- Use a squeegee after every shower, it will keep the glass and walls sparkling [at the time I did not have a shower - but in the years since, I have stuck rigidly to this habit - it works
- When mopping the floor, keep clean water and wrung out dirty water in two different buckets. I use a pad type mop, and have a clean dry pad for drying and finishing off, rather than wringing out the dirty pad.
- I did not like his "life's too short" model - with frequent use of single use disposables, both for cleaning and decor. [Especially "don't put all the Christmas stuff back in store, ditch and and buy new next December"] What about saving the planet, Don?
However, about the same time I read the book, I often walked the girls home from school along with another mum and daughter. One Friday she said "I feel so guilty, I haven't washed down the skirting boards this week" I cheerfully responded "Don't worry, I haven't done mine for well over a fortnight, and the world hasn't ended!" [truth be told, I couldn't actually remember when I'd last done it, it may have been after the flying chocolate mousse incident the previous autumn...I was a busy and stressed Mum back then]
The more I think back to those sunny days, making models, visiting NT properties, climbing over the cannons at the Maritime Museum, enjoying Holiday Clubs and Pancake Parties, the more I realise Mr Aslett was wrong. The question ought to be "Have you enjoyed life before the housework?"
Obviously there are some chores which happen as part of the daily routine. Habits like pulling out the wheelie bin on Wednesday. loading the dishwasher after the meal, dropping dirty clothes straight in the bin as you take them off, squeegeeing the shower before you get out and dry yourself, putting the milk jug back in the fridge promptly - especially in hot weather...
But the sun's shining and you want to go for a walk, take the grandchildren somewhere fun, or attend a free organ concert in the Church - so forget washing down the skirting or re-organising the sock drawer!
Obviously there are some chores which happen as part of the daily routine. Habits like pulling out the wheelie bin on Wednesday. loading the dishwasher after the meal, dropping dirty clothes straight in the bin as you take them off, squeegeeing the shower before you get out and dry yourself, putting the milk jug back in the fridge promptly - especially in hot weather...
Another Mum I knew back then said that she had never seen her mother do housework. Cooking and clearing up meals yes - but cleaning, washing, ironing - Mum did all those other tasks once the three children had gone to bed. I couldn't get my head round that - didn't vacuuming keep them awake? If she ran the washing machine at night, when and how did she get the laundry dry?
According to a survey two years before the pandemic, the average British woman spends 2 hours a day on household chores, and men a little less than that [i.e. a total of 14 hours a week] . I couldn't find out if the 2 hours included meal prep&clearing. If it does, then that seems about right for us. In retirement it is easier to share out the jobs [and he is a better cook than I] Many working women, like my daughters are well organised, busy juggling family, work and home. I know it is tiring for them [so grateful that my two always make family needs their #1 priority] Perhaps I should keep a time sheet for two weeks and see what gets done and when. But not this week - I'm off to London on Friday morning!
How have your housekeeping habits changed over the years?
Do you have any help? [humans or gadgets]
You may like to go to the Karan Thakar exhibition of textiles at Blicking Hall. On until 1st Nov.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Would you believe, I went last week, but have been very busy since so not yet posted my pictures. It's a brilliant exhibition
DeleteI thought of you as soon as I heard about it. x
DeleteThank you!!!
DeleteWhen we were both working, we had help twice a week. Now we are retired, the jobs are divided out. Yesterday was too hot for anything but the most basic chores, so we both did some crafting. Catriona
ReplyDeleteI'm working inside in the cool making memory bears. But got two loads of washing on the line bright and early, the will soon bake dry!!
DeleteI'm definitely a lot lazier... since the lockdowns we haven't had guests inside the house, or people to stay, and those were the two things that used to goad me into doing Proper Cleaning
ReplyDeleteImminent Guests are a spur to getting things clean and tidy, I agree.
DeleteI'm in a complete state at home and have been for a couple of months. Whilst I get the washing up done and washing and worktops and such cleaned, I just can't seem to get back to a reset clean and tidy house. I'm just so.tired all the the time and lacking in energy to get everything done all the time. I'm not sure why it's all gone so wrong recently.
