Teach me to be a good housewife!

[*LittleMissSummer*]

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....

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?

[Catastrophic]

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.

[Miss.September]

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).

[AngelPants]

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

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[*LittleMissSummer*]

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.

[NaeNae]

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.

[*LittleMissSummer*]

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..

[Mum2SweetCs]

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

[Marley&Me]

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

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

[Beautiful Disaster]

I hate cleaning so im up for ideas


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[FabFiona]

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.

[Beach Mama]

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 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!

[Babyluv]

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.

[~Hestia~]

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

[Miss.September]

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

I just saw that on pinterest! Awesome idea!

[sahbear]

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

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

[Heaven]

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

[Gigi]

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.