Today, I'd love to hear about how you guys approach cleaning at your house:
1. Do you have a cleaning schedule where you clean certain things on certain days? Do you clean as you go?
2. Do you split cleaning duties, or does one person do the majority of the cleaning?
3. Where does cleaning rank on your list of priorities?
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
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You read my mind, friend. I was just thinking about this earlier this week. Pre-children, I was a clean-all-day-Saturday kind of girl. I loved the fact that every room was clean at once! When I got pregnant, I didn't have the stamina for that so it took me a few days to clean the house but still, every room would be clean for the most part. And now with Eli, I don't have a chance for that! If my kitchen is clean, our bedrooms are dusty. If the laundry is done, the bathrooms are mess. It drives me insane but I know I can't change that. There's no way I could clean this entire house in one day. Just Sunday I wrote out a chore list...one thing to do each day. I think that's how I'm going to approach it. Taking 30 minutes out of my day to clean a room seems manageable and I don't think my house will seem so gross to me.
ReplyDeleteJim helps out but honestly it doesn't help :( He does what I call "man clean". It's just not the same and I always end up wiping things down after him. I like that he keeps things organized though. That way when I tackle the bedroom, it's not like I have to go through a pile of laundry on the bed first. I can just dust, make the bed, vacuum and go on my merry way.
Wow..that was long. Obviously I've put thought into this ;)
I don't have a cleaning schedule, but I definitely am wanting to start one. I do all of the cleaning. My husband works long hours and when he gets home I want to be able to spend time with him. This way evenings and weekends are free to do what we want. My husband is very good at picking up after himself so that helps a lot.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in the responses to this, too. I don't have a system, and I tend to just do big cleanings in batches when I get a chance. We do keep things pretty picked up, and that's my biggest priority. (Picking up doggie toys and pillows aand never having dishes in the sink or much stuff on the counters.)
ReplyDeleteI don't love junk everywhere, so as long as it's picked up, I'm okay. Deep cleaning is not a top priority for me.
I wish I could get into a daily cleaning schedule, but it's just not feasible for us. There are days we are only home to sleep. When we aren't renovating, Ryan helps.
as a full time working mom and a full time working dad, we split everything down the middle... YEAH RIGHT!! IN MY DREAMS!! seriously, to answer your questions:
ReplyDelete1. Do you have a cleaning schedule where you clean certain things on certain days? Do you clean as you go?
DH is in charge of garbage and toilets but i generally have to beg him to do both or either. otherwise, i do the rest and pretty much as i go along. the kitchen is tidy daily- as Lovie eats her dinner, i clean up. same thing with the living room and bathroom- when she's doing something in a certain room, that room gets clean (NOTHING IS EVER SPOTLESS...EVER)
2. Do you split cleaning duties, or does one person do the majority of the cleaning?
sadly i do most of it or we'd be living with rodents or something.
3. Where does cleaning rank on your list of priorities?
very low to be honest. the house is tidy but never ever spotless and i'm totally ok with this because with a toddler, jobs, etc it's impossible for spotless. i'd much rather fart around with my kid or even snuggle on the couch in front of the tv than worry about the dishes, etc. she's not going to remember a spotless home so much as she will the time we spent together just being.
Hahaha HA haha. Sorry, I had to laugh when I read cleaning schedule.
ReplyDeleteIt's like the concept doesn't exist in my brain. I cannot wrap my head around it.
Although I know deep inside I could use a cleaning schedule more than any other person I know.
Good luck!
I live alone, so I do all the cleaning.
ReplyDeleteI try to vacuum once a week. I hate dusting, so that doesn't get done as often as it should. I sweep the bathroom/kitchen when I vacuum. I do laundry once a week.
Really, because I live alone, there's not that much to clean. I appreciate that.
1. We do not have a schedule - it never works well in the long term for our work/life balance to have so many daily demands. Clean as we go! I do have the chores in a bucket and pick one or two each time I have some free time - I find that splits up the duties nicely through the week.
ReplyDelete2. I do the majority of the cleaning - Tony does only when asked multiple times. He'd like to think he does more than he actually does.
3. Pretty high for me. I won't stay home because of a dirty house just to clean, but I don't feel at peace unless things are picked up. Tony on the other hand - LOVES to leave things laying around.
I should probably start out by saying for Christmas I asked Carlos for cleaning service twice a month and that's exactly what he got me!
ReplyDeleteBefore, I did 95% of the cleaning. I always dubbed Sundays as my cleaning/laundry/grocery shopping/meal planning day.
During the work week I would do a little bit, like vacuum, dishes, sweep/swiffer. I hate the feeling of grime and dog hair.
