What housework have you done today?

[Cloudminnow]

Despite doing different things here and there e.g. laundry, cleaning loo, wiping down work tops etc, the house is still a mess. Have you got any tips for getting on top of housework? How would I do a spring clean, and if I did would that make day to day housework easier? Thanks.

[grants1000]

God only knows, it never ends. I think doing a one off big clean is only more depressing because it looks super dooper for about 5 mns then it all starts to get messed up again.

Little bits here and there as I go, every now and then I attack just one room, declutter, more stuff about, wipe the skirting boards and it looks better.

Tis an endless task,.

[YesAnastasia]

I feel like I am constantly on the move, wiping stuff, cooking, putting stuff in the dishwasher, wiping some more stuff but it looks like I haven't done anything.

Today I have emptied the bins, wiped up stubble from sink AND FLOOR (grrrr) cooked a fish pie then cleared up after, hung out washing (that actually made me happy, it's been a while) and folded some. You still can't move in this house for mess. Sigh.

[noisytoys]

None yet but it's only a 1.5 bed flat and takes about an hour to look like a show home so I'll do it an hour before DH gets in from work been to the library and park with DCs instead

[Arisbottle]

Cleaned all the bathrooms, hovered the whole up upstairs and down stairs, stripped pantry , cleaned and put it all back again . Cleaned out all the kitchen cupboards , blinds in kitchen , kitchen windows and the oven.

Now am stopping to read .

[FergusSingsTheBlues]

Ive battled with my mums crappy vax centrix steam cleaner. Has made bugger all difference to windows, sofa or floor. If anybidy wants to slap me and tell me what im doing wrong...feel free.

[Arisbottle]

I think our steam cleaner is a vax, although I use one of the karcher hand held things on the windows.

Our steam cleaner always does a good job, although the hose can be temperamental, ours has already been replaced.

[catlady1]

I've hoovered, cleaned the bathroom and wiped round in the kitchen, and done a load of whites, took all of about half an hour. I could do more but I can't really see the point, it's not a mess as such.

Personally I always find that doing a huge blitz/"spring clean" type-thing feels good when you've finished, but the effects don't really last long and you still have to clean every day to keep it looking good. It's only worth doing every now and again to clean under the fridge/cooker/sofa, clean out cupboards etc, and unless your house is a real tip to start with it doesn't make much difference to how clean or tidy it looks to other people.

[Arisbottle]

I teach so we only do big blitzes in the holiday . The rest of the year we just do a few hours a day to keep us ticking over.

[Cloudminnow]

Noisytoys - I envy you! I'd love to have a show home in 1.5 hours!

Arisbottle - how long did it take you to do all that? I only have one bathroom and no pantry, but what you described would be a major annual achievement for me! What can I be doing wrong?

Just off to hoover the sitting room...

[Arisbottle]

Bathrooms about 20 mins each so about hour and a half.

Hoovering - 30 mind total

Pantry - started at 7am and finished to do lunch so about four hours .

Oven- am oven priding it so my actual labour is not very much .

Windows about 10 mins

Kitchen cupboards - I guess about two hours.

Am guessing, have been doing housework since 7am and just stopped - other than doing lunch and breakfast .

[Hoaz]

FlyLady is the only way to keep on top of things IME. I know it's ridiculous and I hate the blessing your family rubbish, but it works.

I do housework between DS1 leaving for school at 8:45am and DS1 and I leaving at 9:45 am. Then I do about 30 mins when DS1 and I get in from school at 3:15. (I work school hours)

Apart from cooking and an hour's ironing on Sunday evening, that's it, including the garden and car cleaning. We have a large 4 bed house and it's always visitor ready.

I took a while to get all the routines in place, but now they are it's really easy and if I do have an off week and not quite keep to them, it's easy to pick up where you left off.

[Cloudminnow]

Hoaz - how do you actually do Flylady? Does she tell you what to do, in what order, how long for etc? When I've gone on the website it looks very confusing and I don't know where to begin (a bit like my actual housework).

[CuriousMama]

Good storage is the key. Says she who has it and house is still a mess

I'm constantly de-cluttering. Just done ds2's bedroom and got rid of so many things. I was tempted to ebay some but they'd just lay around for ages so they're off to the charity shop.

I think being as minimalistic as possible is key. Only having things you really need and again good storage for things you use now and again.

[Sallystyle]

Not much today.

Hoovered
Washed breakfast/dinner dishes
Washed down worktops
Washed Kitchen floor
Washed the toilet while bathing the kids

DH cooked and is currently cleaning the kitchen

[TallyGrenshall]

Folded and hung washing, and put another load in

Tidied and hoovered the living room

And that's it.

But I feel like I have the sodding plague and going up and down the stairs a couple of times with washing was enough to leave me needing a sleep

[Mrsrobertduvall]

Bugger all....emptied dishwasher twice, washing machine 3 times and put away washing.
Been up to London and out for lunch.
Tomorrow is big clean day.

[ilovepowerhoop]

did 3 loads of washing and hung them up, had dishwasher on and emptied it again, emptied all the bins as its bin day tomorrow (have small bins in most of the rooms).

I also took kids to school, did a powerhoop class, picked dd up at 3pm and then went back to the school at 4pm to get ds after his boxercise class. Need to get up and make the kids dinner in a minute. Me and dh will eat later after he plays football (footie finishes at 7pm)

[Jojobump1986]

Thanks for starting this thread OP - it reminded me that I'd put a wash in before toddler group this morning & forgot all about it! In my defence, we're on day 1 of our strict new schedule to get us into a good routine after I've been ill for 4 months. The schedule includes 90 mins of 'house time' during which I emptied the dishwasher, cleared up after breakfast, made bread dough, washed up doughy things & put a wash in. I was v proud of my achievements until I read this thread!

[Eskino]

I looked at the bathroom and then stuck some cleaner down the loo.
Emptied then Loaded the dishwasher.
Hung out a load of washing.

I've a 3wo permanently attached to my boob so not much else gets done.

[Hoaz]

Cloud - I know, the website is overwhelming. I liked the book better. Also, you don't want to sign up to the emails you'll get hundreds.

You basically start with very small routines and build on them - her big thing is shining your sink, so you have to do that and keep it that way everyday before you go to bed. Sounds mad, but after the first time it only takes seconds and it makes a big difference to the way you feel about the kitchen (and yourself) when you come down in the morning.

Her main philosophy is that doing a bit and/or doing it badly is better than nothing and by doing a bit regularly, it does get done. She breaks things down to 15 minute (or less) tasks.

[MinimalistMommi]

OP, declutter, declutter again and then declutter some more. It's much easier to clean as you don't have to pick stuff up to dust etc.
Also less stuff in house = Less stuff to get messy and untidy.

[lucytails]

Today i have:

• done one load of washing
  
• emptied the dishwasher
  
• wiped the bathroom sink
  
• put some domestos around the loo
  
• wiped down kitchen after tea

[Frostyfoxy]

Today I have, since ds and dh left for school/work:

In kitchen:
washed up dishes, dried and put away
cleaned counter tops
swept floor
put away Tesco delivery

In dining room:
swept floor
found dining table under a mountain of "art" and supplies!
hung up and put away random coats, scarves etc

In living room
found the floor under lots of toys
hoovered
dusted

utility room
folded dry clothes from yesterdays wash
put on a wash
then hung it outside yay!
another wash on

hallway
hoovered

Now I am having a bite to eat whilst MNing and then will tackle upstairs

Can you tell I have visitors later today??!!