Teach me to be a good housewife!

Ever since DD came along i have fallen so behind on my house duties that it is actually quite embarassing!

While on the surface my house looks tidy but it is SO unorganised! My pantry, fridge and freezer are not at all organised i have no idea what i have anywhere! My linen cupboard, well what linen cupboard my linen is scattered here there and everywhere! We have been living out of clothes baskets for months. My bathroom got cleaned... maybe 3 months ago i only cleaned my shower yesterday because it started to smell horrid and i think theres mould.... :redface:

My bedroom floor has my clothes, DPs clothes, DDs clothes and half the linen on it. I have clothes all over my loungeroom, well pretty much all over the house! I haven't mopped my floors in.... wait i did it a few weeks ago so thats not SO bad but i know it should be done atleast weekly.

Its not that i am lazy i've had SO much going on and with a toddler who gets her hands on everything i've found it hard.

DP told me i should sit down and right out a routine of chores to do so that way if i am consistant it will be easy to maintain.

So what i need from you ladies is what is your routine?

You Dp shoudl be helping not telling you to write yourself a list.

But other then that... spend a whole day cleaning getting the house perfect - This way it will be A LOT easier to keep it clean and also write that list of chores for BOTH of you to keep the house clean. I always make sure the kitchens cleaned after dinner. loungroom is cleaned after girls go to bed. all bedrooms re tidied in the morning. Bathroom and floors are done when they need it but occassionally whilst I get the rare shower alone im also cleaning whilst i am in there.

I second hitting the whole house at once, but if it's too overwhelming, then pick one room each day and do it. In the meantime, don't add to it. If there are clothes and linen on the floor, then make sure you put away the clean washing loads straight away. Once you're back in order, then just do a little tidy each day and a big clean once a week (depending on the size of your house).

Subbing for ideas I was just about to postsomething along these lines!

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The only jobs i get DP to do is take the rubbish out and make sure the bins are put out weekly. He also does most of the cooking. Plus hes in charge of maintaining the outside of the house.

But he does clean the loungeroom and other parts of the house when i work.

I think i will just get in and do a big clean and make sure i tidy every day.

Organise a day for your DD to go out without either of you for a few hours. Nominate a few chores for your man to tackle and you do the others.
Its half his mess so half the responsibility SHOULD be on him, none of this "I make the money so you keep house" crap ... you're raising his child thats work in itself.

SO,

Get the house in ship shape.

Then do 1 thing every day while your LO sleeps and do the dishes at the end of the day so you wake up to a fresh clean kitchen (start) every day.

I try to vac every 2nd or 3rd day, toilet scrubbed once a week but properly with stuff once a fortnight (I struggle with the smell of disinfectant atm), I wash every second day (nappies) and clothes just as we need them. I fold as I bring things off the line before they get in the basket and try to put them away immediately though that doesn't always work.

I don't dust often but there is little point getting anal about dirt where I live. I don't have a routine as such just do things as I see they need doing.

Its much easier to maintain a little bit at a time so get the bulk of it done and then just do 1 job a day.

I actually feel like sending DP and DD off together! While he does do a better job at cleaning then i do but i just have my way of cleaning and organising. But for me to get time to myself is pretty much slim to none considering i work when he doesn't so we have no free time together as is!

I think i will just use the hours im awake before her, when she naps and when goes to bed to do my housework. I usually spend those times to myself watching tv or browsing the net.

But i tell myself everyday this is what ill do and i never manage to do it.. :shakehead:

i usually enjoy cleaning the house when DD and DH is out of the house also!
I crank up the music and i clean one room at a time moving junk from one room to the next. Once i see progress it motivates me to continue
heheh

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i usually enjoy cleaning the house when DD and DH is out of the house also!
I crank up the music and i clean one room at a time moving junk from one room to the next. Once i see progress it motivates me to continue
heheh

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I am the same! I love how clean and shiny everything looks, I just feel so satisfied :)

I hate cleaning so im up for ideas


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Putting the clothes away is what I hate. It takes me ages!

I'll generally sit down at night after kids in bed in front of the television and sort them all into piles and them put them away then and there. Otherwise in the morning my little ones will mess up the piles again.

