Household Cleaning Roster

[Nik2WIN]

I'm another big flylady fan too.  Have been following her for years.  I've got TWO ds's with ADHD, and a 3 yr old, so things can get pretty messy but I think that now the oldest is 10 the might be getting less so.  DH has changed his work hours and now gets up around 6am.  Its wonderful to get up with him and do a few jobs before the children wake up.  This morning I made bread for the lunches (how would you do THAT without a TMX - start to on the table in an hour, cool enough to cut for them to take to school in sandwiches at 8.20)

I don't work outside the home so it IS easier for me but I find it best just to really keep on top of it.  And if anyone wants to lend a hand, I'm perfectly happy to accept their standards

It really does help to have the right tools.  I've got this diddy little stick vacuum that is rechargeable so as soon as there are crumbs on the floor you can grab it and vacuum them right up.  Its even easier to use than one of those hand held dustbuster things.

Nik

[jkmt]

I'm naturally a 'messie' and long to be a 'cleanie'. I did set up a schedule after my first child was born, complete with daily, weekly, quarterly, annual jobs all written on a card system. Within weeks, I realised that (1) I was actually doing more than most 'cleanies' did in their routines, and (2) I was bored to tears doing it. I now try to tidy as much as I can without going bonkers, give all of us a few daily jobs, and get a cleaner in once a fortnight to do the main cleaning.

I still stress about the mess, the never-ending lego that finds it way into every nook and cranny (obviously to breed with the NERF missiles!), etc, etc. But as a good friend tells me: 'One day it won't be there because the kids have moved on, and we'll miss it.'

[fundj&e]

yes ,................i think DH has a list  he is a smart cookie my frank 

[keiramax]

Since starting my cleaning roster, the thing I notice most about my house if the mounds of stuff everywhere.

So my goal for Jan is to declutter the kitchen.  Cleaned out the pantry on the weekend or as my friends call it the food room.  While in there have measured up for the shelves which will finish off the pantry. 

I have a box of things to donate to family and/or friends or the op shop. 

Now I just need to find room for the 400+ vacola jars I've collected from grandparents and friend's grandparents.  They seem to be breeding in the shed.

[goldfish]

   It still stuns me the amount of "things" that just seem to accumulate around the house that seem to escape notice at times!  I know what you mean about those jars . . they do tend to breed . . and in geometric progression!!!  LOL . . . Good luck!!  Sounds like you're off to a flying start!!

[Twitterpated]

Every year at least once a year I clean out every cupboard/room in the house. As I go through the cupboards I box/bag up anything that I haven't used iin the last year. This ensures that I minimise the "junk" I have laying around. I am a huge believer in "everything has its place" but by no means am a clean freak. I just find that by minimising the stuff it's a lot easier to keep clean, especially when you tidy up and put everything back where it should be. Mind you the last two times I have moved it all to a storage room that we have with a mind to sell at a garage sale. I was in there this morning (it's where my treadmill is) and made a decision that I'm not having the garage sale as I am sick of seeing it all. I'm going to sort it over the next few weekends and donate it to charity. I want it gone more than I want to organise a garage sale!

[Delightful Den]

WE have amazing amounts of stuff stored around our house.  DW is a hoarder. Not a true clincla horder but she saves anything with a smidgen of sentimental value and she does like to have supplies of some things. I think it comes form not having a lot when she was a child and having a mother that was not sentimental about anything and saved nothing.

I have a shed full our kids toys (the girls are 25 and 27 this year). DW say they are for the grandkids to play with when we finally get some.

[meganjane]

DD, I'm a relief teacher at the school, so may have come across you when you visited! I don't remember any male visitors last year, though, so must not have been working when you came.

I live in town and am on the Local Council. We're really proud of our little town, it's very pretty and we are a close knit community. So it's good to hear that you think the town has a nice feel to it.

Back to the OT, I find it difficult keeping up with the inside cleaning when I'm also expected to do the outside as well. DH is harvesting for other farmers that are still struggling to finish and leaves at the crack of dawn every day, arriving home late at night. Then straight to bed as soon as he's eaten.

I'm ready to put goldfish in our ^%#*^ swimming pool. I just got it perfectly right and we had a huge storm on NYE. Dust, leaves, bark, branches all blown in. When I cleaned it I left the pump off by mistake and it went green! I've just about got it right again. The weather has been so foul we haven't even swum in it this year!

[courton]

I do a big throw out now and then... and just now and then, live to regret it! We lived in a small place and I threw out the thermosaver (the heat resistant dish) before we put the place on the market. Now we live in a much bigger place, I wish I kept it. AAAArgh.....

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

I must admit I love flylady - but not the emails.  You can shut them off though or read them off the site. I have taken what I like from the flylady site and added it to my own routines.  I didn't bother with her cleaning routines much as I like to do a complete clean once a week anyway (and washing windows etc when I can). I like the organising side of flylady though like loading the washing machine, getting our clothes ready and packing bags each night before going to bed.  That has been a lifesaver with me going back to work.

My Hubby is amazing around the house and always willing to help out.  He unloads the dishwasher each morning and makes us all breakfast.  He then loads in the breakfast dishes and wipes the benchtops.  This gives me time to have a shower, make all the beds and get the kids dressed.  I don't know how I would manage without his help. I am in charge of doing the washing/folding (no ironing here) and cleaning the house on my days off work. Hubby does most of the work in the garden.

[Tasty]

Yesterday, I spent quite a bit of time cleaning the kitchen benchtops and everything on them. I also cleaned my sink in order to do FLYlady's first babystep of shine your sink. I was so proud of myself 

Today my husband agreed to make the hamburger patties for lunch in the TMX and struggled to put the jug and base together but got there in the end (he has used the TMX a few times but with a bit of nagging from me). I was breastfeeding our daughter. By the time the hamburgers were ready, I was done and went to do a self-clean only to have water pouring out everywhere. I could've cried! Hubby didn't realise he had to put the seal back in the lid and so hamburger patty-infused water flooding my newly clean benchtops!!

It seems as if my efforts to get the house clean and maintain it that way are in vain 

And Chelsea - I also think the constant emails are a bit much!! (from Flylady)

[goldfish]

Hi Tasty - I had a dedicated email account for the flylady reminders - I would have gone nuts having them come to my regular account!  I  don't get them any more. There are still plenty of suggestions and good advice  though and you end up just tweaking it all to suit you.  Commiserations on the TMX cleanup though - been there,  and done that!!   

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

P.S - I must also admit that I don't shine my sink.  I did the initial clean and got it looking lovely but maintaining it was sending my batty. One little splash and I had the towel out wiping it. Aggghhhhh! There are enough worries in life without being concerned about drip marks in sinks!!! 

[meganjane]

I do shine my sink regularly! I use bi-carb soda and finish by wiping out with paper towel.

I have to do this every time I need to do the dishes from my Skinflint workshop. I also have to sterilise it. I love a clean shiny sink.

[Meagan]

You can get a daily digest from flylady which is one email a day. She does say to delete the emails if you need to.