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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask how and when to keep on top of housework!

27 replies

Jessthemess38 · 27/03/2022 17:29

Boring thread for Mother's Day, sorry!

Moved into a new house recently and am struggling with the upkeep. It was pristine when we moved in, bought off a very well to-do SAHM who seemed to love cleaning! In my old house I was guilty of not moving or cleaning behind sofas for several months or years and ignoring things like windows and skirting boards until they were visibly dirty. When we left the old house it became apparent just how grubby the place was and I don't want the same to happen here.

On a daily basis I keep on top of the bathroom and kitchen, they are always wiped down after use. But dusting, skirtings, windows, gardening, wiping down of walls/doors/inside cupboards and moving furniture to clean behind it rarely happens.

Firstly, am I slovenly? Or is this pretty normal? And if I am slovenly can you tell me your schedule and how you manage to keep on top of everything? Worth noting I work 30 hours a week (although currently on maternity leave) and have 2 dc and a dog to contend with. I have considered getting a cleaner in even once a fortnight or once a month to help me stay afloat. Any advice welcome!

OP posts:

Superstar22 · 27/03/2022 17:35

We have a cleaner for 3 hours a week. She’s quite good but only does half the house each week.

When I had little children we didn’t have one. So like you, the kitchen & bathroom were ok, but I got into a habit of doing one room a day. Wipe (with baby wipes 🤣) skirting boards, dust, mop floors, plump cushions, and quick tidy round. Took about 30 mins. Really felt better if I continuously did this.

topcat2014 · 27/03/2022 17:38

Just clean the skirting boards when you come to sell the house :)

Weekendtobegin · 27/03/2022 17:42

The organised mum method is pretty good I if you can stick with it. I keep doing it but I never end up fully sticking to it but you do 30 minutes a day.

My house is not as clean and immaculate as it could be, but it's good enough. It doesn't matter if the skirting boards are dusty, I try not to let them get grimy.

Clean clothes, beds, eating areas, bathroom are priority. Things don't need dusting constantly.

Silverclocks · 27/03/2022 18:16

Feather duster and minimal clutter ornaments. I can wizz round my whole house, including skirting boards, in about 15 mins. Do it weekly and nothing ever needs a "proper" clean.

Keeping on top of it, one 15 min job a day is easy. It's when it gets out of control and everything is actually dirty it becomes time consuming.

Original poster

Jessthemess38 · 27/03/2022 19:07

Yeah this is the issue - a bit of dust is fine but it's when things become dirty and grimy that it's a problem. My skirtings in my old house were grim, I was pretty embarrassed. When we moved into this house it was so clean. Hoping not to let the standards drop too much!

OP posts:

MarinoRoyale · 27/03/2022 19:16

Either create a schedule to do them weekly/monthly or do I what I do and get a cleaner once a quarter to do a deep clean (windows, skirting boards, fridge, woodwork throughout house, under sofas and beds etc). I keep on top of the superficial/visible cleaning, they do the bits I ignore!

CombatBarbie · 27/03/2022 19:27

Is it carpet or wooden floors? We are in an old dusty house so I need to do skirtings more often than I usually would. I find using a soft sweeping brush adequate. The house gets a full deep clean prob 2-3 times a year where I'll actually wash the skirtings.

Oldenoughtobedead · 27/03/2022 20:38

In your old house you didn’t notice how grubby things were until you moved - I’d use the same approach in this house. We are only alive for a short time, is cleaning really the best use of your life?

My cleaner comes once a fortnight for two hours, other than that I wash up and do laundry. I’d rather catch up with friends, learn new skills, go to the pub etc than clean.

Picklesandbeans · 27/03/2022 20:39

You sound normal too me. But I work 4.5 days and we have 2 DC too so my standards arent high! Kitchen and bathroom daily wipe hoover whole house 2x (Dh wfh) living room hovered more, kitchen mop as much as possible but every other day or so. Bedding 2 weekly all.

Lambanddog · 27/03/2022 20:46

If you have a dog I think their mud makes dust, so I wouldn't bother!

spacehardware · 27/03/2022 20:48

You don't mention a partner or ages of children - are you the only adult?

If so when I was in those shoes I coped by ignoring a lot and doing a good going over every other weekend when kids were at their dads

Now DH and I do 50/50 and have a cleaner once a fortnight to do deep clean

Original poster

Jessthemess38 · 27/03/2022 21:13

I do have a dh but he works long hours. He helps out at the weekend and tends to do a lot of the outdoorsy maintenance but house is very much my domain. Dc are baby and juniors age.

