How does everyone KEEP their house clean????????????????????

[chilli]

:applause:

Another input which might be helpful (hopefully no one else posted this before in this thread):
Focus. Think about which areas of your home should be cleaner than others. In my situation these
areas are kitchen and bathroom.
And if you are struggeling to get your work done, then try to get these areas done first.

Also have a look on http://www.organizedhome.com

http://www.organizedhome.com/magic-mini ... d-families

Chilli

 

[Pamelajane]

:applause: Well Done.

I can't add much more than what has already been posted.

I think that it is important to take small steps, just clearing away the dinner plates and your kitchen has given you a good feeling which will motivate you to do some more. Quite often i look around and feel overwhelmed by all that there is to do but just achieving something small spurs me on.

I also keep the cleaning materials in the bathroom and then i am able to swish and swipe (flylady) most days which makes a difference.

I have learnt that everyone else is in the same boat, i used to think that they all new something that i didn't and partly that was true, i've picked up lots of great tips but i know it's a struggle for everyone.

Keep up the good work.

Pamelajane.

 

[Lana]

A good thread going here with lots of little tips. I was kinda like Pamelajane years ago thinking I was always behind (DH was on 3-11, I worked all day and then with the 2 kids if they had activities or just homework to help with. ) and when the kids would have people over or I would say clean your room before they come, they would say "mom if you only saw their room or their moms house at times..... So I relaxed alittle. Sometimes to relaxed! LOL

But small steps is what it takes.
Hoping to join one of the OC plans so it will help keep me on track. ( I think)

 

[FrostyShimmer]

I am just strarting to fall into any kind of organization - mainly because my new home is bigger than where we were renting so our things have a lot more space now.

Two tips I've read that I find useful:

1. Never let yourself put anything on the floor. Find a surface, a drawer, etc. Even a cluttered room looks much tidier when your floors are clear, and it prevents infestations.

2. Every morning grab a laundry hamper (basket, etc.) and walk through your house. Anything you spot out of place goes in the hamper. After 10 minutes or so take that hamper and deliver those items to where they belong. If you do this everyday it really does help keep things organized.

 

[christmas3]

Thanks ladies for all the helpful advice. It felt so good to get up this morning to a clean kitchen. Alot of my problem is stacks of stuff. Stacks of papers. I went through and put everything in a basket so I could go through it. I have not went through it yet but hope to do that today. I guess I should have done that last night instead of working on my Christmas notebook...but...a girl has to have some fun. :haha: :haha:

I am off to start my cleaning day since I have been here to get my Christmas fix. Wish me luck girls.

Christmas3
ackage: ackage: ackage:

 

[Pam Spaur]

I had a pastor friend tell me once that he always made the bed. It wasn't that his wife wouldn't, he said. But if he did nothing else, at least he could say, "I got my bed made today.". I seldome leave my house without making my bed. It is so nice to come home from work, walk into my bedroom, and see that made bed. So, hang in there, Christmas3. You WILL get better and better at it. Take baby steps as you have been doing!! I'm really proud of your progress. arty: Woohoo!

 

[SparkleNana]

Pam -- what a wonderful pastor he sounds like!!! I find humility a very nice trait in people!

 

[christmas3]

I feel pretty good about what I have accomplished today. I just hope nightime will be as good as last night. Nightime and weekends are my BIGGEST downfall. But I am starting out on a better foot this weekend. I will check in on Monday to let you know how my house is looking.

Christmas3
:rnament: :rnament: :rnament:

 

[Cindylouwho]

Ya know, there is a lot to be said for a good night's sleep in all this too! Sleep helps LOTS!! :-D

 

[christmas3]

You are SO right Cindylouwho. I did not sleep very good on Thrusday night and I was alot slower getting things done on Friday. Then Friday night my oldest DD15 talked her Dad and I into taking her and a friend to Barnes and Noble for a Book Party for Breaking Dawn book being released last night at midnight. And we did it. So we were tthere till 12:35 A.M. and then had and hour drive home. It was almost 2:00 A.M. when I got in the bed. I am sooooo tried today. I plannig on doing just what has to be done to keep the house picked up.....NO heavy cleaning today. Maybe by Monday I will be rested to start my daily routine again.

Christmas3
ackage: ackage: ackage:

 

[FrostyShimmer]

To limit my computer time I log in first thing in the morning with my cup of hot coffee. I hate coffee once its cold, so I give myself that time to check all the blogs/sites I read. Once my coffee is finished/cold, that's it until everything else is done for the day.

