The best thing I have ever done is move back in with my mother. For six months, while my family was between houses, we moved back in with my parents. During this time, I observed how my mother, a wonderful housekeeper, kept her house so spotless.
She only works at 20 minutes intervals. For example, after supper, she would put the dishes in the sink and clean off the stove. Then she would take a break. Later, she would go back and rinse the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. Then, she would take another break. Later, she would go put some laundry in.
I have taken my mother's unspoken advice and have found household chores not to be so daunting now.
By BarwickJ from Ottumwa, IA
Instead of spring and fall cleaning, which overwhelms me and doesn't get done, I'm working my way through the house with one cleaning project per day.
I live alone and have run into a tornado of a mess. I am beginning treatments and possible extensive back surgery. I am not able to tackle the mess I keep turning over and over to find anything. I am so frustrated and can't stand and work for over 30 to 45 minutes. Can you help me with a plan I can foresee?
By Veronica
You shouldn't necessarily have to stand as long as you say to do a lot of things. I am unable to stand for more than five-ten minutes at a time if that. When I go through things I take several things to the table, a chair, or my bed, depending on the room I'm working in and sit while I sort through things.
I have arthritis that is now bone on bone. I cannot stand for very long either. I have an office chair at my desk. When time for sweeping, mopping or vacuuming... I roll around in my chair. If the bedroom needs a big cleaning then I just roll the chair back there. I use stools for cooking or doing dishes. Hope this helps.
Set a timer for 15 minutes and clean during that period ONLY. When the timer goes off, you're done for the night.
When cleaning, apply your cleanser to the surface and let it sit while you work on something else and give the cleaner time to work and you will have to use a lot less elbow grease to get your cleaning done.
Do yourself and your senses a favor by opening up windows when you use caustic cleaners. Opening up various windows and doors will help air circulate throughout the house and help freshen everything.
Most of us have a general cleaning routine for our homes. But there are a lot of places that are typically overlooked.
In a pinch, use a baby wipe to do a quick cleanup of a whole bathroom. Makes everything smell baby fresh, too.
Get a small steamer used for cleaning. Use the jet tip and when cleaning the bathroom it shoots a strong jet of steam and makes quick work of any and all corners.
I have one rule for food leaving the kitchen. It must be on a tray. For this reason, I never get spills on my carpet or furniture.
I have two baggies under my sink. One is for the sponges (with the scrubby side), marked for veggies. Another is for the "dirty work" sponges.
I tried using SPF 30 sunscreen to get black marker pen out of my white leather sofa and it did not work! I also tried nail polish remover which stripped the leather and ruined my sofa. Do not assume that this will work!
I color code my sponges. For example: yellow is for the toilet, green is for the sink, etc. The sponges last longer because you know what it is being used for. And you can plan accordingly.
How to fake clean a house (or what to do when your house is a wreck and company is coming in 15 minutes). Family Room: Stack books and magazines in neat piles or place in a decorative basket.
You only need a few basic cleaning supplies to perform all of your household cleaning tasks. All purpose cleaners save money and eliminate clutter caused by an over abundance of specialized products.
If you need to be kneeling down, but don't have a pad for your knees, take two large safety pins and two large sponges and pin one sponge to the knees of your pants.
For odd jobs, to remind yourself the specific jobs that need done, try this idea. Make "tool kits". Put all the items you need for a task into a bin or bucket and label it.
