What makes the biggest difference for you? - Page 3

[Storm Bride]

I don't really care for getting into a made bed, so that might be why it seems so pointless to me. I like the sheets to be mostly even (ie. not pulling to one side or the other), but if dh goes to bed before me, that's not going to happen, anyway! I also don't like having the comforter on unless it's really cold, so if the bed is made, I just have to pull the comforter off, anyway!

[rainyday]

I feel so high-maintenance compared to some of you because I don't just have one or two things! I have a list!

In order of priority:
1. clean counters and sink (I don't mean scrubbed - I mean clear of stuff, so dishes in dishwasher if dirty and no mail/newspapers/etc. on the counters.

2. made beds. This takes so little time, but it makes the rooms not look like a disaster zone, you know? I do flip the sheets and blankets over the end of the bed when we first get up to air out the sheets, but I make them up after breakfast.

3. No pile of stuff by the front door. I hate how stuff piles up there, and I always feel overwhelmed when I look at it. Clearing the stuff out just lifts my mood, but then it always comes back...

4. Clear bahtroom counters. My dh and ds tend to leave stuff out during their morning routines, and it makes the house feel much more peaceful if I spend a minute and put it all away.

5. Clear floors. I hate stuff on the floor. DS is my big challenge for this one! Luckily this is only an issue in the bedrooms and bathroom.

I guess that list isn't so long after all! It's longer than a lot of them, but it's shorter than I feared. If those five things are under control, I feel like the house is under control. There may still be papers lying around, and stuff may need to be cleaned (like scrubbed), but if the main clutter is not there, I'm happy!

[CityChic]

Originally Posted by rainyday

5. Clear floors. I hate stuff on the floor. DS is my big challenge for this one! Luckily this is only an issue in the bedrooms and bathroom.

I agree. I don't like piles of ANYTHING, especially things on the floor. This is the issue I am dealing with in my kitchen right now.

We really need more storage space (all our pantry items sit out in the open) and it is really starting to bug me!

[sunanthem]

Though it would be nice to have dishes on my list, and I do dishes daily, its not the first thing I see when I come home. Even when I do the dishes (handwash, no dishwasher) it seems like more are back in the sink in minutes. For me and dh, we are constantly cleaning off our table tops; the coffee table and the kitchen/dining table, which we use alot. Its quick, they are high traffic areas, and it makes the whole room look better.
Also arranging our shoes at the door. The kids pitch in on this one alot, another thing that takes just a minute, but makes the room look so much better.

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

picking up all the things off the floors at the end of the day

Oh my yes.

I can't stand stuff lying around everywhere -- and with three small children keeping toys picked up is a Herculean task.

But seeing a clear floor and clean counters is music to my soul...so it is worth it for me to keep picking up picking up picking up.

They are getting old enough to help me and that has been wonderful.

[Jenn_M]

The floor for sure. I can deal with clutter on other surfaces but tripping over stuff on the floor really irritates me.

[BCFD]

My biggie is clutter. I think my biggest pet peeve is shoes laying around the house instead of being in the shoe basket. The second thing is the clutter that gathers on the table, the office desk, and kitchen counters. Dishes/clean and tidy kitchen definitely come in third. And of course then there is the laundry that I am NEVER caught up on.

[annekevdbroek]

Making the beds each day. To me an unmade bed makes the rest of the room look messy.

Dishes, same as others have mentioned.

Picking up toys, etc. at the end of the day.

Being really organized, in general - everything has a place, etc

[greengirl_]

Originally Posted by IncaMama

apparently a big one for me (because i just did it and felt fabulous) is making the beds. which i almost NEVER do. LOL but i think i will start doing it every day because it's so darn easy and makes me feel great!!!

Same here. I've never been one to make the bed, but I've been making our bed daily and it's made such a huge difference in the way I feel about the rest of my house. I make the bed every day, not matter what, even if I'm running late. Then at the end of the day when I'm looking at a pile of dirty dishes and a livingroom that looks like a tornado hit it, I can say at least I made the bed.

[Helen_A]

Originally Posted by b&c'smama

As I was loading the dishwasher tonight it occurred to (not for the first time) that the simple act of unloading/re-loading/running the dishwasher probably does more for the cleanliness and appearance of my kitchen than anything else. In fact I often run it after dinner even if it isn't full, because if I wait unitl it's full, there's usually overflow that ends up having to wait in the kitchen sink. For some reason if that happens, the whole kitchen starts going downhill. (I know this is an energy and water waster , trust me I am very frugal and green in most other ways!)

We don't currently have a dishwasher - but are saving up for one for (in part) this purpose... reason for saving - well the one we plan on getting is a two drawer operation that will run individually... the plan is that we can run one draw if only a small amount of crockery has been used and have the 2nd drawer to run when in need, or to hide the part drawers worth in to be done when needed :-) (plus each single drawer uses less than 6 litres of water for a wash which makes it uber frugal as well : )

We don't make beds though, lol, because we have dust mite allergies and turning them back each day to air keeps the critters down without resorting to ridiculous quantities of washing or chemicals (whibble)..

