What do you do every day as habit?

[ThatBloodyWoman]

I can't find it in myself to spend too much time on housework, and I certainly couldn't stick to a daily cleaning routine (ie beds Monday, bathroom Tues).

But, I would like to incorporate a little more into my daily life, as a barely noticed habit, so the big clean ups, especially if expecting visitors aren't so enormous.

So what do you do daily, as habit, and do you do anything (using various items, keeping things in certain places etc) to help you do this?

I'm trying to get into a routine now that my eldest is back at preschool and baby DS2 is 6 months and a bit more predictable (!).

I try to make sure the dishwasher and washing machine are on before we leave in the morning (inspired by this blog: www.slowyourhome.com/home-hacks/).

I wipe round the toilet and sink after I've, er, been at some point in the day.

That's as far as I've got so far with routine really, everything else is a bit haphazard. I'm trying to declutter though to make life generally easier.

Would like more tips!

I work 2 days a week in a "place of employment" and 3 days I work at home, as a contractor. When at home, I cant work until the place is tidy so I always do beds, make sure the sink is clear, the open plan lounge/kitchen and vacuum the area. I might out a load of washing on before I start work and then hang it up in my first break.

I always do things as I "use them". That is...wipe sink as you use, rinse toothbrush holder as you use.....that sort of thing

Daily after each meal - wash dishes, wipe down surfaces, clean up any spills on the kitchen floor and hoover dining room carpet if needed.

Once DS is in bed, I tidy the living room and deal with any paperwork (permission slips for school etc)

I try and do ironing on the same day I do the washing, to avoid a massive pile building up.

I keep a basket of useful stuff in the living room - pens, notebooks, chequebook, envelopes, sellotape etc.

The house is not spotless but it's generally clean and tidy.

Clear up and wash up and put away after every meal
chuck loo cleaner down the Loo's daily at some point
Clean shower whilst I am in it
clean round basin after I have brushed my teeth at night
Put on a load of washing (most days)

I like the idea of doing the sink every day after I've cleaned my teeth -I'm often last out...

In the morning before my older DC's go to school I get them to sit with the toddler and baby whilst I tidy upstairs.

Older DC's go off to school

Younger DC's are giving breakfast and afterwards I put a Disney Cd on so that keeps them quiet while I tidy kitchen, after that I always hoover and have a general tidy of the livingroom.

Floors get washed on a friday, washing gets done twice a week and a make up packed lunches for the week on a sunday.

I only iron work/school clothes which is also done on a sunday.

god, I'm turning into my mother

I am crap at this, but I'm trying to put washing away when it's dry instead of chucking it onto the spare bed until a big pile builds up. This is complicated by the fact that I don't have a tumble dryer so things take a day to dry.

I'm fairly slack with housework but always put the washing machine and dishwasher on before we leave the house in the morning so it's done and ready for emptying/drying by the time I get back. Also started doing a quick once-over of the bathroom while my LO is in the bath, she's old enough not to really need bathing but too young to be left unsupervised. Either that or I sit with a basket of clean washing and sort/fold it while she's in there.
Apart from that, everything's as and when it needs doing. Would love to be more organised but life always seems to get in the way!

I'd have to say I do very little housework at all, but what I do try to do -

Put dishwasher on in the morning before I go to work.
Put washing machine on if I need to do a batch - DH puts it on the rack later as he works from home
Iron/fold things straight off the rack in the evening if possible, hopefully while dinner is cooking depending how much attention it needs. Otherwise I tend to leave them on the rack till the next day to avoid double-handling and adding creases.
Make sure the table is clear before I go to bed, because I hate having to clear it before I can get breakfast.
Make sure the kitchen surfaces are reasonably clear before I go to work, so DH can get coffee/lunch without having to fight through it!

Like PPs have said, I wipe the bathroom washbasins and toilets before I take DD to school in the morning. I keep cloths and spray in the bathroom so that everything is there ready to do it. I put the cloths in the washing machine on my way out and put it on.

I iron each day's ironing that day - unless I'm doing sheets etc it only takes 10 - 15 minutes and I think it's worth it not to have ironing building up to ruin my weekend! While I'm ironing I sort everyone's washing into piles and it's each person's responsibility to put their washing away.

I find that keeping on top of the bathrooms takes me a long way towards feeling happy enough about my house so that I could always invite someone in. Blitz cleaning doesn't suit me. It certainly doesn't keep my house clean and tends to make me feel resentful about it all.

As a teacher you get taught to use 'pockets of time', which is actually just another way if saying multitasking. I do this at home too:

If I'm leaving a room anyway I take anything that doesn't belong there out of it; mugs off the coffee table and drop them off in the kitchen, etc. That's a house rule too.

While the kettle's boiling I spend that time doing something in the kitchen; putting the washing up away, clean the hobs, etc.

While I'm brushing my teeth (electric toothbrush) I wipe round the bathroom.

Its amazing how much you can achieve without really trying. It doesn't feel much like chore either, it feels more like filling the time.

Dishwasher goes on at bedtime.

Whoever is first up empties it.

I put harpic down the loo just before I leave the bathroom at night.

