Hello Dear Reader,
I am, by my own admission, one of those freaks of nature who loves keeping my house clean and tidy. I have been called repressed, old fashioned and even been told to get a life. By the fact that I am living and breathing, is to me, obvious proof of being alive. On a working week, I put aside a little time every day to clean. I do the following things daily to keep the house in order, tidy rooms, make beds, put laundry colour sorted bags, empty rubbish bins, stack the dishwasher, wash clothes and hang them up to dry, put dishes away, spray and wipe over the cooker, wipe down surfaces with damp cloth and go over wooden floors with a broom and a damp mop to keep the dust at bay.
When I have time, which is the weekends and when I have time off work, I have a really good clean. I wash the sofa covers, wash curtains, clean windows, clean the interior and exterior window frames, clean down interior doors and skirting boards, pull out furniture and vacuum and wash behind them. I launder jumpers and coats. I will spot clean upstairs and stair carpets. At the weekend, I often hand wash/shampoo a couple of stairs/steps and put a sticky spot of the side of the last stair I cleaned. I’ll also use time to empty cupboards, wash down surfaces and generally tidy out cupboards, wardrobes and storage areas.
As I admitted, I enjoy every minute of this. I find it soothing and relaxing. My home is my sanctuary and I genuinely love looking after it.
Over to you Dear Reader, feel free to hate housework or love it! Who else loves a stay at home and sort the house day?
Until tomorrow,
Love Froogs xxxx
Hate housework. But like a reasonable standard of hygiene and order. I am not bothered by unmade beds. I normally turn down bedding any way for airing. I sweep everyday due to laminate flooring. Hoover when needed and the same with floor washing.
I really want to get the carpets cleaned and the sofa etc. A good steaming with a rug docotor would be nice.
I am pants with windows. Only the insides get cleaned. Cupboards.. only if they really really need it.
Washing - gets done weekly as there is only two of us most of the time and is dealt with when the basket has enough for a full wash. I do not iron unless on demand adn its essential. Mostly not needed if you fold and put away nicely.
Saves on utilities not to hoover too often, same with the polish etc infact I never polish - have nowt that needs it. HM anti bac spray does the job.
The bathroom - loo must be cleaned regularly and alot or yuk.
LikeLike
as long as I am in the mood, I to love to clean……mind you getting in the mood is another story.
Like you though there are certain things I do EVERY day and I do them without thinking it is housework, even though I guess it is?
Growing up my mam had certain days to do certain things, and I was expected to help out regardless. Used to hate it, but when I had a house of my own, I could turn my hand to anything, so I guess she taught me well.
Gill in Canada
LikeLike
I luff cleaning and all domestic activities.
I find I do some of my best thinking when I clean and during life's challenging times it can be soothing and comforting. Plus I am dead set house proud.
I cannot function at my best in filth squalor or mess.
And I think how you live says a lot about you.
And things last longer and look better if you look after them and keep them clean.
I bought 2 bags of groceries after work and it cam to $90. Thought of you when this happened. Froogs Australia is SO EXPENSIVE. I found shopping in central London about 100 times cheaper.
xxx
LikeLike
I do love housework if I get the time to do it, however you excel at finding the time, so I guess you love it more than me! I love hanging out the washing and seeing it on the line x
LikeLike
There is nothing wrong with liking your house to be clean and tidy. It makes life easier to find things and when it comes to cleaning it's not a massive chore if we keep up with it. I clean 'a bit' everyday and never need to spend hours over housework. You seem to have a good system which works for you. I do things as I go along. If I visit the bathroom I do a quick wipe round whilst I'm there. If I'm putting a wash load in I will give the laundry a quick sweep and a mop. If I'm watching TV I have a duster on hand for the ad breaks.
LikeLike
My regime is much like yours. I used to hoover each day but now just when needed, same with ironing. I turn bedding over in the morning and make later in the day.
LikeLike
Hate it, but then I think men are programmed differently?
Dishes washed after every meal, clothes washed when the basket's full, hoovering as reuired.
LikeLike
That depends on how men are programmed? I've programmed mine to clean up after himself or live like a monk…..it's his choice.
LikeLike
if I'm in a grump, cleaning up cheers me up
LikeLike
Great Post Froogs. I love cleaning and all things domestic. Good job really as my job is as a housekeeper! Like you my home is my sanctuary and the place where son and neice return to when in need of TLC. I regard it as part of my nuturing -not dure if its nurturing me or others.
Struggling a bit at the moment as I am having to dismantle it all for major works starting on tuesday. No kitchen for 3 weeks.
LikeLike
I used to hate it until I realised it was because I left everything for such a long time it took ages and lots of effort to get things done. I too have certain things I do every day to keep things ticking over then do the bigger stuff when the fancy takes me. We spend a lot of money on buying/renting a house so why neglect it?
We're having guests to stay this weekend and it's nice to spend time primping, noticing all the little bits and bobs that I take for granted because I'm so used to seeing them so that's an added bonus!
LikeLike
Good one. I like your way of thinking
Carolx
LikeLike
I love to iron when it is raining outside.