[tessamami]

Yeah, another one for dishes and laundry

I do laundry every day. Once in a while I have a laundry-free day, but that is rare, because I have DS in cloth diapers. My goal is to run the washer / dryer in back to back loads, so the dryer is running load after load, to save on energy. I don't often succeed, though.

I did that today, for 4 or 5 loads, because I took cotton blend area rugs to the laundromat. I brought them home wet, and dried them at home, after I took out some drying I had previously running from a load at home. I had 4 rugs, and I dried 2 at a time.

I kept the dryer running, while I did my cloth diapers. I do a cold wash, what my machine calls a "Super" wash, then a hot wash, and cold wash. I'm still getting used to my new laundry detergent, so sometimes I overdo it on the soap. With my DD we had a diaper service, and they always leaked. I think it was because the service didn't rinse out nearly enough soap. . . .

Kitchen is tough to do as well as I would like. Before bedtime I can't always do too much. And after I put DS down, I don't always wake up, LOL. So I get on DHs to do it. But his idea of done, and my idea of done, are SO different. Even my relaxed idea of done doesn't compute. My goal is to leave the kitchen sink as free of food and water as possible. So that means if I can't load every dish, I cover it with another one. I avoid soaking pots, again - unless they are covered. Bugs LOVE water. For some food remaining in dishes, I'll stash in the fridge until the next day. And yes, the next day I'll rinse if necessary, and stick in the dishwasher.

Anyone else do this?

Also, I like Flylady, but I don't get her daily emails. I just check Kelly's missions once in a while. It was helpful recently to be reminded to wash out my trashcans. Another mission was to clean the kitchen ceiling light fixture - I got DH on that one, LOL!

And while he was up there, he vaccumed some rubble he found on the very top of our kitchen cabinets, where there is a gap. Anyone know how to clean off grease fast and effectively? I've used alcohol in the past, but would like something quicker, 'cause the spots up there are so hard to reach. That said, I've got to tame the paper tiger, and do massive clearing of countertops and surfaces. My floors and bathroom are cleaned every week, because my husband has a rehearsal in our home every Friday.

[~Journey~]

Originally Posted by b&c'smama

As I was loading the dishwasher tonight it occurred to (not for the first time) that the simple act of unloading/re-loading/running the dishwasher probably does more for the cleanliness and appearance of my kitchen than anything else. In fact I often run it after dinner even if it isn't full, because if I wait unitl it's full, there's usually overflow that ends up having to wait in the kitchen sink. For some reason if that happens, the whole kitchen starts going downhill. (I know this is an energy and water waster , trust me I am very frugal and green in most other ways!)

One other thing that makes a big difference in my homekeeping is trying to do at least one or two loads of laundry a day (washed, dried and put away) no matter what. It really helps keep it from piling up.

I know some people swear by cleaning their kitchen sink (ala Flylady) or making the bed everyday.

What are the one or two thing you do that you feel the most important to keeping things running smoothly? I'd love to see other's ideas!

I have a morning routine that is an absolute must.

I get up, open the bedroom window wide to air out and go to the living room to have coffee and breakfast.
Then I clean the kitchen counters, put dishes away and wipe down all counters. I run the diswasher only when full. I have not had a problem with overflow.

Then I make the beds, pick out clothes and get in the shower.

The living room gets picked up as I go along. Most of the time it's clean anyway.

I don't like getting side tracked from that routine in the morning. On weekends though when dh is home I don't really care. He makes a mess where he goes anyway

[Crunchy*VT*Mom]

I have a morning routine that is an absolute must.

Me too.

1. make the beds
2. do the dishes
3. start a load of laundry
4. do a quick sweep-through of the house

If I do those things first thing in the morning, it takes me 20 minutes, if I don't do those things first it seems like it takes ALL DAY to get them done.

[farmkids42morrow]

Originally Posted by Om Girl

staying off MDC/online...then I can actually get things done

Me too! I'm going to have to start setting a timer for myself so I don't waste the whole day!

For me it's sweeping the floor. We live on a farm on a dirt road and have 4 kids. Need I say more?

[sunnysandiegan]

[OkiMom]

Id say keeping the kitchen clean and keeping the bathroom clean. There seems to be a direct coorelation to house cleanliness and those rooms. The messier they get the more likely the house is messy. Cleaner they are it seems to give me the extra energy I need to clean the rest of the house.

[tink79]

If the kitchen is clean (ie dishes DONE, counters clear & wiped and dishes off of the table, floors swept) I am a happy camper. Toys are probably second, where do they all come from? And then laundry third, I have to do a load every day or I get overwhelmed.

[umbrella]

Flat surfaces being clear. Everything looks tidier and seems easier to manage if all of the flat surfaces are clear.

Like, an unmade bed in a bedroom, with clear dressers and nightstands, I like that So much better than a made bed with a dresser piled with stuff. If the counters in the kitchen are clean, dishes in the sink aren't that big a deal. If the lliving room has toys scattered about, even a basket of laundry on the couch, not as bothersome as an otherwise tidy main room with the table piled high with STUFF.

[Adamsmama]

Doing quick tidys during the week, doing the dishes at regularly scheduled intervals, keeping up with the laundry (for us that means doing at least 2 loads a day) and putting it all folded/away, making beds every morning.