How the bloody hell am I meant to keep my house clean?

[ChickadooChickadee]

I live in a 3 bed semi detached. Not huge but decent size. I just can't seem to keep it clean! I've just ordered a handheld cordless vacuum for my wooden floors and sofa, but am desperate for any super nifty tips. 12 weeks pregnant and am slightly concerned about how hard it's going to be with kiddos on board!

Thanks all

Bump?

What is making it bit clean? I remember doing relatively little cleaning pre-chuldren. Do you have animals?

Find new interests is my helpful advice. But you will get only of housework enthusiasts with schedule and systems soon

How clean does it need to be? Seriously? In my childhood of open fires, dust and dirt meant serious dusting and carpet cleaning.
Now, with two of us, post children, gas heating, Hoover once a week, mop kitchen floor once a week, bathrooms every other week. If you tidy after yourselves and wash up and wipe surfaces daily, that should be fine.
In the full time work, kids phase, I had a weekly cleaner to do floors, kitchen and bathrooms. We could have done it ourselves but it was our luxury.

What are the main issues? My cordless dyson and zoflora are my best friends

I watched a youtube video where the lady set a timer for 20 mins a day.I tried it myself and it works like magic. Some days I do 10. Little and often is the main thing.

Who lives there now? Just you? Or you and a partner? The secret is that all the people that live there put everything they touch or use back where it belongs or in the bin and once a week you take an hour and each take half the rooms in the house to dust, wipe, hoover and mop.

There’s really not much else to it. How dirty could it be?

@Orangecake123 that's a bloody brilliantly idea!

@KnittinKitten me, DP and a very messy 6 year old. My main problem is dust. It's just so dusty. Dust everywhere! It's an old house and I just can't seem to keep it looking nice...

@mayhew I don't even like to think about what my bathrooms would look like if I only cleaned them once every two weeks! Would love a cleaner. Maybe once I get my pay rise in August...

Have you got exposed stone/brick walls?

Open windows and front/back door regularly.

Take turns hoovering daily.

I use those disposable dry dusters, only takes a few mins and just chuck in the bin when done. Also my cordless Dyson has made a huge difference, I can whip round the house in 10 mins and it gets up loads of crap (quite shocking the first time we used it actually )
Also I am quite good at not caring too much in the week and having a blitz at the weekends,

Thanks both. I've just ordered a cordless from Argos and it's arriving this afternoon. Can't bloody wait! Ive heard dehumidifiers are good too?

The Organised Mum Method on Facebook. Life changing.

ignore me I didnt read the OP properly

Dehumidifiers? For removing moisture? I have one but it doesn’t collect any dust!

@KnittinKitten I'm probably thinking of an air purifier.

Oh yes that makes sense. I have no experience of those unfortunately.

Lower lighting levels- can't see the dust then

I'm gathering that there's more to life than cleaning and that I need to stop worrying so much 🙈 I just want a lovely house. Maybe it's not doable...

What does an air purifier do? Couldn't you open a window?

A house an be lovely without being as clean as an operating theatre. Tidy goes a very long way, close drawers and cupboards, put stuff away, plump cushions. Ta-da!

Checked this thread out looking for tips. neonyellow I'm on yours but even low lighting won't make my house look clean!

Maybe someone who does have a clean and tidy house could share a cleaning list? Mine is cluttered but I’m working on that, so any tips on making the house feel fresh and clean would be appreciated! I’m investigating this zoflora which everyone seems to rave about!

I am a complete clean and tidy freak and can never relax in my home until it's like a show home... won't be like that when my baby starts crawling lol.

But I do my house out completely once a week. Polishing, photo frames, hoover and mop. I always wash up as I go along. Let it dry then put it away. I tidy as I go with everything I do throughout the day. Beds made as soon as I'm out of it. Baths rinsed as soon as it's empty and I'm dressed etc. Just do what works for you.

Or get a cleaner lol

Good luck and congratulations on your pregnancy

X

Family of 5 here.

Every day;
Move clutter and pile on stairs - everyone has to move their pile by bedtime or else it's binned

Hoover around main living areas (with cordless- far less faff)

Make sure shoes, coats etc are hung up/ chucked in the shoe storage bin etc

Deal with post and paperwork immediately- either recycle or respond. Anything important of course gets kept.

Wipe down kitchen surfaces & table as you go through the day. Keep kitchen surfaces clutter free.

Wipe down sinks and toilets last job of the day. Takes 2 minutes and using tissue paper and spray it's easy.

Fold laundry / put bits away if you need to

Then when you have more time, tackle the bigger jobs like dusting throughout, a big bathroom clean, windows, under sofas and on top of kitchen cupboards etc but really do , as others have said, lower your standards or get a cleaner. A sparkly home can wait til the children are much older and can help out. It really is just you that's notices.