housekeeping while working full time

EMG_REL

Okay, so WHAT do you guys do to keep your houses clean? We are both teachers, so summer is not an issue for us because we have the time and energy to keep things in order. I even created a chore chart in August with one task per weekday, and it worked for the first two weeks...because we weren't back to school yet. Now that we are both working full time and away from the house from 6am to 5pm, we just can't seem to get it together. By the time we get home, make/eat dinner, clean up after dinner, play with H and get him to bed, we are EXHAUSTED. We haven't even touched the chore chart in weeks! PLEASE tell me your secrets!!!!!!!!!!! Do we really have to reserve time during our precious weekends when we would much rather be going to the park or something?

charcoaleyes

Honestly, we just learned to live with a dirtier house. But, to keep it clean, we take turns usually during the weekends. I will play outside with Max while DH vacuums and dusts, then he plays with Max while I clean the bathroom. Or, the kitchen floor gets cleaned while I give Max a bath. Short little bursts seem to work. Our house is not as clean and organized as it used to be, but it is not super dirty, so we are fine with how things are.

ncmomstobe

In theory, we clean on thw weekends. Htis wprked well until Alfie came along. We try, but I often forget because it is a lot more fun to be busy with the kids.
During the week, we do laundry and dishes, clean the kitchen and tidy the living room (for the nanny), and maybe sweep once. I agree that living with a messier house is part of it,

old mama

OK I know with teacher's salaries this might be out there but my neighbors are both teachers and raising two small boys. They shopped around and found a cleaning service that just comes in once a week and vaccumes, dusts, cleans bathrooms...not sure what else but they aren't there that long. They said it was sooo worth the money as then they can focus on their boys and weekends are theirs and not having to spend it cleaning. They told me it really doesn't cost all that much and they compromiced by not eating out as much to pay for it. When I was teaching and raising a family I would do things like cook ahead...maybe three dinners at a time...if I put chicken in the crockpot I would make enough for several meals then separate it into dinner sized portions..you could easily add other ingredients...the same thing if I browned hamburger...browned enough for several meals then divided and froze it...made making the rest of the meal a snap if the meat was cooked. I used and still use my crockpot a lot. I could put the ingredients in, put it on low and have my meal ready when I got home. It is very hard to be working parents and juggling everything...

K&H

It does get ever so slightly easier when they're just a little bit older.. E will "help" sweep, vacuum, dust, pick up garbage, wash dishes, unload the dishwasher, etc.. Just being able to do these things with her rather than while simultaneously occupying her has made a huge difference. You're at the hardest age for this!

fisch

Yes, i second paid help. Ours comes twice a month...I don't know if I could function without it. I'm lucky too because I can come home for lunch. I van start a load of laundry, or empty the dishwasher...it's the little things. We still end up having to tidy a lot, and the biggest sacrifice is our bedroom....I rarely find the energy to keep our room tidy! I find we have to do a lot of tidying for the cleaners anyway, which sort of motivates us to clean the clutter.

roses25

I could use all the tips anyone has in this area. Before Aiden my house was always super clean, but now it's much dirtier. It wouldn't be such a big issue if our black lab didn't shed 24/7 year round. That's my biggest irritation is the dog hair. I usually clean on the weekends, and sometimes it doesn't get cleaned for 2-3 weeks. I'm trying really hard to clean weekly for the next 3-5 weeks because I'd be a bit embarrassed for all the birth team to arrive to a house that looks like it does today. However, I'm so worn out right now and can't do more than a few rooms before sitting down for a rest. I cleaned the living room and kitchen, but still have 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms to do today.

Carolyn

annerbones

Because we are rarely home - like I am at work or commuting 11-12 days a week our house pretty much remains untouched during the week. On the weekends I clean on Sunday night after Maggie has gone to bed. Dishes, I do the best I can throughout the week - rinse them off make sure no food is sitting on them, load the dishwasher and run it every other day. Laundry - wear it then wash it. Means a lot of smaller loads of laundry but makes it so our clothes are always clean.