Otherwise I'm similar to a previous poster. I do one thing while the boys are asleep during the day. At night DH and I run around for 10 minutes after the boys are in bed and we tidy up after the day.

Write a list and tackle each thing when you have finished the last thing. Pantry, linen closest, bathrooms everything. It might take you a day, might take you a few days but blitz it all at once. I would then set days that you do things. For eg. on my non working days (work 2 days a week) I do one load of washing each day, sometimes more and it's the first thing I do in the day, then I unpack the dishwasher for the day while I make brekky. Then we make beds, I fold washing and put it away during nap time, clean bathrooms while kids sleep and the shower is one of my issues too because I am blind as a bat and shower without my contacts in so I can't see to do it and keep putting it off :rofl: Thanks for the reminder. I think if you just get yourself into a routine of what works for you on certain days it would be much easier. Obviously if things come up you can be flexible but it is much easier to maintain that way. Good luck!

I usually do my bathrooms, mopping etc once a week either Fri or Sat morning. During the week I usually get up have a cuppa and give dd breakfast and then she plays while I put a load of washing on or bring in washing, fold it etc (usually do a load of washing three times a week) I then wash the dishes we just got a dishwasher so Dishes are usually loaded straight after being used, so unpack the dishwasher every morning and vacuum every morning. Wipe down bench, sinks, coffee table, dinner table, side tables etc every morning, make the bed. I spend the rest of my days looking after DD, playing, going for walks, doing my Uni work, going to work, sewing, preparing and cooking dinner etc It doesn't take long, maybe 45 mins- 1hr. DH helps out alot on the weekends which is great.

I'm a bit pressed for time but just wanted to quickly give you a tip for your linen cupboard. Keep all the sheet sets and doona cover sets together by folding all items up and putting them into one of the sets pillowcases. My linen cupboard was just a mess! But now that I do this it all fits better and I can find what I want very easily :D

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I'm a bit pressed for time but just wanted to quickly give you a tip for your linen cupboard. Keep all the sheet sets and doona cover sets together by folding all items up and putting them into one of the sets pillowcases. My linen cupboard was just a mess! But now that I do this it all fits better and I can find what I want very easily :D

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I just saw that on pinterest! Awesome idea!

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I'm a bit pressed for time but just wanted to quickly give you a tip for your linen cupboard. Keep all the sheet sets and doona cover sets together by folding all items up and putting them into one of the sets pillowcases. My linen cupboard was just a mess! But now that I do this it all fits better and I can find what I want very easily :D

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We do this too, best thing I ever did to keep my linen cupboard in order!

A quick tip.

Don't try and just do everything when your DD is napping. I love having that time to myself to just relax. Make housework part of your daily routine and include your DD in it. She will love to help, even if it means things take longer, and it's really good for her :)

my "linen cupboard" is two drawers in DD's tallboy, and a short, wide plastic container on wheels under her bed. i TRY to keep the winter linen in the one under the bed, and the summer linen in her drawers, it's the linen for both our single beds.

i'm finding it hard to organise a household, with so little storage. Not even cupboards under the bathroom sink, and the laundry sink.

Washing the dishes (no dishwasher here), i set the timer at 10 mins, i tell myself, "whatever i get done in 10mins, that's better than not doing them" - once i get going, it's fine - it's the starting that used to be the problem. Maybe apply that idea to "for 10 mins. on the timer, i WILL put clothes in the bedroom away, when the timer goes, i can go watch telly." The reality is, the 10mins is up, you see how much you've accomplished, and it's often more attractive to you, to actually keep on going.

It is pretty worrying, that you seem to be doing most of the housework. Two adults in your household, not just one. I think when one person ends up carrying the slacker, that one person eventually gets very resentful (rightly so) and blows her stack. Just saying. (been there, got the tshirt). Takes two to make the mess, etc. Parenting is a job in itself.

Childlocks on cupboards and childgates (to keep kids out of areas you are working on/don't want disturbed) are two other ideas i thought of (they helped my sanity levels in the previous place, when bilby was younger).

but if you are in a tiny place like me - with stuff all built in storage (it's called a maisonette, but is really like a tiny tiny unit), then i got nothin - cos i'm really struggling too.

i used to put off the bathroom basin clean up, cos of going to get the cleaning supplies. Now i keep a roll of paper towels and a spray bottle (the Orange stuff by Planet Ark) on top of the bathroom mirror cabinet, so i now made it simple for myself, to clean the basin (get off the toothpaste gunk).

