Robot vac neato or irobot roomba?

[uberconscious]

Hi I'm a first time parent totally in shock at how much housekeeping there is to do. I've gone through the entire life cycle of denial shame guilt acceptance and now in solution mode.

I feel like I work in a factory where the production line of dirt and mess is insurmountable. I've looked at other posts and see its a common experience but I feel that my self esteem health and well being is in jeopardy because from the moment I wake until sleep (not many sleeping hours) I'm cleaning mopping laundering folding clothes, putting things away. Then there's cooking and the clean up that comes with that. DH is adament against hiring help. Comes from a hard working country where you clean yourself. Paying someone to clean your home is despicable. Plus we don't have the disposable income anyway.

So I'm thinking about a robot vac. They are not cheap so considering second hand.

Does anyone use one? Or anyone have any housekeeping systems that work for you?

I know it's advised to leave the mess but that's a problem for me. I feel unwell and suffocated in unclean and untidy environments. Aesthetically pleasing living space is something I just can't compromise on. I genuinely cannot relax in my home unless it's immaculate. This has always been the case but seems to have intensified since becoming a parent. It's as if the richness is the only source of order and calm in days filled with variables with a super energetic toddler. I'm hoping that by delegating even one task to the robot might give me some sanity. . . DH wants to help but always agrees then forgets after work or before work so don't want disagreement any more just trying to take the initiative to find solutions. What do you think about a robot vac?

Correction not richness should read cleanliness

I have a second hand irombot from.eBay. Love it.

Hi, I couldn't be without my Roomba, I've got the 770 and I only wish I'd had one when mine were little. I'm the same as you, I can't relax until everywhere is spotless, and this is an enormous help. I use it daily and it's astonishing how clean a house can look just by having spotless floors, even when you haven't managed anything else.

Oh and I've also got a Neato, I really wouldn't bother if you like a spotless clean, they only pick up some of the dirt, and they don't do the edges of a room. Plus the battery time is crap.

Thanks so much Youcant. It's nice to know that others have been in my situation and and got past it. Especially a relief that there are others like me who cannot enjoy being hime unless it's clean and tidy.

Glad to read about the Roomba 770. I am now researching this brand and also trying to implement other household tidy systems that we never needed before such as separate laundry baskets (taken from another thread) do you have other housekeeping strategies which worked well for you?

Feels so odd discussing housekeeping strategies as if it were an important work project but I suppose the cleaning up part of parenting feels like a job atm...

A friend of mine has the roombot and swears by it.

So far as laundry's concerned, when my kids were little we had two laundry baskets on the (large) landing, one for whites and one for coloureds which worked well.

Or would it be possible to put in a laundry chute from your bathroom to the laundry room?

Haha I thought you might ask me that; sadly I was absolutely hopeless when mine were little and just muddled through, often suffering from depression. Roombas hadn't been invented and neither had MN. Everything I've learned about housekeeping I've learned from threads on here, from women who have their act together and don't mind helping less sorted types. If I think of anything I'll post again and let you know. Please be kind to yourself though.

Are you in the US mumblechum? Not many people have laundry rooms here, much less laundry chutes.

That's such a humble message Youcan. I bet you did better than you think! Like you - I am learning about housekeeping from the MN ladies who like to help and share ideas. I've just discovered 'The Holding Company' and feeling like a total geek in awe of all the tidying systems they have :-) www.theholdingcompany.co.uk/

Funnily enough, one thing that did help and inspire me at the time was a book by The Holding Company's founder, Dawna Walter. It was huge in helping me de-clutter and streamline my house and life generally. I remember buying it for friends at the time to help them. It's outdated now, I remember she urged people to use the internet as you could order things that way instead of going shopping. It was a revelation at the time! But of course there are tons of more up-to-date books around. Have you read the Kondo-ing thread? That's if you need de-cluttering. Decent housekeeping systems are easy enough to find, it's having the self-discipline to keep them going that I tended to struggle with.

Totally agree about immense willpower to maintain the keeping tidy systems. I've read the Kondo book and liked it. I have been a de-clutter activist for a while before her book became well known, but I still felt reinspired after reading it. I now keep my wardrobe colour coded and clothes are hung like in a boutique and it helps me when clothes shopping as I can see at a glance what style an colour will match the existing collection. Prevents impulse sale purchases that I don't really need. But I have just ordered the drawer dividers from 'The Holding Company'. I am in a place where I feel that even saving a few seconds finding the right socks / tights easily and getting dressed faster could help.

Right I'm going to click that link and have a look at the drawer dividers, you've inspired me. I once saw a photo of the interior of Dawna Walters' house, and it was really incredibly cluttered, a ton of stuff all in Holding Company storage boxes, they were everywhere! Do you think you'll get a Roomba?

Good luck!

I opted for this version [http://www.theholdingcompany.co.uk/large-cubicles-divided-drawer-organiser-4015.html]

But there are several different designs as you probably already know! :-)

I'm looking online under a search - Dawna Walters haha.

Yes very keen to get the irobot roomba. Just trying to get one that's affordable for us - looking on used item websites.

My take on this would be that DH who doesn't believe in paying someone to clean for you has volunteered to do.it.all. Pah.

P.s. Big Kondo fan here.

Hi Finallyhere I've been there and the anger that I felt didn't help much at all. So I'm learning to 'ask sweetly' with lots of encouragement and praise. Remind anyone of something else that's very familiar? ;-)