are covered and you won't be overwhelmed.

[hardbeingme]

i go on a mad blitz every so often the house is tidied and scrubbed (except for my room where everything homeless gets dumped) and within an hour it looks like i haven't bothered. leading me to wonder why in fact i have bothered as much the same effect can ne reached browsing mn all day!

maintenance is the problem but aside from keeping dcs and dp in a tent in the garden and only allowing them in for meals i've no idea how to get round it...

[bigkidsdidit]

I do it, with a newborn too. But I am restless and don't like sitting down for long ao I bob up and down tidying. If you keep on top of it then it's ok. And my toddler plays the tidying away game before nap and bed!

[bibbetybobbityboo]

Hardbeingme that's exactly what I'm talking about. It's so frustrating isn't it! I've just done a 30 min blitz and the kitchen living room and dining room look better. Play room and hallway to sort downstairs then upstairs to tackle in a bit. I'm going to aim for a 30 minute blitz each day. And confining DD and DH to one room.....or the garden.....lol!

[VodkaJelly]

I have 3 teenagers, 1 baby, a DP and 2 dogs and the house looks like a shit hole. I spend ages cleaning, tidying, washing etc and as soon as I turn round it is a shit hole again.

I am on maternity leave at the moment and it is easier to keep on top of it all but at the weekends the house is a bomb site. Nobody cleans up after themselves despite my constant nagging. It really pisses me off.

I go back to work full time soon so they teenagers are going to have to muck in more as I wont have the time to do it all.