If you DON'T have a cleaning person

megs68 · June 2011

what is your cleaning routine? My house is a disaster and I feel like I spend half a day cleaning on the weekend and hate it. I want to try to establish some sort of nightly routine that would work for us so I can keep up but not spend a ton of time. Do you have a routine that you found works for you?

LJR 84 · June 2011

In all honesty, the house just goes dirty most of the time!

I typically clean the bathrooms every other weekend. All the laundry gets done on Saturday. The floors usually get cleaned every weekend.

Other than that, we really just try to maintain some order throughout the week. We clean the kitchen up every night, (load/unload dishwasher) and try not to let too much clutter gather.

jf198400 · June 2011

I'm pretty much the same as the PP. I have zero time during the week since DH and I both have long commutes. By the time we get home at night its pretty much a challenge just to eat dinner and get ourselves and DD to bed. On the weekend I do whatever cleaning i can get done during naptime. And I ask myself constantly whether we should just get a cleaning lady. Sorry I'm no help.

mountainkimi · June 2011

I always keep everything neat. That helps a lot. The toys are always put away every evening, the dishes are always done, and beds are made in the morning. This way when we wake up every morning, the house is in order. I'm also Type A and can't stand a mess.I tend to vacuum 1x a week too-normally sometime during the weekend.

As for the clean part, I clean as needed. When I see dust, I'll dust. When the floor gets dirty, I'll mop. Same for the bathroom, etc. This way I don't feel like I have to spend my entire weekends tied down cleaning when I would rather be with my family. It works for me/us.

ValAndRyan · June 2011

I try and do 10-15 minutes of cleaning/straightening up in the morning and evening which can include anything. I feel like I can get more done in 5 minutes sometimes than i can in an hour. I also clean up toys, do dishes as I go along to make it easier too. This has been working for me so far. Probably once a month, I do one good cleaning which is half the day.

soon2BMrsBama · June 2011

Laundry- one load everyday M-F; start in the morning (washer with a timer), change over before DS's dinner; put away just before I go to bed.
Dishes- started before bed at night regardless of how full the dishwasher is so I can put away clean dishes during DS's breakfast
Mop- DS loves to watch me sweep and use the steam mop so M, W, F during DS's dinner I knock out the kitchen floor
Dusting- DH gets home late so he does most of the dusting (fans and living room) while he watches SportsCenter
Bathroom- I always take a few seconds to wipe down the tub and counters after my shower or DS's bath; mirrors I spray and wipe before I brush my teeth in the a.m; I squirt the toilet bowl with Clorox gel once per week before work so I don't have to smell the bleach.
Vacuuming- for me the hardest. I don't like to do it with DS in the room b/c allergies and I'm afraid to wake him up vacuuming while he's asleep. Usually gets done on the weekend unless I can't stand it and do it with DS in his bouncer.

We don't see DH during the week so weekends are family time, not cleaning time. I don't feel like I have to set aside time to clean because I do little bits all along. I am still considering hiring someone every other week for things like baseboards and cabinet doors and windows and such.

ABizzity · June 2011

We pick up and wipe down every evening so things dont get too bad. Sunday mornings DH and I tackle it and it only takes about 90 min. We do it all, vacuum, dust, clean the floors, kitchen, bath, etc. We do all the laundry throughout the day on saturday and fold and put it away on Sunday morning too. Then we have the rest of the day to do what we want.

romigu · June 2011

soon2BMrsBama:
Laundry- one load everyday M-F; start in the morning (washer with a timer), change over before DS's dinner; put away just before I go to bed.

Dishes- started before bed at night regardless of how full the dishwasher is so I can put away clean dishes during DS's breakfast

Mop- DS loves to watch me sweep and use the steam mop so M, W, F during DS's dinner I knock out the kitchen floor

Dusting- DH gets home late so he does most of the dusting (fans and living room) while he watches SportsCenter

Bathroom- I always take a few seconds to wipe down the tub and counters after my shower or DS's bath; mirrors I spray and wipe before I brush my teeth in the a.m; I squirt the toilet bowl with Clorox gel once per week before work so I don't have to smell the bleach.

