@EllieQ
Thanks for all the responses. I asked MN because I felt like I should have got a lot more done in that time. And the general consensus is that I am slow at housework, even accounting for my health issues, which is depressing
It’s true that I didn’t want to use my precious child-free time for housework, but it was all stuff that I hadn’t been able to get done during the week/ on Saturday, and it all needed to be done. So perhaps I wasn’t as motivated as I could have been.
I do find it frustrating that my life feels like work/ childcare / housework and nothing else.
In response to various comments:
- The hoovering was thorough as upstairs hadn’t been done for three weeks and there was dust and cat hair everywhere - I didn’t move furniture but did go into crevices and corners, and did the skirting boards, so not a quick whizz round.
- I’m amazed by people saying they can sort a load of washing in seconds! There was about two loads worth in the laundry basket, but I needed to make sure my work clothes would be washed so I couldn’t just grab stuff for the top. That said, it took maybe five minutes max to sort a load and put the washing machine on.
- I only ironed one thing/ hand washed one thing as these were the only things that needed to be done. DH had already ironed his shirts and DD’s school shirts (nothing else gets ironed), and the dance uniform is the only thing that gets hand washed. So no way to be more efficient there.
- We have tried a robot hoover recently, but had to send it back as it can’t cope with the living room rug - the rug is too high from the floor for its wheels. If you lift it onto the rug, it will hoover it, but then stops at the edge of the rug as it thinks it’s a step. I was gutted!
- Interesting to see that people would have the washing machine on while they went to the shops/ overnight - too much of a fire hazard for me (FIL was a firefighter so DH is quite conscious of these issues)
- Also can’t run the washing machine when we get up as it would affect water pressure in the shower. I tend to put washing on before I log on to work, then hang it out / tumble dry at lunchtime.
- Can’t afford a cleaner right now as still recovering from DH being unemployed for most of this year. Plus it would be odd to have a cleaner in with both of us at home (small house issue).
Thinking about it, some of the issues are out of my control (small house, slightly awkward layout, my energy levels), but I will think about how to be more efficient, and think about using the delicates cycle for the dance uniform.
This post was written while DD is at Brownies. I’m sure there was housework I should have been doing instead 
I have similar issues where I have health issues that cause me issue both with fatigue and also physically with joints etc. The key is to work smarter, not harder.
So, for example, make sure the brownie uniform goes in the wash in time, so its ready to be ironed by DH when he does the shirts ironing.
Really don't do handwashing! That's what the delicate/handwash cycle on the machine is for.
It does take me literally seconds to put the washing in the machine, but I never let it build up, and I also don't buy anything that needs "special" washes. So its simply lights and darks, use a separated basket if necessary for presorting as you put things in the wash. Do a wash daily if you have enough dirty laundry for one, rather than waiting til you have a big pile.
I wouldn't leave 3 weeks between vacuums. Much easier to keep on top of it if you run round with the hoover daily or every couple of days. Ideally get yourself a nice lightweight cordless, that really helps.
Put everything away once you've used it, and train everyone else in your house to do the same. I can't emphasise this one enough. If you get into the habit of putting things away as you go, then you never have to tidy up. Equally, with paperwork. Have an intray for you, and intray for DH and put stuff in them as you go along. Where possible deal with stuff straight away rather than putting it off.
Clean the shower out when you use it, clean the loo and sink daily whilst you're in the bathroom. Don't let dirt build up. Use a shower spray on the screen after every shower. Throw empty bottles/loo roll tubes etc away as you go - don't put them on the side for later, because later never comes and you end up with mess everywhere.
Meal plan, and buy sufficient food for the week so you don't have to go out for top ups. Ideally get shopping delivered, its a big time and effort saver (and much easier to stick to the list if doing it online).
Put stuff in the dishwasher as you go along, wipe up spills or crumbs or splashes as you go along.
I can't really think of any more, but its all about not letting stuff build up, because a build up of jobs is exhausting and overwhelming to deal with, especially if you have chronic conditions.