Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

People with lovely houses - tell me how you do it!

50 replies

melrose · 23/06/2008 16:13

I am serious

DH and I keep arguing about the state of the house, more of a issue as I am now back at work 4 days a week, but when at home with the kids, the house just looked a shambles.

I have friends with kids whose houses are always immaculate, so if you are one of them, how do you stay on top of it all??

I know I am not a nturally tody person, but need some help!!

OP posts:

Original poster

melrose · 23/06/2008 16:14

Oh, have 4 bedroom, normalish size house, a constantly full wash basket and have not ironed unless abolutely essential (by which i mean linen trousers!)in my life.

OP posts:

OverMyDeadBody · 23/06/2008 16:17

no one with kids has a house which is always immaculate, it is a myth.

SoupKitchen · 23/06/2008 16:20

Hard work and bloody mindiness. I clean through every morning and hoover when DC are in bed.
The house does get messy when DC are playing but is clean and can be tidied in a couple of minutes.
DC have to tidy away toys before each meal and before bed/ or going out.
It is a way of living TBH. My dc are 2& 3 but know how to tidy away and help with the chores.

Original poster

melrose · 23/06/2008 16:30

SoupKitchen, you sound amazing, can yu come and live with me for a bit and train me?? How long a day do you spend on the house would you say?

I think it might be the fact that it all gets such as mess that I don't know where to start, then clean my kitchen (I love cooking) feel proud and leave it at that!

I am thinking of havinga weekly rota, so I can keep on top of things more. Anyone find that works?

OP posts:

JudgeNutmeg · 23/06/2008 16:31

Good and ample storage. Have very little clutter, get rid of all paper on sides - have one place for paperwork, bowl for change, dish for keys, basket for hair do-dads and brushes all by the front door. Put away all out of season coats and shoes. Cull toys.

ggglimpopo · 23/06/2008 16:32

Get rid of all clutter.
Do everything straight away - leave nothing to fester.
Train and delegate.
Chuck ruthlessly.

OverMyDeadBody · 23/06/2008 16:32

I have trained DS to tidy up after he has played with something, and everything, and I mean everythin, has a place in the house, so tidying up is quick and easy when I want to do it.

McDreamy · 23/06/2008 16:34

Declutter and adequate storage - but don't listen to me my house is a mess

numptysmummy · 23/06/2008 16:35

Have a large skip outside - if something isn't put away after 2 days,skip it.

SoupKitchen · 23/06/2008 16:35

I would say no more than an hour or so a day.
Wipe kitchen /cooker down
clean bathroom
dust all rooms
clean tv
washing
hoover sweep through
wash kitchen and bathroom floors

Other jobs additional to this are ironing
changing beds
wiping down paintwork cupboards etc
clean fridge and oven
but I tend to do these bits if children are having a nap or DH is here at weekends,

Nothing is left for longer than a week that way it never takes long at all.

Btw you wouldn't want to live here at the moment as we have builders doing a loft conversion.

ANTagony · 23/06/2008 16:39

Mines a mess too but I'm working on it. I just read a book declutter your life. It was brill. It says don't try to change everything overnight. Tackle things one at a time when you have time so for example declutter your underwear draw (I did mine today hence the example) once you've thrown out all the stuff you really don't use you've got space to fit the stuff in that you do and see what you've got. I've also started sorting washing straight off the line into iron and non iron so the bags of clean laundry are awaiting ironing and that which can be put away is IYSWIM.

The theory is all about if things have spaces its easier to slot them into the space (tidy up). If they don't you just move them from one place to another or are cluttered.

Its working quite well with the kids and their toys now we're allocating spaces for each type of toy.

bellavita · 23/06/2008 16:41

Do thorough clean downstairs on a Monday, thorough clean upstairs Tuesday.

Run hoover round downstairs on the other mornings (before school) and a quick wipe round bathroom, shower room and downstairs loo also.

My wash basket is always full - today have done a dark load, light load and towels, will iron tonight and put straight away.

Jobs like wiping finger marks off conservatory and dining room doors etc I will do as I go along - takes two minutes.

