I feel like all I do is clean....

[amyandelle]

I clean all day long and my house is still always a big mess I am so overwhelmed and aggrivated! I know that there has to be a better way. I want to spend time playing with my girls, I want to spend time sewing (I used to sew for a living but I had to quit because I don't have time for it anymore), I want to have a little time to myself, and I want to not feel completly spent by the time my husband gets home from work.

I would really appreciate any suggestions you can all give! I feel like my house is just completly out of control!

Thanks,
Amy

FYI: We live in a small attic apartment, there are 5 of us plus a dog, and nobody cleans except me.....

[elsie]

Part of the solution is analyzing the cause of the mess - too much stuff? clothes? toys? Do the kids move from area to area without putting stuff away?

One way to work on this is to pare down what is available to make the mess, because the less there is the less there is to clean up. Another part is to get the kids into the mode of cleaning up. They are never too young because if they can make a mess, they can clean it up but they need to learn how. Small children generally can't just clean up some random mess, but they can put all the blocks into one basket and all the cars into one box, etc. I stil find that I often need to help direct the kids into how to clean up. Resistance to helping means not being able to keep the object on a long term basis - because if you can't help clean up the toys, then you are not respecting them.

Also, it is sometimes the systems in the house that need to be tweaked. Dh always undresses in the same area, so that is where a laundry basket is. Dishes are done while cooking because I am already in the kitchen.

As far as deeper cleaning goes, it is not as hard to accomplish if the clutter is picked up. There is no reason you need to be the only doing that picking up.

[BarefootScientist]

I agree with PP.

*Get DH and the kids to help some. Somehow.

*Declutter. When there is less stuff, there is less to clean.

The only other thing I would suggest is FlyLady. I don't really like recommending her emails, as I found them VERY obnoxious, but a lot of people swear by them. But if you haven't looked around her website before, she does have a lot of good ideas for keeping things clean. For example, the swish and swipe, one idea I took from her - basically when you're done in the bathroom in the morning, swish the toilet with a toilet brush and wipe down the sink. Then you never really have to deep clean the bathroom.

What kind of housework are you mainly doing? Picking up? Cleaning up kid-created disasters? Meal prep and dishes and meal prep and dishes ad nauseum (don't we all )? Knowing your specific challenges could help us come up with more tips.

Good luck!

[PoetryLover]

Motivated Moms is really helping me a lot. It's absolutely amazing! I like how Motivated Moms breaks tasks down to make them manageable. Here is a link for us Mothering Mamas who are following Motivated Moms. http://www.mothering.com/discussions....php?t=1219297

I also like Flylady, but I had a hard time following her routines. I do incorporate a lot of her tools, such as the 5 Minute Room Rescue, 27 Fling Boogie, Hot Spot Control, setting the timer for 15 minutes, etc.

I agree with the above posters that everyone who lives in your home should help you clean it or at least pick up after themselves. One thing I started doing recently is playing a role playing game called Chore Wars. Members of your household will create a character and you log your chores, fight monsters and win treasure. It's a lot of fun and really gets children involved.