Vacuuming- for me the hardest. I don't like to do it with DS in the room b/c allergies and I'm afraid to wake him up vacuuming while he's asleep. Usually gets done on the weekend unless I can't stand it and do it with DS in his bouncer.
We don't see DH during the week so weekends are family time, not cleaning time. I don't feel like I have to set aside time to clean because I do little bits all along. I am still considering hiring someone every other week for things like baseboards and cabinet doors and windows and such.

this is a great routine! I need to start incorporating a schedule. Last week, we started making a weekly goal. The first one was to keep the sink empty and it has really become a habit now! I think if we do baby steps like this, maybe we'll get into the habit of keeping things clean. I think the next one will be to make the bed every day.

lasa4641 · June 2011

mountainkimi:

I always keep everything neat. That helps a lot. The toys are always put away every evening, the dishes are always done, and beds are made in the morning. This way when we wake up every morning, the house is in order. I'm also Type A and can't stand a mess.I tend to vacuum 1x a week too-normally sometime during the weekend.

As for the clean part, I clean as needed. When I see dust, I'll dust. When the floor gets dirty, I'll mop. Same for the bathroom, etc. This way I don't feel like I have to spend my entire weekends tied down cleaning when I would rather be with my family. It works for me/us.

This.

shouldbworkin · June 2011

I have had to start a schedule now that it's summer and I'm never indoors. In the winter I clean the upstairs one weekend and the downstairs the next. For now, clean the kitchen (counters, floor, table, etc) on Sun, dust and put laundry away on Mon, bathrooms on Tues, tidy up kitchen on Weds, start laundry on thurs, finish laundry by Sun. DH folds the laundry, vacuums and mops on Sunday evening.

MammaBear81 · June 2011

1-2 loads of laundry a day, run the dishwasher, and pick one room to completely clean. My entire house isn't ever clean at the same time, but this keeps the mess from piling up in one room.

ETA: I also have the policy "don't put it down unless you are putting it away" It doesn't happen 100% of the time, but it helps!

amidavey06 · June 2011

I don't do all of my cleaning on the weekends. I generally try to space it through out the week. One night will be moping the floors. Another night would be cleaning bathrooms. The only thing I generally do cleaning wise on the weekends is laundry which includes clothes, towels, and sheets. This really helps me enjoy my weekend. Plus it really helps that DH will pitch in with no asking.

erstwhile+maven · June 2011

I use motivated moms, www.motivatedmoms.com. Its designed to do most of the housework during the week, which I don't do but as long as I get most of the stuff checked off for the week, things look pretty good. I do the daily stuff, annotated separately, every day (with the exception of sink wiping).

AmyCC1980 · June 2011

I have gotten pretty lax lately, we have just been so busy. I do a good cleaning of the entire house about every 2-3 weeks (although it still is not a true "deep clean"). In between those times I dust, clean bathrooms, sweep/vaccumm when I can tell that it needs to be done (at night or during DD's naps on the weekends). The only room I ALWAYS keep clean is my kitchen. I get all twitchy when my kitchen is a wreck. In August DD's daycare tution will drop 20% and I am getting a cleaning lady!

itsmevkb · June 2011

I did a massive kitchen cleaning with my DH a few weekends ago and have been trying to keep the counters clear and then just wipe them down each night. The bathroom I use gets cleaned while the kids are in the bath and the downstairs bath which I don't use gets cleaned whenever my DH gets around to cleaning it or I make him clean it because guests are coming over. Vacuuming happens when I can't stand the crumbs or dog hair anymore and I don't dust unless people are coming over.

dmoreilly · June 2011

We are trying a new routine after I had a meltdown a few weekends ago. After DD goes to bed we spend 20 minutes cleaning. It can be dishes, bathroom, folding laundry, filing mail, etc. Anything as long as it is cleaning related and we only spend 20 minutes. It's amazing how much you can get done in that amount of time when there are two of you focusing on it.

