DD is now 8months old and I find it a real challenge to not feel like I'm failing at getting stuff done around the house. I prioritize time with her and sleep when I'm tired. DP works full time and does some housework too. The problem is that we both do it on an ad hock basis so the house usually gets to a messy state and I get upset and feel overwhelmed and we do a tidy up.
Yesterday I suggested we do a schedule to break up the tasks over time so that it doesn't build up and get overwhelming. We ended up having a Barney over lunch on our date.
I'm after ideas and suggestions please. How is housework organized in your house? How do you work out who does what and how often? Does your partner do the stuff you hate as vise versa?
TIA
Um when DH was working full time he would help out on weekends with anything that needed doing.
At the moment he is a student so is home more often (but is often studying) and I have divided the chores for everyone in the house to do - even the kids - which doesn't really help you as you only have a baby haha
However, I am basically in charge of the kitchen, although the kids help unload the dishwasher and DS (6) washes the dishes of a night time. But I do everything else, DH cooks a few nights a week to give me a break.
I get the older girls to vacuum the lounge twice a week, and I do a bigger clean on saturday - every room gets vacuumed. DH mops with the steam mop once a week (unless studying for an exam, then it just gets dirty until he does it because its his job and I'm not doing it for him). DS vacuums once a week as well - usually the bedrooms for me.
I do the bathrooms and toilets once a week. Doesn't take very long so I usually do the toilets whenever they are getting too grubby for me (and with 3 kids using a toilet it gets grubby quickly), DS wipes down the counter in the kids bathroom once a week.
I do a load of laundry once or twice a day - at least once, and the kids put their dirty clothes in the laundry so I don't have to search for clothes. I fold up the clothes when they are dry, and each child puts their clothes away.
Um, the kids tidy up their own rooms before going to bed of a night time and I do the bigger rooms - usually DH helps out when the kids are in the bath, and we both go around picking stuff up and putting it where it belongs (obviously our kids are older and can be trusted in the bath on their own though - sometimes they shower instead).
DH is responsible for the outside stuff, although he gets DS to help weed the garden and usually the others pitch in to help too.
On the whole I am the main person doing the cleaning and stuff - but I think thats only fair because I'm the one that doesn't have any other "job" to go to - this is my job. Looking after kids and keeping the house reasonably clean. I pretty much suck at it, but I do try and keep up with the messy children LOL
ETA - I'm the only one who cleans the shower though, because the cleaners set off DH's asthma.
When my girls where younger, DH helped out when ever where ever needed, it's almost impossible to clean with a baby or 2!
I never had a true cleaning schedule until last year when DD1 when to school (5.5 years)
Now I clean every Friday.
It's hard for full time workers to understand how hard it is to get stuff done around the house with a baby, perhaps give him a taste of it....in a nice way.
I have certain things that I like to get done on a daily basis:
Of an evening, after dinner. Dishwasher loaded, hand washing done, benches wipes, sweeping of kitchen and lounge room. Straighten couch and tidy coffee table. I tend to do most of that, as DH is dealing with bathtime, but now that is less involved, I just tell him what I need done.
Of a morning, unload the dishwasher whilst getting breakfast ready and lunches packed.
Most days, get a load of washing done (except with this weather it tends to fall mostly to the weekend)
Weekends are for other cleaning, like vacuuming and bathroom. Sometimes the kids and DH help, but still mostly me. DH does a fair bit of work in the garden.
Last edited by Astrid; June 10th, 2013 at 09:45 AM.
We have two children - a 7 mo and a 5 yo (at school)
My DH works fulltime (Monday to Friday) so I do the majority of the inside housework over the course of the week.
So, usually Mondays and Tuesdays (& sometimes it spreads into Wednesday) I do a major clean including dusting, floors (kitchen, meals and general living room is swept/vac'd daily), bathrooms, toilets, laundry etc...
Every second day I do washing and fold put away or DH does it when he gets home from work).
Sundays I iron infront of the t.v.