I would suggest you fight the mould NOW. I nearly died from a medical condition, often brought on by exposure to mould. It's a BIG health risk. Of all the things you mention, i would attack that one first. How is the ventilation in your bathroom? Is the exhaust fan working? is it always used when shower is on? Can you leave the window open a bit, most of the time?

What are your wardrobes like?
Are teh doors easy to open and shut? Mine are heavy, so it makes me avoid opening them.
Are your wardrobes full of clothing you like/want/fits you? If they are overflowing with stuff that is not being used, maybe you need a sort out, to leave room for the stuff you actually DO like/want/wear/fits you.

i suspect, you've been struggling to do it all on your lonesome for so long, it's overwhelmed you (the mountains of clothes to deal with) and it's just all too much FOR ONE PERSON to handle. You're human, not a bad housewife. DH needs to be a househusband too. You're in this life together.

Check out Flylady - she changed my world! :)

Yeah, i think it was FlyLady, who gave me the "set teh timer for 10mins" idea. The Flylady thing was too overwhelming for me, but i did glean some good ideas from it.

I think i remember look at that a while back when i posted something similar to this! haha

Tomorrow is when i start my cleaning and hopefully a day is all i need to get on top of things. I managed to get some towels washed and dried.

My best advice is just do something. Anything. For a few minutes. You'll feel better that you started and you'll be able to see how much got done in a few minutes.
If I feel like sitting down I force myself to do something that needs doing first - unstack the dishwasher (my most hated job along with...) put the washing away, get a load off the line (FOLD AS YOU GO!!!!), wipe down the mirrors, take out the rubbish bag...anything.
Seriously it takes like 2 minutes to squirt some cleaner in the toilet - do it while the kettle boils. After your cuppa, go and give it a quick scrub. I usually pour the rest of the kettle over it too. If you do it often it's seriously a five minute job.
Wipe the basin down after you've finished in the morning with a facewasher, and after DD has a bath at night....hardly ever have to clean it if no grime is left in there.
I sweep more often than I vacuum. It's heaps easier to get a broom out than a vacuum and I can do that when the kids are asleep...but I have wood floors.
I do a quick pickup morning, noon and when the kids are in the bath/gone to bed. A bit at a time is easier than all at once.

I.dont it the long way, more work but for me more rewarding.
I.dontOne room at a time, I start in the lounge tidy/put things away the dust then vacc. Then I do the dininh room, clear and clean the table then vacc and mop, then I move onto the kitchen then bedrooms ect

Your dp has a good idea with the list. It feels good to tick off completed tasks and tells your brain that you are getting somewhere rather than the jobs being so huge and the state of your house overwhelming. We have or house on the market o I did a huge clean up which actually kept ds occupied as we were doing something different. One day at a time I set the tasks. Tidy the linen cupboard, kitchen etc and then keep it tidy. Sorting out the robe was also good with ds as he had a pile of clothes to play with. Then once all that was done my mind felt clear to focus on day to day cleaning etc to keep on top of things so that it didn't get out of control without needing a set routine.

I second the idea of taking a day out to blitz the house. Once it's clean and organised it's easy to keep clean.

Personally, I'm a neat freak and have to keep things tidy, other wise I feel out of control (actually I could be a little OCD about it all, or at least DH thinks I am LOL). But what works for me is doing everything as I go. Get out of bed, make the bed. Make breakfast, clean up breakfast. Get a load of washing out of the dryer, fold the washing. Put DS to bed, clean up the toys etc. It means that you do have quite a few 5 minute tasks here and there, but that's all it is, 5 mins at a time. You don't get to the end of the day and have a huge list of housework to do.

Then, I would take your DP's advice and draw up a cleaning roster. But, I would make sure that the tasks are evenly shared between the TWO of you. Maybe even have rotating weeks so one of you isn't always stuck cleaning the bathroom.

HTH

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I second the idea of taking a day out to blitz the house. Once it's clean and organised it's easy to keep clean.

