When I was working full time, I could not justify a cleaning person because we lived in a 4 room apartment and Dave did half the cleaning. Now that we are in a house, I can't justify hiring somebody to clean because I only work 2 days a week. One day I will find a way to justify one by either working more hours or earning more than a dollar when I do work. But in the meantime...I need some help. Not to get all Susie Homemaker ... well, actually, maybe I need to. Here's a little secret: I don't know how to clean. Scratch that. I sort of do know how to clean. I don't know how to get motivated to clean. A schedule maybe? A reward system for myself (e.g. no ice cream until I do my chores - be my own mother, for example). You will hopefully not know this about me, as I do clean for company. But I'd like to maintain a neat, clean house for us.
I'm not sure why some people are able to keep their house super clean while other people (myself, for example) feel it is a constant struggle. Do the clean-house people clean all the time? What's the deal? Give me your secrets!
So, when I do clean, I vacume. And call it a day. Or I clean the kitchen, and leave the bathroom. It's never all done at once. I've heard people say to clean as you go - do I just need to get into that habit? How?
Tell me, what do you do? Cleaning tips, motivational tips and phone numbers to free cleaning services all welcome.
(And don't make fun of me - I know most people probably figured out this stuff out in their first apartment, but I had Janet the Super Cleaner for a roommate, so I didn't learn much.)
8 comments:
Where to start? heh heh. I'm one of those super cleaning people. WELL actually, maybe not? I'm a super organized person. I have a place for everything. So even the girls know where everything goes and will help to put things away. I DO vaccum often b/c we have a dog who eats bones and leaves bone chips everywhere...AND a baby who's crawling. So I have no choice in that.
BUT my big thing is keeping it straight. Not necessarily "clean".
I feel EXACTLY the same way as you. I'm rarely motivated to clean. Some people actually clean as a stress reliever. How unfair is that? Cleaning creates stress for me--and yet a messy house creates stress, too.
Now that the kids are grown enough, the house gets "kid cleaned", which is almost next to NOT BEING CLEANED AT ALL.
I've learned to do the important things (important to me) more often--vacuuming, clearing the clutter from the kitchen counters. Picking up shoes and doing the daytime dishes.
The other things i.e. dusting, rarely get done, unless I'm super motivated, which doesn't happen often. Oh and MOPPING? HAH! Almost never. I finally mopped the floor two days ago... first time in... seriously... 4 months. It's been spot mopped many times, but not the REAL DEAL.
I scrub the tubs with comet when they look like they need it--Clorox clean up is great for the inbetween cleanings.
I guess you can't look to me for advice on cleaning, but you can at least commiserate with me on the woes of cleaning.
It is time to reveal the Ultimate Secret........
Almost NOBODY has a clean house all the time.
Almost everyone cleans for company and thus gives the illusion that their house is clean all the time.
IF you have kids at home, you must become comfortable with a reasonably dirty home, or become comfortable with chronic depression, your choice here.
Common quote heard as people clean the house: "Good thing we have company once in a while!"
Make it into a game =).
to be honest
ive never noticed any issues
with the cleanliness of ur house/apartment
and i have been over unannounced before as well
anyway
to answer ur question
im not a clean freak
as i dont feel i clean all that often
i do consider my house pretty clean
although honestly
it always looks the same
regardless of whether or not company is coming
i think that is part to do with the fact that i live alone
so i have no one to blame the mess/dirt on other than myself
the other part of it has to do with who i am
if i take something out
i put it away when im finished with it
its a habit i learned at a very young age
unlike many people
i was shown how to clean properly at a very young age
for me
it was a thing to do to escape
no one bothered me when i was cleaning
as they didnt want to get suckered into helping
now
i spend a few minutes here and a few minutes there maintaining
(clorox wipes and swiffer's are great inventions)
so i dont have to spend a whole day just cleaning
i think thats what gets most people
the fact that they dread the hours of cleaning
i think i may spend about 10 minutes a week on cleaning at the most
i've always been tempted to hire someone once or twice a year
to do a good cleaning for me
my solution to this point has been to just move again
:o/
anyway
not much help
but *shrug*
You will hate me but I love a clean house. I usually crank on my fav. music and just set my mind to it and get it done. I love the smell of bleach mixed with my swiffer wet jet stuff and the lemon scented dusting polish. Weird, I know. My house isn't always clean but I do clean every week. I have found that Thur. nights work the best because then it is done and I don't have to worry about it on the weekends. I know that probably doesn't help but that's what I do. Good luck and if you find that free cleaning service, let me know! ;)
Love this question. I find that it's easier for me to clean someone elses mess (not my kids, I mean someone elses HOUSE) than my own. So maybe we could trade messes every once in awhile and see how that works out? :)
Before kids came I had 1 day a week where I just cleaned. After kids... ugh. I vacuum ALL the time. Other than that, I need more help than you I"m sure. :)
I hope you find something that works for you. and if not, I don't mind a mess when I visit. It'll make me feel right at home. :)
Hey! Don't feel bad...MOST people only clean (real clean) when company is coming over, I do. If I clean ("real clean)at any other time it's because I've been struck with an erge to do a particular task, but I have to jump on it right away...'cause when it's gone everything stays just where it is for several days/weeks before I get back to it. Erick likes things neat but when he "clean" he just moves stuff to a different spot, hides them, or stacks things neatly so it looks clean.
I asked him to help me the other day by cleaning the bathroom and when I went in there (5 minutes before people arrived) everything on the counter had been put away, towels changed, plenty of t.p. in the spare basket thingy and the kids toys had been put in the tub BUT the toilet wasn't cleaned, the counter and sink weren't wiped down and there were still those spots on the mirror. HELLLOOOOO?!?!
Anyway, just clean what you need to clean in order to keep yourself sane and call it a day, everything else will work itself out.
We always say, we have a very "lived in" house and you are always welcome to do the "pop-in" but you have to accept us for how things are and don't snub your nose up at us.
PS - Clorox clean-up and Clorox wipes are awesome!!
Post a Comment