Housework

[ChaCha]

Do you think that everyone who walks into the house actually notices that the stairs need vaccumed, skirting boards are dusty, windows need a shine, etc..
I can't seem to get out the house when i'm home from work for housework!!!! I think i'm going a tad overboard BUT i really do need to de-clutter, any tips on how to start?
I have a room full of books etc..my retreat when i'm marking, lesson planning etc..as i only have a few more days at work and will then be waiting for baby's arrival want to get rid of all my stuff - no need for it now.
Any tips? Am getting to the point where i am avoiding having friends over as the bookshelves need a dust, or i haven't folded the washing away...WTF???

ChaCha,me too

If they complain just tell them you are feeling too uncomfy to do it yourself at the moment and ask if they fancy giving you a hand. Works well for me!!!

I am a lighthearted (borderline sloppy) housekeeper. The good thing about friends is that they know the worst things about us but still love us. My faults get a lot worse than my ironing allergy and my friends still love me and yours still love you even though your curtains haven't been polished recently. De-cluttering, however, I am FAB at - from all the tons of stuff I've got rid of over the years, the fact that I can't remember what any of it was tells me how important it was. I'm sure there are people who do cunning things on ebay and make a bit of money out of it too, but I'm too lazy so it goes to the charity shops and recycling bins. Have fun and remember that good enough is good enough. Just have a clean hand towel in the bathroom so that the health visitor can tick that box when baby arrives

Good luck ChaCha.

lol
Problem is...they don't complain. It's me!!!! Like everything has to be 'just so' and i cant do it everyday!!!! ahhhhh

Thanks Lio....gosh do they really do that? To everyone? wow

chacha...i used to be just the same - then ds arrived (5mths ago)! truly, you will never care abt the state of the stair carpet again

ChaCha, re the hand towel: I actually can't remember who told me about this, but I made sure we had one and sure enough she asked to wash her hands at some point in the visit and I triumphantly said 'of course, there's a hand towel on the back of the door' - could be that they're checking you're not drying your hands and undercarriage on the same bit of cloth, could be postnatal mal-memory syndrome on my part. Anyway, even a sloven like me can see the point in having a clena hand towel! Wow, my mother would love me to care as much as you do about the state of the house.

Use that precious nest clearing energy while it lasts. Get rid of almost everything. You won't miss it. New stuff comes in every day.

What nesting energy? AM running round after a three year old, still at work and can't sleep I feel like a zombie and i still have 9 weeks to go!!!!!!

I hate people "dropping in" - I have to know when they are coming just incase dd has left a little pressie in the loo or something.........

i gave the health visitor a tea towel when she came (well, she did wash her hands in the kitchen...)
she didn't take the baby away though

Lio - You should feel proud of yourself because a friend of mine who is a community midwife told me that if your house is not up to scratch (and most of them are we are just all paranoid)they wont wash their hands let alone wipe them on a towel so you passed with flying colours. Another sign they approve of your standard of hygene is when they say "oh yes please" to a cup of tea and drink it

If I have people over, the only bit of housework I do is change the handtowel in the downstairs loo!

if you have loads of unwaneted stuff could you boot sale it or sell it on ebay? i usually get a babysitter for the day and just go balls out cleaning everything!!!

Well my health visitor trod dog sh** all over my hall, dining room and lounge whilst visiting me and my week old twins. Just what I needed

Looks like i need a babysitter and a team of cleaners in before September then!!!!!

I shall make a start then. Does the baby need a nursery? I'm being serious..had never thought of it but when my fellow ante-natalers talk about doing their nurseries up am feeling a bit guilty..what is there to do?
What do i need...ahhhhh!

Next: When you bring in the washing..do you:

a) fold and put in ironing basket until you need something
b)fold and put in ironing basket for a few years
c)fold and put away in appropriate place, iron when needed
d)accumulate piles of ironing in spare room that never gets done
e)none of the above

Have hoards at the moment

Baby doesn't really need a nursery, current guidelines are that it should sleep in moses basket/crib/cot next to your bed for the first six months then you can start to worry about nursery/bedroom. I bring the washing in and put it away and iron it as we need it helps keep down on the clutter.

There isn't enough room in our bedroom to swing a cat...i guess we better move some of the wardrobes out

Ohh dear - i have had to move ours round as well not a fun job whilst pregnant.