routines advice please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[linconlass]

Hi there -advice re routines please !!!!
I work 4 days a week until 3 and on my day off spend whole day de junking the house and cleaning - ideally wd like to do half a day cleaning half not !!!
I think that the thing that holds me back if other folks bits a bobbs that drift round the house.our house has 4 floors and so its a long way up and down.eg find ds choc wrapper on computor desk,dd notlets,dh random screws ,nails ,train tickets.I dont think they mean to leave stuff around but get distracted and as we can be on diffrent floors i cant always remind!!i try to remember but by time downstairs ive forgotton.!!I dont feel that i can constcnt remind dh - feel like his mother !!

I put x 2 wash on a day and put away.clean kitchen daily ,tidy daily and hoover woodedn floors in kitchen and living room daily,cook tea .wash up.put away.DD out x3 night s a week after school and ds x1 -ID like togive children jobs but dd doesnt get in till after 7 sport nights and then has homework and bed at 9.wd like relax at night or just do a certian amount of time re jobs- dh helps ds with homework,i cook tea , wash up ,tidy etcwhile he does that.Any ideas for a well run household which does not involve constant running around - does it exist!!?eg daily washing - weekly ??? any advice wd be great - thanks !!!

bump ! advice please..................

In all fairness to you, you virtually work full time. It sounds like you are working very hard as it is.

Tidy houses don't just happen. They are continually being swept, dusted, plumped and tidied. It's just that some people make it look easy!

Your lot need to learn that choc wrappers go straight in the bin, random screws go straight back in the garage, etc. Just keep it together and keep reinforcing the message. They'll get the message eventually!

have you got correct storage and rubbish bins in correct places? go round the house once a week with a black bin bag and put anthing thats not in its correct place in that and put it in the garage or somewhere similar - warning everyone that you will do this so they have a chance to tidy first. if you want to do half a day then do that - there will always be dirt etc however long you clean for. think about which jobs take longest and see how you can reduce those - you've already started this by thinking about junk. we have certain rooms that are tidy (ish) and others that are more working/untidy rooms - does everywhere have to be spotless or can you close some doors? stop doing some things and see if anyone notices. 2 washes each day sounds bit much to me - there are 5 of us - can you cut down by training people to wear things a couple of times. get a cleaner for a few hours?

As a SAHM and help my husband run his business (home also business hob) plus I never have an once of help from him - I totally understand. I got a cleaner in! I clean everyday, tidy, cook, washup etc but I was finding it hard to get out and it was totally depressing me.

Even though I still clean and tidy I dont have to dust or clean the windows which helps.

I dont clothes wash everyday. I dont like doing that as you have mixed wash as damp baskets handing around. I wash sunday and monday ready to iron thurs. (could you ship the ironing out?)

really, you have enough to do. I agree that the day can be spent de-cluttering and mid afternoon you have to start planning tea. The day is short really and is a job in itself.

I do have a typed routine checker on the inside of the kitchen cupboard - this reminds me to do certain jobs.

My boys are very young and dread the evenings of activities and constant taxi service. My husband is also very untidy and disorganised, there seems to be no set organisation with him and it all gets chaotic.

As much as you try and train boys it falls on deaf ears! I end up going over the same message and nagging my husband to a point I cant stand hearing my own voice.

I wish I could help cos really I have the same question but employing a cleaner once a week helped loads. She'll just pile all the notelets up and wont throw out but perhaps get a clear plastic bag and chuck it all in there and wait for everyone to start moaning wheres that tickets/phone no etc - then you can throw the bag at them to sort.

Your not superwoman and you deserve a break too!

thanks all- for alistening ear as well as tips !! I cant get a cleaner as i do this on top of my main job one eve a week to fund ds sport activities - more the pity !!i cant pay cleaner then go clean elsewere lol!!I think my dh who is great am and does brekie etc just does nt see clutter/jobs- he says he is minimalist ha ha !!