PLEASE help me clean my house!

[DomesticChaos]

I am currently a SAHM to a 1 year old. We have a dog and live in a small three bed terrace house.

I vacuum and mop downstairs (open plan laminate) every single day (vacuum in mornings mop in evenings when DD in bed) and vacuum upstairs every other day. Bathrooms twice a week but spot clean most days. Kitchen surfaces including pulling everything out every day

I feel like our house is still filthy and full of bits everywhere, all the time. I don't know what the answer is. I don't think I'm imagining this or a neat freak - in fact I suspect people think I'm a bit messy but I don't know what else to do! It doesn't help that we aren't quite finished renovating so some bits left to paint etc and also our walls are white 😱

I don't want to spend much more time on it because I think my primary role is DD's development so we do lots of activities in the house and also classes, playgroups and parks etc which we do every day and also because it's so difficult - this morning I was trying to vacuum under the sofa and moving etc but DD kept chasing dog and it was dangerous so put her in high chair with play doh which she started feeding to the dog. Put the dog out and he kept barking which isn't fair on neighbours

I've just given up and this message is taking about an hour to write as DD keeps bringing her dolly over and asking me to put clothes on it and then she takes it off again and brings dolly back! It's so sweet but I can't do anything and need naptime to cook dinner

I'm very happy but wish I could keep house nicer. I'm sure someone will tell me about their very long hours working full time with toddler and keeping house perfect - great, please tell me how!

I know there are more important things in the world - I am worried about much more serious things like DD's health condition and DH's upcoming test results but I can't do anything about that and can at least try to keep the house pleasant for everyone!

Maybe having a bad night with DD didn't help, she didn't go to bed until 10 and was up at 6!

Look for Team TOMM on Facebook, the organised mum method. My house looks so much better when I stick to it properly but like yours it needs painted so never looks totally clean.

You're putting a lot of pressure on yourself to take DD out and about all the time and have a clean home though. It won't harm her development to have an afternoon in front of the telly while you do your housework.

It sounds very unlikely that your house is actually filthy if you’re cleaning as often as you say.

It may not be your idea of perfectly clean and tidy, but very few people have a home that’s always perfectly clean and tidy.

Unless there’s giant piles of clutter everywhere that you’ve not mentioned, it all sounds normal and nothing to worry about at all.

Another vote for the organised mum method here! Start with the bootcamp and clear out clutter! It’s having too much stuff that can make somewhere appear messy even if it’s clean .

I could have written this!
My dog sheds so much hair and my baby is constantly covered in hair since he started crawling. I'm vacuuming twice a day and mopping once a day but baby is scared of the vacuum so I have to strategically plan where he can play safely whilst I do a different room. He's crazy at the minute. I've just ordered a robot vacuum cleaner so at least that will free me up from vacuuming. I want to spend the time with baby not cleaning the house.
Not much help to you but at least you know you aren't alone!

It's reassuring to hear I'm not alone but sorry others have similar struggles!

It's just all the bits! Little bits everywhere, bits of dirt, bits of food, no matter how often I vacuum they are always everywhere. We walk the dog a lot in muddy area (our mud is sandy and gritty too) which doesn't help.

I have heard of TOMM but not done it religiously. I'll try starting tomorrow. There's not too much clutter as I've been really careful about storage solutions but any bit anywhere does really show up because downstairs is small and open plan.

I do let DD watch the odd half hour of Peppa Pig which helps but I know recommendations are no more than an hour a day and I don't think it's great for her particularly for various reasons (discussed with our paediatrician)

I ordered the TOMM book and have been flicking through it, the principle sounds great. I’m having a de-clutter for the rest of the week and starting boot camp next Monday. She has a website which I looked at too which explains the method.

Thing is though, when the house needs decorating ( mine does too ) then I find that it never feels completely clean anyway.
I’ve decided to dedicate one day a week to painting as I’m a SAHM to school aged dc so have no excuse apart from fibromyalgia but one day a week is manageable.

Good luck op :)

(This is for kids obv)
Don't allow food anywhere other than the table
If anyone at table gets food on their clothes, get them fresh clothes rather than allowing them to go around dirty and dropping detritus everywhere
Wash hands/mouth after eating

I can't think of other ways in which crumbs are getting over your house.
I am a shit housekeeper but I don't have any crumbs anywhere

Your dog: could you rinse his feet in a few inches of water on the way in? In a plastic tray or something? Then have him walk onto a towel?

Sometimes I think it's better to prevent shite getting everywhere than to try to clear it up all the time. I don't clean floors anything like as often as you. Also, I have a cordless vacuum so that I can just clear up stuff before it gets spread everywhere.

I did Marie Kondo a couple of years ago and it changed my life when it comes to housework because it is just so easy to clean. I didn’t even think we had that much stuff to start with, but it made a huge difference (I know some find her twee).

Then I found the TOMM thing and it has helped, because it stops me overcleaning as well. I’m not religious about the full 30 minutes (we don’t have kids) but people comment on how clean our house is now.

The above has mostly helped with a feeling of control though. We don’t have kids as I say, but we are renovating our house ourselves and have a dog, so even when the place seems really dusty it no longer bothers me because I know it’s fundamentally clean.

No shoes in the house (I don’t insist on this for guests or anything) really helps as well.

Hello. I have 2 kids who are 4 and 1. I like you, do my pots daily, hoovering daily, washing, bathroom one a week, toilet daily, pick up toys etc. But despite all this I constantly have fingerprints all over my tele and windows, drawings everywhere as my 4 year old loves arty stuff. I feel we are cluttered up. Yet I have no time to clear out everyone's wardrobes, toyboxes etc. Not to mention cleaning the kitchen cupboards etc. I do all these things less than I'd like . The thing is though is now my daughter is at school my son clings to me.

I never invite people round as it always feels messy to me. I think it's just the joys of little people who don't care about mess lol xx