A Slave to Housework?

[perhapstomorrow]

I'm fed up. I have 3 DC under 6years and I constantly feel like I am tidying up after everyone (including DH). I like to have a relatively tidy home but I am really finding it hard to keep motivated as it just last two minutes and then it starts all over again.

Today I've spent some time doing what I want to do (a little gardening) and the house looks like a tip. There is so much laundry, cooking, dusting, washing etc that sometimes I feel like a slave to it.

I've looked at flylady and it just seems to make more work rather than less (shining your sink? ).

What do you do to stay motivated? How do you avoid being a slave to housework?

Seriously, and this isn't me being smart-arsed, I couldn't bear it and I only have one DD (2.8). I work full time but a lot of it's from home (makes the mess worse) so I got a cleaning lady. For one day a week, my house is lovely...

I spent a lot of today tidying up - eventually had a rare glimpse of sitting room carpet. Drives me insane so know where you're at!

lower your standards

get everyone to do a share

sit down in the evening

I could have written this myself and it depresses the life out of me

Things that I have done to improve things include:

Buying lots of cheap plastic boxes in which to tidy away toys - get your kids to help at the end of each day - they don't get fed until they've tidied up OR bribe them with an ice cream if they help you.

Don't do piles of ironing. I just unload my washing machine, hang the washing up somewhere to dry - or on the line in good weather - then put away in wardrobe/drawer. I only iron things for the next day the night before.

You must tell your husband that the state of the house is affecting your mood and making you feel depressed. Even if he just helps tidy/clean up for half an hour a day it will be enough to keep things at bay.

Try to keep cleaning out junk/unwanted/recycle stuff each week. Try not to hoard and don't feel guilty about getting rid of toys that the kids don't play with anymore.

Dusting takes less time with one of those little dusting pads which attach to a stick - you buy them from the supermarket - can't remember their name. You just chuck the pad away after each dusting session.

It does get easier as they get older, but you must train them to clean up after themselves, my DS (11) cleans his own room now and is happy to push the vacuum around downstairs. You have to nag them and make them feel guilty about it sometimes. I make my kids watch How Clean Is Your House to show them what happens when you don't help with housework!!!!!

Good Luck