So, if you work full time, have kids and no cleaner ....

[birthdaychick]

...when do you get time to do the cleaning? Given that kids go to bed at 7pm and have a nap in the afternoon on a Sat and Sun.

um.... You don't. I live in a hovel .

It's the best I can do to get the dishwasher/pot & pans dealt with in the evenings, anything else is a bonus.

Um, at the weekend. Dh leaves home later than me and will unload the dishwasher and have a quick tidy round. I usually stick a load of washing in before I leave. In the evening, I cook normally, whilst dh entertains dd.

At the weekend, I dust, clean bathroom and change beds whilst DH hoovers/washes floors and sorts out rubbish etc Other jobs get done periodically. I daren't look under my bed for example as there is a huge dust monster living there

That's alright then, it's not just me. Have just hooved and dusted my bedroom, for the first time in two months, it was disgusting!

Just me and my 2 boys.

Whilst I'm washing breakfast dishes I cook tea. Then when washed tead dishes, make lunches for the next day. Then iron for the next day, kids to bed, then crash on sofa.

Weekends are mad mix of washing/drying, hoovering, dusting, cleaning bathroom changing beds. If I'm lucky can fit in hoovering/dusting bedrooms every other week

Oh no - the bedroom gets hoovered about once every 2 months! I do ironing when dd is in the bath. Just the necessary.

We have a sound immune system in our house due to the lack of cleaning.

DH works shifts so sometimes gets time to himself in the house during the week and will give it a good clean.

I don't have time to do the cleaning. I have just let my standards slip.
I have also trained my children to help out now they are older.
Sometimes hoovering gets done at the weekend. Ironing gets done every other sunday (sometimes)

I used to do it on Saturday morning - dh had the kids and I cleaned. I did resent spending my free time cleaning though.

(now I have a cleaner instead!).

I try to get it done in the week, in small chunks of time, so as I get out of the shower I'll give the bathroom a quick wipe, throw the vac around downstairs while dinner's cooking, change the beds while DD is at Brownies, that kind of thing.

I'd rather push myself to do a bit before and after work in the week and have the weekend off. I work 30 hours over 5 days though so I'm usually home after the school run, if I was getting in late from work then I'd probably leave it until Saturday.

I work part time 20 hours per week and I still dont get time to do all the housework!
If you work and dont have a cleaner something has to 'give' and in my case its the dusting and cleaning. I just about cope with the cooking/washing up and laundry. My husband does nothing!

I do my best but the house is messy. I resent having to do housework at the week-ends when I could be out with the family.

Oh, and I have an ironing lady who does mine and DH's work clothes, this really helps.

I do what is necessary and sod the rest!! Vacuuming and dusting downstairs done every Sunday morning. Toilets and bathroom once a week. Washing on a Friday afternoon and ironing on a Sunday. Bedrooms...well, kids get done weekly but they do it themselves as for the rest of upstairs I would say once a month maximum. Noone ever goes up there so cant judge me on it!! And anyone who understands how hard it is being a working mum wouldnt judge you on it anyway.

I try to fit bits in in the evening and weekends but generally I'm too lazy tired so the house is a shit tip. Really should sort out a cleaner.

Weekends after a good sleep. Nothing in the evenings unless disease is imminent.

I only have 1 hours cleaner per week, but it is BLISS
I work FT (well 34.5 hrs) and am single mum

I also have a Roomba so the whole house gets hoovered every other day

Downsizing! We're moving from a 4 bed/3 bath to a 2 bed one bath house and I can't wait!

I can't wait to only have to clean one bathroom which can be done while DS is in the bath.

Nice small kitchen and given it is a bungalow it will be easy to hoover too.

I hope for great improvement!

Couldn't cope without a cleaner!! She's worth every penny. She does 3 hours in which she cleans the whole house, changes the beds and does all the ironing.

3 Dcs and we both work FT tho DH can be a bit flexible and work from home. He is dishwasher and dinners, I am laundry, beds, and bathrooms. We do what we can. Kitchen always fairly clean (do it as we go, bathrooms I do whilst kids are in bath, then quick wipe of bath afterwards. Laundry takes all weekend!!

Only thing that helps with cleaning is having everyting to hand so I buy multiple bottles of Cif or whatever so I can do it there and then, IYSWIM, cos I now if I have to go and find the stuff I'll get distracted and do something else instead.

my job is a cleaner! i spend 6 hours cleaning a day, then come home and do my own!

i find a routine and planning ahead still gives me plenty of free time to do things i want do :D

Dh and I work together. If one is cleaning or cooking, the other is looking after the dc. Ironing can be done (by dh) whilst watching a dvd.

We make sure we each have the same 'sit down' time.

Oh, and the 'It'll do attitude' helps.