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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how full time workers how they hell they can stop spending all their weekends doing bloody housework?

289 replies

therewillbetime · 30/09/2018 18:40

Boring but serious question- work all week, leaving house at 7.30 and getting home 6.30 ish. DP, who also works all day gets home slightly earlier and always cooks, feeds cats etc. He does his own ironing.

I do little housework during the week apart from those everyday things you have to do or course as a) I’m knackered and b) I frequently have work related paperwork to do or study (I’m studying for an MA part time as well). I also go to the gym most nights so I admit that I cram a bit in.

This weekend I thought I was pretty much on top of things at home. Dp and I did all the food shopping yesterday but still I realise that this weekend I’ve done tons of washing (I have a teenage son), ironing, tidying, hoovering, dusting and cooking. I’ve been to the gym but combined this with my college work (reading on the treadmill) and we did relax and watch a movie last night. Dp did a load of stuff in the garden.

I am just really interested in how full time workers manage it all with the result of saying they had a weekend, or most of a weekend to do stuff not related to the home. Or maybe, everyone lives like this and I’m a whinging git!

OP posts:
Purplejay · 30/09/2018 21:46

Just been looking at the organised mum pages. Might give it a go!

Clionba · 30/09/2018 21:54

Never had a cleaner, never buy anything online, but like pp above, I do it through the week. However, I never go to the gym, which probably explains why I have more time! Don't martyr yourself, though. I'm sure your place isn't a tip!

royaltrux · 30/09/2018 21:57

So you only change the bed sheets once a fortnight @Blackoutblinds sorry that's disgusting

Original poster
therewillbetime · 30/09/2018 22:02

No its not a tip Clionba.

I have just realised that I've got into this ridiculous pattern of ensuring everything is done before I start the working week. I know I've got like this because my weeks are often hectic, I work late sometimes without notice and I'm bloody exhausted every evening. I guess its almost like 'well at least I know I won't have stuff to do at home' IF my day is utterly manic.

OP posts:
Mummadeeze · 30/09/2018 22:04

I spent nearly 5 hours doing household chores today and it makes me feel cross. Just feel like I had such a boring Sunday. Can’t afford a cleaner and the flat is too cluttered anyway for them to be able to clean. The most annoying thing of all is my partner sitting around not helping but that is another thread I guess :(

famousfour · 30/09/2018 22:04

We have a cleaner or I don’t know how I would manage.

I keep on top of the rest of it as I go. Tidy kitchen every night and morning. Laundry at night and hung up in the morning. With bring up early on the weekends get uniform, ironing and decluttering done. Probably a couple of hours each day in total.

DrWhy · 30/09/2018 22:06

@royaltrux only on MN is that disgusting. In the real world changing bedsheets every other week is a sensible balance between the time, effort, environmental impact of washing the bedding and the need for cleanliness, PJs / nightwear get washed more often and are between you and the bedding!

Clionba · 30/09/2018 22:07

therewillbetime that's the problem - not everything has to be done every week. You're not facing an inspection, just do what makes you comfortable.

seventhgonickname · 30/09/2018 22:09

My teen dies her own room,anything she leaves around gets put on her bed.
I have decluttered,this makes cleaning easy and gives the impression of cleanliness when you can't be added.
Stop ironing!

iluvsummer · 30/09/2018 22:10

Have a 7 month old, 2 year old and 7 year old, back in work full time after maternity and dh works 12 hour shifts. It was chaotic here but have had to be organised now I’m back in work so...
Dishwasher done before bed and when I get up
Online shop once a week
Clothes out ready the night before
Everyone has their own washing basket, these are done when they’re full, could be once/twice a week before bed or when I get up then thrown in tumble dryer
Clothes put away as soon as they’re dry
One set of school uniform for every day then washed at the weekend
I rarely iron
Bulk cooking and slow cooker meals
Declutter
Shut the 7 year olds door and try not to look in there
Cleaner for 2 hours a week £20, this was put in the budget for when I went back to work
Big tidy up the night before the cleaners comes
Will run the hoover, clean bathroom in between if it is needed but other than that no cleaning at all
Bulk buy nappies, wipes and toiletries

Oct18mummy · 30/09/2018 22:10

Have a cleaner every week and do online shopping once a week in my lunch break

Beesandfrogsandfleas · 30/09/2018 22:11

I thought organised mum was only for SAHM, happy to know if it's not. (Or for sahds too of course)

lolarose896 · 30/09/2018 22:17

I work 8am-8pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday but finish at 2pm on a Thursday so I get the majority of my cleaning done on that day and do the rest on a Sunday morning.
I also cook meals with as little dishes as possible. I am a big fan of one pot meals!

lolarose896 · 30/09/2018 22:18

Also I don't iron Shock

Foreverlexicon · 30/09/2018 22:18

Have a small house.