We have missed a few nights, but it mostly seems to work and then the weekends aren't completely filled up with cleaning chores.

historychick79 · June 2011

It''s a triage approach. DH and I are both FT. Mon - Friday, bottles get washed and prepped, we keep the sink free of dirty dishes, we try to keep the toy/paperwork clutter under control in our living/dining room, and clothes go into the hamper. Getting laundry done is a bonus. On weekends, we pick a handful of critical things that need attention--kitchen and bathrooms are always priority, and DH usually vaccuums once a week. Every 6wks or so I take a 'personal' day from work while C is in daycare and spend the morning doing more of a deep clean, and the afternoon for 'me' time. It's hard to let it go, but I'm learning it's better to talk things over with DH about how bad it really is instead of me fretting and then going batty on DH about who is doing more around the house.

Jessys_Girl · June 2011

megs68:
what is your cleaning routine? My house is a disaster and I feel like I spend half a day cleaning on the weekend and hate it. I want to try to establish some sort of nightly routine that would work for us so I can keep up but not spend a ton of time. Do you have a routine that you found works for you?

I do one "project" per night, usually about 30-45 minutes worth of work and I do it right after DD goes to bed. Every other night or every third night I will throw in a load of clothes while I'm doing my "project". A "project" could be a chore, like laundry, or it could be tidying up one room. So here's how it looks:

Every night, we get home, cook/eat dinner, do DD's bedtime routine and put her to bed, and put the dishes in the dishwasher (DH and I alternate this chore) after that I do this:

Monday: clean sunroom/playroom. Dust, put toys away, sweep, mop floors. Do a load of laundry.

Tuesday: Clean kitchen, wipe counters, table, sweep/mop floors, clean out fridge, take trash to the curb for pickup.

Wednesday: Clean family room: pick up random cups/glasses/dishes, throw away paper or mail that's been left out, dust, vacuum, sweep/mop (we have hardwood floors and a big area rug), put away any random objects that belong in other rooms.

Thursday: Clean the two bathrooms (they take about 15 minutes a piece), do a load of laundry.

Friday: Clean my stepson's room (which doubles as a playroom), strip his sheets, dust, vacumm, put away toys.

Saturday: Clean my DD/Stepdaughter's room, Strip sheets, dust, vacum, put away toys. do a load of laundry (usually the sheets from the kids' rooms).

Sunday: Clean my/DH's room, dust, sweep/mop, strip sheets (to be washed in Monday's load)

sarag0116 · June 2011

During the work week, I wash dishes, bottles and keep the kitchen counters clean. That's all I can accomplish.

During the weekend, the musts are dusting, vacuuming, and kitchen floors. I clean the bathrooms usually every other weekend. DH does all the outside work and helps with some inside stuff too.

I do baseboards, blinds, windex'ing, etc when I see it needs to be done.

Tikat · June 2011

soon2BMrsBama:
Laundry- one load everyday M-F; start in the morning (washer with a timer), change over before DS's dinner; put away just before I go to bed.

Dishes- started before bed at night regardless of how full the dishwasher is so I can put away clean dishes during DS's breakfast

Mop- DS loves to watch me sweep and use the steam mop so M, W, F during DS's dinner I knock out the kitchen floor

Dusting- DH gets home late so he does most of the dusting (fans and living room) while he watches SportsCenter

Bathroom- I always take a few seconds to wipe down the tub and counters after my shower or DS's bath; mirrors I spray and wipe before I brush my teeth in the a.m; I squirt the toilet bowl with Clorox gel once per week before work so I don't have to smell the bleach.

Vacuuming- for me the hardest. I don't like to do it with DS in the room b/c allergies and I'm afraid to wake him up vacuuming while he's asleep. Usually gets done on the weekend unless I can't stand it and do it with DS in his bouncer.
We don't see DH during the week so weekends are family time, not cleaning time. I don't feel like I have to set aside time to clean because I do little bits all along. I am still considering hiring someone every other week for things like baseboards and cabinet doors and windows and such.

