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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Tips to save time

9 replies

Nojustalurker · 18/01/2014 19:54

Hi all. I have tried fly lady but could not stand the millions of emails and assumption that I live in a pig sty mansion. I know some people love it.

I am looking for tips to help save time on house work. These are probably things you do but don't think about.

I will share mine - get a washing basket with a section for light and dark washing to save time on sorting washing. Make sure others in the house pull their weight. I am still trying to get the cat to dust the skirten boards.

OP posts:
zizzo · 18/01/2014 19:57

One tip I've seen here before is to never enter or exit a room without something in your hands, so you save yourself trips in an out.

So for example I'll carry bed linen out of the bedroom to the kitchen, and carry a cleaning cloth to the bedroom to wipe up around there, then take whatever else I need out of the bedroom to the next place, and carry something else again out of that last place to the other.

It's multi-tasking down to a fine art! It means I never get one whole task done all at once, but lots of little tasks are done which feels more satisfying to me too.

headlesslambrini · 18/01/2014 19:59

Dont leave a room empty handed

Teens equals free labour under the guise of teaching life skills

delasi · 18/01/2014 20:33

Air dry overnight (esp. for people without outside space). We use cloth nappies and don't want to tumble them, plus shirts, underwear and my skirts and dresses are much happier if I air dry them. I get the wash on to finish some time in the evening, so that they get a good 8-12 hours or so of drying without being in our way because we're asleep. The majority of it is dry, or at least a lot drier, by morning, which saves having washing hanging all over the place in the day and means I can put most things away quickly the next day.

On that note, air dry dresses, skirts, shirts etc on a hanger. Practically negates the need for ironing as creases fall out and they can go straight into the wardrobe when dry.

Do multiple tasks at once that are related. Eg, if I'm going to run a bath for DS, I do a quick wash of the bath and sink etc whilst the water is warming up. I use the water that's warming to clean the bathroom and rinse. Takes about 5mins and leaves places looking gleaming albeit soaking from DS' splashing!. Same for warming water to wash dishes; I wipe down the surfaces and the sink quickly, leaves it looking very clean despite being very simple.

Have very easy toy storage that doesn't require unclipping lots of lids or opening lots of boxes. We have a simple unit with open cubby holes for big toys to go on, and 2 pull out boxes with no lids for smaller bits. 3mins of throwing toys in its direction and you have a tidy room, and the unit doesn't look crazy.

Slightly more involved but... have a 'flow' to your house. I'm not talking woo, I mean being practical about where you put stuff. If you have a pan you use a lot, put it somewhere in easy reach. I've lived in too many places where the cupboards get crazy because all of the useful things are right at the back or really high up.

Throw bleach down the toilet last thing at night. With the first flush in the morning it will sparkle and you've practically done nothing!

(can you see I like these types of threads too much? Blush)

WeeTeaJenny · 18/01/2014 20:45

I take a scourer in the shower with me so that when my conditioner is on my hair , I scrub the tiles and round the edge of the bath...
a bit of naked shower cleaning :)

girliegav · 18/01/2014 20:50

Stay off Facebook! !!:)

NickyNackyNooNoo · 18/01/2014 20:53

Lower your standards Grin

mousmous · 18/01/2014 20:53

don't iron.
don't keep pets.
don't have children
keep the place tidy, makes a massive difference.

Nojustalurker · 18/01/2014 22:21

I love these ideas. When I was on holiday in the summer I loved only having the things that I needed and not having to hunt around for things. I am try to replicate this a home but dexluttering and only buying useful and beautiful things I need.

It is saving me money too.

OP posts:
zizzo · 18/01/2014 22:33

I have a 'Christmas' drawer (to put in leftover blank cards, wrapping paper, scissors, sellotape, ribbon etc.), a stationery drawer and a "gadget" drawer (batteries, odd wires, chargers etc.) so I know where to go straightaway if I need these items (obviously these aren't everyday things).

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