My boys are 11 and 8, but they still leave stuff downstairs, they have to take things back up either when they go to bed or before school.

sagacious · 23/06/2008 16:46

Do you go to friends houses for a pre arranged time? Or just drop in on the off chance

If I have guests over (ooo get me) the house is immaculate, toys are away, laundry is done, dishwasher running

A picture of perfect domestic bliss
Oh just ignore the mess I breeze airily (a coffee cup on the coffee table and a lifestyle magazine artfully arranged)

Drop in unannounced: breakfast things not cleared up/toys everywhere/dirty washing on kitchen floor waiting to be sorted

filthymindedvixen · 23/06/2008 16:47

I know one thing - if I spent less time on here, I'd be in with a fighting chance

mamablue · 23/06/2008 16:53

I am really organised and I am a bit of a 'Monica'! I put everything away as I go along and my taught my DDs from an early age how to tidy up after themselves. They put their own toys away, tidy their rooms and make their beds each day. I hate it when things are untidy but that is just my nature.

Original poster

melrose · 23/06/2008 16:55

I am a bit horrified at the frequency of this cleaning. I feel good about myself if everywhere gets dusted and hoovered once a week!!

OP posts:

Walnutshell · 23/06/2008 17:06

Is your dh 'naturally tidy' and how much does he do around the house? I mean, is the issue that he feels you aren't doing your share? I know it's hard, but having a tidy house isn't the most important thing...

wasabipeanut · 23/06/2008 17:16

Cleaners in a lot of cases I expect.

crokky · 23/06/2008 17:28

I have not achieved it, but I have some tips (a couple of rooms are tidy, rest not as yet!)

-All kitchen equipment including saucepans, baking trays etc must go in dishwasher to save time washing up.
-Declutter - if items aren't in your house, they can't make a mess.
-Everything needs to have a place (I haven't achieved this!)
-Don't let items in your house in the first place - I bought a pair of trainers and told the shop to keep the box & packing paper. I just literally took the shoes.
-All clothes to be machine washable & tumble dryable. No ironing ever. Washing done quickly.
-If I buy any item, I try and get something very low maintenance.

I think it is hard work. My neighbours have an immaculate house, an immaculate car, an immaculate garden and both their children always look beautiful as do they themselves. I call them Mr and Mrs Perfect (in a nice way & not to their faces!)

Original poster

melrose · 23/06/2008 17:30

DH thinks he does more than me! He is good at putting the washing away and is tidier than me, but he would never think to clean the bath or get a duster out, so think it is more that he does vthe more visual things and I do the invisible things (like dusting!) but we ae both quite rubbish. I guess it is the tidying that is more an issue, as pnce the house is tidy cleaning is easy!

OP posts:

katch · 23/06/2008 22:36

My house has always been quite messy, but recently I've got the 'public' areas under control - if anyone called in, the living room, kitchen and bathroom would't be too shaming. Have you come across flylady? I think there's a thread on here somewhere. It's an American website (lots of Godly talk), but it's good for telling you what needs to be done and when to do it. If you're naturally scatty, half the problem is getting distracted and forgetting what you're meant to be doing, or being overwhelmed at the thought of what needs to be done, so you end up doing nothing (perfectionism).

whomovedmychocolate · 23/06/2008 22:40

I have a lovely house. It's filthy but lovely.

But it's controlled chaos. I always know I can do a half hour and pick up any given room. So we just close the doors and pretend we don't actually have loos in the case of surprise visitors

Who cares anyway, if people are judging the state of your house they obviously have too much time on their lives - whereas you are having a much better time making messes and living your life

handlemecarefully · 23/06/2008 22:56

But do you really want to be that obsessive compulsive melrose?

Immaculate 'family' houses are joyless gilded prisons not homes.

It is only possible to be show home flawless if: you ignore your children whilst you do chores / get up at 05.30 to clean or don't finish until well past 22.00 / holler and yell at your lo's everytime they get a toy out

I so want an immaculate house (mine is moderately tidy and clean some of the time with pockets of disorder) but every time I get frustrated, i remind myself of this

TeaDr1nker · 23/06/2008 23:05

I know i would get more done if i spent less time on here

Seriously though, i have a friend who's house is like a show home, i am v my house is clean, but messy, i just can't see my way through it all....

Any more tips, seriously like where do i store the car seat and the pram(which is just in the hallway). The dining table is always topped with stuff, and i try to clear it away - honest...

Original poster

melrose · 24/06/2008 09:21

This is good, feeling inspired, any more ideas from you domestic goddesses

OP posts:

Flip

1 2