Tell the truth...is your house clean?

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-18-2003
Tell the truth...is your house clean?
24
Fri, 03-19-2004 - 12:38am
Hi everyone,

I'm new here and I thought I would introduce myself and ask a question about a dreaded topic--housecleaning!

I'm a SAHM to two girls, ages 4 and 2. They're 15 months apart.

My husband read a quote from an article about housecleaning, and how the average number of hours spent housecleaning has declined. I was shocked to hear that in the 1950's, the average woman spent 4 hours A DAY (yes, one day!!) cleaning the house. My husband and I chuckled because I don't spend 4 hours a week cleaning!

My house right now is so so clean. It's not a total disaster area, but if someone called and said they were coming over, I would spend at least 20 minutes picking up and making the place look presentable.

I'm very humbled and ashamed to say that I do not sweep the kitchen floor daily. I vacuum every other day and dusting....what's dusting?

I am just so busy with the girls, but I think I really want to change this.

I'm wondering if I'm the only bad housekeeper. I just have the notion that most people have close-to-spotless homes and that I'm the only irresponsible one who neglects the housework.

I do make efforts to clean. By the time I spend a half hour picking up toys, and doing basic straightening---I'm tired! I feel like I could hire someone--FULL TIME--to pick up toys off of our floor!

I am anxious to hear what everyone else has to say about this topic! I look forward to hearing your opinions and stories.

Angela

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-06-2004
Fri, 03-19-2004 - 12:52am
My house used to be spotless, before I had my daughter. It's not too bad, now. I always have toys scattered around everywhere, and I am falling behind on laundry and dishes most days. I used to visit friends who had children (before I had mine) and I would think, "My God, there are toys all over the place!" Of course, I know realize that it is impossible NOT to have toys everywhere! I always thought that was a part of parenting that I would never be able to get used to, but I like how my little girls presense is always there, even after she's gone to bed.

~Jolene

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2004
Fri, 03-19-2004 - 2:29am

You know, about 4 months ago I had a perfect home. Not spotless, cause I did have a 4 year old, but I was proud of what I was able to do and how I was able to keep it so nice. BUT........


Then I had a baby and all that went down hill

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-28-2003
Fri, 03-19-2004 - 8:30am
Housework.......what is that? LOL I hate housework and want to hire a cleaning service so bad! I refuse to clean the toilets so DH does that.

I pretty much grew up being the one who cleaned the house. So I think I always placed in my head that when I grew up, I wasn't going to clean. LOL and I don't. I vacuum once/week and dust when I see dust and it bothers me. I sweep and mop the kitchen floor when it looks dirty.

I am shocked my DH doesn't complain since he is from a country where the women stay home to care for the kids, cook and clean. They clean the houses everyday. Can you imagine? YUCK!

I do keep up on the laundry though. Oh and I hate, I mean hate washing the windows and sliding glass door. It's like as soon as I do it, they are filthy again or I left huge streaks on them. In fact I need to handle that task today. Maybe........

Brittany and Giovanni (adjusted 9 weeks old)

   

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-25-2003
Fri, 03-19-2004 - 8:38am
Welcome, Angela! I am Debra, mommy to a 4 year old boy & 2 year old daughter. Glad to have you in the group!

Now honestly, my house is pretty spotless right now. But I have to say my year old is not here right now. So it is no wonder my house is clean! lol Seriously I think I have a pretty clean house! I'd say on average I clean atleast 2 hours a day. I am a fanatic about clean bathrooms so I scrub them a lot plus with a 4 year old boy who misses the potty from time to time, ya gotta clean in there frequently! lol I do vaccum every single day & sweep the kitchen & baths atleast every couple of days, sometimes more. I don't dust very often unless my daughter is in preschool which is only on Fridays because she & I have asthma and stirring up dust drives us both into attacks. I do try to keep it clean all the time! I was a horrible housekeeper when DH & I got married because I didn't know "how" to clean, never did it growing up. And I had several embarrassing moments where people would show up and the house be a wreck. Now when DD is here, there are a few toys in the livingroom during the day because she hates playing upstairs when her brother is in school. My son is pretty good about keeping his room clean. He's not the messmaker! That would be my daughter!