Carlos' job was trash and to make sure the dishwasher was always empty. He also does the car care. Once in a blue moon he would sweep the floors.
I do most of the cleaning.
ReplyDeleteI have a schedule... but it needs revising. It is on my list... I am not sure how to make one that works yet.
I try to clean as I go... when Eva is playing by herself I pick up in the room we are in.
My "attack" mode when the house is really messy is to start in one room... set the timer for 10-15 minutes (kitchen gets 15, dining room gets 10...) I do everything I can in there until the timer goes off. I keep a clothes basket for things that belong in another room. Then I move on... the basket follows and I put away things as I go.
Then when I have done the rooms once I set the timer and put things aways for 10 minutes from the basket.
I set the timer for 15 and vacuum/mop the floors.
Eva naps for about at least an hour so I can get a lot done. I try to take a break before she wakes up...
Wow! Great question!
ReplyDeleteIt's always changing at my house. With 4 kids, I do not have a set schedule. I clean as needed. My husband and I have somewhat agreed that he does the outside, I do the inside. He rarely helps me at home, but as a stay at home mom, I believe that it's MY job to clean potties and kitchens and do laundry. And he works his butt off out in the work place. I would almost feel guilty to demand him to help me clean. Every once in a blue moon he will help deep clean. His gift is de-cluttering and making things "look clean/organized" but might not be clean clean. I typically make myself work in the house one day a week and hit pretty much every surface.
But with 4 little ones, NOTHING stays clean for long. Though I am getting them more and more involved in cleaning.
But generally, unless I've been sick or SUPER busy, you can walk into my house with beds made, laundry put away, no dishes in the sink, and a decently clean bathroom (toothpaste in the sink is the usual culprit). But I can't guarantee that there won't be toys (or children) scattered around. :-)
1. Do you have a cleaning schedule where you clean certain things on certain days? Do you clean as you go?
ReplyDelete**YES! I have been using the "Motivated Moms Chore Planner" for well over a year now. No, I'm not a Mama (yet), but with Baby L's arrival in just a few short months, I hope that my habits at having used this system for so long will stick. Check it out here: http://www.motivatedmoms.com/products.html It takes me between 10-30 minutes per day, depending on the list, and I NEVER feel like my house isn't clean, nor would I ever be embarrassed if someone showed up on my doorstep unannounced.
I really love it because Mr. Lukie can grab the clipboard where the Chore List for the year (yes, the YEAR!) is printed out & look at today's date & see what still needs to be done and do it, without asking me what he needs to do :)
2. Do you split cleaning duties, or does one person do the majority of the cleaning?
**I do the majority of the cleaning because I work from home, and he's gone on 24 hour shifts, so it only makes sense. Plus, I kinda love the "traditional role" of cooking/cleaning/laundry as a woman ;) But, he definitely helps out and does his fair share when he's on days off, when I'm particularly exhausted, or when I'm too busy with work.
3. Where does cleaning rank on your list of priorities?
**Right now, it's one of my top priorities. I know things will change once Baby gets here, but it will still be one of those things that is important to both Mr. L & me. (We're what you would call Type A personalities, especially when it comes to the cleanliness of our house...)
On a side note, we do have a cleaning lady who comes in 1-2 times per month (depending on if we're hosting a party or something) and does one entire deep cleaning. So, I don't *ever* clean baseboards or the tops of cabinets or behind furniture. She does all of that nitty gritty stuff for me each month, which makes keeping the rest of the house clean & tidy much simpler.
I seriously have the best cleaning situation ever as John does the majority of the cleaning at our house. I know, you all hate me.
ReplyDeleteHe almost always does the dishes since I cook. I try to empty the dishwasher every now and then or I'll do the dishes if he's just done them and I make a huge mess baking or something. He does about 80% of the time.
As for the rest of the house it's all John. Once a week - usually on his day off or the evening before he's going to be off he will sweep the whole house, vacuum, dust, clean the toilets and take out the trash. (If I'm going out of town he will scrub the place from top to bottom!)
I generally handle all the big stuff on an as needed basis - washing the dogs, steam cleaning the rug, scrubbing the shower and mopping.
In our house it's a bit of a trade off. I do all the grocery shopping, check book balancing and cooking so John does the cleaning. We're both doing things that the other one hates to do so it works.
We both do our own laundry as well.
