Housekeeping tips?

kimsy

Anyone want to share the secret to keeping a clean house with an infant? I've tried wearing her while tidying up, but she'll only tolerate it for a few minutes. My house is making me nuts.

Soon2BMrsN

A dirty house drives me insane.

I usually clean during his naps.  I don't do the whole "sleep when the baby sleeps" thing... I'd rather be tired than have a messy house!

Beccaboo0713

I clean up when he sleeps.

A tip that I have is maybe get someone to watch your child for a day and clean your house really well. And then when it's all clean make a habbit of doing one thing before you leave the room that leaves the room cleaner then when you entered it.

For example if I walk in to the bathroom and see the towel crumpled on the floor, I do what I went in there to do and before I leave I pick the towel up and put it on the rack. 

By the time the day is over I have a simi clean house. 

Then when DH gets home I have him hold the baby for 10 minutes while I vacuum the floor. I have a mild forum of OCD and I must vacuum the living room floor everyday a certian way. It's a good thing that our livingroom is small

tlc11934

I gave up on cleaning.  I just don't care anymore.  My sleep is more important.  I'll catch up on the weekends when FI is home.

blessed_wife

Soon2BMrsN:

A dirty house drives me insane.

I usually clean during his naps.  I don't do the whole "sleep when the baby sleeps" thing... I'd rather be tired than have a messy house!

You spoke my mind

peachypear

Lower your expectations. I'm a really clean person (as is DH), and we've just had to deal with the house being a little extra messy.

But I totally feel you. I've been staring at a spot of dust under our stero cabinet that DH keeps missing and our dirty tub, and going bonkers. I have a couple things that help.

(1) I keep a mental list of what needs to be clean. It's broken into small tasks (ie, instead of "clean bathroom" it's "wipe sink" and "clean toilet"). Then I just try to do what I can during small breaks when DD is napping, occupied, or in the ergo. It's easier to focus on one or two little things that are acheivable rather than waiting f or enough time to clean a whole room at once. Like I may be able to get a load of laundry cleaned, but not fold it until DD goes to bed. The list prevents you from wasting time trying to decide what to do.

(2) I ask DH to either clean or take DD while I do. If my parents come to hold DD, I use the opportunity to do what I can.

(3) I prioritize. There's a reason that dust spot and dirty tub are there. I focus on the most obvious things, like keeping counters clear, the living room picked up, and the floors vaccumed and swept. It makes me feel like the house is visually clean. And frankly, sometimes going to the bathroom or running an errand is just more important to me than a cluttered dining room table.

(4) I do what I can one-handed, which is surprisingly a lot. I can pick up, fold, dust, load/empty dishwasher, etc.

(5) We "schedule" cleaning. Sometimes, we just have to say "tomorrow, I'm cleaning the bathroom" and put off everything else.

HTH!