Housework How To's....

Nicky - posted on 02/24/2011

You have time for a workout and naps with 4 children? WoW! I only have one (20mnths) and I am constantly complaining about the lack of personal time and time for cleaning. My dd also does not sleep. She only needs 6-7hrs a night. (I have tried everything). Anyhoo, I too was getting angry and resentful at my messy-don't-have-a-care-in-the-world husband and I had to pray. My prayer was for God to help me lower my standards and tolerate the mess and it took about 4-5 months but I can honestly say that now, I am more relaxed about going to bed with dishes in the sink if I didn't get to it. Hope you can get some blinders up and some more sleep too!!! Prayer changes things :)

Carla - posted on 02/23/2011

I agree with Shelley. We had the 1st shift/2nd shift thing for 20 years. I HAD to leave the house by 6:20a. Hubby got up with me in the morning, then laid back down before he went to work. But making this schedule work, you NEED more sleep. Talk to Hubby, let him know you are running on empty.

God bless

Sarah - posted on 02/23/2011

I usually get anywhere between 3 and 8 hours of sleep, but it's not consistant. Sometimes I have no choice but to stay awake...(sick child, etc.). I try to nap whenever I get a chance but it's rare. I have recently been putting off any and all 'chores' after 9 pm so I can get some sleep, but it's hard when you and your kids are on '1st shift' when your hubby is on '2nd shift'. I'm trying to balance both....but I can't. So, when I'm asleep when the hubby gets home, and if it iritates him, oh well....I need the sleep and to be honest, he should understand. Anyway, thanks for the feedback....I'll def. keep that in mind.

Shelley - posted on 02/22/2011

hi Sarah,
I just looked at your schedule I don't know how you do it you need more sleep. You.only have 3 hrs and 15 minutes sleep we would all be resentful and angry let alone able to function. I know its hard but you need to find 8 hrs of sleep and make it a priority. I think when your well rested you will find the rest will fall into place.

Carla - posted on 02/21/2011

Well, I can see you have the scheduling down pat! You have 3 little ones home in the morning, maybe give them polishing rags and turn them loose on the furniture. Give each piece of furniture a spray and tell them to wipe it down. My little grandbaby used to LOVE to clean the floor. I would give her a spray bottle with water in it and a rag and that kept her busy for hours! Just move her around every now and then to get the most out of her fun ;) I understand your struggle with trying to get everything done, I used to sit on the john and be cleaning the sink at the same time. But the world isn't going to come to an end if everything isn't spotless, honey. That is the biggest obstacle we have to overcome. We see homes on TV that are spotless and think we are somehow inferior. We have to remember what is fantasy and what is reality. Pray, honey. God knows how we long for the peace of a tidy house, but He also knows sometimes that isn't possible. HE will provide the Peace.



God bless, honey, keep the faith!

Sarah - posted on 02/20/2011

Thanks Carla! Your advice is some of the best I've heard. I just get overwhelmed alot with everything my job demands of me. My schedule is usually like this:
5 a.m.-wake up, get 2 oldest up and ready for school
6 a.m.-see them get on the bus.
6:30 am- back and time for my breakfast/workout
7:30 am- get youngest 2 girls up and fed
8 am- let girls watch cartoons while I start a load of laundry
8:30-11:45 am- spent w/my youngest (playing, etc.) and a nap (all 3 of us will take a nap).
12 pm- lunch/cleaning up after lunch
1pm- maybe a quick shower/make phone calls/make out shopping list...etc.
2pm- start picking out what to make for dinner/do some light cleaning
3 pm- pick up oldest 2 girls off bus
3:30 pm- do homework with them
4:15 pm- start preparing dinner
5-5:30pm -eating dinner
6 pm- cleaning up after dinner/letting kids play in room
6:30 pm-telling girls to clean up toys in room
7pm- bath time for kids
7:30 pm- getting dressed for bed/story time
8pm- bedtime for kids
9pm-10:45pm -my personal prayer time/bible study time
11pm- husband gets home from work
11:15pm- 1:30am- spending time with hubby
1:45am-5am- sleep
So, you see, I am very busy all the time.
That is just my schedule for the week days. On weekends, I can relax a little more since everyone is at home and I don't have to get up at 5 in the am. I can wait til 7 to get up.
I just find it impossible to get every little thing done in ONE day...so I have been trying to learn how to space out my cleaning time so I don't drive myself nuts. LOL. Thanks for your advice! It was very helpful! :)

Carla - posted on 02/18/2011

Sweetie, there are two stages of housekeeping--one when the house is NEVER clean, but your family is happy, and then there's #2, when the children are gone, husband is gone, and the house is clean, but empty and deadly quiet. #2 is definitely not where you want to be.



Until the kids are grown, you will not have a clean house! Take it to the bank. You can get laundry bins, for the kids to keep in their rooms, and you TEACH them to put their dirty clothes in them. Allow the children to play with one toy at a time, put it away and then get another one out. Label each drawer with what is in it, and make sure when you get done using it, put it where it belongs. If you have an upstairs, keep a tote on the bottom of the stairs and put excess toys, whatever, in the tote to take upstairs on your next trip. Get a hand-held vacuum to touch up carpet and couch when spills happen. You don't need to scrub every day, you don't need to vacuum every day. Your house doesn't HAVE to look like a model out of House Beautiful. That is a set-up for frustration and anger. I would do spot cleans of bathroom sink, toilet, etc during the week when needed, Pledge the furniture, etc., but on Saturday we did our major cleaning. I had my husband install the washer/dryer in the bathroom, so doing laundry daily was less hassle.



I worked full time with at least 3 kids, and sometimes 6 or more at any given time. I had a strict schedule, and was as organized as humanly possible. I tidied up before I went to bed.



Being a full time housekeeper is a thankless job, honey. Unless your husband is obsessively clean, he isn't going to care if the house looks lived in. The kids don't care, so this is something you are going to have to deal honestly with. Do you have unreal expectations? God expects us to take the best care possible of our families, but He doesn't expect us to be slaves. Take an honest look at what you are wanting--are you expecting perfection? This will cause resentment. Get organized, a schedule will help greatly, because if you have dinner at, say, 5pm, you can have the kitchen clean by 6, then have time for baths, homework and a little quiet time for the fam. But above all, pray. Ask God to show you what HE expects from you, and to help you accomplish it.



The time will come when you will miss these days--trust me! The house is clean, but I miss the noise of laughing children.



God bless, honey