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Original poster

Tell me your housework rountine please

52 replies

nutcracker · 23/09/2004 13:39

I am having trouble finding a rountine with housework, and am not adjusting very well to ther increase of size of property.

Everything just seems to take twice as long and i get fed up half way through.

I'm don't want to freakily neat of anything like that but would just like to think i could spontaneously invite someone round without having to think about it.

So rountines, tips e.t.c. greatly appreciated

OP posts:
Original poster
nutcracker · 23/09/2004 13:39

Obviously being addicted to this site doesn't help either

OP posts:
fiorocious · 23/09/2004 13:41

Wait until your husband in drawing up outside then throw everything in the cupboards and make yourself look busy. He will eventually suggest a cleaner.

cab · 23/09/2004 13:42

Mmmmmm - sorry nutty can't help here . Think I read a post ages ago on here about 'flylady' site or something like that which is meant to be good.

TraceyP · 23/09/2004 13:45

Housework? What's that?

beansmum · 23/09/2004 13:47

i am possibly a bit sad but i have a sort of routine that i stick to, my house would be a tip otherwise!

i put a wash on beforew i go to bed and hang it up in the morning, usually 1 wash a day is enough for me and ds

i try to tidy one room a day while ds has his afternoon nap, get through the whole house by the end of the week

wish i had a cleaner though, and ds isn't even at the messy stage yet

unicorn · 23/09/2004 13:48

Wish I had one...
all I do really (for sanity sake) is keep one room downstairs reasonably decent,just in case of visitors etc.
Upstairs is a whole different kettle of fish
I am not the tidiest person in the world, and, alas, do not remotely enjoy housework.

Caribbeanqueen · 23/09/2004 13:49

Housework and routine are two of my least favourite words, so no help really!

pixiefish · 23/09/2004 13:50

I used to have a cleaner but one concession to me only going back to work part time was we had to get rid of them. My house is on 3 levels and I try to hoover a level every couple of days- bathroom gets done when we've had a bath if it needs it adn the kitchen gets cleaned as we go. bedrooms etc get dusted once in a blue moon as does the lounge. tend to do stuff as I'm going really. I mop the floor (wood downstairs) evry other day but have to admit to using wet wipes as and when dd is sick so don't really allow house to get too mucky

Original poster
nutcracker · 23/09/2004 13:50

Well definatly can't afford a cleaner.

If i ever go back to work then i definatly will pay some one to do my ironing though as i HATE it.

Sounds good beansmum. I ususally have to do 2 or 3 loads of washing a day and then i despair at the amount of ioning it creates.

Want to seta good example to dd's really as when we eventually have their own rooms i want them to tidy them their selves really.

OP posts:
beansmum · 23/09/2004 13:51

and my dad does the washing up whenever he visits

Tommy · 23/09/2004 13:51

Sorry - I have no idea what you mean by a housework routine......

We tidy up living room and kitchen at the end of the day, DH hoovers and cleans the bathroom on Sunday morning and the rest doesn't get done.

This is all going to change though when DS1 goes to pre-school and I will become Superwoman

beansmum · 23/09/2004 13:52

ironing?

AuntyQuated · 23/09/2004 13:53

you need codswallop, she is the queen of routines, where is she?

fiorocious · 23/09/2004 13:53

Every morning put on some uplifting music and go around every room. If you do it every day it will only take you an hour at the most.

Miriam2 · 23/09/2004 13:53

A lot of the stuff on the Flylady site seems to be for people who have nothing better to do but I did adopt the 15 minute tip- that is, put a timer on for 15 mins and work flat out for that time, tidying, cleaning, whatever, then stop and move on. It works for me cos I start one job, get involved with something else and so on and never get finished. And I've found music is a good motivator, used to be a Radio 4 fan but music gets you moving better!

Original poster
nutcracker · 23/09/2004 13:59

Like the music and 15 minute timer ideas, thanks.

Actually thinking about it, i do seem to get more done when i've got music on.
Or is that because i play my cd's on my computer so then i'm not on MN ???

OP posts:
susanmt · 23/09/2004 14:04

Open front door on Tues and Fri monings.

Let amazing Isabel in.

Pay amazing Isabel less money than she is worth (cos she is worth about £100 an hour but I cant afford that)

Say goodbye.

susanmt · 23/09/2004 14:05

As you know, routines arent my thing so she does the routines for me!!

breeze · 23/09/2004 14:07

Gat up every morning thinking today right I will spend a few hours cleaning, ending up getting distracted and probably doing a mad dash 30 mins before DH due home.

zubb · 23/09/2004 14:09

Really sad, but I can only keep on top of things by having a routine. So on Mondays I change the beds, Tuesday do bedrooms (only 2 so not too long), Wednesday - bathroom, Thursday - downstairs. The kitchen gets cleaned every day after dinner, and I tidy up toys every night. As I work from home I do it during my 'lunch' break.

KateandtheGirls · 23/09/2004 14:22

I wish I could get into some sort of routine. I do well for a few days and then I have a bad day, or even just a really busy day and the house gets messy. Then the messier it gets the more effort it takes to tackle it. I really like th 15 minute idea. I should start doing that. OK, I'll stay on MN for a few more minutes first...

When I do manange to keep things together my "routine" (for want of a better word) is that in the evening before bed I load and run the dishwasher. First thing in the morning I put a load of wash in, and then put it in the dryer, fold it and put it away at varouos points throughout the day. As I'm getting breakfast ready and getting ready for school I empty the dishwasher, put the breakfast things in and wipe down the counters. Then, when we get back from taking dd1 to school we get home to a fairly sane house. Every night before bed we have "clean up time" where my girls have to put away all their toys and books. Somehow every day there is stuff in every room of the house! If we don't do that then, again, it starts to build up and I become less and less likely to do anything about it.

Now I'm lucky because I have cleaners who come every other week, so I rarely have to think about dusing or cleaning bathrooms, and I only hoover when necessary. Even so I find it hard to keep the house tidy and clean.

Keeping on top of it is the best advice I can give.

Lonelymum · 23/09/2004 15:00

I worked out a weekly rota (similar to Zubb) including little things I know I let slip like bleaching the dishcloth. It had to be adjusted a bit to begin with as I realised some things didn't work on some days (like washing school uniform on Mondays!) but it quickly got sorted. I can't say I keep to it rigidly, but it is there for when I know I should do housework and can't be bothered - I just look up what I should be doing today. It doesn't include weekends and Friday is my "light" day so I can have me time then or catch up with other tasks. I sound pretty anal about it, but without my rota, I would miss out loads of things.

sallystrawberry · 23/09/2004 15:16

This reply has been deleted

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ks · 23/09/2004 15:24

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KateandtheGirls · 23/09/2004 15:45

Oh, and by the way. Ironing??? [puzzled face]