Cleaning question for those who work PT.

healthynut

It's been two weeks since I started working PT, and I'm having a hard time figuring out how to clean beyond the everyday pickup and laundry.  Vacuuming, scrubbing ,bathrooms, floors - it's all getting away from me and is beginning to seem overwhelming.  I feel guilty spending too much time cleaning when I have the kids b/c we are away from each other for a chunk of the day.  I know I need to get over this.  Can anyone tell me how they do it?  Or give me some kind of understanding of your cleaning schedule? 

alli2672

lol...see my earlier post about cleaning the guest bathroom with a baby wipe   I was wondering when you clean when I saw your post about your hours and being gone during nap time every day.

I work M,T from 10-3, and Thursday 3-midnight.  I usually try to sleep during Friday naps    I will be honest that nothing has worked for me the way it did when I was home every day. 

I do laundry on Wednesdays and Sundays, and that way it isn't sitting around all week.  

I vacuum on Wednesdays during nap, and sometimes after the kids go to bed if I need to.  Don't ask me when I vacuum the kids rooms. 

I clean the kitchen as I go, and it's always pretty clean.  

I do bathrooms on Monday mornings before the boys wake up, and I try to swish out the toilets and wipe the counters most days during bath (in the boys bathroom) or right after I get out of the shower (in our bathroom).  

Every so often I put on a book on tape and really clean and dust the entire house after the kids go to bed. 

In the end though, the house just doesn't look the way it did when I was home all of the time.  I am thinking of hiring a housekeeper to come 1-2 days a week and do the laundry and cleaning.  One nice thing about me working is that we have some extra cash.  I hate for it to all go to cleaning and childcare, but that may be how it works.

I hope someone has some better answers for you!  

 

 

Fishstyx

I work 8-4 M and 12-4 T/Th.  Here's how I break it down:

Mon: vacuum after dinner, before bed

Tues: dust in the morning, while kids are playing

Weds: kitchen, including mop floor (during nap)

Thurs: nothing usually, sometimes catch up on dishes or laundry

Fri: vacuum after nap

Sat: bathrooms

Laundry and dishes are as needed.  This is a minor variation from the schedule I had when I SAH FT and I seem to be keeping up okay.  GL!

mrsrobinsontobe

i actually found it easier because i'm always busy and there's really no down time. i work by tail off to clean the house on my 2 longer (5-6hrs) work days so that on my 3 early days (3-4hrs) i can totally play and do stuff with the kids! it definitely takes some adjusting to get used to the new schedule. i notice that after every summer vacation!

i also have a cleaning person come before special events or when i feel things are starting to get out of control. best $100 i've ever spent!

good luck!

kcisthebombdotcom

I can't say my house is immaculate, but here's how I clean.

DH works 9-5, so I take 15-30 minutes in the morning since we have 2.5 hours in the morning all together from the time the kids wake up/DH leaves for work. I also spend about a half hour each weekend morning cleaning while DH plays with the kids or watches a cartoon in bed with them.

Mentally, I think that working part time is the best of both worlds in the sense that I feel like that break helps me be a better mom to my kids. However, when it comes to cleaning it's the worst of both worlds-your house gets messier with kids being in it for most of the day, but you're not home full time to be able to care for it as much. It's a tough balance, although I think it's worth it.