1. Do you have a cleaning schedule where you clean certain things on certain days? Do you clean as you go?
ReplyDeleteNo cleaning schedule. We have a tiny house so we keep it pretty tidy, but don't actually clean it (mop, sweep, scrub, dust) very often at all. We're big time "clean before someone comes over" kind of people. We don't have a dishwasher and are very good about keeping the kitchen clean and dishes done within maybe 1-2 hours of them being used. We did recently get our house deep cleaned, and plan to have that done every 6 months.
2. Do you split cleaning duties, or does one person do the majority of the cleaning?
Pretty much split. My husband does more outdoor things and I usually am the one to do things like laundry, dusting and cleaning bathrooms.
3. Where does cleaning rank on your list of priorities?
Very, very low. As long as things are generally tidy, we're both fine with it. Large amounts of clutter annoy me, so we're pretty good about that not happening.
No cleaning schedule. Clean as is. I mainly clean (though hubby takes out trash, unloads dishwasher, folds clothes, and a few others) because I like things done a certain way, but sometimes, if the house is a REAL disaster, I ask him to go through certain rooms picking up his stuff. ;)
ReplyDeleteI don't do it on a schedule, but the dishes are done every day, the laundry gets done (or a load at least) gets done every day, the vacuuming once a week, bathrooms once a week, etc. Hubs cleans out the litter box (since I am pregnant) and generally takes the garbage out. He will help load/unload the dishwasher as well, and help pick toys up at the end of the day. He is better at deep cleaning than I am, so the stove top, microwave, etc usually get pawned off on him. He is also a master organizer, so a couple times a year he does the pantry for me.
ReplyDelete1. Do you have a cleaning schedule where you clean certain things on certain days? Do you clean as you go?
ReplyDeleteI do not have a cleaning schedule but I do most of the cleaning in the morning before our daughter wakes up.
2. Do you split cleaning duties, or does one person do the majority of the cleaning?
I do 90% of the inside cleaning and my husband does 90% of the outside yard work.
3. Where does cleaning rank on your list of priorities?
I like things neat and orderly but not at the expense of living life. A couple of fingerprints on a window so a child can look outside never hurt. Random stuff (a business card, sunglasses, etc.) sitting out does make me a little bonkers though. These things are not on my husband’s radar and that’s why I like baskets.
1. I Don't have a specific schedule but I have been thinking of getting one. I'll make my life much easier.
ReplyDeleteI Do thank heaven for vacuums though.
I mop the floors twice a week (no carpet @ the apartment, just tile)
2. 100% on me.
3. Cleanliness? definitely a top prioritiy...!
great questions. no schedule. i try to keep up with the basics every day but i don't lose sleep if it doesn't happen. :) our 11 yr daughter now is completely in charge of all kitchen cleaning - LOVE it!. other than that,i do ALL the general household chores/cleaning (my daughter does her room and bathroom). i expect very little of my hubby in this area ... he is working his tail off so that i can stay home, and a part of being home for me means taking care of the domestic stuff. he does the trash - i won't touch it - but otherwise it's all me. he is always glad to help when asked but is the first to admit that cleaning/chores just don't occur to him (as they do for me).
ReplyDeletei DO feel better when the house is clean ... free of clutter ... it is a mood-lifter. :)
I really do not have a schedule or routine right now although I have also been thinking about this very thing. I have been thinking of putting together an excel spreadsheet of tasks and to make down when I actually do them. I mainly stick to cleaning the main areas of the house. I struggle with finding the time for the upstairs and the master bath since the main areas do take up so much of my time, especially picking up after Jillian.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get some good advise, I know my system just isn't working and I need to change it!
We don't have a schedule at all... I try to mostly "clean up" as I go, but I ACTUALLY clean when I have time, when it needs it, or when people are coming over. If I wasn't so busy and was better at time management I might keep a cleaner house... but I'm not, so it's "eh".
ReplyDeleteI do the majority of the cleaning, but we do daily cleaning together. We take turns taking out the trash. We ALWAYS do all the dishes and wipe down the counters after dinner at night. Our laundry is usually kept up on, though not always put away right away - I'm trying hard to get better at this. He does his work uniform laundry regularly, unless I happen to think about it and throw it in, and I wash everything else. Then, we put away our own clothes. I keep Clorox wipes and toilet bowl cleaner in both bathrooms so I can quickly spruce them up when they need it.
I like to keep a respectably clean house. To me, it's important that the kitchen and bathrooms are always clean, so they take priority. That's where all the gross stuff lives if they aren't! I don't like a cluttered or dirty house (I grew up in a cluttered house - yuck!). I'm not a clean freak, but also I don't want to be embarrassed if someone happens to stop by. Soooo, I wouldn't say that cleaning ranks really high on my list of priorities, but I do think it's important to keep a tidy house.