How do you keep your house clean?

I am a SAHM and I have no idea what happens in my day that my house can not stay organized??? It is driving me nuts. I have people coming over every day or every other day and I feel like all I do is organize and clean

Vent over - thanks

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

Im a SAHM too and my house looks like a bomb went off about 80% of the time. I clean at night when the kids go to sleep but as soon as they get up it's back to what it looks like now. I do have a housekeeper 1x a week.

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

i don't!

actually, it is clean as in disinfected, but we just don't have enough room to put everything away, so stuff is EVERYWHERE.

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

Don't have children.

I think it's impossible to have a spotless house with children.

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

If there is anyone that has the answer i would love to hear it!I just can't get organized either.My house is clean but I have alot of stuff

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

I don't have kids (unless you want to include my DH ) but my house is always clean. I make it a point to clean up the house every night after making dinner. On the weekends, DH pitching in & we do our big cleaning

With kids, I can't see how you could considering you have toys & stuff all over!

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

I have become the master of multi-tasking...as in..

If the baby is taking a bath, I bring a basket full of laundry with me into the bathroom and fold as she's playing.

If I want to get the kitchen cleaned up, I'll put her up in the high chair and let her color/waterpaint, etc.

If I see multiple items laying around (shoes, toys, etc.), I'll gather them up in my shirt (make like a pouch out of the front) and run them to the appropriate areas.

I know that your little one is too small as of yet, but nothing like training them early to help out. Make a game out of clean up; teach them about the garbage pail (just be careful how zealous they get with it..my Mom is missing half of her bowls ), teach them to wipe up the Windex, etc. Whenever I'm hard core cleaning now, Amber asks to help. She loves running the feather duster over furniture, baseboards, etc.

I know it's hard Especially if you have alot of visitors. It sort of feels like you're moving from one mess to another. Time management and alot of short cut/tricks will help!

Good luck!

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

Get a cleaning lady?


No really, I think the idea of cleaning as you go is the best way to keep organized. Also, if you keep reminding the people you live with (DH ususally) the proper places for things, hopefully they will eventually get it. My DH is ALMOST there!

Last night on According to Jim, he walks into the house from work presumably and it is a disaster. The kids are running around in their jammies, clothes, food trash all over the place. Stuff even hanging from the chandalier! Jim walks into the living room to find Cheryl sitting there on the couch in sweats and her hair all messy. He says, "What happened in here?". She replies, "Well, you know how you are always asking me what I do all day? Well, today I didn't do it"!

This post totally reminded me of that!

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

My place is usually pretty clean...I get alot done when she goes to bed and right now she is entertained by her swing and bouncy chair that I can clean up messes as they happen

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

I think its actually harder when you are home.

When your not home, you aren't there to take things out of their proper places, and you are not eating there, accumulating dishes,etc.

I have not been happy with my housekeeping for the last 2 years or so,( since i got married & moved) but I have gotten better lately.
I feel like each time I move it takes me a while to get in the swing of things & find homes for everything, and this time it took longer b/c there were 2 of us & we hadn't lived together before.

I'm about 80% happy with it now. Putting things in the proper place immediately helps, and I think cleaning a little at time helps, especially with the bathroom. I used to be opposed to this, b/c I felt I was always cleaning, but it is easier to find a few minutes a day, as opposed to 2-3 days straight.

Message edited 8/30/2006 12:46:18 PM.

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

cleaning lady

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

I'm due in October and we'll be getting a cleaning lady atleats every other week. I don't like cleaning as it is, there's no way I'm going to want to do it once I have the baby.

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

I think it helps just to do little things, even if you don't have time to clean a whole room. I read a book on organizing once and the one tip I remember is "Always leave a room better than when you entered it." So even if I just put a couple small things away, it's something. And sometimes that motivates me to do even more.

I also find myself multitasking a lot- and I get a lot done durning commercials when I am watching something on tv.

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

I am a SAHM and have a very hard time keeping the house organized too
I also have 3 dogs and a husband that is a slob so that makes it a little harder
I do have a cleaning lady and thank god for her!

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

I dont have kids (unless DH counts ) so I think the mess isnt too bad. But I love to straighten up, not clean, but I guess I do a little everyday to maintain the house and then 2x a month I do a major cleaning.

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

i live alone lol my house is always pin neat--which im sure will be short lived when i do have kids lol

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

I do a thorough cleaning once a week usually on Sundays, i sweep every day to pick up all the dog's hair and when the babysitter comes, she helps out a bit too.

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

I don't. That's how I keep everyone away!

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

I work from home and have no kids and I feel like all I ever do is clean. My DH is a slob and although he has gotten much better - the house still isn't neat 24/7. The dogs toys are always all over the house - and I feel like once I clean one room - the next one gets messy.

This is something we will be working on before we have children!

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

I don't have kids but my DH isn't any better!

I straighten things up and sweep my floors everyday when I get home from work (it's a habit). Although, I can't begin to imagine what it's going to be like once we have children. The house at that point may be harder to keep up with than it is for me now.

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

my friend has 3 kids (2 under 7) and you can eat off the floors in her house. she is a freak about cleaning though. she mops and vacuums every single day! she doesn't stop working and cleaning ALL day

IMO, that's the only way to keep a house clean when you have kids. and I don't know about any of you, but I will never be that obsessed with cleaning

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

Posted by lorich

Don't have children.

I think it's impossible to have a spotless house with children.

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

Posted by MrsDiamondgrlie

I dont have kids (unless DH counts ) so I think the mess isnt too bad. But I love to straighten up, not clean, but I guess I do a little everyday to maintain the house and then 2x a month I do a major cleaning.

Re: How do you keep your house clean?

I dont have children yet, and definately don't have a spotless house. But to answer the question, DH does a lot of the cleaning. I do the "straightening up"