Do you consider your house clean? Do you have young kids? Pets?
I know it's hard to estimate how much time you spend cleaning when you are constantly interrupted (lol).
I'm just curious- from reading and talking to people, it seems like I need to spend WAYYY longer than some others in order to keep my house clean.
I spend approximately 10 hours per week cleaning the house (not including laundry). I typically spend 1 hour/day Monday-Friday and a few hours per day on Saturday and Sunday.
I consider our house to be clean, organized, and mostly clutter free. I clean the kitchen and bathroom toilets/vanities every day (sweeping, wiping counters, etc.) and deep clean a room or two each day.
My current system "works" in that the house is up to my standards of cleanliness, but I feel like its too tedious at times.
Are you looking for ways to cut down on the amount of time you spend cleaning? If so, I'd be happy to help you brainstorm some ideas if you tell me what your current routine is like.
Hmmm...sure, I'd be up for some tips. :) I don't actually have a cleaning routine.
I have a daily schedule (that I just put in place about a week ago, but it revolves around ds1's school, so much of it has been in place all year. I'm just now making ds2 stick to it, basically.) I should say now that I hate routines/schedules. Monotony depresses me.
When I clean, I usually start in the kitchen. (We just recently got a dishwasher! yay!!) Every time I go in, there are dirty dishes not loaded, and the counters are dirty. I don't mind cleaning the bathroom at all, but I suppose I don't do it enough, just because of time. My main focus is that we have clean dishes, clean clothes (folding is not a priority to me, but seems to be to exdp), a not gross bathroom, and a not gross kitchen. After that, would be clean floors (which means picking up toys daily, sweeping daily, and mopping the kitchen every couple of days). But I rarely get past that by the end of the day. Decluttered surfaces would be fantastic, but that seems like a very distant goal. :(
Part of my reason for this post - I'm wondering if I'm really inefficient at cleaning, or if my definition of "clean" is just not attainable for us at this point, or if my family is just a lot messier than other families. lol
Another reason is...*I* didn't have much of a problem with how clean the house was before (before the schedule, when I had less time to clean). I didn't think exdp (who I live with) had a problem with it, either. But he recently told me that "if I were a sahd, I'd find a way to get it clean." So part of it is wondering if it's even possible to do, kwim? I do resent him saying that. He always seemed to be so understanding about how hard it is to sahp.
Dh and I try to share some of the household duties.
He does a lot of grocery shopping, and he helps fold laundry. He also cleans up the dishes after dinner when he gets home. He's in charge of the garbage and recycling too. He sweeps often too. He hates cleaning the bathroom, so I do that.
I HATE schedules too, so keep this in mind...I'd write down everything that needs to be done on a daily and weekly basis and ask exdp what he would like to contribute. You shouldn't be expected to do 100% of everything and have him upset that things aren't done. I think it's fine to ask for help. Try to think of ways that you can get things done without them being on a 'schedule', just think of realistic ways that things can get done.
For instance,
clean the bathroom when the kids are bathing
fold laundry at night while watching a show
tidy the kitchen while things are cooking
vacuum the house in sections
find what works for you in washing clothes. Some people like doing one load a day and some others like doing it all in one day then taking a 2-3 day break from laundry.
It helps if I turn on music if I'm picking up toys, washing the floor etc.
Good ideas, but I already do most of that. lol. When the kids are bathing, it's the only time I have to pluck my eyebrows (lol), so I don't always use the time to clean. I fold the laundry when I'm in the living room and not needed by ds2- the problem with the laundry, I've decided, is that I don't mind folding the major stuff, but I hate doing the last few little things (unmatched socks, and other things that don't actually have a place they belong). When I'm cooking, I clean if I have time, but I rarely have time- I'm usually running late as it is, and then ds2 needs help or to be nursed, or I need to break up a fight.
Having music definitely helps. If I don't have music, I feel compelled to have the tv on (I have no idea why! lol), then I get sucked in and don't go as fast as I should.
I think part of the problem is that I'm not only trying to keep things clean, but I'm also trying to tidy up clutter that's been ongoing for years. I like to do projects (like reorganizing ds1's room, or going through all the clothes in my closet and getting rid of things that don't fit), way more than just general everyday cleaning.
And maybe I'm just really inefficient at cleaning! That's a possibility, for sure. I get overwhelmed easily with the clutter and messes, and I don't even know where to start sometimes.
And exdp is being really weird about the whole cleaning thing. Every time I talk about cleaning (asking for help or advice or whatever), he completely ignores me. He NEVER used to do that. I was hoping that he'd be willing to work with me to get all the clutter organized so it would be easier to stay on top of it, but he didn't even respond. We talk about other things, so I'm not sure what's up with this.
I have 2 medium/large dogs, 2 grown men, a 2 year old, and me in our home. I spend about 20 minutes a day cleaning (picking up toys and putting them away when we're done, running the vacuum, and unloading/loading the dishwasher) and one day a week I spend about 2 hours 'deep cleaning'. In that time I clean the fan blades, mop, dust all the surfaces, clean all the glass, scrub all the baseboards, and groom the dogs a bit. Lol, everyone makes fun of me because of my neat freakness. Our house borders on obscenely clean/immaculate most of the time - lol, but I'm OCD which is a HUGE part of it. :)
When the kids are bathing, it's the only time I have to pluck my eyebrows (lol), so I don't always use the time to clean.
