Housekeeping tips

AvalinetteAvalinette In the kitchenSilver Member Posts: 1,316

We just moved house and I want to do a better job this time of keeping on top of cleaning and tidying. Particularly, I'm thinking of ways to make cleaning easy. So, anyone with tips, feel free to weigh in. Stuff I've done so far:

-bathroom cleaning: I can't actually keep cleaning supplies by the toilet etc. because of having a toddler (who needs at least some bathroom access) in the house. I've put together a bucket with paper towel, cloths, bathroom spray, bleach and I have the bucket in our ensuite (which the toddler doesn't have access to). I also bought one of those mops with the squeezy foam thing on the end and it's permanently in the toddler bathroom so I can clean up the water splashes when she baths too enthusiastically.

-Laundry: my biggest sticking point is getting the clean clothes folded and put away because I need the dining room table which means I've always had to do the whole job between meals. Now, I have a shelf and rack on wheels things that I can wheel out of the laundry to the dining room. I hang hanging things on the rack and put the folded things on the shelf as I go (rather than making piles on the table) I have boxes for sorting small stuff on the table. If I don't get the job done I can put the basket of clean clothes under the rack and the sorting boxes on top and wheel the whole thing back into the laundry.

-More laundry: I have my most used laundry cleaning supplies on the shelf above the washer so I don't have to bend down and get them out of the cupboard under the sink. I have some laundry things in a crate that I can put either in the sink or on the washer depending on which surface I need to use (my laundry is too small to give them a dedicated space).

-Sweeping: I have my broom and dustpan hanging on a hook near the kitchen so I can get them easily. I also have paper towel on hand in the kitchen for wet messes and for bigger wet messes I fetch the already damp spongey mop from the bathroom. I'd kinda like a second spongy mop downstairs in the kitchen but not sure where to put it and not sure it'll stay always damp like the upstairs mop that mops the bathroom floor most nights.

-Vacuuming: I don't have a solution yet. I'd like to find a spot where I can keep the vacuum cleaner permanently plugged in rather than having to haul it out from storage every time I use it. I want a better vacuum cleaner, but that's low on the budgetting for household things list :( Is it too much to want 2 vacuum cleaners so I can keep one upstairs and one downstairs?


What do you do to make cleaning easier?

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Comments

  • AvalinetteAvalinette In the kitchenSilver Member Posts: 1,316

    Toddler toys: She has a tall shelf in the living room. The bottom shelves have a few toys on them, the higher shelves have activities she needs parent supervision for and on the top I have a few boxes with extra toys. My plan is that every now and then I'll get one box out and do a toy changeover between what's in that box and the toys on the lower shelves. (Apparently rotating toys is a good idea). I used to just have one box for all the toys that were out of rotation and it made toy rotation a big messy job and one I couldn't easily do with her around because she'd see all the toys every time.

  • frillyfunfrillyfun East PodunkGold Women Posts: 3,386
    edited May 2014

    I rotate toys too...mainly though this time of year we play outside, and that makes keeping things tidy a lot easier.

    For general cleaning I do a teaspoon each of orange essential oil, and either dish soap, or liquid castile soap in a 2-cup bottle with 2 tablespoons of vodka (you can also use rubbing alcohol, but I don't because of the toddler), and a little less than 2 cups of water.  If you use dish soap it  cleans everything including glass, and I don't have to worry about LO getting his little paws on it quite as much.  Use it at half strength in a Swiffer Wet Jet (there are youtube videos on how to refill the bottles), and you can even use it on hardwood floors.  

    Laundry- this may sound awful, but I don't fold DS's clothes.  He has one drawer for jammies, one drawer for shirts, and one drawer for pants.  I place them lovingly but unfolded in there.  They're not wadded up or anything so they don't get wrinkly.  He's a boy so I don't have to worry about pretty little dresses though.

    I'm also somewhat fussy about the clothes I buy us.  I don't buy anything that needs too much care/ironing/hang to dry.  H does his own laundry.

  • mrsozzymrsozzy texasGold Women Posts: 1,950

    I don't fold our kids’ play clothes either. And even if they did get wrinkled, nobody cares. I hang up the nice school clothes. And I don't fold our socks or underwear except for my fancy lingerie.

    frillyfunKatt[Deleted User]pornwidow
  • AvalinetteAvalinette In the kitchenSilver Member Posts: 1,316

    I don't fold kids clothes or undies...just sort into baskets. LO's clothes go into drawers (or hung up for dresses).

    @purple, I love the idea of the sponge with the handle. I can see myself selling how fun it is to scrub out her own bath to my toddler :P I also need to get some white vinegar again. I make a cleaning solution with tea tree oil and water but I always keep commercial stuff on hand too because professional cleaners charge less if you provide products and it's too confusing to give them my homemade stuff. One of the bonuses of using my dining room table as my flat space for folding clothes (and a place for working on the laptop and, and, and...) is the extra motivation to keep it clear :P This week I've actually managed to keep a pretty cloth and a vase of flowers in the middle of my dining room table so it looks like a nice centre piece to the living area.

