Talking of lemons, I just remembered something else that makes me feel like a domestic goddess.........preserving! It makes me feel worthy and like I would be deserving of my Granny's praise!
I made lemon marmalade last week.....with lemons off our tree........made me feel like a 1940's domestic goddess, LOL!
The "flylady" system has helped be transform into a domestic goddess. In her book "Sink reflections" she has a letter from one of her "Flybabies" about how she wears a toy tiara while cleaning so that when she looks up from cleaning the toilet she sees the mirror and instead of seeing a drudge she sees a woman of great worth. (see also proverbs 31) I read this and have eagerly adopted it also. You should see the looks on people's faces when you answer the door wearing a tiara. It is great fun and it reminds you that your job might not be glamorous but it is richly rewarding and soo important.
I love my job and on Facebook listed my job as "Domestic Goddess"
I gotta second FlyLady too. I started up with it when Flynn was about 4 months old and though I have fallen off the wagon now I am pregnant and working (it is just too tiring ATM to keep up with all the cleaning) it worked a treat when I wasn't laden down with child. Though my mum, who was a neat FREAK when I was a kid but is now reformed (she used to say you could tell a good housewife if the tops of her door frames were dusted!!) looked at me like I was mad when I started extolling the virtues of cleaning lists and schedules. She actually said "I think you are taking this housewife thing too seriously" LOL!
Another good book (available on Amazon) is "Confessions of an Organised Homemaker" by Deniece Schofield. (I was actually re-reading it this morning on the train). She is less prescriptive and FlyLady and is better on helping you develop routines that suit you. For example, rather than say you must wash your floors every week, she talks about setting your own standard and not needing to justify your decision. She actually points out that a family with small kids will have a messier house than one with kids at school, and that there is nothing wrong with that - it is all about finding a level you are happy with.
Yep I'm a flylady addict too... I discovered flylady about 7 yrs ago and haven't looked back. Thanks for starting this thread... its really helping me feel less domestically disabled atm.
I have only one thing to add to all the other lovely suggestions I've read (going out to get candles soon - I LOVE good smells in my house!). I have antibacterial wipes in the bathrooms and kitchen, and so I can quickly and easily wipe up messes, and know that it's clean, and it smells good. (wipes came in a three-pack of orange, lemon, and fresh air scent. Nice. )
Oh, one other thing I'm just thinking of that I love to have in my house when I can - fresh flowers. Not the growing kind, because at my house they quickly stop being the growing kind and become the dying kind. But a few fresh cut flowers in a simple vase on a window ledge or table add a whole lot to just about any room.
Will be keeping an eye on this thread for more good ideas! Thanks ladies.
Wow, I am getting so motivated! I thought of some more:
- Wear the kids out in the morning so have a midday sleep
- Bake bread in the bread maker - cheaper, healthier and SOOO easy
Uh oh, forgot the rest already LOL.
Bec - unfortunately my DH sees mess before food! He is a neat freak - but on the plus side he is usually a big help too (just not atm with a sore bad).
I'm just about to put the ingredients in my bread maker too Mel! Like you said, it's so easy that it bearly rates a mention... but I am trying to "eat out" my pantry ie use up as much as possible... and I've got a lot of flour and yeast to use. I like to do this twice a year.... and doing it before November (when I start all my Christmas baking) is a good time to do it. then i know that all my spices, dried fruit and nuts etc are nice and fresh.
Utilise technology, use your computers calendar to remind you of things whether its when to buy a birthday present, when to start thinking about what to cook for an event, or when to start cleaning guest high traffic areas before guest arrives... No more procrastinating don't leave things till the last minute... don't do it all at once a little bit at a time!
Windex is your friend, its the best bathroom cleaning product on the market. And combined with terry flat cloth nappies you can clean ANYTHING. I also use recycled paper towel to do a quick swish and swipe. So under every sink is paper towels and cheapy windex. I use cloth nappies for EVERYTHING. They are great for wood dusting, cleaning bathrooms, cleaning kitchen splash backs, cleaning ovens, cleaning windows, sucking up spills from carpets. In your toilet hide some anti bacterial wipes, that way you've got visitors coming and you realise you haven't cleaned the toilet. Instead of freaking out say you need to go to the loo and give your toilet a good wipe down and a brush. And then you'll realise how easy it is to do next time you go to the toilet, rather than setting aside a specific cleaning toilet time (which then creates the chore mentality).
