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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask you about housework?

40 replies

dollywashers · 30/07/2012 14:23

I'm a teacher so off for 6 weeks. We've been out and about a lot but when we are at home I seem to be constantly tidying/cleaning/doing the washing/drying/ironing/putting away. I thought I'd be able to manage the house better having more time buts it just seems never ending and I never seem to get on top of it all.

How do you all manage it? Any handy hips? Could sit and sob at the state of the house again this afternoon.
Help?

OP posts:
gordyslovesheep · 30/07/2012 14:25

let it go to shit then spend 30mins cleaning it when they go to bed plus a good clean once a week

I don't run round tidying all day - I'd have not time to do really useful things like eat crisps and go on MN

Lucyellensmum99 · 30/07/2012 14:29

marks place, i just cant cope with it at all - if i spent all day cleaning this house would still be a pigsty :( Any advice gratefully received.

pjmama · 30/07/2012 14:35

Lower your standards!! Grin

Not massively helpful I now, but you'll drive yourself crackers otherwise.

Penguinface · 30/07/2012 14:39

read on MN about "10, 10, loaf"

Do 10 mins on 1 task, 10 mins on another taks, then loaf for 10! (ive actually never really tried it but it sounds like it might work Grin)

I have 2 under 5s so my tactics are:

  1. Ignore it, focus on the nippers and only do what's mouldy/life-threatening/resulting in injunctions Wink
  2. try to get them to help Grin
  3. put the tv on and do it round them
  4. leave most of it for the evening/tomorrow/the fairies

Actually, i think i need some help and advce too! Brew

PuppyMonkey · 30/07/2012 14:40

Cleaner. Grin

bisopharm · 30/07/2012 14:43

I agree with gordyslovesheep, you will end up doing housework all day if you are constantly tidying and cleaning. Set aside 1-2hrs each day for housework and enjoy sometime with your feet up in the garden with a cup of tea!

I work full time and 3 days from home. I only do a thorough clean i.e all toilets/bathrooms , hover, dust, mop etc on fridays and just sweep, wipe and a bit of tidying each day. i spend 1 hr ironing on sundays.

Newtothisstuff · 30/07/2012 14:45

I've got a 5 year dd a 11 week old dd a puppy and an untidy DH.
I do a bit in the morning a bit before I go to bed and do really important things like tv and mn for the rest of the day lol

lab001 · 30/07/2012 14:46

Its so awful isn't it? I was away in family caravan for 1 night. Before we left I cleaned both toilets. Than took ds swimming. Came back and dh had soiled toilet again. Now have to do it all again at home.

Lucyellensmum99 · 30/07/2012 14:47

puppy, even if i could afford a cleaner, my house is too untidy Blush to have one!

Musomathsci · 30/07/2012 14:48

I'm going to tidy up when the kids leave home...

pjmama · 30/07/2012 14:49

lab001 you should have handed your DH the marigolds and bog brush and told the dirty bugger to clean up after himself!

mandyhoyle1987 · 30/07/2012 14:52

I have been doing the 10 mins of cleaning 10 mins on MN all day today. It's like rewarding myself.

See you in 10!

LeandarBear · 30/07/2012 14:53

Get rid of stuff, the less you have the easier it is to clean. Try to make sure everything has a home, even if the 'home' is not that organised. Ie a big box for everyone's shoes, they can be thrown in but still looks tidy.

Maybe try and have one tidy room.

Don't worry about it too much ....

SquishyCinnamonSwirls · 30/07/2012 14:54

I've no idea, I'm 5 loads of washing in, the towels still to do. I've cleaned everywhere apart from vac'ing upstairs and I've taken a break with a coffee to sort out the house and car insurance. Whoop de sodding doo. And 5 mins on here. The kids are chilling with popcorn and a film. ArgghhhhhH!

RobotLover68 · 30/07/2012 14:56

I've been reading

cheekypickle · 30/07/2012 14:58

Get a cleaner! We have one for 2 hours a week £18 in total

She hoovers and washes all the floors, dust and polishes.

RobotLover68 · 30/07/2012 15:00

Oops sorry!

Should have said I've been reading the 15 minute rule to get me motivated especially when I feel overwhelmed. I work on something for 15 mins then move onto something else for 15 mins until it is done

I also enlist the help of my slaves children

pjmama · 30/07/2012 15:01

Another approach is to have one full day a week where the dcs get to watch DVDs all day. Blitz the whole house, get through as much as you can, then leave it for the rest of the week, just try and wipe as you go but don't worry too much.

valiumredhead · 30/07/2012 16:33

I honestly think if there is so much to tidy that you can't keep onto of things then you have far too much 'stuff.' Start de cluttering!

OptimisticPessimist · 30/07/2012 16:49

Quick tidy before each meal, quick wash up after each meal (and also after meal prep if needed).
Wipe over bathroom when kids in bath.
(Slightly) bigger tidy and hoover once kids in bed.
Big jobs on weekly rotation (different room each day - if done weekly as intended should only take 30m-1hr each day).
Spend rest of time drinking coffee and MN'ing Grin

jandymaccomesback · 30/07/2012 16:57

When you die are you going to wish you'd spent more time on housework?
Apart from doing the loos (which seem to need doing several times a day thanks to DH and DS) I just do what seems to need doing at the time. We always have clean clothes though.

BornToFolk · 30/07/2012 17:07

Little and often works for me. The only time I have for doing a big blitz is every other weekend when exP has DS and I don't really like spending all my childfree time on housework so I try to keep on top of it as I go.

I never leave a room without checking if there's something out of place that needs to go to another room. I leave stuff on the stairs to go up when I go. I clean the bathroom and put things away upstairs while DS is in the bath. I often get up during ad breaks to put drying up away etc. By keeping things generally clean and tidy, when I get a chance I can do the "big" jobs like mopping the kitchen floor.

Oh and I'm training DS to do his share! He actually really loves being helpful and doing housework at the moment so I am encouraging it as much as possible. He can put his own clothes away, make his bed, tidy his toys, dry up (with supervision), set the table and do general fetching and carrying.

DrucillaDemelza · 30/07/2012 17:13

I can't get past the post about cleaning up after the husband who had 'soiled the toilet'.

You are cleaning up a grown man's faeces because....

mummyonvalium · 30/07/2012 17:17

The more time you spend at home the more time you will have to spend on tidying so try to be out as much as possible.

racingheart · 30/07/2012 17:21

Our house is an absolute tip in the holidays. If I mop floors they all troll in dripping mud from waterfights on the lawn. If I tidy they drag baskets of toys downstairs because it's a nicer environment than the middens that are their bedrooms. If I launder, they change clothes three times a day and leave they previous outfit where they dropped it. So I don't. But I do one job a day that makes me feel overwhelmed if I ignore it (like cleaning the sticky smears of a thousand local children's paw prints from the patio doors. Or keeping the loos smelling fresh.

My summer rules are:

Have a lovely glass of rose.
Keep one room clean and tidy for sanity and guests.
Every time they squabble, get them to do a job for 15 mins.
Try to live outside the house as much as possible.
Clean it properly in September.