I do this too!
I have 2 medium/large dogs, 2 grown men, a 2 year old, and me in our home. I spend about 20 minutes a day cleaning (picking up toys and putting them away when we're done, running the vacuum, and unloading/loading the dishwasher) and one day a week I spend about 2 hours 'deep cleaning'. In that time I clean the fan blades, mop, dust all the surfaces, clean all the glass, scrub all the baseboards, and groom the dogs a bit. Lol, everyone makes fun of me because of my neat freakness. Our house borders on obscenely clean/immaculate most of the time - lol, but I'm OCD which is a HUGE part of it. :)
If I could keep the obnoxiously clean in just 20 minutes a day plus weekends, my house would be amazing! It takes a lot longer than that for me, and I don't know if I'm just slow or my house is super dusty or what (it's certainly not because I have too much house -- our flat is 800 sq ft). When I try to keep the house as clean as I want it, it's a part time job -- three hours a day, I'd say. But the great thing is that I never have to "deep clean" because there's nothing TO deep clean. Alas, I always get sick of that much work after a month and then the house falls into complete disarray. I haven't found a happy medium yet. :(
I spend about 20 minutes a day cleaning (picking up toys and putting them away when we're done, running the vacuum, and unloading/loading the dishwasher) and one day a week I spend about 2 hours 'deep cleaning'. In that time I clean the fan blades, mop, dust all the surfaces, clean all the glass, scrub all the baseboards, and groom the dogs a bit.
How in the world do you get so much done in so little time?!?!? Picking up toys, sweeping, dishes/counters, laundry and other various daily things take me WELL over an hour (probably more like 2 if I want to get it all done).
If I could keep the obnoxiously clean in just 20 minutes a day plus weekends, my house would be amazing! It takes a lot longer than that for me, and I don't know if I'm just slow or my house is super dusty or what (it's certainly not because I have too much house -- our flat is 800 sq ft). When I try to keep the house as clean as I want it, it's a part time job -- three hours a day, I'd say.
I'm so glad that there's somebody else in the same boat I'm in!
I am seriously beginning to wonder what is wrong here that I can't get things done as quickly as others can! I guess I DO need some cleaning tips!
2 hours a week probably, not including washing and folding laundry. I have a 6 year old son who can mostly pick up after himself and a 3 1/2 year old daughter who is disabled and cannot make messes. ;-) So that's mostly bathrooms and the kitchen. I vacuum and sweep/mop probably once a week. I do most of the "straightening up" after the kids are in bed. It only takes 5-10 minutes. I have a small house and not a lot of clutter so that helps. And no pets.
SInce moving house and having to get rid of a ton of things and move into a smaller dwelling. I find that cleaning takes far less time. It also helps that the kitchen over-looks the living room, dining room and office. Before our kitchen was tucked away in a corner away from everything, so I found if I needed to keep an eye on things/people I couldn't be in the kitchen cleaning/cooking. So because of this, my kitchen was a HUGE mess that took an hour to tidy at night. Now our kitchen is half the size, but we've gotten rid of a ton of dishes, so clean up is easier. It also is so much easier to clean when you can still stay apart of the conversation and watch the kids.
So my advice? Have a yard sale and junk out a ton of stuff. Get rid of any un-used furniture. Think simple. All this stuff we have in our homes makes it so difficult to keep everything clean.
Way too much time and it is never enough. 
3 kids, soon to be 4, 2 furry pets, and a DH who leaves just as much of a mess as one of the kids. On a crazy day it might only be an hour and that wouldn't get everything done. I would say my house is eh, not spotless by any means but usually decent enough, somedays.
I run the dishwasher usually twice a day. A regular day would be 2 loads of laundry, up to 5 isn't uncommon one a week though, sheets and LOTS of towels. My kids seem make messes every 5 minutes. I fold and put away when I have time, piles of laundry are ok in my book as long as they are clean. I tidy up the kitchen every night before bed, same with the toys. I try to make sure everything is put away or nearly put away, like I'll sort laundry at night and leave a basket outside bedrooms where kids are sleeping. I don't vacuum every other day then the floor starts getting really nasty, I mop every 4 days. I really could do it more, the kitchen really could be done every other day but I just can't make that happen. Everything else happens on a as need basis, bathroom is gross then I'll spend 20 minutes on it.
I hate clutter so I my house isn't full of crap. I do go through things often and declutter. When I do that then it means falling behind on basic house stuff, I can't make everything fit into my schedule.
2 kids (teens), one DH, and ~ 1,200 square foot flat w/ ~ 88% efficiency (meaning actually about 900 square feet). They share the work. The kids wear uniforms to school, so during the week they don't generate a lot of laundry. We do not have an automaruc dish-washer or a dryer.
So, about 2 hours a day if you include laundry, but divided across 4 people.
