Cleaning

[mama to B]

I'm not to bad at the basic things, fold the laundry, put away the clothes, load/unload the dish washer, sweep, vaccuum, swiffer wet, put away toys etc..but the extra stuff like wash the walls, the baseboards, wash the cupboard doors, move the fridge/stove out and sweep/mop. Even cleaning the bathroom like deep cleaning ugh.. I get so overwhelmed just think about everything that NEEDS to be done.. How do you do it all? And how often? I have no idea where to start.

[elsie]

There are a ton of methods and organizng charts and such that will map it out for you, but basically make a list of those occasional cleaning items and set it up that you do one a day time permitting. For me, I find it easier to clean all the toilets at once in three bathrooms than to clean an entire bathroom in a session. So one day I may clean the toilets, another day I will do the sinks a floor, and a third day I might do the tub and shower. At no point is my house perfectly clean, but there are many things that are varying degrees of "clean enough." I like to vacuum the whole house at once, but only dust a room at a time, etc.

[clutterwarrior]

Have you seen this?

http://www.motivatedmoms.com/

I have been using it since halfway through the year and I love it. It really keeps me on top of everything.

[dbsam]

Originally Posted by mama to B 

 How do you do it all? And how often? I have no idea where to start.

I don't; my husband does.  I feel like a looser since I am a SAHM and he works six long days/week.  I tend to get buried in all the day-to-day maintenance and he is much better at deep cleaning than I am.  (Plus since staying home I seem to have lost my talent for efficiency.  Sometimes we work on a project together which keeps me on task.)  He does a thorough cleaning of the bathrooms weekly while he gives the children baths.  Other projects he does as needed, actually more often than needed since he is so particular.  This week he scrubbed all the kitchen cabinets, trim, garbage bins and moved/cleaned all appliances.  He also deep cleaned the laundry room, scrubbing the sink, cabinets, walls, floors and moved the washer/dryer. 

I am looking forward to this thread hoping to get tips so I can be more productive allowing him to do less around the house.  When we both worked I didn’t feel guilty about all the housework he did.  But now I feel he shouldn’t have to do so much.

[coyotemist]

I just make a list of small projects that need to be done as I discover they need to be done and try to do one or two per day.

Occasionally, the opportunity just presents itself, and I just "do it now" (our stove gave out, I scrubbed walls while waiting for the new one to be delivered).

[june'smom]

Originally Posted by coyotemist 

I just make a list of small projects that need to be done as I discover they need to be done and try to do one or two per day.

Occasionally, the opportunity just presents itself, and I just "do it now" (our stove gave out, I scrubbed walls while waiting for the new one to be delivered).

That's how i do it too.  I never ever ever stick to weekly chore lists.  I also don't always have perfectly clean walls.  For example, we have lived in this house for 8 months and I just washed the walls on the stairs last night.  They were disgusting. 

[justmama]

Originally Posted by coyotemist 

I just make a list of small projects that need to be done as I discover they need to be done and try to do one or two per day.

Occasionally, the opportunity just presents itself, and I just "do it now" (our stove gave out, I scrubbed walls while waiting for the new one to be delivered).

yeah, totally this.  I do things as opportunity presents.  If I have to move the entertainment center to get to a lost toy or something, I dust and wash the wall behind.  If I have the kids in the bath and they are behaving and not soaking me and the bathroom and there's no bloodshed, I can clean the toilet or wipe down the mirror and top of the medicine cabinet or organize the linen closet.  If they soak the floor and are all rambunctious, I have a perfect opportunity to wash said soaked floor since I'll be drying it off anyway.  I totally suck at the deep cleaning stuff.  I only really do it when something is so sad I can't stand it anymore.  It's sad.  I know.