How many hours a week does it take to run your home?

[Strawberrycornetto]

I am trying to manage my work life balance .

How long do you think you spend on housework, gardening, admin etc. I am thinking things like washing, food shopping, cooking, general housework, dealing with paperwork, medical appointments etc.

I live in a 4 bedroom cottage with a large garden. I have two DCs, one is 5 and the other is 2. DH is pretty good so its not a question of me doing everything, I am just thinking about the total hours between both of us, not the actual split.

Too many. Far too many. But I have two feral children and dog that is as mad as a box frogs and a Dh that is as much use to me as a soggy paper bag. Oh yeah and a job too.

Shiny, me the same as you but add 2 kids and 7 cats ... anyone want a kitten?

Oh yeah I forgot to mention the cat with ibs who likes to shit down the side of my loo didn't I? I think I'll pass on that kitten

Unless you wanna swap my dd2 for one?

I have never tried to calculate because it would be far too depressing tbh. Although my mother would tell you that however much time i do spend on housework, I need to at least treble it! I have a 2.4yo and a 19wk old and am finding it next to impossible to keep on top of cleaning/tidying. I'm managing to do a load of washing every day and getting it put away, sweep the kitchen and living room floors and wash-up after meals. That's about it

I was thinking its about 20 hours a week. What do you think (I don't have a cat ).

I think it just expands to fill the amount of time available!

Although I imagine that if you were strict with yourself (and also wanted to do everything properly!) you could allocate say:
1 hour each morning for cleaning & putting washing on (as long as all children are out of the house!)
20 mins a day for admin / paperwork (assuming no major building works or medical issues)
1 hour in the evening for cooking
1 hour in the evening for folding washing / tidying up
Shopping I do online so it only takes about 1 hour a fortnight.

3 hours a day is 21 hours a week, so that sounds about right for the house. I think the garden would be on top of that though (or it is for me). I tend to do half an hour in the garden between 6 and 6.30 (when the DCs are at their most vile !) and then weekend blitzes.

about 100 hours a week, i really should demand a wage from OH

I'm a lone working parent. So, with the exception of cooking, up to three hours a week. The more time you have, the more you will find to do.

Queenofwhatever of course if the house is empty most of the day there will be less to do anyway.

I reckon about 20 hrs too, obviously it'll vary depending on children and pets and how much time your house is occupied.

Well looking around now, not enough hours

schroeder - wow, touched a nerve there!

queenofwhatever????