Cleaning, is it on a schedule, or an 'as needed' b... - Page 2

Mz iMac · ‎07-26-2014

Retired

Housekeeper once a month (when I worked, every 2 weeks).

I am an expert at straightening up.

Nothing is on schedule. It gets done when it gets done or when I feel like it. Whichever comes first.

I HATE ALL FORMS OF HOUSEWORK!!!!!!

"Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

@Nightowlz wrote:
Mine is on a schedule. I clean some each day & start all over on Monday. Since I'm finished dusting & cleaning I need to get off the computer & vacuum & mop. My habits have not changed over the years. When I was working that's how I had to clean. I would not have got it all done if I did not do some daily. Everyone says I'm a clean freak. Who knew? I just keep house as my mom did. Did not know that was being a clean freak. I'm not in a good mood if the house is not clean.

Me too! I love to come home to an orderly house, and will get up early to make sure it is that way when I leave.

LonestarBabs · ‎06-26-2011

When I was younger, I spent each Saturday doing all my chores: grocery shopping, cleaning, etc. My Sunday was free to recover from Saturday and do other things (or nothing), and then it was back to work on Monday wondering why I had such a short weekend!

Now, I am primary caregiver for my elderly mother, taking a sabbatical from corporate America to work on my PhD, and the chores get done when I am able (and willing).

Each day I make my bed and tidy my bathroom, as I think that just starts the day off right. Everything else is done on as "as needed" basis. I get too frustrated now if I schedule a task and then something changes and I can't get to do what I had planned. Much easier to be flexible. There are things that get attention weekly but not on a set day.

I am going to splurge and get a cleaning service for 1x month. Will make Mom happier, as she fusses about cleaning all the time (she can't do any but she can sure tell me how I don't do it enough!) and keep a baseline clean.

Day1128 · ‎06-27-2010

I'm retired and I have a schedule. When I didn't have a schedule, I found that it was easier to wait until 'tomorrow' to do something, since I had the time. I have a form I created (spreadsheet) and I have each week listed and chores such as: dust 2x/week, vacuum 2x per week, etc.

It may seem overly structured, but it works for me. I like the checkmarks when something is done!

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

@Day1128 wrote:
I'm retired and I have a schedule. When I didn't have a schedule, I found that it was easier to wait until 'tomorrow' to do something, since I had the time. I have a form I created (spreadsheet) and I have each week listed and chores such as: dust 2x/week, vacuum 2x per week, etc.
It may seem overly structured, but it works for me. I like the checkmarks when something is done!

I'm a list maker, and I love to check things off as I go. It makes me feel like I'm getting things done, and it keeps me on task.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

When I was little my Mom worked Monday thru Friday, and we lived on a farm so there were a lot of daily chores. Saturdays were an absolute housework day for everyone in our family, including my Dad.. NO EXCUSES. We were absolutely not allowed to make plans with friends or schedule anything on saturdays. Everyone all had assigned work to do , even when we were little my Mom would make me crawl all around the house and dust the baseboards because she said I was the closest to them. Many hands do make light work and usually we were done by early afternoon.Our family would have spent some precious time together - something we didn't get a lot of with the farm and both parents working, plus the house was clean and the laundry done. Another absolute and unbreakable rule - no bickering during housework. Do your job, mind your own business and leave your siblings alone to do their's. It was a great system and worked well for our family. Saturday night and Sunday we were free to make plans with our friends.

handygal2 · ‎01-19-2015

No cleaning schedules for me-- too regimented! I do it on an as-needed basis. And if l'm having company, l go on a cleaning rampage the day before, LOL.

~~Be careful when you follow the masses. Sometimes the 'm' is silent.~~

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

The only thing scheduled and followed in my life, are numerous appointments. I retired with the attitude I was going to enjoy my life with my husband, and in as much as possible, do what I want, when I want. I want to enjoy what we worked for, not obsess over dusty baseboards and ceiling fans.

I am not regimented; I clean when I feel like it. I do my laundry around my daughters schedules; teacher daughter does her laundry on Sunday's, trucker daughter has to start her laundry as soon as she gets home from a run, since she may have to hit the road again within 24 hours. I always have my laundry done and out of the way in order for them to do their laundry, but have no specific day to do it.

I am making more of an effort to grocery shop every 4-6 weeks, as it is physically easier on my husband, who insists on shopping with me. Going every 2-3 months was great while it lasted, but isn't working well for him now. I would rather make 1 trip, spend $500, and be good for several months, than have to make more frequent trips to the store.

My parents built their home as they could afford it; never had a mortgage. They were very proud of that simple home, and my mom worked hard to keep it clean. Our tile floors always had a bowling alley wax shine on them. We "lived" in our house and enjoyed it, but were taught to check our shoes and wipe our feet before entering the house. My parents were firm in teaching us to have clean habits at home, but not obsessive, altho mom seemed to be washing walls, painting, or waxing floors all the time.

I started my marriage thinking I had to clean to that degree as well, but over time I have adjusted my attitude, relaxed my style, maybe even lowered my standards and expectations, and learned to let things go. My house is always clean enough for company; I am never embarrassed to open my door for family and friends, but this is a home shared by 4 people, and we enjoy our home, cobwebs, dust, and all.

GCR18 · ‎07-03-2013

I am recovering from having cancer last year. My approach has changed because I don't have the stamina I once had, but it's coming back slowly. Only the bare minimum was done last year. I am trying to play catchup. I plan one job, above the normal cleaning, each weekend. Like last Sunday, I had a friend come over and she shampooed the living room carpet and I dusted the furniture/molding. The weekend before, I took everything out of the fridge and washed the shelves.

Hopefully by the summer I'll be caught up. I normally don't have a set schedule. I do it when it needs it.

Snicks1 · ‎07-28-2012

I tidy the house each morning, then I tackle whatever job needs done. I don't have a "set" schedule, but most weeks it seems the same things get done on the same days. If a big job needs done, I will often times double up the next day or the day before tackling the big job. I do have some physical challenges, so can only do so much on any given day. With that said, during Spring, Summer, & Fall, most of my time is spent in the yard, so most of the big jobs are done during the Winter months.

"To each their own, in all things".