Anyway so long story short, yes my house is pretty clean! I work hard to keep it that way! I've used the www.flylady.net method alot especially when first starting out. Now I use my own modified version!

Good luck! I look forward to chatting with you!

~Debra

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-10-2004
Fri, 03-19-2004 - 8:42am
My house is very clean most of the time,but of course like another post said nobody's house can be spotless all the time.I have a 6 month old son,and live in an apartment,so I'm sure it would be harder to keep a big house clean.Anyway,this is how I get things done.I try to have all my work that has to be done on a daily basis done by 1:00 in the afternoon.I usually do 2 loads of laundry,put dishes in or take them out,of the dishwasher,make the bed,generaly straighten the house up,empty all the trash,and put it on the back porch.Then after 1:00,I take some me time,to relax and do some things I like to do.Later on in the day,I try to take care of one big job,like clean the bathroom,mop floors or something.If I do one big job every afternoon,my house stays clean most of the time.Of course as our son gets older,I'm sure it will be harder to keep the house clean.He will probably be making messes faster than I can clean them up!I think our top priority should be time with our children,of course,so don't feel bad if your house isn't perfect all of the time!Nobody's is!

Heather
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-08-2004
Fri, 03-19-2004 - 10:03am
I'd say that my house is respectably clean. I'm no June Cleaver, but my toilets are scrubbed, my floors don't have crumbs (that you can see ;), my carpet is vacuumed and the beds are made... Clutter is kept to a minimum, even if there still is some lurking around... Everything *has* a place, even if it's not always *in* that place... I'd say I'm doin pretty good... LOL Thing is- it looks the same whether I spend twenty minutes or three hours, so why bother wasting the extra time when I can be doing something more important like spending that time with my family? ;)



Wytchy

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2004
Fri, 03-19-2004 - 10:18am
I clean my kitchen and do dishes as they appear (I have a dishwasher) and try to keep it clean at all times. The problem is when my husband is home or the sitter comes over (she is old enough to be my mom and should know better). They both leave dishes around the house, crumbs on the counter, klenexes and papertowels laying around. My DH also likes to empty his pockets on the bathroom counter or dresser and leave it for me.

I have white ceramic tile in my kitchen and it can look dirty a hour after I clean it. We have a dog (a Pug) that sheds. I clean the floors downstairs (white ceramic and laminat wood) at least twice a week. I have a 14 month old still crawling around. I vaccum the upstairs once every 2 weeks or more (we aren't up there much except to sleep, shower, and change clothes).

I scrub my bathrooms at least once a week. And I dust when it bothers me. I usually do a load or two of laundry every day.

The biggest mess is usually my baby's toys in the living room. I can't wait till he's old enough to play with them in his room. I am already working with him on picking up his toys. Whenever I pick them up I tell him and show him what I am doing and ask him to help. He usually will, but at times he gets distracted and takes out more toys.

My house looks clean most of the time. But I am a clean freak and feel that it is never clean enough. Especially now that I am in school and don't always have time to keep up.


iVillage Member
Registered: 03-31-2003
Fri, 03-19-2004 - 12:11pm
The kitchen is the place I tend to clean over and over again. It never stays clean! I give the house a clean sweep every moringing then again in the evening. Once a week I try and give it all a good cleaning. I start with the bathroom then vac and mop dust. I do laundry three times a week. In between I just try and keep up!
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-08-2004
Fri, 03-19-2004 - 12:22pm
***My DH also likes to empty his pockets on the bathroom counter or dresser and leave it for me***

A great way to nip that in the bud is to tel him to pick it up- *when* he doesn't, just collect the crap into a bag and toss it somewhere it will annoy the crap out of him- his office, his car, his underwear drawer, his shoes.... ;) Trust me- it works... And if it doesn't, tell him next time it gets thrown away- and be sure to follow through ;)




Wytchy

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2004
Fri, 03-19-2004 - 1:36pm
Wytychy,

Thanks for the tip. I will have to try it.

TAnya

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