Dianne - Hereford
LikeLike
I love seeing my house clean ; it doesn't happen often since I am so overtaken by schoolwork, but I've been in the process of decluttering and tidying for 5 years now, and I start to see results. The past two days I've been tackling my elder daughter's room and the kitchen - plus part of the basement because we need to store the useless stuff from upstairs until we sell it or give it away. Some days I'm on a roll and will do lots of things, but sometimes I also need a rest.
To me, the state of the house reflects the state of your mind, so definitely nothing wrong with cleaning and housework ! As Flylady says, I like blessing my house - thus blessing myself and my family.
LikeLike
OMG I love to keep house! As you know I'm a s.a.h.m, so, lets be realistic if the house wasn't clean then there would be something seriously wrong! I come from a family where the daddy went out to earn the bacon and the mammy cooked it. My hubby came from the same background. I have been known to work (of course) but when the kids started arriving, I was informed 'Is it not time love, to stay at home'But I love it.
I, like everyone else, do the usual, everyday. I hoover almost every day as the baby (a 1 1/2 yr old chi-russell) sleeps in the kitchen…so dog hair.
Stack the d/w, do a load or 2 of washing, dress beds, everything gets a wipe down, bathroom always gets the once over. I iron once every 2 weeks. Fireplace/s gets cleaned out everyday, and re-lit (that in it-self causes alot of dust) check the plants for watering every day.
Housework is very repetitive, but for me it's so rewarding. I was once told by a member of family that 'your nerves are at you, what's all the cleaning for?' but when people call and comment on how clean & tidy the house is…it warms my heart. I suppose, himself works so hard to provide for what we have, it won't kill me to keep it clean! lol!!!
Jennie xx
LikeLike
I wish I did enjoy it because Lord knows there's loads of it to do around here. I'm like you I do quite a bit each day and then once a week pick something extra to do. I like a clean house and I do what I have to, but I don't like it.
LikeLike
Yes I love love love cleaning :)And lighting a candle and the fire at the end of my cleaning and enjoying a cuppa in a clean home.
L.x.
LikeLike
This comment has been removed by the author.
LikeLike
We have a daily routine that includes things like vacuuming (we have indoor pets), sweeping, kitchen (cleaned as you go kind of thing),beds made, etc. The second part of our daily routine is school work, meal prep, etc. All other items are split…some as they are needed and some planned. In an ideal world I would change two things — the bathrooms would be scrubbed more frequently (they are cleaned, but that deep scrubbing isn't as often as I'd like) and the windows would be done. Both of those are delayed to when hubby can help because I cannot do them alone (medical issues).
Our biggest issue is we still haven't finished downsizing to our new place, but we're working on it and as long as I see a little progress being made I try not to freak about it.
LikeLike
I do it ( maybe not quite enough) but no, I don`t enjoy housework and never have.
LikeLike
I have a loose sort of system that ensures all the essential jobs are dealt with on specific days - if something else crops up on a particular day then I still try to do the designated job, but perhaps not as thoroughly, knowing I can make up for it the following week.
Another ruse is to set a timer for how long you think the job will take - then try to beat it! 😉 I've got stripping and remaking our bed and turning the mattress down to 6 minutes, start to finish (this includes grappling with a king-duvet!) but I'm working on whittling the record down…..!
I have a basket at the bottom of the stairs and drop 'upstairs' items in as I come across them, then the next trip upstairs I grab the basket and redistribute - often repeating the exercise in reverse.
Sometimes I'll use the tumble dryer to 'finish' off things like t-shirts and cotton blouses/shirts, but I'll stop the machine before it gets to the cool cycle and fold the clothes neatly while they're still warm instead of ironing them - probably works out the same as if I'd had to plug in the iron and stand for half an hour pressing the creases out!
I don't vacuum nearly as much as I used to, since we lost our last canine companion - but I wouldn't mind having to vac more often if/when we get another! ;-p
LikeLike
Nope, you're beyond hope. If you have a one bedroom flat and you need a cleaner then you're such a diva there's nothing that can be done.
LikeLike
i have to clean our holiday let on a saturday and I get a lot of satisfaction when its looking all shiny and clean again ready for the next visitors..but then again sometimes it upsets me what a mess people leave it in..obviously not everyone keeps their house clean!
LikeLike
Don't mean to sound like a smarty bottom Lisa, but have you considered having less stuff? If your one bed is always a mess even with a cleaner it might just be that you have too much “stuff”.
I'm not suggesting that you come over all minimalist, but every time I move house I'm shocked at how much “stuff” has accumulated since the last move. Am making major efforts now - no more “two of this” or “spare that” and it's working. The local hospice is benefiting as well. Have given them a full car load already this year! Have nothing in your home that is not beautiful or functional 🙂
LikeLike
Lisa - try
http://unfuckyourhabitat.tumblr.com
Ace!
