I'm really a top house cleaner. Really I am. Actually, I pay Clare and Ally to clean the house. They do a reasonable job. Doesn't run to brushing away spider webs.
One of many webs. I'd really like a dusted, de-webbed and sparchy clean house. Windows, skirtings and all. I have stuff, family members have stuff; and mess abounds. Why is there a mattress upright in the hallway? Why is the table on the deck covered in paint tins/brushes/etc? Why do I sleep in the sewing room? Why are half-finished paintings on the kitchen table? I guess this explains the mess and stuff. Half finished projects everywhere (doesn't explain the mattress, however). I have to compromise with my inner spartan all the time. If all the surfaces are swept clean every day it is difficult to have projects-on-the-go (unless you're blessed with a work room). When I die I don't want to be remembered for a very clean and tidy house. Other things, I hope. Heh, this is my excuse (and I'm sticking to it!).
Now, gratuitous photo of cute kitteh having a sleep.
So, how do you people handle the house work dilemna? Give me your hot tips.
I am trying to do two full hours actual real CLEANING ( toilets, dust, webs, sinks etc) without a break, like I'm paid to do it, on one of my days off, Thursday or Friday.
The rest of the time I tidy in fits and starts. I rarely touch the kids rooms these days, unless requested, and find the rest of the house doesn't take too long to tidy. But we have piles of books and knitting and school stuff around constantly... family life!
Posted by: librarygirl | February 14, 2012 at 08:49 PM
You want to know something? On your last post I thought your bathroom was so clean and sparkling that I almost commented on it. Seriously. I didn't because I thought it was an odd thing to remark about a clean bathroom because maybe normal people aren't grots like us at our place. Anyway it motivated me to wash the towels, change the sheets and do a bit of a sweep. And it felt good. But I don't think I'm ever going to be remembered for having a clean house and I'm OK with that!
Posted by: Janet | February 14, 2012 at 10:38 PM
Cleaning,,,,what is that???? lol
My house is a bomb site. The most regular housework that gets done is sweeping the tiled floors and that is mainly because if I don't I end up with masses of cat/dog fur accumulating in all the corners and that drives me nuts! I get really down sometimes because every surface in this house is cluttered. I long for a minimalist style house but I know that it will never happen. 6 kids, animals and a hubby that tends to just leave things where they lay, unless I want to do nothing but housework, I think I am fighting a never ending battle.
I look forward to hearing from others that hopefully can gives us all a few tips though lol.
Posted by: Colleen | February 15, 2012 at 09:23 AM
I cannot manage a clean house and a nice garden. I can manage a garden and one clean room at a time. At the moment it's my bedroom, last week it was the craft room, before that the kitchen, then the living room, then the bathroom. So I'll have to clean the bathroom tonight because it's REVOLTING. And the living room is covered in cat hair and littered with boxes of books. Oh, well. I find it's less aggravating if I have at least one place to retreat to that has some kind of order, and is clean and mostly neat. But I get suspicious when houses are too orderly and shiny. Much as I'd like one of those, I suspect they are the product of not doing much LIVING in it.
Posted by: Kate | February 15, 2012 at 09:25 AM
you know sue, there's more to life than having a spotless house, your place is always ok when I visit, you should be just doing your basics each morning and other stuff when you have time if they get out of control otherwise you'll end up like me... totally anal and that's not good
Posted by: lizzy D | February 15, 2012 at 01:34 PM
On housework - I have things that I really care about keeping clean and then there's things I never think about like washing windows or cleaning marks off walls (there are many and they keep increasing). The bathroom gets cleaned when I know guests are coming over (so once or twice a week usually). I pretty obsessed with keeping the kitchen clean (in between meals) more than any other room in the house.
I really would love a very clean house with everything in it's place all the time and not much clutter around but it would make for a boring life for the kids. I read on a blog once someone's philosophy about there house being a place filled with ongoing projects everytwhere and seeing the home as a workspace for everyone, I can't remember the exact words but it has stuck with me a influenced the way I view how our home is set up and how it's good to have things being made and toys being set up everywhere.
Sometimes I dream about the future with no kids in the house and everything looking perfect, and just having two offices or workrooms for projects and the rest of the place looking lovely.
I did read somewhere that any given space can only sustain a certain amount of spiders as there is only so many flies and bugs to go around for food, which is comforting.
Obviously I think about this stuff a lot!
Posted by: victoria | February 16, 2012 at 09:37 AM
I pay a cleaning lady $55 once a fortnight, and this forces me to tidy up the day before she comes. I need that discipline. I think the best thing to do about spiderwebs is to become really short-sighted so you don't really notice them, or think of them as mosquito and flytraps! Like Victoria, I almost NEVER clean windows, but on the odd occasion I do, I always think how sparkly, light and lovely it feels!
Gosh Mickey is cute. Hope his wounds heal soon. Did you insure him?
Posted by: Stompergirl | February 18, 2012 at 06:45 PM