Best Housework Tips & Self-Care Secrets!

[chiefscml]

A wash a day. 20min reset every night, toys away, wash pots. Clear surfaces- clutter attracts clutter (like that drawer we all have) ... I'm trying to declutter as much as I can, its a process do a drawer at a time so it's not overwhelming... I'm not great at self care I wait until breaking point but I have joined a gym class I can take my toddler along to on a Monday & it usually starts my week off good

 

[lovedasif]

Go out as much as possible

 

[grcafterburner]

@lovedasif yes I do this.. avoid the house

 

[grcafterburner]

Can I just add that I think my main issues are being overwhelmed, over stimulated, touched out etc, just find it so hard sometimes and other times I seem to manage, I just hate these spells of feeling out of control

 

[rakesh14021983]

@grcafterburner I get like this honestly and I end up having a breakdown over tiniest thing and then everyone is like what u have kids your house isn't supposed to look like a show home.. that really doesn't help me because I know if I skip one day of washing or not doing pots before bed the next day is twice as much and it snowballs and before I know it I can't catch up it feels out of control its the worst... I usually do a big tidy and a big clean on a Sunday, right a list and tick it off so it feels dead rewarding and then through the week I try keep on top if it just doing smaller tasks like the main things so when weekend comes it doesn't feel like a huge task all at once... I say this but every coupl3 months I'm back in meltdown mode about it

 

[grcafterburner]

@rakesh14021983 this is me to a T. Exactly the same, the build up and then the meltdown over the smallest things organised chaos but glad it’s not just me, I just need to find the right routine I think xx

 

[copticlife112]

@grcafterburner yes I understand this!

 

[gyrelyre]

@grcafterburner absolutely get this

 

[monza]

@grcafterburner I feel like this a lot, touched out and over stimulated. When and where I can (nit often) I'll get 10 mins to myself when partner is around but again that is rare. But once a week at least I do try to go out for a couple of hours on my partners day off, go get a massage or nails done. Also night time, try to get the kids to bed and have a couple of hours to yourself. My youngest can be a nightmare at bed time but I really try to get at least a couple of hours just to chill at night xx

 

[monza]

I'm constantly trying to stay on top.of the cleaning all day. Little things that I find help
Do multiple loads of dishwasher during the day, make sure it's on every night so you can unload first thing.
Clean the kitchen straight after use everytime just get it done otherwise it'll still need doing and it'll make you feel crappy
Hoover/mop in morning and then hoover in the evening when kids are in bed. They always make mess during the day so I find it has to be done twice a day lol
Get a small hoover for little spills or for dinner time (my youngest makes a mess and I don't want to get the big hoover out for it)
I'll do laundry during the week but small ones I get majority of laundry done on Monday after relaxing mostly.on the weekend.
Setting yourself tasks on set days really helps

 

[monza]

It's the toys all day I can't stand

 

[letstrythisagain]

No big cleans for me. Keep on top of it all and every job is only 5mins. Best thing I did was get a cordless hoover - so easy to whip it out do a room and stick it back! When I go to the bathroom I clean something but rarely do the whole bathroom in a oner. If I’m waiting on the toast to pop il wipe down the cupboards. My main tip is to try and keep the floor free from clutter then the rest feels ok. It truth is, it’s hard! But it will get easier and you will find yourself again eventually x
Also don’t let your husband leave you otherwise you’ll lose the need to do passive aggressive cleaning and be so chill you won’t care anymore

 

[annagrace]

Honestly just lower your standards that’s what I do, accept that even when I spend a few hours blitzing the house, it’s completely undone by my 7, 5 and 2 year old within the space of 30 minutes.
This morning I’ve actually managed to sweep, put dishwasher and 2 washes on and tidy kitchen. House still looks like a bomb site and 2 year old has emptied out a game that has a thousand small bits to it, all of which are scattered to the 4 corners of the dining room, but hey I’ve just managed to take 5 kids to the park in the rain so I’m winning.
Just do what you can, when you can! You can have a lovely, clean, tidy house when they are older!

 

[dreadnought]

We have a cleaner once a fortnight for two hours then I can keep on top of it. My husband sorta that through his business
I do washing every day (4 kids plus 2 stepkids at weekends) maybe 2/3 loads average. Wash on 30 mins at 30 then chick in the dryer mainly in the evenings so it’s done then fold and put it away whilst everyone is in bed
Bedding done at weekends when my other half can help
We both do the dishwasher. Husband up at 5am so he empties it after I fill it the night before (usually it goes on twice a day so I empty it as I cook tea too)
I hoover when I get 10 mins as and when, my older ones are 18, 14 and 11 and they help out too so I delegate
And lists. Always have a list then it’s less stress flying round your head and easier to tick things off as you go xx

 

[rockbridge]

@dreadnought what jobs does your cleaner do? X

 

[dreadnought]

@rockbridge they do all the kitchen surfaces, clean out toaster and microwave, clean sink and mop floor, empty the bins
Make all the beds, clean all the bathrooms, shine mirrors, dust, do cobwebs, mop the hall and hoover throughout
I always make them both a brew if I’m home and they even wash their cups up bless them

 

[oosbey1]

I got a robot vacuum for upstairs and a robot vacuum/mop combi for downstairs, it saves so much time on the daily floor cleaning that comes with 4 kids and a dalmatian.... I also just go running to ignore the mess on days I just cba with it, it still feels like an achievement and it was my sanity when the kids were babies, just strap them into a running buggy and off we went x

 

[specialk121]

Just do what you can, when you can.
One day we will have all the time in the world to clean and keep the house tidy, and I can imagine we will want to turn back time. Xxx

 

[picamon]

I hired a cleaner for a while and it was worth every penny, just 2 hrs every other week and I could keep on top of it then. And worst case it was only a mess for a week

 

[msrambrose]

If you're like me and don't have the character or motivation to be a perfect Stepford wife. Music helped me a lot and the odd bottle of wine (she coughs and splutters). Tidy but don't feel you have to clean everything - bit of dirt won't kill them, duster round stuff occasionally. The washing is the main challenge. Iron as little as you can get away with. PJs and bedding do not need ironing. Husband can iron his own blinking shirts. Get out with the pushchair as much as you can and join a group. Be kind to yourself. None of us are perfect and those that pretend they are, are doing women a dis-service. Sending hugs x