Becoming tidy.. how long do you spend on housework a day?

[Hakunamatata91]

I'm chronically messy - tidying just doesn't seem to come naturally to me and I keep letting things get a complete mess before having a massive tidy when someone is coming over. I would really like to start keeping things consistently tidy so I can also enjoy a tidy home when there aren't people over. I'm thinking of starting to just do a certain amount of housework a day, but was wondering how much I should aim for? I'd like to keep the place reasonably clean and tidy but it doesn't need to be spotless. Smallish property. Any tips from anyone else who has managed to turn themselves from a messy person to a tidy one also very welcome!

I really struggle with this but I have tody app and it reminds me to do a few jobs so it doesn't become overwhelming. I don't always do it though 😅

I've found it helps to keep things near where I actually use them, IYSWIM?

So having scissors and sellotape/parcel tape in kitchen where I open post and tape up parcels means those things are where I can easily get them and also put them back. When they were in the study upstairs they never got put back!

Having a basket near front door containing sun cream, gloves, hats, face masks, toddler reins etc (seasonally dependent!) also stopped a lot of the last minute never being able to find things.

I’m naturally a slattern and have done the following:

• Do the dishes and wipe down / tidy the kitchen every day without fail. No more ‘leaving to tomorrow’.
• empty the dishwasher in the morning when the kettle boils.
• All post / papers are dealt with immediately.
• Bed made every morning.
• when I finish work for the day, pick a room and tidy. Work from one end of the room to the other.

(Also got a cleaner once a fortnight) but the above helps day to day without being overwhelming.

There are jobs that I do everyday but I couldn't say how long it adds up to. I put a wash on most evenings so hang it up/out in the morning. I tidy away any breakfast stuff (but don't wash up), wipe the table and worktops down and sweep where the kids have eaten.
When we get in from the school I might vacuum the living room and sort out the now hopefully dry washing Whilst the kids are having a shower I'll wipe around the sink and loo, then gather up any washing and put a load on. I wash-up breakfast and lunch stuff whilst making tea. Clean the kitchen and sweep the floor after tea. We make sure the bedrooms and living room are tidy before we settle down for the evening. It's all easier if the house is uncluttered, clean and tidy to begin with. Have a look at A Slob Comes Clean!

Put some music on and follow this method www.theorganisedmum.blog/tomm/

Hey 🖐️ I'm a housekeeper and have learnt a few tips from the job!
° Mainly decluttering. So much easier if there's less to tidy in the first place.
° Everything must have it's place. You will forever just be moving things and trying to find them if they don't have a designated home.
° I'm a morning person so after waving the children off to school, I tend to go straight in the kitchen to clean the breakfast plates and wipe down worktops, put the Toaster away etc. Then quick pick up in the living room then I set Roomba off while I have a coffee. (Not a branded Roomba but a really good vacuum which takes care of all hard floors downstairs)

You'll need to find your own routine but generally, it's daily I keep (mostly) on top of my kitchen and living room. Laundry as and when it needs done, some days I iron/fold/put away as soon as its dried, other days it waits a couple of days and I get through it all at once. The kids generally keep their room OK, so every few days I take the hoover around and do upstairs. I do have a day that I deep clean. Not a set day but some mornings I just want to get on top of cleaning the cupboards and dusting and cleaning all windows and mirrors etc.

To motivate yourself, perhaps write a list of things that need done so you can cross off and push yourself to get it done by x time (mine is by the time the kids and hubby get home). If the room you're in right now is kind of messy, write a list of what needs done by just visually assessing the room. This can make it easier if you tend to get overwhelmed once you start.

I'm not a messy person but everything in my home has a place, if it doesn't it doesn't stay as I don't need it.

My kitchen is cleaned everyday and bathroom.
Hoover everyday too.

DS (3) toys also all have a place and although he helps tidy up if some are left out I put them away before bedtime or before we go out.

I think having a place for everything really helps.

I'm naturally messy. The way I keep on top of stuff is by setting a timer. I use Alexa and either set 7 or 15 minutes. 7 is for when I really can't be arsed (so almost always) and in that time I do as much as possible. There is something about knowing I only have to do it for 7 minutes makes it all bearable. At the end I'm always surprised at how much improvement can't be made in 7 minutes. Sometimes I carry on, but usually I stop as soon as the timer goes off. Some days I jsut do it the once. Other days I might set a few more timers throughout the day.

I recently stripped all the wallpaper from our hallway using this method. 5 lots of 7 minutes across an evening got the job done, but didn't feel like I had missed out on doing the things I wanted to do. I had been putting off that job for weeks!

Good luck!

Thank you all for the helpful tips, lots of good advice! :)

You just inspired me to do 7 minutes. I filled the dishwasher, wiped the sides and a few cupboards and watered the sad houseplant.