I have a tiny 2 bed house, spend maybe 5-10 min a day during the week sorting it then 1-2 hours max on a weekend to clean it top to bottom. I mean I’m not anal by any means but it’s clean and tidy. It’s great 😁

Thighofrelief · 30/09/2018 22:18

Use the same agency for everything - cleaner, gardening, window cleaning, waiting in for shit.

Dumping all your laundry at launderette for service wash and dry and ironing if necessary.

Also - online shopping. I haven't been inside a shop since Y2K.

wowfudge · 30/09/2018 22:21

I work full time and am studying for a post grad qualification which has dominated my spare time for bloody years and I have a hobby I do for two and hours a week, plus an hour's round trip driving time.

I do bits through the week - hoover a couple of rooms one evening, clean the bathroom another or clean the sink one night when I've cleaned my teeth, clean the bath after I've had a shower in the morning. Tidy up and take recycling out whilst tea's on the go. Laundry I tackle through the week if possible. I take a break for ten minutes or so around studying and do a bit then and make a tea or coffee. I outsource the bit of ironing I generate and anything that's household stuff - DP has his work shirts laundered and ironed at the same launderette. He's often away at least three nights a week and travels a lot so is usually shattered at weekends. He does gardening or DIY jobs needed. Shopping is usually ordered online.

I've lowered my standards and don't stress if I can't clean the whole house on one day. I need to get my qualification so prioritise that.

WelcomeToShootingStars · 30/09/2018 22:23

I have a cleaner.

I really enjoy gardening and it's more of a hobby than a chore so I'm happy to spend time doing it.

royaltrux · 30/09/2018 22:32

Sorry not convinced @DrWhy - that's grubby I would never leave mine two weeks.

Beesandfrogsandfleas · 30/09/2018 22:34

This has reminded me it must be four weeks since dc2's was changed.

DerelictWreck · 30/09/2018 22:36

Does it really take that long? I'm out the house 12 hours a day, but can clean by 2 bed house in maybe 3 hours on a saturday morning. I tend to wash and tumble dry/hang up both weekend morning's as well. But still, it's not that much work surely?

Gersemi · 30/09/2018 22:39

People manage in part by not spending nearly as long in the gym as you do. Housework gives you just as much exercise, and it's free.

sophisticatedsarcasm · 30/09/2018 22:44

I’m a part timer and still have housework to do at the weekend... today I got up stripped all 3 beds, put washing on, made breakfast. Went to my uncles house to 2alk his dog, came home, hung washing out, ironed, cooked dinner, made all 3 beds, tidied bedroom, put laundry away. Ate dinner, bathed the kids and am now only relaxing properly 😐

macnab · 30/09/2018 22:47

Definitely get a cleaner. It was the best thing that happened to me last year - and saved my marriage too Wink We both work full time, though DH works ridiculously long hours and has a very long commute. I had been working a 4 day week and did most of the major cleaning stuff on my 'day off' but when I went back to 5 days we were spending weekends arguing about cleaning, or about it not being done (if we happened to have a busy weekend) it was just so stressful and boring. So we got a cleaner. She's the best thing since sliced bread, I swear! She blitzes the entire house in 2 hours and only costs us 20 quid! We had fallen into the habit of getting a takeaway most weekends, now we use that money to pay for the cleaner - so our house is clean, we're less stressed and our diets are better Grin I wouldn't give her up now, she's known as "the fairy godmother" in our house! I think I love her as much as I love DH - in fact if I had to choose between them I think I'd pick her! (she often does un-asked for things, like cleaning out the fridge or organising my hotpress!)

macnab · 30/09/2018 22:51

DerelictWreck - yes I could clean my house in about 3 hours but now our weekends are taken up with kids activities, we're taking them to matches, watching them compete, dropping them to places etc. If you miss the opportunity to clean for those 3 hours then it's really hard to catch up because you're back at work again. Our weekends are just so busy, so much can only be done at weekends if you're working full time. And I found that even on the weekends that I did have the time to do a proper clean, I really resented it - I felt that if I had a few precious hours free then I should do something enjoyable/relaxing etc. - anything other than cleaning