To ask for your help?

[sufur]

I’m sure a lot of you are in the same boat. I’m struggling as I have no time to clean my house properly. With a 4 year old and a baby there’s never time to give anywhere a proper clean.

My wet rooms haven’t had a thorough clean since 23rd December! I haven’t been able to give the upstairs a Hoover in weeks, my oven and hob are pretty dirty, beds sheets are well overdue a change and there’s so much dust on unused surfaces.

I try to do bits once the DC are asleep but it’s impossible to try to do quietly.

My DH works full time and I’m looking after the children (homeschooling one).

I’ve always kept the house super clean and tidy so I’m finding this quite stressful.

Please give me your tips on how to keep things clean? Everywhere is kept very tidy, it’s just finding time to clean.

I have no idea, I seem to try every method going, and the fact is my husband and I are slovenly in our housekeeping habits! It's only us here, not even children and home schooling, but work for both us is stupidly busy (60 hour weeks) and as something has to give, it seems to be mopping the floors! I'd love to just do a reset, have someone in to deep clean and then try to keep on top of it, but that seems so unnecessary. Day off today, so I'm doing my best, but it all seems futile, I'm put from 9am-10pm for the rest of the week and know it won't stay clean and tidy!

If your standards are usually very high you probably do need to accept that at the moment you can’t maintain that. I would say do things as you go along as much as possible. Dust while the DC are playing on the floor or give the 4 year old a duster and let them help. Tuck a duster behind the radiator in each room so you can have a quick wipe round when you happen to be in the room.

As soon as you get up in the morning strip the bed and stick the wash on. Leave remaking it until bed time so your DH can help.

Give the kitchen a clean down as you go along. The oven just needs a quick wipe for now. Do you have a cordless hoover? My Dyson wand is fantastic for a quick scoosh round. Can be done at any time and with a baby on your hip if necessary.Or even consider an automatic robot vacuum?

Bathrooms either do as you shower or delegate to your DH. If possible can you consider having a cleaner even once a fortnight? That would take the pressure off.

I’m a clean and tidy soul so I feel your pain.

I do a bit a day but have lowered my standards a lot.

I clean the bathroom whilst kids are in the bath.

I put away laundry when we go upstairs for bed time.

I have a general tidy after they’ve gone to bed.

The full on cleaning is done on the weekend when there are two of us to wrangle the kids.

I pick a room a day to clean properly, and 1 task per day e.g washing or dusting or changing bed linen etc

It means every room gets a proper clean regularly, but because I'm also doing 1 task per day, the house is always reasonably clean.

I'm going to put forward a different view here and say that I think your DH can help out.

Now, I'm not man-bashing here, I'm sure your DH is lovely but you are struggling and partners step up when the other is struggling.

Besides, if he lived alone and worked full time he'd need to clean so I don't really accept f/t work as an excuse.

Another alternative would be, if affordable, to hire a cleaner - even just once a fortnight.

While you could adopt the tricks others suggest- like cleaning the shower while you shower - i don't think its healthy. (And I say this as someone who does these same tricks).

I don't think it's healthy for your mental health. You're overwhelmed. Juggling more at the moment isn't going to help, its just adding to your load. You need to prioritise a little bit of self care.

Oh and stop beating yourself up, you're doing brilliantly.

Thank you all, very helpful advice and tips. I really appreciate it

I would consider a cleaner, in fact my dh suggested it a few months ago. Just a bit nervous about having another person in and out of the house at the moment.

My dh is great and does help, but I must confess, I'm a bit of a control freak and like things done a certain way - I know I need to change this about myself.

Thanks @TaraR2020 you really made me smile

If you prefer to do it yourself, can't DH take the kids out for a walk/to the park at the weekend?

I never feel it's done properly in the evening. Weird maybe, but 🤷🏻‍♀️

Getting the kids involved or plonking them in front if the TV isn't quite the same as ha ing a ckear run at it, is it!

But needs must sometimes! However, as I said, I'd pack him & the kids off out fir a few hours at the weekend 🤷🏻‍♀️ If the weather is too miserable, then he can play with them
In ONE of the bedrooms.