 

[SparkleNana]

Clever idea, FrostyShimmer! It is good to work With our likes!

 

[christmas3]

Thanks!!! But I am not doing so good now. :frown: It seems like on the weekends I go on strake or vacation. I don't know which on it is. My house looks like a hurricane or tornado has come through it. :help: There are things on ALL the livingroom tables, you can not even see my table in my kitchen. I went to Sam's on Saturday after helping DH's Aunt give a luncheon. I was soooo tried after that. I unloaded the van and left it. On Sunday we went to church and I went to a baby shower and came home and crashed. :thud: Did nothing the rest of the day. My island in the middle of my kitchen is covered too. Now before I can do anything I have to clean the kitchen so I can mess it up for lunch and then clean it up again after lunch. It is just a cycle....over and over and over again. Plus I do not feel good today. :frown:

IT WILL GET BETTER!!! IT WILL GET BETTER!!! IT WILL GET BETTER!!!

I KEEP TELLING MYSELF THAT ANYWAY!!! :rain:

CHRISTMAS3
ackage: ackage: ackage:

 

[Pam Spaur]

christmas3~

It WILL get better. We all backslide now and then. I know exactly how you feel, tho. Don't think about the past. Just go for today.

YOU CAN DO IT!! I have faith in you!!

:bigsnow:

 

[Ahorsesoul]

christmas3,
You are doing so great! Just keep at it. When I first started to get my house under control I only spent a few minutes every hour doing something. I do mean minutes. I would take 3 minutes every hour and work on the kitchen or the laundry. Then the next hour do the same. You will be surprised at how just a few minutes add up.

Now I get most of my work done before I have breakfast. It only take me about 15 minutes a day to keep it clean now but I've been working on my house for 8 years. I started with Flylady who's email reminders helped me get up from the computer to do things. When her reminder about laundry came in I ran to put a load in the washer. And then when she asked 'what's for dinner' I would make sure I had something out and ready to go.

Now most of these things are so routine I never even think of them. The one thing I did that made House Blessing (house cleaning) easy was I decluttered my house. I tossed out 27 items daily for about a year to get my house decluttered. Anything counts, a tissue, a chair, something broken, so 27 items add up fast.

I am so proud of you for starting to get your life and house under control!

 

[SparkleNana]

Christmasx3 -- your life is full and rich and exciting! It's no wonder that sometimes housework can't keep up. We're all just trying to keep a balance between having a full life AND having an orderly house.

Ahorsesoul, the idea of throwing out 27 items a day to declutter is very very good. Because you just grab a bag and start counting. You don't have to program a period of time in which to "Declutter". I have done that in the past. Then, I get impatient and program a major decluttering. Then I get overwhelmed and quit. Today, I am going to grab a bag and throw 27 things in. And try to do that EVERY day, no matter what else I do.

 

[Cindylouwho]

Ya know, I've been extremely busy the last couple weeks too. Ugh!! My housekeeping started getting away from me since I was never here, so one night, after scrubbing my sink (which makes me feel in control) I switched the family to paper plates & bowls and plastic forks/knives and spoons and served anything I could on a paper towel. I'm going to keep this up through the summer til the kids are back in school. Really helped minimize the dishes so I could spend that energy on other things. I also made sure I had a tiny load of laundry going each night overnight so I could fold it and quickly put it away while I had energy in the morning. And I'm continuing on getting rid of stuff. The less we have, the less there is to clean up. Been working on this regularly for the past year (27 thing fling) and just did another yesterday. It goes to the charity drop when I go into town. I'm a regular there now. The laundry basket is an exellent one, I do the same thing. And I find if I use the laundry basket (not some other basket) then I'm forced to empty it so I can do laundry again!

When you are feeling down, go shine your sink. And get a good night's sleep. You can do this!

 

[SparkleNana]

McDLT -- I like that idea! And I really like the flexibility -- If you spend one weekend day doing housework (because of guests, or a project) -- Than you get one day off during the next week. "Comp" time! ackage:

 

[redfairy]

I figured out that my problem was that I never put things away. For instance, if I need a phone number from the phone book, I'd get it, then not put the phone book away. Also, I'd put off things until later, then when later came along, I wouldn't do it. So I've had to train myself to do these things.

Also, I've also taken to scheduling my cleaning. I'll set aside specific times on specific days to clean. I'm not cleaning every single second of every day, and it gives me time for other things.

 

[Ahorsesoul]

redfairy,
This is so true. I aways thought it was "everyone else" who left things out. Once I took notice and starting putting my things away it certainly made a big difference.