Personally, I'm a neat freak and have to keep things tidy, other wise I feel out of control (actually I could be a little OCD about it all, or at least DH thinks I am LOL). But what works for me is doing everything as I go. Get out of bed, make the bed. Make breakfast, clean up breakfast. Get a load of washing out of the dryer, fold the washing. Put DS to bed, clean up the toys etc. It means that you do have quite a few 5 minute tasks here and there, but that's all it is, 5 mins at a time. You don't get to the end of the day and have a huge list of housework to do.

Then, I would take your DP's advice and draw up a cleaning roster. But, I would make sure that the tasks are evenly shared between the TWO of you. Maybe even have rotating weeks so one of you isn't always stuck cleaning the bathroom.

HTH

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That sounds really great and something i/we can easily do! Thanks heaps. I used to be the same before DD and then got struck down with PND so lost all motivation to do anything i was lucky if i could function properly.

I'd posted this on another thread but i find it to be a great list to work with. Roster idea sounds good too...

A Practical Home Cleaning Program

• Daily
❏ Bedroom: Make beds and put things in order

❏ Kitchen: Wash dishes and sink. Keep counters and tables free of clutter. Sweep or mop the floor if needed

❏ Bathroom: Wash sink and toilet. Put things in order

❏ Living room and other rooms: Put things in order. Give the furniture a light cleaning. Sweep, mop, or vacuum the floor if needed

❏ All the house: Properly dispose of the garbage

• Weekly
❏ Bedroom: Change bed linen. Sweep, mop, or vacuum the floor if needed. Dust furniture

❏ Kitchen: Wash the stove, countertop appliances, and sink fixtures. Mop floor

❏ Bathroom: Wash the shower walls and all the fixtures. Clean toilet, cabinet, and other surfaces with disinfectant. Change towels. Sweep or mop the floor

• Monthly
❏ Bathroom: Thoroughly wash all the walls

❏ All the house: Clean the frames of the doors. Vacuum or thoroughly clean upholstery

❏ Garden, courtyard, garage: Sweep and clean if needed. Avoid accumulation of refuse or unnecessary items

• Every Six Months
❏ Bedroom: Clean bedspreads according to manufacturer’s instructions

❏ Kitchen: Empty and thoroughly clean the refrigerator

❏ Bathroom: Empty and clean shelves and drawers. Dispose of unnecessary or out-of-date items

❏ All the house: Clean lamps, fans, and light fixtures. Clean the doors. Wash screens, windows, and windows frames

• Yearly
❏ Bedroom: Empty and thoroughly clean closets. Dispose of unnecessary items. Wash blankets. Vacuum or thoroughly dust the mattresses. Clean pillows according to manufacturer’s instructions

❏ Kitchen: Empty and thoroughly clean shelves, cupboards, and drawers. Dispose of unnecessary items. Move appliances so you can clean the surface or floor underneath

❏ All the house: Wash all the walls. Clean upholstery and curtains according to manufacturer’s instructions

❏ Garage or storage units: Sweep thoroughly. Organize or dispose of unnecessary belongings

The hardest thing for me was coming to the realisation that cleaning the entire house the way I wanted (I'm a bit OCD so take forever to clean) all in the one day just doesn't happen anymore, so I have set chores for each day - Monday is sheets and towels washing, dust/vacuum girls' rooms. Tuesday is girls' bathroom etc etc.

"Life" obviously gets in the way and some days whatever I should be doing doesn't get done, but generally it works pretty well.

Little O Thanks for that list! It sounds like something i need to get me back into my routine. Next time i'm at my mums ill print it out. May even print her one too as she says she falls behind in housework as she works fulltime.

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That sounds really great and something i/we can easily do! Thanks heaps. I used to be the same before DD and then got struck down with PND so lost all motivation to do anything i was lucky if i could function properly.

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I can soooo relate to this. While I was having treatment the whole house slid out of control and it took a really long time afterwards to get back on top of it. Not so much the surface cleaning (cos DH is good with that) but all the underlying organisational stuff that had been let slip. So overwhelming. :hug: But just take it step by step and you'll get there. I found it helpful to ask DH to do very specific things which were small things but helped me tackle the bigger task (eg he took the flyscreens off and cleaned them while I did the inside of the windows). So make sure you include those things on the list too. Things like cleaning the inside of the fridge or sorting a cupboard is "invisible" work (DH will come home and not notice) but if it's there on the list and ticked off as something you've achieved you can feel better about your household successes.