ReplyDeleteJust keep going until term ends, and then book out a couple of days for the pair of you to get it all done. Followed by a meal out in the evening! (Or a takeaway)
DeleteMy mum was the sort of person who ironed everything and moaned bitterly about it! When I left home I remember being in the nurses home, ironing my bedding. I suddenly realised that i didn't care if my sheets were creased, nobody else was going to see them. I have never ironed a sheet since. i don't buy clothes which need to be ironed and don't care if I am a bit creased. People I have told his over the years have been appalled at this. I like my house to be clean and hygienic, anything else is window-dressing!
ReplyDeleteI am not appalled. I stand with you on this one sister!! The thing I iron most is interfacing (making memory🧸 bears today with some difficult dress fabrics. It is NOT the day for wielding a steam iron!!) 🥵
DeleteThere has to be a balance doesn't there? I know friends, back in the 70s who had a housework timetable on the wall and rigidly stuck to it.
ReplyDeleteI'm fortunate to have a lady who has been with me for ten years through thick and thin and is a huge support.
Monday's washday....I am grateful to be liberated from that. A good cleaner/help is invaluable I think
DeleteHousework has never been a priority for me, I do the bare minimum so as not to live in a hovel.
ReplyDelete👍
DeleteI've never had help in the house, partly because if it needs doing it needs doing now. I can't imagine leaving a dirty floor unswept until a certain day.
ReplyDeleteWhen my mother was very ill and I was dashing up to Norfolk at weekends and working full time and living in a small cottage (difficult to get stuff dry on wet days) I did send sheets and towels to the laundry. I knew something had to give.
My husband does help and whilst we don't exaclty share the duties when he's decorating or busy outside the home I miss the help. Having said that I really aprpeciate his contribution and think he works just as hard as me he's just less likely to clean a loo or tackle the ironing.
Skirting boards are a running gag here. If Trevor ever says he's bored I say he could always clean the skirting boards.
Jill x
I agree about the blessing of a helpful husband. (And that there are some chores they do willingly, others less so!) Added work or family responsibilities reduce the time one has for chores
DeleteI’m a lot less strung up about housework than I used to be……when I’m at the end of my life I’m sure I’m not going to be thinking “ I wish I’d done more housework “ 😄
ReplyDeleteAs long as it’s not unhygienic I’m happy these days…….. the dust will still be there when I’m not!
Alison in Devon x
There's a poem that begins "Dust if you must..."
Delete'Have your housekeeping habits changed over the years?'
ReplyDeleteOh yes ... I no longer iron anything at all, in fact I don't own an iron. I probably spend not much more than two hours A WEEK on specific cleaning things. I tend to squeegee down the shower and wipe up after every shower. Now that we don't have dogs, I can get away with hoovering just twice a week and mopping once every two weeks. It's very liberating.
Small children 👶👶👶and pets 🐕🐈🐇definitely multiply the chores exponentially
DeleteOur house is a dirt magnet - dirty gravel driveway, hard water that creates instant soap scum, extreme pine pollen in spring, dust from wood furnace in winter, hobby lumberjack DH bringing in wood chips. We once lived for a while in a city apartment, stairs to door so dirt left behind on the way up. Fabulous water supply, sink never grimy, but I missed my wilderness! Best friends are a stick vac for quick cleanups, and my cleaner who comes every other week. Picking up and putting away all the time helps. I keep forgetting to dust. I once saw a fridge magnet, "My house is clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be happy!"
ReplyDeleteSome crafts and hobbies are great contributors to the mess. Today I have been cutting up fleecy fabric and there are tiny bits of fluff everywhere! Fortunately the woodworking gets done in the workshop and Bob has en extractor fan for that dust!
