good lord someone help me!

[JadoreParis]

ive always been an untidy person and as hard as i try i just cant seem to keep my house clean and tidy. i put things away and my DD immediately gets it all out again and throws it all everywhere. i hoover and she immediately (somehow) gets crumbs all over the floor! i find myself hoovering about 6 times a day! and ive got a big living room!

there always stuff all over the sides, the windowsills, everywhere and im GOING MAD!!!

i cant seem to keep on top of my washing, my washing up or anything! its just me and my DD at home, and although my DP is round lots and helps out its still just gets awful again!

it just seems to be sods law that it takes 0.527 seconds to mess it up horrifically and like 2 hours to clean it up!!

do people with clean houses actually clean 24hrs a day!?!?? am i missing something here!?!?!

HELP!

I'd love to know the answer to this as well. I know we have too much 'stuff' around but like you, I could spend 24 hours cleaning/tidying

I have a 2 year old and an almost 6 year old. I constantly seem to clean. If i leave it for one day, it literally looks squalid.
I have a big washing basket, dump everything in there til I have a full load. My life is 100 times easier since I got a tumble dryer, we have no garden so stuff was constantly on airers. Makes a big difference to be able to wash, dry and put away in a few hours.
I keep the bedrooms tidy. They store toys in there, but mostly play in the living room. That way, the bedrooms never really get messy. Storage is key, we have a great big ottoman we use as a toy box, and dd has 2 old wicker moses baskets under her bed to chuck toys in.
The bathroom gets a quick going over before I go to bed. I put the dc to bed at 7, and idy up before I do anyhting else. Generally that can be 10 minutes or an hour depending on the state of things.
The only thing I can recommend is to get out of the house as much as possible! I loved the weather last week as we spent most of our time at the park. If they're not here, they can't get it messy

Storage. Storage. Storage. And lots of it. Boxes/files/drawers/tins/whatever. Everything should have a home.

The one toy out, one toy away rule works well to keep on top of the mess children can make.

Get a box to put in the corner of the living room and get dd to put her toys in there once she has finished with. Once the box is full, go and out a few toys back.

Do 1 load of washing/drying/putting away each day.

Wash up after meal.

Give 1 room per day a decent clean.

Every one is responsible for cleaning up the own things as they go. If it's on the floor/not where it should be and belongs to an adult it goes in the bin. If it belongs to a child it is confiscated until further notice.

And stop hoovering so much. Just do it on an evening after dd has to gone to bed!

I second most of what the others say, also, buy a Ewbank type carpet sweeper so you can do crumbs without having to keep getting the hoover out.

I long for a hoover. We have wooden floors here so I spend so much time sweeping which is surely the most depressing job in the world. That, and wondering how on earth my two manage to smear so much damn toothpaste on the sink

thanks guys! its totally doing my head in!

my DD is only 14mo so i cant really get her to help out.. cant wait until i can!!!
"
Iconstantly seem to clean. If i leave it for one day, it literally looks squalid"

SO TRUE!!! sob sob

i tend to try and tidy it once dd is in bed, but now shes walking (and running, and jumping, and crashing into things) im so exhausted i sometimes just wanna veg out with a coffee and a fag!!!

i guess i gotta try harder really.. but definately gonna get LOTS of storage boxes!!

genius mums!

oh and i used to have wooden floors! trust me, its noisy but hoover them!! people think you cant but you really can!!!

I hoover all my wooden floors; it's fine. You'll be glad of them through sickness and potty training

What time does your husband get in? Why don't you hand the baby over to your husband as soon as he walks in, and while he does bath/bed routine, you can get on top of things without a baby under your feet.

And then leave it all day, because you can't keep ANYTHING nice with children around and it's pointless trying.

DD id 4 and is Ewbanking the front room as we speak. I am supposed to be cleaning the bathroom....

true story, i do sort of do that coz she sleeps from 6pm til 10am (i know, its amazing) i just get sooo tired.. its my own fault really

but im a messy person who hates mess!!

hehe im meant to be washing up.. instead im watching Angel aha

ooh my DP just offered to do it!! woop woop..

thanks guys youve inspired him :P

im gonna go help him.. ill chat to you genius's later :D

At 14 months old dd is old enough to put a toy in a box once she has finished with it, as long as she is reminded/encouraged. It will set her in good habits for later in life.