Best Housework Tips & Self-Care Secrets!

[sarahfisher]

@grcafterburner i always think it turns into a bit of a cycle, I have so much to do I don’t know where to start and then you end up with more to do so you don’t know where to start… If I miss my Saturday morning clean up then I never catch up and the house basically turns into a pit for a week before I can do it again. Hahaha. I used to split it all with my husband but now he works Saturday mornings so I don’t want to sit around and wait for him to do it. Also I’m more of a morning productive person so I find I have a good burst of energy first thing - if I don’t use it then I find it hard to get motivated later on. Find your energy zones (or whatever actual language there is) and use those. There’s tons of quizzes like this one that I think are useful for figuring out the best times to do certain things that works for you! I looked at the chronotypes but there’s lots! Xx

 

[sarahfisher]

@grcafterburner https://www.wikihow.com/Chronotype-Quiz#goog_rewarded

 

[eleminophy]

I’ve taken a hack from tik tok. Set a 20 min timer everyday. Use this 20 mins to do the basics … set yourself a task… eg clean kitchen surfaces, clean bathroom. By setting the timer , is kind of speeds you along, as you want to finish your task within 20 mins. I’ve started to do this on a daily basis , and it does work, as long as you commit yourself. It’s the easiest way to keep on top of the housework x

 

[grcafterburner]

@eleminophy I will definitely be giving it a go, thank you!

 

[eleminophy]

@grcafterburner its worth a try… good luck . Don’t clean for more than 20 mins , less is more. If you do that 5x a week it’s worth over an hour and half cleaning a week x

 

[1968firebird400]

@eleminophy I do this and it makes such a difference. I didn't realise it's a tiktok thing, I just started doing it about a year ago. Makes everything so much easier as house looks tidyish (even if it isn't 100 percent perfectly clean in every room)

 

[eleminophy]

@1968firebird400 I started doing this a few weeks ago. It works really well. I can’t take credit for it …it’s such a great idea !!

 

[om7]

@eleminophy I’m definitely going to try this. I have 3 kids (and a man child ) and as a teacher I get home late and mark into the evening so my house is a tip. But I can definitely do 20 minutes. Although it needs a deep clean first really

 

[skippy82]

Very good question. Was only thinking the same myself this morning, sorry to make you feel
Worse but my girls are now 14,12 and 10 and I actually think it’s worse than it was when they were like yours cause they have even more of an agenda of being out and about at things, more clothes, make up etc, plus the added fact that I think they’re well old enough to help and do Much more than they actually do, and everything is a battle!! I try to get a couple of small ‘wins’ a day- ie clean out a drawer, put something in the car for the charity shop, and I made a rule for myself that if something will take less than 20 seconds to do it as I walk past it (move the cap off the sideboard, throw the school bag into the cabinet where it’s meant to be. I do struggle mentally with things like that that I know the kids should be doing but the reality of calling them into the room to get them to do it themselves every time is actually more exhausting than just doing it myself! It’s a tough one! As for time for yourself book a night or two away with a friend once every 6 months, it keeps you sane!

 

[grcafterburner]

@skippy82 I feel the same about trying to make them do things, sometimes it’s not worth the fight, mine are younger anyway so the only thing we really ask is to tidy away their toys and tidy bedrooms which they are pretty good at most of the time. Luckily two of mine are boys, my girl is 5 and already sassy and messy so I’m dreading the teenage years she creates more clothes washing than all of us!

 

[olive2828ph]

I do a big clean once a week then top ups just if and when. Don’t bog yourself down too much. Some people are clean freaks. That’s up to them. Don’t have to clean non stop all the time. Homes are for living in

 

[olsoli]

Can I just have a moan, why is this post directed at mums? And why is it that only females are commenting? Do men not carry any of this burden? I mean it's a massive and never ending job and it shouldn't be ours alone.

 

[bolestansvet]

@olsoli 100% agree

 

[christfollowermct]

@olsoli I don't think it's really that deep. Just that the majority of families with young kids tend to have the dynamic of mum at home and dad at work

 

[copticlife112]

@olsoli agree! When I come off maternity leave I will make sure it’s 50/50 split again!!

 

[grcafterburner]

@olsoli I did think about how I worded my post, however the vast majority who stay at home are mums, I’m sure the stay at home dads out there feel the same way though, my husband is so helpful when he is home and will do anything to take off the burden, my issue is more feeling in control, I feel like I should be able to cope with all of this xx

 

[jp45]

@olsoli probably because she’s a mum? I don’t think she’s intentionally gone out of her way to leave dads out.

 

[tops]

@olsoli quite tight, me and my husband split the weekly chores, if I'm around more I do more and vice versa. Should be a partnership.

 

[georgehall]

I use ENJO chemical free fibres which are much faster than using sprays all around the home.

 

[lovehaydenbear]

I tend to have a party for myself while I’m cleaning musics on and don’t talk to me or get in my way .
The best cleaning I get done is when they’ve all pissed me off and I’m at meltdown mode. Angry cleaning and I’ll be mopping walls and everything .
I also go shopping in the evenings on my own and go slowly down each aisle.
I do have my nails done and that’s my time and my bit of self care. Isn’t much but it’s something I do for me x