LikeLike
I'm another who hates housework - I try to get into routines getting sorted but failing with two boys and a hubby who are the drop and go type I'm despa- iring of my youngest!! Hubby should know better why not just put those empty envelopes in the bin instead of leaving them on the kitchen worktop!!! grrrr. I've dropped some hours at work so hoping to get more sorted - I'm determined to make the most of my new time off - so if you see me on the internet reading your blog on a thur morning - give me a kick!! lol
LikeLike
lisa - that site is brilliant and good for a laugh
LikeLike
I do at the other end of the day - putting the house to bed (and the dishes away and off the drainer, nothing left in the sink, washing machine door and drawer left open overnight to stop whiffy smells, cushions plumped, anything needing a quick wipe sorted, books and laptops stored away). Other than that, anything that needs attending to gets done as it goes along.
No cleaning marathons for me (or the Mister).
And whilst it's a thankless, ever-repeating kind of thing, I do love it when it's done.
I do have my outside windows cleaned (paid for) - it's supporting a local and I don't have ladders tall enough for my top storey!
LikeLike
There's a lot of therapeutic power to cleaning one's home. I don't like living in a mess and I enjoy cleaning up and tidying - it's a blissful antidote to a stressful job dealing with stressful situations and often, stressed people. A nice quiet bucket and mop or a companionable and friendly duster are good companions and antidotes to the rest of life's more unpredictable stuff. I also find I need to be in a clean and tidy environment to be creative - mess and dust siphon off my creative impulses. I wouldn't like anyone else to do my cleaning even if f I could afford it as I wouldn't be confident that the results would, in the immortal words of one of my blogging friends, be “my kind of clean”!! So you keep on enjoying your cleaning and tidying Froogs! I'm with you and I don't give a monkeys if people think I ought to get out more. I do give a monkeys that the kitchen floor needs washing so I must adjourn from commenting and attend to it post haste while it can dry off in the heat emanating from the oven door! E x
LikeLike
I don't hate housework but I wouldn't say I love it either but I do it because I like my house to look nice. It's my home so why would I not look after it? Mind you I did love having a cleaner when I worked full time, can't justify it now that I work part time plus I am fortunate that hubs does his share too. I do enjoy it over Christmas break when I have more time to really sort things out
LikeLike
Well, by my count from the comments that have been posted and approved, 5 don't like it, 11 like it and some just do it. I find it amazing that double the amount of people profess to enjoy housework! I like the state of a clean, organised and tidy house but I don't like the actual tasks. There are other things that bring a smile to my face - reading a book, going for a walk, catching up with friends, having a drink with my man in the back verandah, daydreaming, in fact I'd rather do most other things.
That said, it has to be done so I'd not waste emotion on it. No point hating something that you have to do regularly. Just one of those things that I do automatically, like brushing my teeth.
My routine is to save floors, bathrooms, dusting, ironing, sheets, towels until the weekend when we have time. Weekday chores are load of washing and keeping the kitchen clean and tidy.
LikeLike
love the results - hate the process - says it all really
LikeLike
I really wish that I did enjoy housework, I think that I would enjoy it more if I had someone to clean with but it is just me cleaning up for three others and it never seems to end.
LikeLike
I love it when my home sparkles, but unfortunately now that I'm not as healthy as I was I can do the whole house at once, but I maintain it which means is always tidy.
LikeLike
Just thought I would let you know your post has inspired me to clean, I have spent 2 hours so far cleaning and it looks great, so thanks so much. Next my bedroom, which needs to be decluttered. Oh and by the way, it wasn't so bad!
LikeLike
I am so with you about keeping the house nice. I love where we live, our house is our major investment so it makes sense to love on it! There is no where else I would rather be. I like to travel but you will never hear me say “I need a holiday”. Home is just the best!!!
Now I've said my piece I'd be happy to have a sloe gine too!
Cheers
Linda
From Down Under (NZ)
LikeLike
LOVE that website, its great!
LikeLike
Love that website…its great
LikeLike
Oh and my room as a child looked much like the rooms on that website. I'm not apportioning blame here but I think I caught the chaotic bug from my mother. She cleaned maybe once a month… Sigh. Anyway. I have a cleaner because sometimes I just can't bring myself to do stuff, and when the crap builds up I get more depressed and it spirals. Diva, yes. But with what I think is a good reason. It genuinely helps keep me out of a dark place and thusly in employment. Sorry if that is offesnive to you or something. 😦
LikeLike
I love it Froogs! But nobody can talk to me when I'm “in the zone.” I have a baby and people are amazed at how tidy & clean it is, but once you have a routine it is so quick and easy. Having a small house helps too. I like to make sure the dishes are done at night, so in the morning I empty the dishrack, make the bed, wipe all surfaces, dust and then sweep. I also usually put on a load of washing. Only takes me 30 mins or so and then the day is mine and I can spend all my time with my baby. My husband vacs once a week as the vac is too heavy for me. Having a routine and being organised is key 🙂
LikeLike
I don't like to clean but, on the other hand, I hate a dirty house. So, I do clean every day. I love to cook and do laundry (yeah, I know, weird, huh?) but cleaning is not one of my loves. On a daily basis, I clean up the kitchen, make the beds, make sure bathroom is clean, etc., etc. On a weekly basis, dusting gets done and vacuuming, dust mopping wood floors, washing kitchen floor and other various jobs. I would rather be creating something yummy to eat than cleaning the house but like I said, I can't live in a dirty house.
LikeLike