    Purple
  • AvalinetteAvalinette In the kitchenSilver Member Posts: 1,316
    Purple said:

    Speaking of vinegar uses though - I use it in the dishwasher the most. I use it in the "pre-wash" spot and in the little thingy that is supposed to be for making your dishes sparkle (I'm sure that has a name, but I cannot think of it...) ... It keeps all my glass cups nice and perfectly clear, although I sometimes have to wipe them out with a towel to wipe off the cloudiness.


    hmm...we just got a dishwasher, for the first time in our marriage and the first time I've had one in my house since my early teens. I'm not real good with it :P At the moment we just have those tablet thingys. They work ok, but the dishes don't come out completely dry. My H is really the one who's keen on the dishwasher stuff. I prefer hand washing dishes; he vastly prefers the dishwasher and is better at stacking it and I think will be better at tweaking what detergents etc to use. I struggle to get round to actually emtpying it and then it sits there full of clean dishes and nowhere for me to put my dirty dishes. I also dislike emptying cause of all the bending with my big belly. I enjoy not having to do dishes though and I definitely like that having a dishwasher in the house makes my H more interested in helping with dishes.

  • OlddogOlddog CanadaSilver Member Posts: 743

    Two vacuums is not an unreasonable request, IMO.

    Now, I refuse to look in my kids' drawers - I know it will drive me nuts. Clean laundry gets stacked on their bed for them to deal with.

    But when my kids were little I folded outfits together - saved a lot of angst/arguments/hideous combinations. Tops and bottoms together, sock and underwear drawers, separate. Then I sent them to schools with uniforms :) YMMV

    My laundry system falls apart at the putting away stage, rarely will you not find a basket with folded clothes in my house :)

    Can you dry stuff outside? The scent motivates me to do laundry...

    Dollar stores! They have good cleaning supplies. I have a stash of brooms/mops/rags/sponges where needed. They have a cheap version of the Magic Eraser if you don't mind using those.

    For bathrooms, I love the disinfect wipes in the pop-up dispenser, I can swipe down the faucet and doorknob and give a good rinse in no time (littles seem to be germ factories IMHO).

    I use a mild vodka/water mixture in a spray bottle all over my kitchen. (Not as acidic as vinegar/water combo which I used frequently before). First I use hot soapy water, then spray/swipe for the shine. (Good thing I hate vodka :) )

    I use a mixture of eucalyptus oil/water instead of febreeze on furniture/fabric/curtains. You may prefer a different oil, but there's lots out there.

    I live in a dry climate, so after the dishwasher has run, I open the door for a bit instead of using the drying option - it adds moisture to my house. If you're in a humid climate, maybe the morning is better? Either use a name brand for your detergent, or if you use a no-name brand then you need Jet Dry. 

    I live in a land of plenty of fresh water, so I throw my dishwasher on every chance I get. I also throw my dishclothes/brushes into the dishwasher frequently (thus saving my trip to the laundry room/folding/putting away. My laziness knows no bounds!). Almost everything goes through there at least once. I'll hand wash stuff, but I've gotten to be a good judge of what will or will not clean. Emptying the dishwasher is an excellent chore for kids in my opinion.

    Also unloading the dishwasher is a good time to do squats. Maybe hub needs to see that? :)

    Ice/ice water takes out blood stains.

    Ice also works for gum and candle wax (solid surface). Iron candle wax on fabric with paper towel between.

    Cheapest aerosol hairspray you can buy removes ink from fabric (esp in rental cars when you're pen exploded...).

    Goo gone = oil and/or lemon.

    I'm a firm believer in rotating toys and getting rid of the lousy ones...
    "STOP.THAT." - Tennee
    "So it seems to me, that you can in fact, you can teach an old dog new tricks" - Jamie Hyneman
    "So that's like a foursome every time you guys get it on!  - Monkeys_Uncle h/t Katherine Kelly
    AvalinettePurple
  • AngelineAngeline planting seedsCategory Moderator** Posts: 14,501
    "Speak your truth." - Scarlet
    Remember to play!
    Do the right thing, whether anyone is watching or not.
    Be married, until you are not.

    Email address: angeline.greenwood@att.net
  • AvalinetteAvalinette In the kitchenSilver Member Posts: 1,316

    Thanks for all the ideas @Olddog

    I've read that blog post @Angeline. It's something I've considered, but I think I'll shelve it till she's a bit older. For a while I tried something similar for myself: hanging my clothes up in outfits...but then I got lazy and stopped... I suspect that same laziness will come into play if I try make up outfits for my kids...

    Angeline
  • KattKatt USASilver Member Posts: 4,554

    I (try to) fold a load of laundry a night after the kids go to bed if we are watching TV (or if *he* is watching fill in the blank sport).   I use the coffee table and the love seat to pile it out on.   Not as good as the table but at least I can be a little productive while I'm winding down.  I can even drink wine while I fold then!   

