Beyond Dailies - motivation/accountability thread

[ShortEar]

I'm hoping this appeals to someone else too...

I'm struggling with keeping up with the cleaning despite enjoying it when I get going and having plenty of time (I work p/t 32-35 hrs/week and DC are now older teenagers) and could do with some company as I change that.

I do the daily jobs (I call them perpetuals) almost subconsciously - so don't have a problem with dishes, tidying, laundry, swish/swipe type cleaning of bathrooms/loos...it's the rest.

My initial idea is to have a minimum time of dedication 'beyond dailies' clean time each day - maybe whilst listening to the radio/audible/podcast and work up to an optimum amount, maybe an actual routine will emerge!

Share what we've done each day/how long/ideas...I've just given my kitchen sink a through clean (the type where you take the drainer/overflow covers apart) after seeing an Instagram post that motivated me! Enjoyed it!

I'm going away for the weekend in about half an hour so setting this up for when I get back 🙂.

Watching with interest-I haven't even reached the dailies stage yet !!!!

🙃

It took me a long time to get there!

I wouldn’t let myself do something else if there was a perpetual job that needed doing…eventually I became a bit like a robot with it. I’m more relaxed with it now I’ve trained myself but…

Been stuck at this ‘level’ for a couple of years and I would like to feel the house is clean more than once a year…it is starting to feel like self sabotage 😀!

Sounds like TOMM might work for you.
Level one jobs are like your dailies and then you can add in level 2 (30 mins per day each on a different area of the house, even if you only do 15 mins, that would help) and level 3 on a Friday which is a deep clean in a different area on an 8 week cycle.
It’s brilliant and rescued our home.
There are also guided cleans on Patreon that are fantastic for motivation. The person who started TOMM tells you what to do. With music and it’s all timed. There are some free ones on there but otherwise, I think it’s £3 per month.

Thanks @Amore2 ! I looked at TOMM as while back. Just had another look. It seems very similar to Fly lady, in many respects. Which is also good, but I guess I want to build up my own system that fits my house and my lifestyle, which will naturally be similar but without the lists! I like the zone system of Flylady (and TOMM looks similar)...I'm going to do my own version of that (no lists though!).

I'm going to try adding in basic floor cleaning to my perpetuals and then work in areas and see how it goes. I also want to get on with maintenance jobs like touching up paintwork/mending things, which will cover that too.

I think I just wanted the company/chat/prod to actually DO IT (and listen to good audio books/podcast etc. on the way) rather than how to do it. I'll give it a week and if I haven't made much progress I'll either try to follow TOMM or flylady properly (or try and get a cleaner again!). I was prepared for probably not getting any takers with this btw! 😁

Feeling a lot better about this :)

I'm going to add on vacuum to every day (alternating upstairs and downstairs) as a daily habit to embrace and then do the daily quick clean all sinks and loos (which I already do) after that whilst listening to audible and then, hopefully, doing 10+ mins of additional jobs will be easier to tag on as I'm already in the cleaning/listening zone...

Establishing that is going to be my main focus for now. See how it goes this week...

I’m just about to start a new job which is WFH 4 days a week. My dc will go to the childminder at 7.45 and I won’t start with til 9 each day, so my probably completely naive plan is to use my 1hr 15 minutes x 4 a week to do 30 mins exercise and 30 mins housework/domestic admin, in addition to what I’m currently managing. So following your post with interest for ideas. I reckon bathroom will be 1 day, total hoover with be another, and then day 3 and day 4 will be things like cleaning the windows, wipe kitchen cupboards doors etc.

I’ve also looked at TOMM and fly lady but i can’t seem to find information that I don’t have to pay for, am I looking in the wrong place? The short amount I did read felt quite overwhelming but that might be because I couldn’t find the right info.

Hi @thenewaveragebear1983 !

I don't need to pay for fly lady http://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/
The app is pretty good too.

I think you do need to pay to fully access TOMM - seems very similar to fly lady though (which has been around for at least 15 years at a guess).

I don't think either are going to be that useful to me now. I don't want a 'control' journal or endless tick lists, not saying they don't have their place but they aren't what I need right now. I'm trying to build up habits and keep it KISS.

I like your plan! Great that you have a plan in place before you have started the new job - super time to add in that habit. Are you starting this week?

I agree, I think I just want to get in the habit of doing something in that window of time every day. That could be a ‘job’ or something like hanging the washing out or hoovering the stairs, and I want to increase the amount of exercise I’m doing. I’m definitely a morning person so it will be a good time for me. After years of being at my desk at 7.30am I am really looking forward to it. I start my job tomorrow but will probably not start my ‘regime’ til next week.
thank you for the link. I will have a look. My sister has been doing flylady and the last time I saw her her house was so tidy I asked if she was moving house!

Laughed at this.. I was reading this thinking the exact same thing. I need to tidy before I can even get on to a basic daily clean!

Is this happening?
Would be good to chat

I'm trying to do the dailies but due to ill health at the moment I'm not managing everyday. It would be good to get a prod now and again 🤣
I try and hoover everyday and do the floors every second day, they could do with daily because of the dogs. I straighten up the sitting area, and do the dishes and wipe down the worktops and sink. I do washing everyday. I should do the poo lift daily but often can't manage so husband does it. There's so much I want to do but think of the jobs as huge. I really want to clean my oven for instance. Xx

Hello @ShortEar Just checking in. How are you getting on?