Great list LittleO. It's the 6 and 12 monthly things where I fall down - they're all such big jobs!

I Know Miss E! My MIL is the most organised houswife i know and she has a system of First week in Winter and First Week of Summer to do them. She's at home full time though so i guess that makes it slightly easier...that and her boys are all grown up lol.....

I think the one day aside to get on top of things is a great idea. And get rid of stuff you dont need chuck it if its rubbish or donate if it could be of use to someone else. I need to do this 6-12monthly or we accumulate too much especially clothes and cheap toys. Pick one thing to start with maybe the pantry as you clean it out you'll find things that belong elsewhere, when you go to put them away you'll see that spot needs sorting and it continues :lol: I cant just do one area, I start then realise I have half the cupboards emptied and spilling out everywhere as I am tidying.

I clean by line of sight. I pick an area and clean it and any room I can see from there so if I clean the kitchen I also do the lounge and dining room and I feel like I have acomplished something and Im not standing in a clean room looking at the mess in the next room

I have now come to a point where I cant do the whole house in one day often so I spread it over two. I pick 'areas' and work through them eg dining, living and kitchen are one area, our bedroom and ensuite is another. Kids bathroom, toilet and the laundy are the next. Then kids rooms, play room and spare room.

Each day I unpack the dishwasher in the morning then load it through out the day as we use things. I make the beds after breakfast while the girls are getting dressed and they are now learning to do things like put their dirty washing in the basket, dirty dishes in the dishwasher. DH does bath time and pj's and milk and I wipe the kitchen and table down, pick up toys and put things away as during the day clutter spreads through out the house. When the girls are in bed the house is tidy and we can both relax. After the girls clean their teeth in the mornign I wipe their sink over with a facewasher as they are very messy!

I normally have 'me' time after lunch while the girls have some quiet play time, in the mornings I get as much done as possible eg clothes washed and on the line, yesterdays load in and folded, clean one 'area' play with kids, kindy drop off etc. I will reward myself with watching a TV show I recorded during the week (today it will be one born every minute). I work 3 days a week so on my days off I often catch up on washing.

Once you get started and do the big clean then things will get easier. I quickly sort my fridge/freezer/pantry when Im putting shopping away so it doesnt get too out of control.

My DH does other things around our house but not a lot of cleaning because a) he has a different standard to me and I just want to do it 'properly' after he ahs finished and b) he enjoys the outside jobs more and has been turning our block of mud into a deck and lawn and garden which is beyond me. He also has to do all things related to caring for the dog, feeding, walking, grooming poo collecting. As long as you feel the over all household workload is fair and you are both happy with what your own responsibilities are I dont think it matters who does what

LMS - some great ideas here! For me the key is to do things as I go and then break down the big jobs to be done over a period of time. I guess our place often looks at the least surface clean but the organisational and cupboards etc is currently a work in progress. So I do clean the kitchen up after each meal, make beds as we get up and wash clothes each night. Helps not to get overwhelmed but piles of stuff - which bothers me. I also try to deal with mail/paperwork etc once. So I open and process/file and then chuck anything extra. Otherwise I end up with things everywhere and no idea what is going on. So we have a filing cabinet, calender/diaries and bills to be paid folder to do this. I also try to get value when I cook so will often roast 2 chooks at once with once for later or do a bulk cook of curry/spag bol to freeze and defrost of the days it is harder to cook. Keep at it and remember to focus on what you have done not the stuff still to be done!!!

Holy beeeeep. You wash your sinks and toilets every day, little o ?

Why did I read this thread, it just made me feel crap.

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Jude 07/10/08 | Lilac 16/06/11

As a starting point, maybe sit down with your DP and figure out what the priorities are for both of you, and who will do what.

For example, some absolute priorities for my DH and me are clean work clothes, clean nappies, a clean bench, and healthy meals for DS. And we know which ones are normally done by who ...

Then, once the essentials are covered, figure out what comes next ... what things will make your house manageable, nice to live in, a place where you're not embarassed to have people over ... maybe it's vacuuming once a week, the toilets, having the laundry all away, dishes done every night before bed, whatever. And again - sort out who will do what.