Mostly wooden floors which are easy to hoover and mop. I'm seriously considering getting a cleaner for the bits I can't be arsed with which are mainly windows, dusting and skirting boards.

OP posts:

spacehardware · 27/03/2022 21:16

My honest advice is stamp on this divide pronto

There's an awful lot more daily grind in the house than the outside, and if the totality of the house is "your" job, then you work damned long hours too

Do yourself a favour and stop that now.
And get a cleaner.

Pommelegible · 27/03/2022 21:26

@Silverclocks

Feather duster and minimal clutter ornaments. I can wizz round my whole house, including skirting boards, in about 15 mins. Do it weekly and nothing ever needs a "proper" clean.

Keeping on top of it, one 15 min job a day is easy. It's when it gets out of control and everything is actually dirty it becomes time consuming.

You can dust your entire house in 15 minutes? Is it a dolls house?

In all seriousness though it takes me around 10 minutes a room so this is very impressive!

Norgie · 27/03/2022 21:42

Routine.
Example, when you mop the floors, run the mop along the skirting boards of the floor that you're mopping.
Kids in the bath, clean the loo, sink and windowsill while they're in the bath.
Once you get into a routine of doing things, you will get through it quicker.

Fairislefandango · 27/03/2022 22:24

I've tried TOMM and FlyLady and can't get on with them - they are just too much! I've now got an app called 'Sweepy', which someone on a similar thread recommended, and it's honestly fab! My house is actually clean and tidy .

coodawoodashooda · 27/03/2022 22:27

My living room is easy to keep clean because i have almost no clutter. About every 3 weeks I make a point of really clearing things out. Then i don't worry for a bit.

Silverclocks · 27/03/2022 22:33

You can dust your entire house in 15 minutes? Is it a dolls house?

In all seriousness though it takes me around 10 minutes a room so this is very impressive!

It's a largeish 4 bed, although admittedly I don't go in teens' rooms. I'm not going to say it's a thorough job, but that the thing, if you do it regularly, it doesn't need to be.

ukborn · 28/03/2022 01:01

Yea I don't do that stuff unless I really notice it, which is why I usually have a cleaner. I'm renovating my house so there are piles of things in rooms that have been done as I have to clear out the rooms that are being done. But that's no excuse - I'm just lazy!
I'll be getting a cleaner pretty soon.

violetbunny · 28/03/2022 01:13

Do you have a DH problem rather than a cleaning problem? You mention he "helps out" at the weekend, but surely that's just called pulling your own weight...? Do you both have equal leisure time?

GlamorousHeifer · 28/03/2022 06:06

I have 2 dogs and skirting boards/door frames are a nightmare 😫
I have one of those long microfiber duster things that I use with hot soapy water on the doors etc.
I keep on top of everything else daily. If I notice it's dirty I clean it there and then, absolutely do not put it off or it won't get done!
If you can afford a cleaner once or twice a month get one!

ImplementingTheDennisSystem · 28/03/2022 06:40

I don't have kids, so appreciate I have more time. But I keep on top of the house by doing one self contained chore, but in every room of the house.
So I'll clean the skirting boards in every room, all in one go, but do nothing else. Then the next day I might polish all wooden surfaces, but nothing else. Then the next, bleach and scrub every toilet, but nothing else (not even clean the sinks in the same rooms). Then the next, walk round with a feather duster and remove cobwebs from every room, but nothing else, and so on.
I never say "I'm going to clean the bathroom", or set time aside for cleaning. I just incrementally chip away at it like a jigsaw.

Pommelegible · 28/03/2022 14:46

@Silverclocks

You can dust your entire house in 15 minutes? Is it a dolls house?

In all seriousness though it takes me around 10 minutes a room so this is very impressive!

It's a largeish 4 bed, although admittedly I don't go in teens' rooms. I'm not going to say it's a thorough job, but that the thing, if you do it regularly, it doesn't need to be.

I’m very impressed. I do mine weekly so shouldn’t be too bad but it still takes me on average 10 minutes a room. I do damp dust with a wet cloth though so maybe that’s why it takes me so much longer

Silverclocks · 28/03/2022 14:53

Yes, the flick round with a feather duster is key, obviously it takes longer to do it "properly".

TabithaTittlemouse · 28/03/2022 15:40

I just do it as I dust. Dust cloth and a wet cloth. Use a baby wipe if it’s easier.

I like the TOMM and Sweepy apps. I need both because I am disgusting.

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