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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

never catch up with it( housework)

144 replies

Ineedmetime · 15/07/2011 21:46

Anyone else????

I always seem to have a side of washing up, its rarely all done.
then theres the clothes etc washing I have a mountain!
bathroom needs cleaning although my house is nowhere near as bad as the ones on kim and aggies tv show, the main rooms I can keep tidy are living room, dining room, bedrooms. although living room gets trashed by 2 year old daily I mannage to keep it fairly useable.
is anyone else like this?? I must admit though I do procrastinate a bit!

OP posts:
SilveryMoon · 11/08/2011 21:33

Did I come along and completey kill your thread? Looked like there was a bit of activity before I joined Blush

Canistaysane · 11/08/2011 21:39

Did you notice we posted at the same time( my last post not this one).
No you haven't killed the thread. We've had people coming and going since it started! Me and AngelDog have been the only ones who seem to have stuck at it.

SilveryMoon · 11/08/2011 22:11

Oh, ok! Well, let's hope we can all stay on top of it together! Smile

AngelDog · 11/08/2011 22:37

Canistaysane, that must be why housework is a struggle - you're spending your time thinking of new names! Grin

I know exactly what you mean about washing up breeding. I was very anti-dishwasher for years (even when we inherited one - we didn't use it) but now I would seriously struggle without it.

It's laundry that breeds in our house now.

How's potty training?

Silvery, it's full moon the day after tomorrow according to Google. Glad your boiler's fixed.

Not lots done today as out again for most of the day. DS enjoyed seeing the cows at our local farm shop. :)

Done today:
Cleaned upstairs bathroom (well, mostly)
Made sandwiches
Rang Wilkos
Wiped under highchair
Did a bit of washing

DS went to bed late again (9.15pm) so only part of evening routine done but I did stop at 10pm .

To do tomorrow:

  • Finish putting out bins
  • Ring Wilkos (again)
  • Ring hairdresser
  • Hang out today's clean washing.

I like my 3 or 4 item to do lists - I'm actually getting things on the list done. :) Normally I'd have really long lists and get dispirited that I make so little progress.

Canistaysane · 12/08/2011 08:54

Hi everyone, I'm starting to try bits of FlyLady like 5 minute tidy ups or 15 minutes washing up as it doesn't seem so overwhelming.
I'm trying to do the babysteps although haven't managed the getting dressed first thing yet. Must go and do breakfast as dd is asking. back in a mo.

Bonsoir · 12/08/2011 08:57

Maybe you need to work out a routine of (a) jobs that need doing daily (eg making beds, emptying bins, tidying toys, washing and ironing) (b) jobs that need doing twice weekly (hoovering,dusting, washing floors, clean bathrooms) (c) jobs that need doing weekly (change sheets, clean kitchen) (d) occasional jobs (washing windows, cleaning carpets) and keep to it?

SilveryMoon · 12/08/2011 09:03

Canistaysane The babysteps are really useful. I don't get dressed to shoes straight away, you have to adjust it to suit you.
Bonsoir is right, you do need a routine.

Canistaysane · 12/08/2011 09:21

That sounds good Bonsoir. I try to do washing up daily unless I'm feeling really bad. Now I'm trying FlyLady I think I'm starting to make a bit more progress with little jobs here and there. I find if I give myself too much to do its too overwhelming. I'm hoping to get more done today as dh has a day off so he can help with keeping dc out of mischief.
TO DO:
Washing up/ drying up
clothes etc washing
clear some clutter
go food shopping
potty training

RE; potty training we haven't had any luck on the potty yet. but yesterday dd told me she was doing a wee so I think we are making a bit of progress, even if it is small.Smile

SilveryMoon · 12/08/2011 09:36

That's great ciss
With both of mine, we potty trained favourite teddies too.
I'd say "Ds2, did you hear that? Teddy says he needs a wee, quick where's the potty?"
He'd say "I'll get it" so then I'd soak a cloth and get the other potty, meet ds2 in living room or where ever he'd taken potty and as I put teddy down on it, I'd squeeze the wet cloth 9so ds2 couldn't see) and then when we moved teddy, he'd done a wee! He got high-5's, a sticker and a chocolate button.
Then ds2 would sit on the potty and try too.
I did the same with ds1 too.

Canistaysane · 12/08/2011 09:46

That's a good idea, might try that one.

AngelDog · 12/08/2011 22:55

Not a lot done here today.

Done:

  • Lots of out-and-about jobs this morning
  • One lot of washing

Er...that's about it.

We did have a nice afternoon at the park with friends though.

DS didn't want to nap, and was difficult to get to bed again. I think it's the (slightly delayed) 18 month sleep regression. Hmm DH is away for a week from tomorrow so I hope DS isn't too difficult to get to bed while he's away.

I hope I can keep on top of house things too - normally when DH goes away I'm on MN till the small hours, then too tired to do anything else!

Canistaysane · 12/08/2011 23:13

Hello, have made progress with the 15 min Flylady thing, will update properly tomorrow as have had a few drinks.Grin

Canistaysane · 13/08/2011 08:46

Morning, Not planning too much today,
To do
Washing up
clothes washing
put away dry washing
Try to do a bit more 15 minute decluttering
try more potty training
and chill out!
Hope you are o.k. without dh AngelDog.I think it's harder to get things done on your own with dc.

