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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

What motivates your housework?

64 replies

SnotBaby · 05/01/2010 20:44

Come on, I need suggestions to help me out of hibernation!

So far the only thing I can come up with is "visitors"

Anyone with a tidy house care to tell me what keeps them going day after day?

OP posts:
coolma · 05/01/2010 20:47

ooh, the thought of 'mess'. Call me ocd, but I hate mess. My mum calls me 'top tidy', as there are generally bits of dust behind and under things and cupboards that shouldn't be opened unless you want to be injured by flying tennis rackets or football boots....but, as long as the outer surfaces are gleaming and clean, that's all fine. It has to look nice.

skymoo · 05/01/2010 20:48

sorry - meant to get into that today, but ended up watching telly and playing games with dd - not much help. Mind you, we have visitors tomorrow, so will be in express mode come the morning!

SofaQueen · 05/01/2010 20:48

Myself. I cannot bear things not in order and clean - I blame my professional training where everything had to be just so. If something if out of order, I get all tick-y. DH thinks its a psychological disorder, but he's a slob and would thing that!

santaschristmascakeywakey · 05/01/2010 20:48

Visitors for me too - it's the only thing that lights the housework fire under my and DH's arses. Especially one of our Mums

Original poster
SnotBaby · 05/01/2010 20:49

Exactly, skymoo - I can present a lovely house in fast time when visitors are coming, but if it's just me & the family, even the washing up feels like a huge chore.

OP posts:
SparrowFflamau · 05/01/2010 21:07

Gran.

When we do a big clean up DD1 always says "Is Gran coming round?"

Mamazon · 05/01/2010 21:10

so glad im not the only one.

if i am having a good clear out the kids will come in and ask "is someone coming to our house mum"

Meglet · 05/01/2010 21:11

visitors. But my mum is messier than me so her visits make no difference. She does run the Dyson round for me though.

In a strange way it would be lovely if XP's parents would visit every week, my house would sparkle .

MavisEnderby · 05/01/2010 21:14

My mothers diapproving looks when she comes round.

She is mega tidy.I am hopelessly untidy.

misscph1973 · 05/01/2010 21:16

If it's dirty, I feel a strong urge to clean. Not that I always follow it...

It's the tidying I can't do, I hate it, and it seems less urgent because it's not dirt. And then the dirt is allowed to build up...

onepieceoflollipop · 05/01/2010 21:22

Firstly I hate clutter, so I have minimal ornaments etc to dust. I do regular declutters, and have a real blitz just before Christmas and dcs' birthdays.

Dh and I are both fairly tidy by nature, which helps massively.

My top tip is to keep well on top of the laundry. I don't have a regular routine as such (e.g. beds get changed anything from weekly to (ahem) a bit less than weekly) If you have a dc or two it's likely you will need to do a wash at least every day or two, or more.

I try and do one or two smallish jobs a day, whether I feel like it or not. e.g. today I cleaned the loos and put some Christmas stuff away. If I ever feel really motivated then I will have a good blitz for an hour or two.

Even 20-30 minutes per day adds up to a lot of cleaning time in a week.

If you have a dh/dp then it's not just your problem obviously

rasputin · 05/01/2010 21:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sunburntats · 05/01/2010 21:27

if i have some one coming round.
Cant stand mess tbh anyway.
I have a routine which i just do.
Love lollipops tips, a couple of jobs a day, i do this.

Got home from work, put washer on, ran hoover over living room, cleaned loo bath and sink in bathroom. Then picked up ds from school.

tonight before i go up to bed, i will empty dishwasher, take dry clothes off radiators and put in ironing basket, fill washer up to put on again tomorrow when i get in from work.

Its just doing a bit each day, dedicate an hour to housy stuff.

SixtyFootDoll · 05/01/2010 21:29

Little and often, is my motto.
I always try and look at it with 'outsied' eyes.
Or how would I feel if someone turned up unannounced.

onepieceoflollipop · 05/01/2010 21:43

Also if you iron (this is a whole other thread ) then save up about an hour's worth and watch tv (something light that you want to see) while you get on with it.

sunburntats you sound like me, housework-wise.

imaginewittyfestivenamehere · 05/01/2010 22:13

Visitors.

DH coming home imminently in the evening gets me to tidy up a little at 5.30..

doingthelambethwalk · 05/01/2010 22:15

Visitors
Trip hazards

JaneiteIsAWimpyTeacher · 05/01/2010 22:16

Dp nagging. He does most of the housework as I work fulltime and he works part time. He occasionally sticks a post-it note on my dressing table or desk saying 'clean me'.

Alos - yes to cutting down on clutter and having regular culls of stuff.

ZacharyQuack · 05/01/2010 22:20

Visitors. I'm fairly mess-tolerant, but do keep bathroom and kitchen clean and keep on top of dishes and laundry.

skymoo · 05/01/2010 23:23

'How clean is your house' sometimes spurs me into cleaning activity - I have the sort of kitchen floor that does not show up the dirt like a lino would - probably deathly if it was analysed.

MmeLindt · 05/01/2010 23:26

DH emailing me to say that he is on the bus so that I know I have approx 50 mins to do everything that I should have done during the day.

doingthelambethwalk · 05/01/2010 23:27

Oh yes I put HCIYH on too sometimes, when I see how little food a mouse needs etc. it gets me hoovering!

trixymalixy · 05/01/2010 23:28

Visitors and the cleaner coming the next day.

GypsyMoth · 05/01/2010 23:32

getting something new...or if i plan on going out to buy something new....have a good clean in that room then.

got a new lamp for lounge and new duvet cover for my room,so that spurred me on to get it all looking nice before i put these things in place.

also,if i know the eldest is going to be available,then if she looks after ds,i can get loads done

OurLadyOfPerpetualSupper · 05/01/2010 23:37

For me it's visitors, but probably should be imaginary visitors who might turn up unannounced!

This happened to us on NY's day - lovely to see the friends but I felt mortified at the mess I just hadn't bothered to deal with as in my head 'no one was coming round.'

The pile of opened Christmas presents was still under the tree (still is, actually); several piles of unopened post; grubby bathrooms; clutter on every surface.

So why isn't it all immaculate now?