To not clean enough

[WalkingBlind]

I'm the first to admit my house isn't spotless, pretty far from it. Tackling some hoarding type issues (although mild) and have a fair few pets roaming around.

With a toddler and a new baby it's just totally neglected. I do the basics (laundry/pots) but when I go to other people's homes in comparison it definitely looks mucky or unkempt.

I don't work but always prioritise stuff with the kids rather than dusting, etc. Am I being scruffy? Maybe when they're in school I'll get more on top of things but by the time they go to bed I want to as well If I can tackle my mini mountains of "stuff" then I think I'll hire a cleaner because I would like a clean house.... But in my mind I need to treasure every moment while my kids are still kids

I'm ok in other ways, I make proper meals from scratch and stuff (There's an ongoing joke that I season my meals with dog hair, but it's a husky thing, I hoover the living room twice a day!) But I'll only.do upstairs once a weekish coz they aren't allowed up there. I just feel like life is too short to spend so long cleaning. I told my family I bleached the loo once a week/fortnight and they said they did their's daily and I'm basically a bit minging Am I? Lol (Prepares for the worst)

Probably but I am right here with you!

I read a magnet once that said "dull women have immaculate houses" and it struck a cord. I have one that says "you can touch the dust but please don't write in it"

I work almost full time and to be honest my time at home with my dd is far too valuable to bother blitzing the house. She will remember the things we do together not whether I bleached the house daily!

It's hard, isn't it? And I don't even have dogs!

I read this on mumsnet, so am taking no credit, but here's a list of three things:

1. tidy house
2. happy children
3. sanity

you can only choose two! !

I think it sounds like you are making good choices

No need to bleach the house daily, but there is a middle way. I think sometimes unhygienic houses (and unfortunately all the ones I have been in have had dogs/pets, although not all ones with dogs/pets are unhygienic of course) are really offputting, for friends, for children's friends. Don't be that minging.

I think cleaning the loo more than once every two weeks is a good idea, I followed Flylady for a short while and the one tip I took away was that it takes a few seconds to do a 'swish and a swipe' with loo paper and whatever cleaner you have to hand. My loo is always clean, even if there are piles of stuff and everything isn't put away.

Don't bother looking at the cleaning until they are both reliably toilet trained!

Honestly, it is just impossible, and don't feel bad! my house was horrid but once we both got some regular sleep you can declutter and clean.

Try and clear the decks with some tip and charity shop runs, don't bother with car boot or eBay unless you need to and know that this to will pass!

I did unfuck my habitat, because I liked the swearing and you could choose a ten minute clean of one thing.

There's a balance. If people close to you who have seen your house are saying there's an issue then you might need to listen. You say yourself it is neglected, mucky and unkempt?

Treasuring time with your kids is important, and no one likes cleaning unless they are crazy. BUT - I grew up in quite a chaotic home, lots of unnecessary stuff, everything always generally messy, just this side of proper dirty, etc. It wasn't nice and I was conscious of it from a very young age and embarrassed. It's important for your kids that your home is presentable and they can learn good habits.

I'm the opposite and probably over clean but I actually enjoy cleaning... Not to an obsessional standard but I really do like to sit down in a clean and clutter free home, growing up my house was a mess due to my mums lack of cleaning / hoarding / smoking etc and I vowed never to be like that!

I think the first thing to do though is to de clutter. Trying to clean a cluttered house is rotten and makes things so much harder. Whenever you have any spare time just grab a carrier bag / bin bag and shove stuff in. Even now I declutter once a week and generally have a bin bag of stuff to chuck.

I know not everyone likes to bleach their toilets but if you like to - like me- then it doesn't take much just to keep a bottle by the side of the toilet and chuck a load down it once a day at some point or last thing at night.

It's the ages of the dc, when they're both able to play on their own for short bursts you'll have a lot more time. With a toddler and a baby anything that's not insanitary is fine.

I need that magnet wheresthe lol!

Yeah I do agree there should be balance and I will admit I'm currently not that balanced with it. For example I will wipe the loo with Flash if it visibly looks like it needs it or if there's an 'accident' but bleaching the inside doesn't cross my mind much (I like those tablet things that change the water colour haha)

I don't really have people round as they don't like pets but it was more so I would say something and my family would comment that it wasn't "good enough" cleanliness wise Not sure if they are clean freaks or I'm a scruff

munchcrunch That's basically what I'm doing, if it's not unhygienic it doesn't cross my mind (for example cat litter trays are top priority but I don't even make the bed unless I'm changing the sheets)

My family's homes all put mine to shame. The downstairs is fine but upstairs is a bit shameful. It's getting blitzed next week.
But, in my defence, my siblings DC are all older, I remember theirs being much messier in the past. And I don't think my parents house was as immaculate when we were little.
I have decided I will have a clean, beautiful home when the DC are grown and moved out, it will be my consolation prize. In the meantime I'm going to enjoy the phase of life that I'm in.

If your baby is very new then it's not so surprising that you don't have time to clean more..

However, I do think there's a balance. Children don't need occupying all the time, they need to be able to amuse themselves sometimes.

You've said you have 'hoarding type issues' and in comparison it looks 'mucky and unkempt'. Not to mention flavouring your cooking with dog hair. So it doesn't sound too appealing I'm afraid.

And once a fortnight loo cleaning isn't enough in my book.

But your choice. If you want it done you'll find the time.

I'm very tidy and everything has a place
However I hate housework and do the bare minimum
Loo bathroom etc cleaned once s week
Kitchen floor n work tops as needed
Dusting n hoovering once every few weeks

Definitely get a cleaner, you get a clean house and get to spend all your free time with your kids