Morning - 45 min - 2 people - so ~ 20 min per person
- I clear prev night's dishes from drying rack (~ 5 min) & DH washes breakfast dishes (15 or 20 min)
- We both hang laundry that we washed in the machine the night before (~ 10-20 min)
- I make the bed & do brief tidy of common living areas (5 min)
Afternoons ~ 30 min, 2 kids [15 min each]
- kids vacuum, & sometimes dust (~ 10-15 min) & take down laundry (~10 min) & clear breakfast dishes (~ 5 min)
Evening ~ 40 min - 2 people [20 min each]
- someone does dinner dishes (includes wiping dining table, kitchen counters & sweeping) - ~ 30 minutes & someone does the recycling (5 min) and trash (5 min)
Laundry folding - everyone is supposed to - ~ 10 minutes (4 people)
DH usually puts clothes in the washing machine before we go to bed (5 min)
Weekends 70 minutes
- we clean bedrooms (40 minutes) and clean bathrooms (30 minutes)
It really depends on my energy level. Lately I've been dragging, so it takes a lot longer than it should. Picking up toys is a constant thing (which really means I need to put some away again!) The kitchen is usually a 2 x a day thing, though I would prefer just to stay on top of it. It is also where my youngest naps, so that keeps me out of it sometimes when I would otherwise be able to keep up with it. The bathroom- I clean when the kids take a bath, but sometimes it gets away from me- my laundry is in there as well and sometimes (today for instance) I am so backed up that I put clean baskets of laundry in the shower until I can get to them. (We had a flood when the washer standpipe got clogged, everything had to be washed/rewashed... I'm totally overwhelmed today.) I'll probably spend about an hour tonight folding the laundry.
When my house is properly decluttered and cleaned to start with, it takes me maybe 45 minutes a day spread out. When it is not, it can take three times that long.
I have a dumpster ordered for delivery in the next couple weeks, I will probably toss a TON of stuff and cleaning will again be manageable. If you find yourself overwhelmed and getting behind on cleaning, it is the first suggestion I would have- ditch most of the unnecessary stuff in your home.
So my advice? Have a yard sale and junk out a ton of stuff. Get rid of any un-used furniture. Think simple. All this stuff we have in our homes makes it so difficult to keep everything clean.
I definitely need to do this. When we moved out here, we could only bring what would fit in a medium u-haul truck. It's been 5 years, and we've gone and cluttered it all up again. lol
You saw the toys in the living room, right? That's about half of them- my mom put half in storage when she was here. It's much easier to clean up toys now than it was before. So yeah, I can see how less stuff overall would be helpful. Decluttering is stressful, but I'm determined to do it!!
I spend about 20 minutes a day cleaning (picking up toys and putting them away when we're done, running the vacuum, and unloading/loading the dishwasher)
It only takes you 20 minutes to do all this? 
You must have this incredibly streamlined because it takes me at least 20 minutes to just unload/load the dishwasher, handwash pots and pans and wipe the counters (forget about sweeping the kitchen floor!) after supper and at least 15 minutes to run the vacuum through our two bedroom apartment. And picking up the toys with Ladybug usually takes a full 15 minutes (even though she doesn't have that many toys!).
For me, if the apartment is decluttered (it is in pretty good shape, though not "minimalist" by any means) and I've been on top of everything, it usually takes me about an hour and a half to two hours to maintain it (laundry, bathroom, kitchen, MM chores, keeping the toys picked up, and sweeping the floors). This does not include cooking meals, but it does include my daily kitchen chores like starting a new batch of kefir. But, I am pretty low energy so I move slowly. On days like today, when everything has been pretty much neglected for two weeks because I've had *no* energy (when I'm ill the bare minimum I try to do is run the dishwasher and the washing machine, I wish I could do more but I can't even cook. But, it turns out I have low iron and I've started Floradix and chlorophyll so hopefully that will help me have fewer down days) and the apartment will still not be clean. My goal is to get it back in shape by Saturday so that we can start on our normal routine again.
It takes me about 3 minutes to run the sweeper over all the floors and 2 minutes or so to pick up all the toys and toss them in their appropriate baskets. The other 15 minutes is spent unloading/loading the dishwasher and hand washing the few things we have that can't go through the dishwasher. I didn't think it was such a crazy time frame but I guess it kind of is for some. I'm not sure what the difference is - maybe it's just because I've been doing it so long I'm used to it and can move faster? I have no clue.
I did some massive decluttering before and after dd2(18m) was born, so now the house is pretty bare as far as non-toy *stuff* goes and I'm not constantly putting xyz back in the room it belongs in. I have toy bins in both the living room and girls' bedroom and I heard the toys toward the closest bin with my feet which dd2 thinks is a hilarious game. I do try to dust and vacuum each bedroom and do a once over of the bathroom once a week during dd2's nap. In addition to that I do a load of clothes and a load of diapers, basic post meal kitchen/dining room clean up and I vacuum the high traffic areas every day. I would say it's between one and two hours per day of cleaning a little here and a little there. Dd1(8) helps clean up toys and dust or fold and put away laundry before she goes to bed, as well.
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