I cant keep my house up!!?

Question

I am a stay home mommy of 3 and I can not keep the house clean, laundry done, dishes clean, nor ever get dinner done on time!! I feel like I am overwhelmed!!

Answer 1

I have a neat system that keeps things done. I'm also an at home mommy and I know how hard it is! I've been overwhelmed and worked very hard to get into the routine i'm in now. I had no advice. Nobody to help me develop it. I'm very glad to help you get your stuff in order so that you don't have to suffer like I did. I go room to room. Trash sack needed! Throw things away! Tie trash sack to your belt loop and toss stuff. Go room to room and do this. Now when you're done with that. Take your laundry basket room to room and throw all linens in. I DON'T CARE IF IT"S CLEAN OR NOT!! THROW IT IS. When you are done with this. Clean surfaces. Get a towel. YES a towel. Wet one end and dump lysol on it. Go from surface to surface and room to room. Last to do is vacuum. Once this is done your house will be spick and span in less than an hour.

This may help you too. I have a hang up or drop in basket rule. If i'm not going to hang it up after I wear it, I throw it into a hamper. I do not allow myself to leave clothing on the floor. It makes things appear cleaner.

As far as the kids rooms go. Let them help you clean them. For older children that you would like to train to clean, take a trash sack into their room and put everything inside. Tell them that they can earn their items back tidying up things you can't see. Under bed, closet. You can even have them do extra chores like the surface chores, wiping down the counters and tables.

Just because you are an at home mom doesn't mean that all house-hold chores should rest soley upon you. Try and recruit other family members to help you out a bit.

Also, GIVE YOURSELF A DAY OFF. My husband has Saturday and Sunday off. So, I have worked out a deal that Saturday is his day off. I do everything cooking/cleaning, and Sunday is my day off, he cooks and cleans.

I know how hard it is to feel like the welfare of your household resides soley on you. I hope that you can find a happy medium. Remember too that it doesn't have to be perfect. Just livable.

Answer 2

You probably are overwhelmed. It's a practically impossible task you are trying to do. First, prioritise, some tasks are essential, others actually aren't. Ironing for example, contrary to what many people might believe, no child has ever died from going out in unironed clothes, neither will you. If your partner (if you have one) wants his work clothes ironed you can show him where the iron is. Do the tasks which are actually essential first, if you don't get time to dust or there are some toys left out of boxes........so what.
Second, enlist support, even very small children can learn to put their toys away, put their dirty laundry in the laundry basket and help with simple household tasks. Give them each a job to do, once they are old enough. It will help them gain confidence and a sense of responsibility and they will learn that keeping a home clean and tidy is everybody's responsibility. If you need help from you partner tell him, it's his house too.

third, be good to yourself, Make sure you are not neglecting your own needs, particularly when it comes to eating and drinking enough water. Nothing is as tiring as dehydration, drink water throughout the day. If you need to rest, rest. Try and make some time for yourself every day (I know it's hard) Don't feel guilty about it, if you don't look after yourself you can't possibly look after your children.

Finally remember these words. "This too will pass" Being a mum is great but the time they are little and need your constant support is frighteningly short. Relish the experience, before you know it they will be off to college and the house will seem too tidy.

Good luck

Answer 3

first do not sweat the small stuff - no one ever suffered from a little dirt. and the kids do come first.
But to help a little here are some ideas:
List what you want to get done either by the week or day
Never leave a room unless you take something with you.
This works real well when you get into it, Walking to the the Bathroom?? take TP in with you, ditry towels out with you. Walk into the Living room? Grab a few toys and drop them in the rooms they belong. etc etc.
Rule of life the more junk you have the more there is to clean and organize. Sorry this ones hard, but pack away excess "stuff" and if the kids have a boat load of toys only let them play with a few at time.
teach and ask your kids to "help" put things way, they will learn early and it will help. Make it a game if possible.
Laundry really does itself, it this the folding and ironing that is a time consumer. wash stuff that needs ironing by iteself and use a good softner - you may get out of ironing this way. Just take it out of the dryer fast and hang it up. The other stuff can wait till later to be folded.
Cooking - no fast way around this one - however I find that as soon as I use a pan or pot I wash it and hang it on the rack. (I have a pan rack over the stove) Process everything as soon as it is used and after dinner there is a LOT less to mess with.
Good luck and remember to play with the kids, that why they are there.

