Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Is your house inexplicably cleaner now?

132 replies

GrumpiestOldWoman · 13/04/2020 19:30

We have been at home all day every day and haven't had our usual 4 hours of cleaning each week - but I'd say our house is definitely cleaner and tidied than before Confused

We're both still working full time, albeit from home, and we have fairly full on jobs so putting in our full hours. I would say my working hours are slightly longer as I don't need to rush to pick up DD sp tend to work a bit later.

Is anyone else noticing this?

OP posts:
missionalmostimpossible · 13/04/2020 22:51

House was a tip until the start of this Bank Holiday weekend, given we are both WfH, and have a 3 year old and 2 year old to entertain concurrently.

As we've not been working over the weekend (our standard hours are M-F), we've been able to clear 4 loads of washing, clean downstairs windows inside and out, wash car inside and out, hoover whole house, clean bathroom, blitz half the garden so children can finally play on it, and make enough sauces for the week that we'll only have to heat up some carbs to accompany them. I even managed a bubble bath accompanied by a glass of wine earlier this evening.

I expect full normal service to resume in the morning.

WhatsTheFrequencyKennneth · 13/04/2020 23:36

Nah. No threat of unexpected visitors so I'm not caring, just doing the basics. House full of crafts, chocs and shoes. Garden looking tidier through. A lot more passers-by so weeding more.

WhatsTheFrequencyKennneth · 13/04/2020 23:41

*though

Notcontent · 13/04/2020 23:47

It is today. It might not be next week when I am back to wfh. Being at home creates so much mess - constant cooking etc.

Ineedabreak19 · 14/04/2020 00:06

I've repainted the living room and in the process of ruthless decluttering before putting the furniture back in. Next stop is my bedroom, that will be decluttered and repainted. The whole house will be thoroughly scrubbed, decluttered and repainted within an inch of its life!

I had 3/4 of a 10 litre tub of magnolia paint in the garage which needed using up & the pandemic was the perfect time to do it. I will paint all the radiators but will have to wait until after lockdown to buy paint. The woodwork will be repainted and the garage needs to be sorted out.

Sparkledot · 14/04/2020 01:09

I wish mine was. We moved into a house that was filthy just before this all kicked off. We had a team of cleaners in but it's still dirty, every job takes ages, didn't have any energy to clean during self isolation and not had much motivation since. I can't even unpack as we can't have the workmen in that we need to build storage. Tomorrow im hoping to put a dent in some of the jobs but we will see

managedmis · 14/04/2020 01:09

First two weeks we were proactive

Now it's Lord of the Flies

Sparkledot · 14/04/2020 01:14

My light switches and door handles are very clean though Grin
I imagine if we were still in the previous house it would be lovely and clean

DramaAlpaca · 14/04/2020 01:41

Mine is uncharacteristically spotless. I've nothing better to do and there's no small children here, just me, DH and student DS so I've rolled up my sleeves and got stuck in. I'm doing some decorating too. It'll all go back to our chaotic normal as soon as I'm back at work. Which is a shame as I'm enjoying a clean, tidy house.

Pickles89 · 14/04/2020 01:47

Mine's about the same. My cleaner normally does 7 hours once a week. I'm not getting the same gleaming results she manages but I'm keeping on top of things doing a bit every day, so it all averages out about equal.

sunandrose · 14/04/2020 03:13

Noooooo Confused
I have a toddler and an 8 month baby who are constantly snacking, dropping crumbs everywhere and tipping up as many toys as they can get their hands on.
The ironing pile is slowly taking over the utility and we’re out in the garden most of the time so the outside is coming in. Constantly.
I’m trying to keep on top of it but attempting to entertain a whiny toddler whilst DH works from home is pretty full on.

We usually have a weekly cleaner. Dear God do I miss her!!

Original poster
GrumpiestOldWoman · 14/04/2020 06:56

sunandrose you're ironing?! Shock

OP posts:
Yester · 14/04/2020 07:01

Why would you iron!???

Oblomov20 · 14/04/2020 07:02

No. Barely any cleaning has been done. Dh is working as normal, a key worker. I'm working like a dog at home. Where's the time to clean?

WtfIsThisEven · 14/04/2020 07:24

It was absolutely spotless for the first week or two. I decluttered and deep cleaned while the kids did their online school, was motivated and trying to make the best of it, and decided if I was going to be stuck inside then I might as well enjoy actually being here.

I’ve now moved into the “depressed as fuck” stage. The place is a shithole, I’ve closed all the blinds and sit in the dark thinking about when life used to be interesting.

Also, my vacuum blew up and I obviously can’t go and buy another one. So fuck it all.

thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 14/04/2020 07:26

No it's far messier as we are in it more. We usually run the dishwasher twice a week but running it nearly every day now. I also always used to shower at the gym and rarely at holt. Now I'm showering here the bathroom is always covered in my hair!

Fluffymulletstyle · 14/04/2020 07:28

Far messier with 2 young children and us both working splitting childcare. The garden looks amazing though!

Camomila · 14/04/2020 07:33

Ours is slightly, I think its because DH is working from home so I can get him to hold the baby for a second when I need to do something, or if I want to say hang up laundry he's in the living room on the computer so DS1 doesn't follow me.

Camomila · 14/04/2020 07:35

(I'm very lucky as I'm on maternity leave and DS2 is an easy baby)

LaurieMarlow · 14/04/2020 07:35

I never understand why you’d iron in normal times, let alone now?

MotorwayDiva · 14/04/2020 07:42

Cleaner, but then cleaning is the only way to keep moving and stop myself getting fatter in lock down.

Passthecake30 · 14/04/2020 07:45

My washing and ironing basket are much less full now (less clothes to wash). House gets cleaned but it doesn’t last for long with us all here. Kids keep creating things out of amazon boxes and leaving snack crumbs everywhere. My initial attempts at decluttering have led to a couple of bags of clothes and some boxes stacked up in the corner of my bedroom so I don’t fancy doing more. Every now and then I am emptying a shelf in the kitchen, wiping it and putting the stuff back, just for something to do..so I guess that’s an improvement....

stayathomer · 14/04/2020 07:46

Ours is in the places we're in-so the kitchen sitting room and kids rooms are cleaner (have started making the kids actually tidy and it's like a load off) but bathroom and windows no.

stayathomer · 14/04/2020 07:50

LaurieMarlow

I never understand why you’d iron in normal times, let alone now?
I've JUST started ironing recently. The kids made some crack about ironing recently and I realised they'd never seen it being used. I look at my ds and db who both iron a lot and I'm hoping some of their organisation etc will rub off and it'll be a thing my kids will do. (Yes I sound like a nut job it's just ... no I don't know how to defend itGrin)

Ffsnosexallowed · 14/04/2020 07:52

No. I'm working longer hours as a key worker, dp is working from home and the kids are trashing the place.