DeleteI'm quite houseproud, and do certain jobs on set days and I do iron, but less these days. I always do the cooking - we would starve if it was left up to Alec. My Mum, lovely as she was, didn't do housework or ironing, preferring to garden or read, so I think I went in the opposite direction. Keep cool! Xx
ReplyDeleteId prefer to sew or read than do housework too
DeletePre lockdown I was at home by myself during the week and, although I didn't have a timetable, certain jobs got done pretty much on the same day every week.
ReplyDeletePost lockdown there are 3 of us here all the time and jobs get done as and when.
I remember my Mum once saying that if Dad ever suggested a day out she would agree as the housework could wait until another day, but he might stop suggesting days out if she kept saying no to them.
Your Mum was right. Days together are much more fun than housework, it's good to seize the opportunity for fun time
DeleteI saw something on Social Media this week. Two nuns chatting about hobbies and saying that they didn't have hobbies because it was just one more thing to do, and they were busy enough, which is a shame, I think, but I do understand what they mean.
ReplyDeleteI have definitely noticed an improvement in housework since (a) the kids have left and (b) HOH has retired. Which is obvious when you think about it, but also helped, like you say, when the other half is more than happy to pull his weight.
My increased weight definitely bears witness to the fact that now Bob's retired , he keeps cooking fabulous meals!
ReplyDeleteI remember reading that book back in the 1980s. There were several other books, too, about decluttering, etc. I enjoyed reading them. I didn't necessarily follow the advice I read in them, though! My house is still not very clean or tidy or decluttered. It's a constant struggle for me.
ReplyDeleteI am sure it is not as bad as you think! And I know you work especially hard when visitors come
DeleteA good friend who I hadn’t seen in years invited me to dinner at her home and gave me “ the grand tour”. She said she’d cleaned up because it was the first time I’d been there. “In future”, she said, “if you want to see me, you’re welcome to drop in any time. If you want to see the house, make an appointment”. I tell people they’re welcome to come over any time as long as they aren’t allergic to dust or cat hair.
DeleteA sensible approach
DeleteMy jaw literally dropped when you mentioned your friend not washing her skirting boards that week. The only time I wash them is prior to sanding and painting them which, mercifully, is not very often. Except in the kitchen where they seem to attract dirt. The only thing keeping me from being a total slob is the well-stocked freezer of home-cooked food and prepped veg. But I'm with you re the shower squeegee, I used a car squeegee before I realised that shower squeegees were an actual thing.
ReplyDeleteIn this weather, a well stocked fridge and freezer are especially useful, reducing time spent in a hot kitchen
ReplyDeleteWe tend to do minimal housework to keep the house acceptable then crisis cleaning when we have visitors!
ReplyDeleteI actually don't mind ironing and enjoy looking after my clothes and other belongings. They are all hard earned so deserve some love. Mind you, when faced with a mountain of ironing because I haven't had time to get round to it I grumble a bit and go into "crisis ironing mode" because by then we have run out of clean clothes!
Enjoying the everyday is more important now than ever. So many people are dissatisfied with their lives and yearn for the exotic. My happiest memories are not of expensive holidays or grand days out but of things like an evening with friends, baking with Mum or picking blackberries.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree
DeleteMy comment was intended for your next post..........:)
Delete🥵It's the heat, addling our brains 🥵
DeleteI'm afraid we have got more and more slovenly. I cook, Mr FD washes up/does the dishwasher, and we clean cat trays on a regular basis. Otherwise things have slipped quite a bit. And I don't think I have ever washed skirting boards in my entire life!
ReplyDeleteSounds fine to me. Ignore the housework and have a lovely time visiting your family 💜
DeleteWhy have I never come across the magic sponge before! Used just with water, it gets rid of limescale on the shower screen and taps.
ReplyDeleteDH thought his days off were for his leisure and his retirement is a permanent holiday.
No - it's his opportunity to learn lots of exciting new skills (cooking,vacuuming, changing the bedlinen...)
DeleteAnother tip like the shower squeegee one is to clean up spills on the stove or in the oven immediately. They are much easier to clean when fresh than when they’ve been cooked/baked on.
ReplyDelete👍
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