    Sweet_AvenueAngelineOlddog
  • AvalinetteAvalinette In the kitchenSilver Member Posts: 1,316

    I bought some handle spongey things and a bottle of white vinegar (LO thinks it looks like a nice drink and just brought it in here with a cup asking me to pour her some :P), so I'll try out @purple 's trick.

    Purple
  • TimSim1971TimSim1971 Oregon -USSilver Member Posts: 1,033

    We fold clothes on the bed...that way they will get folded and/or hung up - otherwise put away. We use the bed every night and who wants to sleep on a pile of clothes? 

    If the clothes stay in the basket too long at our house...in the basket they will stay. until the basket of clean clothes makes its way back down to the laundry room...to be re-washed....then the vicious cycle of re-washing clean clothes continues until the end of time. 



    We drive brand new cars and we light fine cigars,

    We shine like small town stars through the best days of our lives,

    Hold on before you see, that you’re better off without me,


     

    OlddogAngeline[Deleted User]Zoroaster
  • ZoroasterZoroaster Silver Member Posts: 735

    This is a solution that won't work for everyone, but when we did the numbers before buying our current house, we "baked in" a line item for a housekeeping service. We still have to pick up and do general tidying, and laundry is still the Never-Ending Battle, but everything else gets done as if by magic.

    Speaking of laundry, once the kid was old enough to take care of her own, it's mostly sauve qui peut. Except for sheets and towels, you do your own or it doesn't get done. It's actually reduced tension remarkably ... and the wife and I relax the rule slightly when one of us has a King Hell Crunch Time at work. Part of being a team is having each others' back.


  • AvalinetteAvalinette In the kitchenSilver Member Posts: 1,316

    We fold clothes on the bed...that way they will get folded and/or hung up - otherwise put away. We use the bed every night and who wants to sleep on a pile of clothes? 

    If the clothes stay in the basket too long at our house...in the basket they will stay. until the basket of clean clothes makes its way back down to the laundry room...to be re-washed....then the vicious cycle of re-washing clean clothes continues until the end of time. 



    Ha, @TimSim1971‌, so you would think. Before I got married I just slept on the bed next to the pile of clean clothes (and whatever else was there)...

  • AvalinetteAvalinette In the kitchenSilver Member Posts: 1,316

    @Zoroaster, I have an occasional professional clean in my house. I feel kinda guilty given that I don't have a job outside the house, so housecleaning really is my job. As for laundry, that is so the plan once my kids get older. In fact, when I was growing up, us older kids did all the laundry: my parents' laundry included. Once all the kids were old enough, it reverted to the everyone doing their own laundry system and that included our own sheets and towels.

  • judyjudyjudyjudy UKGold Women Posts: 904

    I keep a basket on top of my washer and a basket on top of my dryer. Clothes get put straight into the washer basket then taken either to the dryer where I put them in straightaway, or taken outside to peg on the washing line.

    Once dry, I fold them next to the dryer - out of one basket into the dryer basket. When the dryer basket is full I take it upstairs and put everything away in one go.

    I separate out clothes that need ironing - these go in a storage box next to the dryer. I only iron my dresses and school uniforms and any of H's work clothes that need it and these get done on a Sunday afternoon.

    I do one load of laundry every morning and another in the afternoon. I find it helps if I put a load in the washer in the evening then set the timer so it's washed by the time I get up. I have a list of morning jobs and drying these clothes is one of them.

  • VerethragnaVerethragna USAGold Men Zen Garden Posts: 1,656

    We bought a roomba and it keeps things pretty well kept up where it can get to. After a few runs you can get by with emptying it less often. We have three cats so lots of hair pickup.

    OlddogZoroaster
  • TimSim1971TimSim1971 Oregon -USSilver Member Posts: 1,033

    @Avilinette..well, I understand the draw of a clothes fort..that is fun. But little things like zippers can be a literal pain in the behind.

    we have lady that comes in on Fridays and does a complete clean of the house..i totally get that. The only thing better than a sparkling clean house...is a sparkling clean house that you didn't have to clean.

    We drive brand new cars and we light fine cigars,

    We shine like small town stars through the best days of our lives,

    Hold on before you see, that you’re better off without me,


     

    Avalinette
  • AvalinetteAvalinette In the kitchenSilver Member Posts: 1,316
    @purple, I've been using your vinegar and dish soap solution in my bathrooms. I've run out and need to make up some more, but your comment with the formula got deleted. Could I have it again?
    Purple
  • pornwidowpornwidow europeSilver Member Posts: 92
    When i'm motivated i follow the flylady system.  It's easy bite sized chunks of housework.  I find it really useful.  I haven't bothered with it or anything much since jan, there has hardly seemed any point, but my house was in best ever condition when i was dong that and without a vast amount of effort.

    That and quality microfibre.  Hate walking into a wall of chemical odour.  With microfibre you can clean with just water and then fragrance your home how you want.  I find it highly effective for most cleaning jobs and if a bit extra is required, then vinegar or clay powder does the job.
    Metamorph
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