Even if you feel like you are living in filth, turn on some essential oils and put some flowers out you will feel better and that mood lift may just motivate you
When you are making yourself some lunch whilst you have everything out make your kids lunches for the next day... that way you aren't lifting everything out twice and its all there in the fridge in the morning. Instead of that early morning routine becoming a frantic race against the clock.
Teach your kids to lay out their clothes before bed.
Teach your kids to clean. No they aren't slaves, but neither are you. If they make a mess they clean it. Teach them, don't scream at them And help them if they are tired, but don't get sucked into "I'm tired" as an excuse... In our house we have a either you can help me or I can go get a green plastic bag... (I now don't get past "I can go get a..." Before she's scampering around LOL). Things as simple teaching a child to wash all the toothpaste off their toothbrush, or out of the sink after brushing their teeth sets them up to be clean and tidy and really that helps you doesn't it?
Don't suffer in silence, if you want something done ask... its not going to do itself and in reality guys just don't have ESP as much as we'd like to wish they did.
Enjoy your clean house! Once I've cleaned my bath & shower I try and make it my routine to bless myself later that night with a nice milk bath
Appreciate what you have done, don't dwell over what you haven't done!
Perfectionism and Martyrdom never helped anyone, and it won't help you keep a clean house... well you might have a clean house but you'll hate it or you'll hate those around you. Not fun.
Cailin, i windexed my sink. OMG, thankyou! It's so shiny. DP was SO impressed. He kept saying "wow, it looks so good in here" and kissing me.
Bx
ETA - i thought of my tip for today - cook too much. I freeze or fridge almost every day, so Smee and i always have something delicious and nutritious for lunch even if she had me up 8 times in the night - there's always SOMETHING good to eat that way. Also some things improve with time. 2nd day soup, stew, curry, chilli, hotpot are SO good, the flavours all have time to grow overnight. Also roast too much meat - it's cheaper than buying 2 small roasts and it can be froxen raw, cooked or cooked and sliced. If you cook for an army once a day you can keep your little unit marching all week long.
Last edited by paradise lost; September 24th, 2007 at 06:15 AM.
Thank you very much for all your tips! I try so hard everyday to get the house organised. I get up in the morning and say to myself right 'today is the day'! However with a 3 month old little one who cries when I put her down its reallly challenging!
I'm going out to buy some lavender essential oils tomorrow, what a fantastic idea!
*I use Epsom salts as fabric softener...saves TONS of money and is dirt cheap and natural too! It lives in a big Itty Bitty Bin by the washer
NB: dont buy the Faulding box from the supermarket, buy it loose by the kilo from PantryMan or a health food shop or its not cheaper
*Oregano is a REALLY powerful cleaner...if you have a plant, once you use the leaves, boil the stalks in water and leave to to steep until cold then just refill a Spray bottle...works for EVERYTHING
*Soda water is the best thing for shining stainless steel - its a lil professional secret ...just pour it on and polish off with a clean dry tea towel and you dont have to worry about it scratching or anything!
When your sink sponge gets old or pongy, cut off one corner and designate it the "floor sponge". That way you still get to use something which still "works" for a bit longer and everyone in your house can instantly tell which sponge to use for floor spills.
Hi All,
Quick tip with those without a dryer (I live in North Queensland so my washing dries in 30mins or so).
I hang the clothes so everyone gets a line - me, hubby, 3 kids. That way, when you are taking it off (and folding as you go), you are already 'sorting' into their piles so when you put them away you don't have to sort and fold. Also, I use my pool fence to hang sheets and towels - esp. great with our king size doona and miniture size clothes line.
I also don't use pegs. If you hang it properly, they don't fall off. I hate pegs and my kids are always stealing them and it takes half the time to hang, and take off. I know this sounds weird, but whatever works for you!!
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But a few fresh cut flowers in a simple vase on a window ledge or table add a whole lot to just about any room.
And help them if they are tired, but don't get sucked into "I'm tired" as an excuse... In our house we have a either you can help me or I can go get a green plastic bag... (I now don't get past "I can go get a..." Before she's scampering around LOL). Things as simple teaching a child to wash all the toothpaste off their toothbrush, or out of the sink after brushing their teeth sets them up to be clean and tidy and really that helps you doesn't it?
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