How do you keep your house clean?

[Anonymous]

How old are those kids? 2-4 year olds can dust and wipe walls, counters, and tabletops...put away toys and even start to sweep floors. Also load the dishwasher if you teach them.
By 6 or so they can vacuum and clean the frig. Everyone can wipe up their own mess once they can hold a rag--even if they don't do a good job they get the idea

[Anonymous]

One major top-to-bottom cleannig by cleaning lady every other week. I keep the vacuum out and use it in between every other day or so. The kitchen is 'my thing'. I can't stand messy counters or plates piling up so I do that constantly. It is also most of our first level so as long as it is clean the house looks ok to strangers. Kids toys I allow out in rec room...we pick them up before company or before housekeeper comes or when it is getting out of control. I am pretty bad with upstairs bathroom...powder room on main level is rarely used.

I WAH and every morning once DH and kids are gone I come back and think 'holy crap'. It looks like a bomb went off...bkfst dishes/plates strewn, pjs on the floor, coats knocked over (this is all due to mad dash out the door). I spend about 10-15 minutes cleaning it up before I start work--but if I WOH like you I wouldn't have that luxury and would be coming home at night to that cr*p. For a full-time working mom--a cleaning service even just twice a month is a luxury that I'd forgo many other things for.

[Anonymous]

We also employ a very strict "no shoes" rule for us and anyone entering the house. It doesn't mean that our house is super clean, but it does help somewhat.

Some of the suggestions above also work for us. It's just so so hard no matter what. And then add all of the laundry into the mix.

[Anonymous]

5:16 - I'm with you on this. I clean up more after the nanny than anyone. It's really gross. Hair everywhere, more than the dogs! EW!

This has happened often with different nannies (schedule changes). I don't know if they do it out of spite, but it is hard not to think so. It is almost not worth it, so they are screwing themselves. Maybe we should deduct all our cleaning up after them from their bonus! Brilliant!

[Anonymous]

"It looks like a bomb went off...bkfst dishes/plates strewn, pjs on the floor, coats knocked over (this is all due to mad dash out the door). "

When we started having that problem, I insisted everyone get up earlier and that the house was straightened up before we all left. Problem solved.

[Anonymous]

First of all, it's easier for us because we're not in the house all day.

We get up early enough to get the house picked up after we leave for work. Breakfast dishes get put in the dishwasher and the table gets wiped down. I don't always get to the pan until the evening if there was eggs or something. All clothes go in the hamper and beds are made. Trash and recycling are taken out in the a.m.

We clean almost every night. We vacuum on the weekends. We do a load of laundry pretty much every morning, put it in the dryer when we get home from work, and I fold it at night. We have cleaners come once a month and do one big clean another time ourselves on a weekend day (one will take the kids out and the other cleans the house - we rotate).

[Anonymous]

OP, you don't mention a spouse, but what does DH think of this? I just notice that you work FT and have 3 kids, but I bet you have a DH too, and he is conspicuously absent from your description of the problem.

You have another functional (and presumably mess-making) adult in your household, time to involve him as well. why is this all your problem?

[Anonymous]

Work FT, two DC here. We all straighten up every single night. Spot clean as necessary. Cleaning service to do the full blown clean every other week.

+1

[Anonymous]

Our house rule is that right when we come home all coats are hung up, shoes put away (we have a over-the-door shoe rack in our hall closet), backpacks and adult bags unpacked, lunch bags and containers go in the kitchen, as does mail. Then we wash our hands and I clean the lunch containers, and then go through the mail, putting all junk in the recycling and any that needs attention in certain locations. Same with artwork and school papers - it either goes in recycling right away, goes in a to-do spot, or if the artwork has "saver" potential it will sit on the counter for a few days. After dinner, I wipe the kitchen table, spot clean the kitchen floor a few days a week, and vacuum the front hall, kitchen and dinning room, and anywhere else that needs it. If toys are starting to explode around the house, those get picked up. One night a week I dedicate to laundry - I don't usually cook dinner, but just start sorting laundry, changing the beds, and doing laundry. I also usually wash the kitchen floor that night. The fridge gets cleaned every few weeks when I come home from the grocery store. Upstairs only gets vacuumed every two weeks, but since we don't wear shoes in the house it generally stays okay.

[Anonymous]

We must be realistic. Moms + DC = no perfection

[Anonymous]

Housekeeper 2x a week. I couldn't keep up with it when our only "DC" was a dog! No way could I do what you are doing, OP. I hope you find a solution.