Then you might have the monthly/quarterly things ... maybe filing, or weeding, or whatever ... the things that aren't realistically going to get done every week or two, but which you can set aside a few hours every 4-12 weeks, so they don't get ridiculous ... and then put it in your diaries, so it gets done :)

You both work, you both have time at home - housework should also be shared ...

So work out together what things you BOTH want done to keep the house a happy and cosy place for your family.

Oh Kuraiza don’t feel like crap!

the daily "wash" is a wipe down with a disinfectant wipe. Proper clean is weekly. For me i try to do it daily otherwise it gets chaotic for my house lol!

Sararose. We are pretty much the same as you with the sharing. Outside him, inside me. Works for us at least. Although now I’ve been tired and ms he has been helping out vacuuming! GEM!

I used to be (and still get) like this too. I know how daunting it is to look at everything and think what needs to be done!

I tend to do one job a day (depending what it is) for example, I HATE doing laundry, so I prefer to let it build abit, then do it in a big lot, and that usually takes me a full day.
I start early in the morning and gather up all the dirty clothes, put one load on, and leave that to be done.
I usually also have clothes needing to be folded and put away, so whole DD is awake, I do a quick sort, and put DD clothes in one basket, DH & mine in another, and things like towels and what not, I either do straight away or in another basket (I find towels and sheets very quick to do and makes what I have left look so much less!)

If DD is still obliging, I then hang out washing, and put on another load, then put DD down for a nap and fold the rest of the clothes and put them away as best I can (obviously not ours because DD is asleep in our room, but it only takes like 1 minute to put away once folded :) )

Then I bring in the other loads (if they're dry) and try to fold and sort them)


When I hang out my washing, I have DD in a walker so she's happy for the 5-10 minutes it takes me to hang it all out :)

With the dish washing, I tend to leave it til the morning, because I find im just too tired to do it at night, and I'm ready to tackle it in the morning!

With everything else, I do the vacuuming when DH is home, because he can keep DD amused so she won't keep chasing after the vacuum :lol:

I *try* to mop once a week or so, but we have Lino only in the kitchen/diner and tiles in the bathroom, so it's not quite as big a deal. But I also vacuum the kitchen and bathroom do they're still clean.

I admit I'm really bad with cleaning the bathroom, I clean the bath regularly because DD uses it all the time, but the shower could do with a good clean :/

I have also found that when DD and I get up in the morning, she is happy to be in the lounge room while I generally tidy the house (dirty clothes in washing baskets, toys picked up, dirty dishes in sink, full bin bags tied off and sitting at the door waiting to go out, toys tidied, etc) I can also then I wash the dishes (and put away any dried ones) and put away any folded clothes that haven't been put away earlier. By this time DD (and sometimes me!) is ready for a nap, and i can rest better knowing its all relatively tidy!
This way the house looks tidy, and our clothes are put away, and dishes done, and I have the rest of the day to either relax, or do other bigger chores, like washing or mopping etc.

Key for me is just setting one task a day to do (which is usually a decent size task), and anything else extra I get done is a bonus :)

Hope I helped somewhat!

Ok, so i have done what alot of you suggested and have focused one job at one time. I cleaned my kitchen, cleared out the fridge and pantry of old/unused foods and rearranged them both. Did the dishes (i need to get me a dishwasher) wiped down benches, the sink and cupboards. The floors i will wait and do once i've tidied the rest of the house.

I went straight to the laundry, folded my towels i washed and dried yesterday. I unpacked the linen that was in the garage from when we were moving and rearranged my linen cupboard. Its also a storage cupboard so tidied one side for crap and the other side for my linen. I put another load of linen on i have another 3 to do (i have a very small washing machine) then i will get onto clothes from last week then thats washing done (for now). My next job is tackling the bathroom which will be a quick job as i'm pretty good with maintaining a clean bathroom.

The loungeroom will get done when little miss is sleeping as she just undoes what i do.

The biggest job is the washing, i think i will try conceal it all to one room (the spare room) and tackle it another day.

Thanks ladies, i feel so on top of everything and don't see it all to be too much!

Good for you babe :clap: