Working mother looking for easier way to keep house clean!?

Question

Help I'm drowning in housework! I feel the pressure to keep my house in pristine condition like my mother and my friends do. Any ideas?

Answer 1

do one room a day.
Bathrooms on Monday, Vacuum on Tuesday, Kitchen on Wednesday (and as needed). Glass clean on Thursday. Dust when you can.
Make sure your house smells good. A clean house never has an odor.
Don't spend more than 15 minutes on each day.
My mom kept a pristine house too. But I am much busier than she was and so my house isn't as clean.

Answer 2

I will give you the answer to this question (wish I knew when my kids were young and still at home) This is not a miracle pill, you will have to become consistent and do this every day or your house will fall by the wayside once again. This will help to clutter, and keep your home clean! If you like it will also help you with finances and healthy well being as well. Don't try it if you want a messy unorganized and cluttered home! Your laundry will never pile up again, and no more missing socks! Your home will become beautiful right before your eyes!

www.flylady.net Yes I am serious Join today!

When you join you should go into the baby steps, it gives you 1 simple task to do each day, don't jump right in and try to do anything else just go in each day for the first 31 days, I know some of this stuff sounds a bit strange, to be honest I never ware shoes! But that is just me! (will see what I mean later)

I have doing the system almost three years now, my home is organized, cluttered, and clean! I suffer from a broken neck that has resulted in non reparable damage, I have seizures and memory loss and I can do it! So can you!!!

It only takes minutes to do each task! I am not kidding you, it is so simple and so obvious but who knew?

Flylady is not a fly, she is a fly fisher woman ok so don't get the wrong idea!

As you get into the program and realize how great it is you may want to join a support group, I did and I have many new friends through doing so. I could go on and on but I won't. Before I joined I looked up negative feed back and realized that most people admitted that the program worked, they just did not like the emails, here is what I do:

I don't open the daily tasks because I know what they are, rather I keep them highlighted till the task is done then hit delete, works for me.

Some of the testimonials are sales pitches of course to purchase her products, I delete them as well unless interested in the product. I have purchased the cj and the bag, and have a couple clings I like what I have.. I figure the program is free and she has a right to plug her stuff, especially when it is high quality merchandise. Enough now go join and you will see what I am trying to tell you.

Ps. Almost all my Christmas shopping is done, have cookies in the freezer and have supplies to make many more, holiday cards are all filled out and ready to mail (forgot stamps), Christmas dinner is planed, presents wrapped and only have 2 more to buy! How far are you? If you join flylady next year you will be on track as well! I promise

Answer 3

Well Im not a single mom, but often feel like it my husband works 14 to 16 hour shifts. I am a stay at home mom but w/ 2 toddlers & one on the way and also TRY to keep a pristine home. Here are a few tricks I find very helpful.
* I keep a nice looking basket in each room, when something does not belong in that room, it goes into the basket, at the end of the day, I carry the baskets around & out the items in the correct areas. If you have a upstairs there are baskets that are shaped to fit stairs keep on up & one down take it up or down with each trip you are more likely to put the stuff away.
*Have your children fold there own clothes or a load of towels, my 4 year old actually is good at folding and likes to do so.
* Try multitasking, in the morning while getting ready pour toilet cleaner into the toilet, flush after 20 min. (less work when you scrub it)
* Keep cleaning products in a carry container when you are watching tv & commercial comes on dust tables, wipe of the tv wash a window, vaccumm.

Hope I was of some help

Answer 4

Is your mom & friends a working mom??? If not don't try to conpare yourself to them & do what you can to keep your home clean. I have three boys, a husband & 6 dogs. I have a lady who comes in with a crew once a week to scour this place, but it doesn't last long. I still spend the other 6 days cleaning up. My husband is a huge help & my boys pitch in & they are good about cleaning up after themselves "MOST" of the time. If your kids are old enough, give them chores, husband too. Since you are a working woman he can't use the excuse that he works all day, because so do you & so do stay at home moms.
Just do what you can, I'm sure you're doing a fine job....

Answer 5

Make a rule for yourself to clean as you go. Make sure you leave every room a little cleaner than when you entered it. Spend 10 minutes before bedtime cleaning a room of your choice every night. Time yourself. Make a race of it. It won't all get done right away, but you will be amazed at how much headway you make. It really works for me.

Answer 6

Have you heard of "compulsive obsessive disorder"?
Bottom line is "define clean"?
Truth is you do NOT have to keep your house in such a way as you could welcome the president at anytime and not worry about what he might think about you or your house keeping.
Whats important is that you take care of your family and that you dont poison them at mealtime.
Lighten up on yourself and just pay attention to what is really important. Love of your family.
NO one ever said on their deathbed, "I wish I would have kept a cleaner house".

Answer 7

I clean a little bit everyday. I also enlist the 'help' of my kids. They're responsible for their rooms and "common areas". I do the big rooms, kitchen, living room, bathrooms. They help w/ laundry by sorting the clothes (lights/darks/pastels). They also set 'special washing' clothes in one area (gentle cycle/cold wash etc.). Does your mom complain about your housekeeping abilities? Do your friends? If your kids are old enough, assign them jobs fitting their age and physical abilities.

Answer 8

Remember that your children will remember the time you spent with them, not whether the floors were clean or the laundry was done! Relax and enjoy your family.

Answer 9

keep it clean and tell everyone in the house MESS IT UP CLEAN I UP

Answer 10

Labels, storage bins and closets, or LSC.