Both DH & I share the cooking. We tend to meal plan on weekends for the following week and purchase Sunday or I'll go on a Monday morning when DD # 1 is at school.
Both DH & I do the dinner dishes and clean up the kitchen at nights - it's quicker that way.
DD # 1 usually has a shower with DH and DD # 2 has a bath at around 4.30pm and either DH or I do it, depending who is preparing dinner.
Depending who gets up out of bed last - usually DH as I am bf DD#2 makes the bed/s.
Outside usually DH does it either after work (he gets home around 3.30pm) or on weekends.
We dont have a strict his and her job routine. But dh does the loo and bathroom, well sometimes I do the bathroom. I do the clothes washing. Otherwise we just do whats needed. I do jobs through out the day, in between the rest of the stuff. The big jobs get done of DH's days off, one plays with the girls whilst the other cleans or we get in and do them together. But the biggest lot of cleaning gets done after dinner and before the girls bedtimes. After they have their shower, its clean up toys, clean playroom and I do the floors and such.
Right now though, my house is a major pig sty, the girls are sick and Im getting what they have, so absolutely nothing is been done. dh is due home from work soon, and then maybe a few things will get done, maybe
We just worked out what jobs he hated and I didn't mind and vice versa. For example he'll happily do the washing, clean up the kitchen after dinner but if I asked him to clean the shower or toilet he'd run for the hills. But the kids have lots of jobs too. And DH will help out where needed. So even though he only has a few jobs to do. He'll help me out when I'm struggling or sick or time poor.
We break things up depending on what we do and don't like. I do bathrooms, DH vacuums and I mop after him (he doesn't believe in mopping). He does bins and lawns, I do washing. Dishes alternate between us each night while the other one reads bedtime stories. Tidying up is everyone. I do most of the cooking, but he does nights when I'm out or to give me a break.
During termtime we have a cleaner - both work full time and we were just finding it wasn't getting done. She also does ironing of DH's work stuff, I have little that needs ironing as I hate it.
As DD gets bigger, she will take on some of the things around the house - so far she is responsible for emptying her lunch box, making her bed, setting the table and keeping her room tidy.
When I was at home with small children, my DH & I took the view that caring for the child was my job, and so we are both responsible for cleaning.
At our house, this meant DH cleaned floors, did laundry & ironed, and cleaned the shower. I did toilets, hand basins, bath, looked after kitchen, planned meals, organized groceries, most of cooking & cleanup. I also tended to do any dusting/tidying/sorting/picking up, and all the extra random jobs like fixing things, cleaning out cupboards or doing the fridge.
Now kids are a bit older & we both work, we get a cleaner once a fortnight. We still run around with a broom or vacuum & toilets, basins, etc still need to be done regularly, but because the house gets a thorough clean once a fortnight, we can see when something states getting untidy & just quickly do that one thing. Highly recommend it.
When we both worked full time, we did what Marydean does - cleaner once a fortnight and we'd do things in between to keep on top of things. Outside was DH's domain (except I did most of the weeding and we both did the deck).
Now I'm home full time, things get far dirtier, there's far more tidying to be done, and I find it hard to find the time. I have a weekly chores chart that I *try* to follow. DH used to be good at checking it when he got home and would do something that had been missed, but we are very much out of routine now.
I am a big fan of keeping things simple, so I clean the shower when I'm in there a few times a week (I don't use any chemicals, just elbow grease and good cloths/scourers). I clean the bath after DS has been in, and the rest of the main bathroom while I'm watching him bath. I use the cordless vac a few times a week instead of vacuuming the whole house at once. I try to keep on top of the kitchen, so clean as I go (except the oven!). I put the dishwasher on after tea and empty it after breakfast. I fold washing while playing with DS, or watching TV after dinner. I have a set day for sheets and towel washing too, as I can pick a day that works around kiddy activities.
DH does the bins and toilets (though needs reminders) and will do a big vac every couple of weeks.
Would love a cleaner when no 2 comes along, just a couple of hours a fortnight to keep on top of bathrooms, floors and dusting!
How do you divide up housework?
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