I wipe the bathroom floor over in the morning, when I'm pottering in the bathroom. It's part of putting on spf , and contact lenses, etc.

I bleach scrub the sink at the same time as putting on the dishwasher, ie just before bed. I wipe and clear the surfaces at this time too. Basically I make the kitchen 'morning ready' before I switch the lights off downstairs.

I just got a roomba. This is a revolutionary step. House now looks spruce, on a daily basis.

awsomer that is how I do it too..I like "pockets of time" :)

Minkah which Roomba did you get? I'm quite interested in these but they seem expensive. How do they cope with moving from room to room up and down a slight incline (think saddleboards in the doorway).

I try (and sometimes fail) to get the washing up done/dishwasher loaded by 7pm instead of slumping in front of MN, before DC bedtime ensues, as otherwise it may not get done at all (as often to-ing and fro-ing til 10!) then I have to get up earlier and do it in the morning.

I have recently decided on using the tumble dryer more frequently to finish things off that are still a bit damp, rather than leaving on the dryer for another day/night - cheaper than using straight from wash. Also now being ruthless about putting away as it comes off/out, rather than the pile of doom developing (which has been me for years).

Generally I'm a bit crap at anything else, so watching with interest!

As an aside, I can't work out why it is that when I used to work with horses I was super efficient, thorough and routine with everything, but I cannot bring myself to be as strict or routine at home.

Can anyone relate to this?

Oh yes, I can relate.
I'm great at routine for some things, but routine feels more like regime with cleaning.
Tbh, I'm not much fussed about having a borderline biological hazard level house -but then when there are times when I really have to try and make it presentable, the mountain I have to climb is huuuge!

I would lurve a roomba.
And I imagine it would keep the dog amused trying to hump it while I'm out.

I know that mountain too well!

I too like the idea of a Roomba, but not sure how they cope with lego! At least with a hoover you can stop to pick bits up. I just imagine Roombas filling up real quick, or just ploughing through and spewing out a trail in swirly patterns

I don't leave a room empty handed, and similarly, I don't go upstairs empty handed. A quick scan of the room I'm in for anything which shouldn't be there, and move it as I leave. Same with taking things upstairs, It keeps the house a bit tidier.

I don't have 'empty' time. So, when I'm waiting for the kettle to boil in a morning, I'll chop some veg ready for the evening meal. Or if I arrive 5 mins early to collect from Rainbows, I'll answer texts/emails. This way I feel like I'm keeping on top of everything.

I wash up the dishes as I go rather than leaving a big pile. I also leave the kitchen tidy in a morning, such a better feeling coming home to a tidy kitchen each evening.

I work Mon-Wed and at home on Thursday / Friday.

Mon-Wed we just do what needs to be done to get out of the door on time which includes:

Choosing DTs clothes and laying them out the night before for pre-school, packing their bags and making sure they have a change of clothes / drink and snack for the way home in there.

DDog gets walked as soon as I get in in the evening, husband gets home first so we swap as soon as I am through the door.

I try and prepare two meals for during the week over the weekend so when I get home it just heating up.

Thursdays – washing day, all washing is done on Thursday, if its not in the basket it doesn’t get done until the following week. Never ever iron, although I will do the kids’ uniforms when they start school. Cook something in the slow cooker for dinner.

Friday – husband cleans the bathroom every Friday when he gets in.
Saturday – hovering / recycling

Everything else is done on the basis of when it needs to be done – I clean the kitchen when I’m cooking for example.

mil strips our beds / changes bedding and washes and irons sheets once a week

I hang stuff on hangers as soon as it's out of the washing machine and either hang it on a curtain rail or on the washing line to dry so it can go straight in the wardrobe. I don't iron but DH will iron his work shirts once a week.

Other than that the only daily things I definitely do are wash up, clean the sides down, chuck loo cleaner down the loo and wipe the sink, and clean the cats litter tray. Everything else gets done as and when.

I always used to put the washing machine/dishwasher on before I went to work, but have heard so many horror stories in recent years (including frequently on MN) that now they only ever go on when someone is at home. So also no putting dish washer on as you go to bed.

It means you have to be a lot more organised, especially if you want to get the washing hung outside to dry, but seems worth it.

Wet wipes in the bathroom to wipe down sink as often as can be bothered. Flash with Bleach (all my clothes have splashes of pink where I've sprayed myself but this stuff is genius). Spray Flash with Bleach at anything mouldy. Inc shower curtain before sticking it in wash.

Wash everything in washing machine, inc handwash stuff. If it falls apart good riddance.

Agreed with BornofFrustration - Never buy anything that requires an iron. Drip dry on coat hangers.

Lavender oil and baking powder to sprinkle copiously if DCs make anything stinky. I hate hoovering so no carpets downstairs. Just sweeping when bothered with a old school broom.

The roomba is expensive. It fills up quickly. You have to keep your floor clear of junk. It manages to clamber over rugs. It leaves the floors cleaner than we ever managed, and we thought we were doing it fine!

Bit taken aback at how much we like the Roomba. Had been prepared to interview it and return it.

No going back, however. Floors look too good.

I do 'pockets of time' too, though never thought of it that way.