Answer 4

Try to limit your kids to a play area - that way their mess will stay in a containable area. When your kids go down for a nap work on going over the house and cleaning up what needs to be done. If you do a little bit here and there you will keep up with it. Don't let the mess get to the point where it takes a day to clean your house and you are overwhelmed. There aren't ghosts in your house - you just might not realize what your kids are doing all the time. They might be making messes that they can't clean up - spilling things, pulling things off shelves, etc.

Answer 5

First rule of thumb, if the child can walk they can help, and they usually enjoy it if you make it a game. Second, be grateful that you have the opportunity to be at home with them. Some families aren't so lucky, I work a full time and a part time job with 3 boys under the age of 9 all on different sports teams in different buildings and guardianship of my 2 year old niece with court ordered visits with her mother. My house isn't spotless but it's not dirty either, stop complaining, you don't know what overwhelmed is yet!

Answer 6

i think you should thank your lucky stars to be a stay at home mom. i am a single mother with two teen boys and two year old twins. i work full time, go to school part time, and sit on three organization boards in my community. i have a very solid schedule which includes daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning tasks. i am fortunate to have the boys who help quite a bit. but the main thing is not to get upset about housework. sometimes you just have to leave the dishes in the sink, the laundry on the floor, do McDonald's for dinner and enjoy your kids....they grow up too fast!!

Answer 7

Don't try to get the whole house organised in one go. Pick one room and really get it sorted out. While you are doing this room put the washing machine on, make a meal that can cook by itself in the oven, like a casserole, and you can then concentrate on the one room. Next day pick another room, if you tidy up as you go along during the day it soon becomes easier and easier to keep your rooms clean and tidy. If your children are old enough to help give them little jobs to do, like who can put their toys away the quickest. A little reward helps this activity. If you have a dish washer then you have got it made, no problems, stack it, and let it do its job.

Answer 8

Here is the best advice from experience i can give you.
1st: your not wonder woman, so don't freak out!
2nd: buy Rubbermaid boxes ( They come with three draws) you can buy them at the dollar store for cheap. assign one to each child. MAKE THEM PICK UP THEIR OWN TOY'S, and put them in their own boxes.
3rd: put laundry in before bed, then in dryer when you wake up. ( no one will die from it!)
4th: make dinners simple, but healthy. ( i always make a weekly menu & hang it on the fridge) and make my shopping list from it. depending on what time dinner is, set the kids at the table, to draw, or some simple project, while you get dinner ready. I always clean kitchen as i cook.
5th: when they take a nap, you take a nap, or at least relax.
6th: i do pick up during the day a little here and there, so not to get overwhelmed. however, i vacum & mop as soon as i lay the kids down for bed. then the rest of the night is mine.
7th: If anyone doesnt like it ( ie husband, then let them hire you a maid!)

Answer 9

Don't worry, there are many others like you, and I also bet that you feel like a chaperone sometimes too, lol! You should try putting your children in preschool if they are that young. I would also reccomend meditaion in the mornings or nights to relax and calm your senses. That always makes me feel better. I know that you are busy, but make some 'you' time to during your hectic schedual, even if it pains you to not clean the house. You are also as important as the people that you take care of.

Answer 10

I am a stay at home dad, who shares the house responsibilities with stay at home mom. We have three children as well, all autistic. Organize, organize, organize! Share your responsibility with the children. Even at 4, clearing the table, or setting it is easy. Major tasks that dont require decision making, strength, or fine motor control can be given to the kids, and in return, find a suitable reward for them.