Hah! I envy you! DH is the problem in our house! He is the messiest creature on earth! So I spend Saturday mornings when he works picking up his mess from Daddy -Daughter Friday... Laundry gets done as needed...but we're in the middle of finishing up the babies room so we live in a disaster zone until all the baby items get put away...

angelame1979 · June 2011

Pick one or a few tasks to do each night. You will spend 30-60 minutes doing this and hopefully will have some time to just chill and relax. I am slowly getting into a better routine about it but it takes time. I figure as long as my house is picked up each night, dishes are done and laundry is done I am good. I will do everything else when I have time.

Jenilyn and Matthew · June 2011

I'm pretty content with the house being dirty as long as the toilets are clean and the laundry is done. I'm one of those women people hate because DH loves a clean house, and he usually cleans it once a week! Yay!! I work 2nd shift so when I come home, I throw in a load of laundry, and will either clean a bathroom, do dishes, or something else while it's going. The house stays pretty clean as long as we pick up just a little every night before bedtime.

MrsSR · June 2011

DH and I work as a team. We take turns giving DD her bath. The person not giving the bath power cleans while she is in the tub.

Basically all her toys are picked up and put away (which doesn't take long). Her big toys are pushed back against the wall where they belong.

As for the kitchen, we clean as we go. While I'm making dinner I'm wiping down counters and putting things in the sink. While DD is eating DH loads the diswasher and puts the clean dishes on a towel on a counter. When she's down for the night those are put away.

We vacuum and mop while holding her or we let her chase the vacuum around (her favorite thing to do).

Our house stays pretty clean, but she's young still. We can do a lot when she naps/sleeps or while holding her.

Soon2BMrsN · June 2011

I'm kind of a neat freak, so that helps (or hurts... I probably spend too much time worrying about how clean the house is).

We keep up with washing dishes, unloading/loading dishwasher, wiping down kitchen counters daily. We also pick up random stuff around the house daily. We try to keep clutter to a minimum.

I sweep the kitchen floor 2-3 times a week or as necessary.

I wipe down both bathrooms once a week, but only "deep clean" bathrooms (meaning scrub the showers) once or twice a month.

DH vacuums once a week. I try to do all the other floors (we have hardwood and tile) with the Swiffer or Shark once a week.

Dusting is usually where I slack. I do it once every couple of weeks.

Things like polishing the wood floors and cleaning the ceiling fans unfortunately only get done a couple times a year now that we have kid(s).

CantWait2Be · June 2011

mountainkimi:

I always keep everything neat. That helps a lot. The toys are always put away every evening, the dishes are always done, and beds are made in the morning. This way when we wake up every morning, the house is in order. I'm also Type A and can't stand a mess.I tend to vacuum 1x a week too-normally sometime during the weekend.

As for the clean part, I clean as needed. When I see dust, I'll dust. When the floor gets dirty, I'll mop. Same for the bathroom, etc. This way I don't feel like I have to spend my entire weekends tied down cleaning when I would rather be with my family. It works for me/us.

This is me too except I hate dusting to I don't always jump on that when I see it.

mmm920 · June 2011

I've been following this website...flylady.net It's a LIFESAVER!!!!!!!!! Now my house is pretty tidy and I don't feel too overwhelmed.

lbi21 · June 2011

mountainkimi:

I always keep everything neat. That helps a lot. The toys are always put away every evening, the dishes are always done, and beds are made in the morning. This way when we wake up every morning, the house is in order. I'm also Type A and can't stand a mess.I tend to vacuum 1x a week too-normally sometime during the weekend.

As for the clean part, I clean as needed. When I see dust, I'll dust. When the floor gets dirty, I'll mop. Same for the bathroom, etc. This way I don't feel like I have to spend my entire weekends tied down cleaning when I would rather be with my family. It works for me/us.

This exactly! I also try to at least run a wash or fold some laundry and DH will help me put it away before bedtime.

noodle929 · June 2011

honestly? it stays a mess until i'm disgusted by myself. then an entire weekend is spent doing laundry and watching LO while H cleans the rest.

If you DON'T have a cleaning person

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