Shanny

I have definitely relaxed on cleanliness as well. It isn't easy and didn't happen over night but gradually I find myself wanting to spend less and less of every weekend cleaning my house. A bonus for me (if I can think of it this way) is that we are gone from 7:30 am - 7:00 pm. Which I hate, but in terms of how much mess we can even make during the week that definitely cuts it down! I have hired someone from time to time to come help me with a major cleaning but for the most part I prefer to do it myself to save money and because I want it done my way. I also just really enjoy taking care of my home and family (guess that's why I do what I do for a living also) and want Kate to see that and also learn to help, which she does - A LOT.

I also agree with KandH that it is going to get insanely easier than where you are now!

I try to do one big cleaning from end to end with all the details about once a month. Laundry gets done every weekend - we barely make 2 loads between the 2 of us. During the week the goal really is just to "maintain" - dishes, clothes in the laundry basket, straighten or put away anything we've used. I don't ever vacuum, sweep, dust or mop during the week, I'm just too tired but again it is just the 2 of us, no pets and we are barely here but to sleep!

Zen

In general I straighten up when I have time and energy, and only really clean when company is coming. But my thinking for the future is some kind of a chore plan, and paid help!

EMG_REL

Thanks, everyone. I should have mentioned that we're not the greatest housekeepers by nature, even before H was born. We just get wrapped up in life and don't even think about it until it smacks us in the face. The worst is the clothing for us because we have so much of it. It ends up all over the house (clean and dirty). Honestly, we have thought about hiring someone to help every couple of weeks, but we don't want to come to rely on that because we can afford it now while we're still renting but will NOT be able to afford it once we buy a house. Anyway, thanks for the suggestions and the encouragement to just come to terms with it while H is still young...and then we'll have another baby to contend with, anyway (*knocking on wood*).

K&H

Ooh. The clothes thing is tough. I bet if you make a rule that clothes have to stay in the bedroom or laundry room it could help immensely. We had to make that rule a few years ago and it is such a big mess saver!

mel

ugh. I can relate to this issue, and I'm sitting here now trying to think about what I'll clean first today. One thing that adds to the problem here is that I am the person who does the vast majority of the house cleaning, because if I don't do them, things just don't get done. It's really hard to be responsible for so much. Therefore, our house just doesn't ever get super clean. There is just too much clutter - kids' papers from school, mail, random things that just get put in the wrong places. The larger scale things (cleaning out the garage, etc) can only be done when the kids are gone. They visited grandparents for 2 separate weeks this summer and I cleaned the entire time they were gone. It's nice to get the big jobs done, but that's not practical. I can barely keep up with the 'maintenance' chores (dishes, laundry, bathroom) and I just do the rest when I can. It's more important to me to spend time with my kids and take care of myself than to constantly clean the house. They won't remember that it was a little messy, but they will remember that I spent time with them.

The good news is that as they get a bit older, kids can help - a lot! We do things together (they unload the dishwasher, for example) and that is nice. They also "help" fold clothes and other things. Things don't get done as quickly, but we're still together.

Kari

I can't even begin to manage the clutter and my counters are always covered, but here's how I keepnup with chores. I have set days that I do specific things, and even set times for some. Friday night I vacuum. Saturday morning I change and wash sheets and mop the floor while the beds are unmade and Juliet is taking her morning nap. Sundays I wash towels and bake at least one meal that provides leftovers for a few meals. Every night I run a load of wash and run the dishwasher. Every morning a load of laundry goes in the drier and I empty the dishwasher. I fold and hang laundry during the kids' bath time because the laundry room is also my bathroom. The kitchen floor gets spot-cleaned right after dinner each night, and load the dishwasher while the kids have dessert. Monday nights I clean out the fridge and take out the trash for trash day on Tuesday. I don't have a laundry hamper right now; dirty clothes go straight into the washing machine or sit on top if a load is already going. Toilet and tub scrubbing get done when I feel they need it. Dusting never gets done because of the clutter. I spend five minutes each night going from room to room pickimg up random toys and tossing them into a laundry basket so I'm not stepping on legos in the middle of the night.