This doesn't replace a weekly clean where I put an audio book on and just potter about cleaning whatever.

About 10 mins a day. I am militant about stuff going where it needs to go, if it doesn't have a place, we don't need it.

There are two rules which saving you from ever having to tidy again.

1. A place for everything and everything in its place.

1. Don't put it down, put it away.

Enjoy your new tidy life.

Daily
Maybe an hour but that includes making packed lunches quick Hoover
Cleaning litter tray
Laundry

Weekly. Upstairs 3/4 hours good clean and tidy. Empty bins Hoover dust clean bathroom
Downstairs 3/4 hours clean cloak room kitchen Hoover. Utility clean dust.

Sometimes I leave it a fortnight if I have a busy week but I work part time so have plenty of time.

Big house with two teens and animals If I didn't have animals (mainly dog) it would Be easier His hair is a nightmare.

Have a pair of scissors where here you need them, we have kitchen scissors, study scissors and another pair with the wrapping paper.

I think a good rule to remember is clear, hoover and mop floors at least once a week. Once things start building up on floors it all gets very difficult!

I hate housework. I do two things though - I make sure the kitchen is clean and island is clear of stuff (I try to do this before bed, but usually do it while cooking my breakfast egg), and don't put anything down, put it away!
For years I lived in a state where if a friend dropped by unexpectedly I'd be embarrassed. Now I try to keep it so I wouldn't, though if I do invite someone over it does get a proper clean. I should invite someone over every week!

Timers Timers Timers
they are the only way I can motivate myself to do things.
You can then do them in different ways depending on your mode, like 5 minutes per room - including dusting and hoovering, or 5 minutes to change the sheets, or 5 minutes to dust the house. It then becomes like a competition with myself.

@mondaytosunday

don't put anything down, put it away

Snap.

My mother used to sing that mantra out loud. I didn't really understand why til I found myself doing the same to DH who makes things difficult for himself by moving things around a lot, so that tidying takes him ages.

I've become much tidier over the last year.

The sequence went a bit like this:

I had more time on my hands and had the energy to improve things in the house.

So I did some decluttering.

Then rooms started looking nicer and I was more motivated to keep them tidy. (Because tidying when the end result is a room that still looks messy is a bit miserable).

So I was motivated to do more decluttering.

Etc.

Getting rid of some bits of furniture that were clutter magnets helped.

Also the mantras already quoted - Don't put it down, put it away. Never leave a room empty handed etc.

But having a decluttered home helps massively - everything has a home, it isn't stressful putting things away (cupboards aren't overstuffed etc), and it feels like tidying has a point because you stand a chance of getting things looking nice!

After years of being annoyed at the state of my house, I am starting out with the little and often mantra. I have a list on the fridge if everything that needs doing weekly apart from the kitchen which I am pretty good at keeping on top of. Partly because I cannot cook with a mess around me and partly because I work in there. I am getting the whole household involved and I am thinking up new ‘systems’ for the bits that don’t currently work. Like the hallway, school bags, shoes etc.

My biggest tip is to do something little wherever you go. Before I pee I will take a toilet wipe (kept by the toilet) and give it a once over. After I brush my teeth I will clean the sink with a dedicated foofa (spelling?!) and hand soap that is sat by the sink. After I have a bath I will shine the taps with my towel. Once I've finished getting ready everything will go back in its place and I will give upstairs a general tidy before going down (I have a 2 a 4 year old so they make a mess in the mornings!). So my day just goes like that... Tidying as I go rather than leaving it until the evening. Also convincing myself by saying "well I might as well just..." then it makes it seem like an easier task in my head.

Really like the tips here

I definitely haven't cracked this but the best I've found is getting everyone to blitz the tidying for 10 mins after dinner. Start with picking up and putting away. If that gets finished, people move on to sweeping or vacuuming downstairs, or children do their bedrooms.

One child always gets some music going at the start. If they dally about it they have to endure my cheesiest pop mix instead.

Doing the decluttering game where you throw away 1 thing on day 1, 2 things on day 2 etc up to 30 things on day 30 was a big help for me too. I did it in reverse - it makes much more sense to me to find the highest numbers first, when my motivation is high and the easy wins are still there. There is something tremendously freeing about just having to find a set number of items, rather than Finishing A Drawer, and eliminating 465 items (IIRC) over the month really made an impact all over the house.

The only tip I have is do it when you see it! So don't think oh I'll move that/clean it later, do it there and then
Make your life easier by having the right stuff too, so method shower spray after every shower means I never have to scrub it, using oven liners paying someone to clean it, fridge liners etc
I try and do 15-30 mins a day (live alone)

Excellent advice