SilveryMoon · 13/08/2011 09:36

Morning.
Glad the 15 min Fly thing is helping you.

To do:
Shower and dress
Swish swipe bathroom
Clean out litter tray
Clean all glass and mirrors
load washing machine
change master bed
hoover
mop
tesco
what's for lunch?
what's for dinner?
number songs with ds's
book time
Clean kitchen
chill out

I'm looking after a friend's ds overnight tonight. he's coming round at about 5ish, so think then I'll chuck pj's at all the boys and put a dvd on for them before packing them off to bed.

AngelDog · 13/08/2011 13:16

Hello all. We have already descended into chaos here. Grin

Done

  • Took DH to the bus station
  • One load of washing
  • Bought toy storage baskets (a big job as the shop was 30 mins drive away and I got badly lost on the way!)
  • Got DS to sleep for his nap - eventually. Hmm

To do

  • Tidy the bombsite
  • Hang out washing
  • Put new baskets on shelves
  • Think of something to have for dinner!
Canistaysane · 13/08/2011 20:13

Hello, today turned out to be a flop all round. Gave up on housework and gave up on potty training. My bedroom looks like an untidy launderette at the moment. I have clothes on airer from other day, I have a pile of clothes waiting to be put away, and I have clothes I just brought in from line outside (not quite dry) to go on airer. Also have clothes in laundry basket waiting to be washed. Will have to have a go when kids are in bed.
I seem to start off feeling like doing things in the morning then I just loose enthusiasm.
How was your day?

SilveryMoon · 13/08/2011 20:25

I'm sorry your day wasn't as productive as you wanted.
I did all my list apart from the mopping, but will do that tomorrow.
I think you need to set up a plan, a rountine of when you will do things, set a timer and start off maybe 5/10 mins at a time so you don't get overwhelmed. Know how much you are going to do before you start and then when the time is up, sit down with a cuppa, a mag, whatever it is you enjoy and reward yourself.
I have a kitchen timer that I use for timing cleaning/housework sessions

AngelDog · 13/08/2011 20:25

Oh dear, never mind. An okayish day today. Thankfully DS is being fairly jolly at the moment.

I never feel like doing anything in the morning, but my enthusiasm tends to increase before tailing off again!

Done:

  • Tidied
  • Put baskets on shelves
  • Shopping
  • Washed up / loaded / unloaded dishwasher
  • Made dinner
  • Hung out washing

Still to do

  • Wash up after dinner
  • Put away yesterday's dry washing
  • Work out how to get the still-damp washing dry
  • Persuade DS to go to sleep - spot a theme here? Hmm

One of the worst things about DH being away is having to do the washing up (normally his job). DS and I don't generate enough to fill the dishwasher each day so things which are needed every day have to be washed up by hand. I'm a really, really slow washer-upper and it just eats up my day.

Tomorrow's my day off! Grin

Canistaysane · 13/08/2011 21:58

AngelDog I'm really slow at washing up to! if I try to do all of it (I never finish all of it) it can take me hours. When dh does it it's done in 1 hour at most. although it's sometimes not completely clean.
SilverMoon I did try the timer thing yesterday and it did work as long as the dc were kept busy, otherwise they came over and wanted something and then I would run out of time.
Will try again tomorrow.

SilveryMoon · 14/08/2011 03:43

ciss If the timer is aet for 15 mins or under, can you not just ignore them? tell them you are in the middle of something and will see to them when you are done.
I do Blush

SilveryMoon · 14/08/2011 08:03

Today I have to hoover and mop the floors.
I then might put some clothes away and possibly some ironing.
I don't do much on a sunday.
Have a nice day

Canistaysane · 14/08/2011 10:25

Hello, Today's TO DO:
Have shower get dressed
Try and sort bedroom
do more washing
sort dry washing and put away.
Then if I get round to it do some de cluttering.

AngelDog · 14/08/2011 14:21

Hah, day off, but I still need to empty the dishwasher & hang out yesterday's damp washing.

DS is well in the midst of the 18/19 month developmental leap / sleep regression and he's been tantrumming and refusing to nap. Housework may well have to take a back seat this week. My parents are coming for a couple of days tomorrow, which hopefully should give me chance to get a few things done.

Canistaysane · 14/08/2011 15:34

Just stopped for a rest.
Have done:
Shower, get dressed,
De cluttered the under the stairs cupboard,
and went to tip with some stuff.

Still To Do:
Try to do some washing,
and hang it out,Hmm
Do dinner,
Get dc ready for bed,
Then try and sort dry washing and tidy bedroom.
I don't really do a day off, just try to have rests all week in between jobs
Although I try to quit the housework around 7.00p.m. unless it's a job I find easier to do while the kids are in bed.

AngelDog · 14/08/2011 22:36

Stopping housework at 7pm sounds like my idea of bliss! Half of mine gets done after DS goes to bed, which is 8pm on a good night - 9.45pm today. Shock

Done - quite a good day given I wasn't planning to do much:
Washing up after dinner
Wiped down surfaces and under high chair
Tidied up with DS's help
Hung out washing
Re-hung out still-damp nappies indoors
Loaded washing machine ready for tomorrow
Sorted out some baby clothes while DS was playing

Tomorrow to do

  • Ring hairdresser
  • Ring credit card co.
  • Put away dry washing
  • Finish sorting baby clothes.

Well done on the decluttering, Ciss