After reading the story last week that someone wrote about how
often she cleans out her kitchen closet, I came to the realization
that I am a big, fat failure at keeping house. I've been married
for over five years, now, and have lived in two different
apartments, and I just cannot keep the place clean! It's too
difficult when I work full time an have a 1 1/2 hour-long commute
each day and try to fit in workouts at the gym. I leave at 8 a.m.
and don't get back until 7 p.m. Then I make dinner and eat dinner,
and then it's 8 or 8:30. Plus I'm trying to freelance in my "free
time," so where will cleaning fall in? If I'm going to get 8 hours
of sleep, I need to get to bed by 10 p.m., which, of course, never
happens.
My husband is also a failure at domestic capabilities. He has a
mother who never required much from him, as far as chores were
concerned, and he just never thinks about these things. He works
and commutes just as long as I do. He does take out the trash and
put dishes in the dishwasher or do particular chores that I ask of
him, but neither of us has a particular cleaning schedule.
I practically live out of the laundry basket, because I don't get
around to putting the clothes away after washing them.
It takes all the willpower I have just to get the dishes done each
day. Because I was in food service for a few years, I'm adamant
about not leaving out food and decontaminating the kitchen counters
(so at least I have SOMEthing going for me.)
I need advice. To all of you "homemakers" out there, who work
full-time outside of the home: HOW DO YOU DO IT? What am I doing
wrong? Are you neat freaks? Do you not have a life outside of work
and cleaning? Did you long ago toss your TV out the window? Or do
you just have really neat husbands/boyfriends who are good about
helping out? Is it all about having a daily cleaning schedule, and
if so, how much housework can I be expected to get done in only
half an hour or so? It takes me that long just to get ready for
bed!
User Post of the Day: I need a tutor in Domestics 101!!!
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Posted by Tue Aug 19, 2008 8:43am PDT
Report AbuseI am very lucky b/c my husband helps me out tremendously. When i was at home with my daughter my house was spotless...now that I have gone back to work...not so much. I think of it like this...you only have one life....does it really matter how clean your house is????
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Posted by Tue Aug 19, 2008 8:49am PDT
Report AbuseYou can't. Like many couples, all you can do is just "pick up" here and there. But you can't let it pile up on you. Find a two hour block of time every other weekend and both of you become the energizer bunnies. Do not stop... one takes the bathrooms, another the kitchen.. break out the mops and vacuums. You'd be surprised what you can accomplish in two hours.
I had to smile when I read about your laundry basket. Yep... been there and done that and still do!
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Posted by Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:32am PDT
Report AbuseI am like springtime. I pick up daily and sweep daily and attempt to get the laundry folded as it comes out of the dryer.....I hate folding but I hate digging in the basket more.....I guess it depends on your lesser evil spend a few minutes folding or digging.....Oh the joys of house cleaning and working and getting kids to school and fall baseball all at the same time....let the creative house cleaning begin! Just remember to laugh it reminds you that it does not matter if the house is clean or dirty.
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Posted by Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:50am PDT
Report AbuseOne of my professors told me that she has a timer that she sets to 15 minutes where she just non-stop cleans. I like to write down all of the chores that need completing, dividing them up from Monday through Saturday. It's nice to spread them out and when they are on paper it can seem like it's less. Sundays I do nothing! Just remember that it's not the end of the world if your house isn't perfect.
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Posted by Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:52am PDT
Report AbuseLove the laundry basket part of the story most, I guess it's because it hits home. My husband just purchased a new of top of the line washer and dryer set. Yes, it came with all the bells and whistles literally. He says I should "happily" do the laundry with no problems, since the things are brand new. As I told him, just because the washer and dryer has all the bells & whistles doesn't make doing laundry any more fun. He should try it.
He hasn't of course and I haven't really heard too much complaining.
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Posted by Wed Aug 20, 2008 11:12am PDT
Report AbuseAll you do to keep a clean house while working is pick up immediately after yourself. For example, If you open a drawer to take out something that you need to use, just put it back when you're done instead of dropping it off wherever you're sitting or working. You have to have a right place or spot for everything, spoons in drawer and coats in the closet. Then once a week over the weekend like Friday night if you're not going out do all the laundry while cooking or vacuuming. When you cook you dont have to stand or watch tv and wait for the pot to cook, you can load your laundry and let it run. When you're done eating dinner, your man can load the dish-washer while you're loading the dryer. You can load your laundry and leave for work and dry them when you get back. You see there is no need for laundry waiting.
If you make cleaning or organizing your home a task, then it is going to be difficult to put time aside to do it. You have to do it while doing something else. You have to multitask two/three things at the same time and always place things back where they belong. When you pull clothes out of the dryer, pull then out while they are still hot and fold them. Folding warm clothes from the dryer means less ironing. Cold laudry has wrinkled and is very much creases. the washer can run at night while you're sleeping and so is the dish-washer.
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Posted by Wed Aug 20, 2008 11:22am PDT
Report AbuseOnly a couple of hints. Handle things one time, (mail especially), throw stuff out regularly, pick up the big pieces (don't worry, the dust police won't arrest you), one room one day. 15-30 minutes at a time (while something good is on the radio or TV) will wipe it out. People come to visit you, not inspect your house. If anyone notices dust or stuff, they're nominated to handle it. Make it your rule and live by it (my sisters no longer mention dust in my house after I handed them each dustclothes and furniture polish!)
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Posted by Wed Aug 20, 2008 9:23pm PDT
Report Abusesometimes its the thrill of taking the day off aroung the house maybe even two days and doing something you enjoy. better yet being homeless and not having a house to worry about!
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Posted by Thu Aug 21, 2008 6:25am PDT
Report AbuseWell you need to make it fun for yourself!! I work 40 hours a week and keep my house really clean. I just turn on some music when I get home and make it a point to do at least one load of clothes, any dishes in the sink I put in the dishwasher, and I cook pretty quick meals (ex. grilled chicken and veggies) I usually drink a glass or two of wine while im doing all this and really find myself getting into it more than if I was to just come home and go at it hard. No I fold my clothes right out of the dryer but they might sit on my couch for a day or two before I put them up but at least they are folded. I never thought that I would be a good homemaker because I was a VERY messy teenager at one time. Just turn the music on and open a bottle of wine or something refreshing and do a couple of things every night and it will never build up on you!!! Hope that helps you out a little :)
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Posted by Thu Aug 21, 2008 6:32am PDT
Report AbuseDon't worry! I have the same problem. I work full time, attend college full time and am a mother of one and step mother of two and we also live out of the laundry basket. You are not alone. Someone once told me that people with clean houses lead boring lives. they must have nothing bettter to do than clean their houses all day. We're different...we have other (not always better) but other things to do. I did like the comment about setting the timer for 15 minutes of cleaning, I think I could possibly make time for that!
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