https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:48:03 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2106279 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 15:34:35 +0000 jedeve 2106279@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I thought when I started to SAH I wouldn't feel like I was always cleaning. Haha - NOT. Now there are just more messes. Of course part of that is my toddler getting older and having a second one. In some ways though it felt easier when I was working. If the house was clean at 8am, it would be clean st 5pm. Now, not so much!</p> <p>I try to have the dishwasher unloaded before lunch, do a load of laundry every day, clean the kitchen after dinner every night, no matter how tired I am. And then I try to get out of the house a lot. If we are at a park, they can't make a mess!</p> <p>Though the cleaning stuff is just tough. It's hard to vacuum when they are awake because I don't want them breathing the dust and I don't sant to wake them up if they are asleep. Same with the bathrooms. Sometimes I want a cleaning lady just to do our bathrooms!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2106261 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 15:24:30 +0000 Bubbles 2106261@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Cleaner comes fortnightly, best luxury ever. I Hoover the Monday that she doesn't come, DS follows me around wanting to put his hand on the Hoover. I wipe the bathroom surfaces each morning after I get out of the shower, and I wipe kitchen surfaces each time I use them. I empty the dishwasher in the morning before making breakfast, DS likes to help. Tidying of all toys happens as soon as he goes to sleep, both nap and bedtime. Laundry goes on every other day, and I do the ironing usually once a week during nap. I think that's everything! This is a small home though. I don't use an app but I do use a printed planner to note which days I should be doing laundry etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2106247 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 15:17:33 +0000 Mamasig 2106247@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH and both WAH, so deep clean only happens once a month. Do I wish it was more? Yes! But unfortunately there is not enough time for that. I'll spot clean when I see something that is driving me insane. We have to vacuum basically every day because of the dogs. If the dishes and laundry are done regularly, I consider it a success. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2106239 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 15:14:39 +0000 sarac 2106239@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: nope, not at all. It might get stuck on something, but it just stops. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2106237 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 15:13:04 +0000 Mae 2106237@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I only have one so I assume its about 3 times harder for you... :) </p> <p>In terms of picking up, we just do it every night as soon as LO is in bed. Like literally before we sit down, we put all toys and mess away. Honestly it takes less than 10 min even though it seems like it should take more and it does wonders for not letting things get too out of control. I run laundry as-needed through the week. When I have clothes to fold I just set LO up with some toys or set her in front of the bookcase (she loves pulling all the books off...) and fold it while standing next to her. When it is only one load every 1-2 days it only takes like 10 minutes so it isn't that big of a deal. Dishes go into the dishwasher immediately. Dishwasher gets unloaded usually either while I'm cooking dinner or my husband will do it in the morning if I run it over night and he has time. I don't sweep or vacuum as much as I should. I usually sweep (when I do) during naps and I wear LO to vacuum so she isn't under foot. Deep cleaning only happens on weekends when both of us are home and one can watch her while the other cleans-- we take turns. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2106223 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 15:06:42 +0000 winniebee 2106223@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sarac: Does your roomba eat toys? That's what I'm worried about. Ha! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2105902 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 13:11:12 +0000 sarac 2105902@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My mantra while pregnant and exhausted has been 'floors, kitchen, food'. If those things are taken care of, I don't stress too much about the rest. </p> <p>I've also worked really hard to get systems for those things in place - I have a roomba (which I would recommend to ANYONE, best $250 I've ever spent) that does the floors, and all I have to do is set it up each morning. I make sure that the dishwasher is always emptied, and everyone knows to put their things in it, and to keep the counters clean. For meals, we meal plan and shop on the weekends, and I mostly cook fairly simple stuff, so it's not terribly hard. </p> <p>The biggest contributor, though, is just living an overall minimalist lifestyle. We don't have that many things. My daughter doesn't have a ton of toys. Everyone in the house knows that they're responsible for picking up after themselves, so there is rarely a huge mess to clean up. All of these things combine to make keeping tidy not terrible. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2105768 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 12:32:25 +0000 winniebee 2105768@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@keepcalmcarrie: The laundry of a spitter upper is INSANE. Not to mention I am happy that we have an old couch :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2105664 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 11:40:31 +0000 chopsuey 2105664@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I tidy up daily -- wipe down countertops, vacuum the hardwood using my cordless dyson, load dishwasher</p> <p>I vacuum the rugs and bedrooms once a week.<br /> Bona mop the floors once a week.<br /> laundry usually 2x a week. </p> <p>I think our house stays clean mostly because of our layout though. Bedrooms are upstairs.<br /> Playroom is at the back of the house so the kids' mess stays back there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2105663 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 11:40:05 +0000 keepcalmcarrie 2105663@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO1, 24 months, is a tornado - and LO2, 2 months, is a spitter (I think you have one too?) so the laundry is insane.</p> <p>I mostly confine us to the family room, nursery, my bedroom, and the playroom. LO1 "helps" me pick up every room before we leave, because I hate hate hate how much of a disaster the house looks like at the end of the day if we don't tidy.</p> <p>The kitchen is the thing that drives me nuts if it's not clean, so I make my biggest effort there. I'm constantly wiping down counters and vacuuming. I run our dishwasher right after dinner every night so I can unload it before I go to bed, and that way the next morning dishes don't pile up in the sink - just go directly into the dishwasher throughout the day. </p> <p>My husband and I do laundry at night while we watch TV - it's nice and easy that way, no LOs running around and getting into it. We also often make dinner ourselves once LOs are down. It's not ideal, but that's life with a toddler and infant right now. Plus then we can talk over a meal and a drink :)</p> <p>I do have a cleaning lady who comes biweekly as well, so I don't worry about cleaning the 4 bathrooms (!) or deep cleaning anything. A luxury, for sure, but worth the $ to me. </p> <p>My priorities are: tidy rooms (keep chaos contained to one area at a time), a clean kitchen, and time spent with kids during the day, so I do a lot at night. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2105655 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 11:36:41 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 2105655@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I make the kids tidy up the living room every evening, usually before dinner. Then after dinner I do the kitchen clean up. Laundry is either first thing in the morning or while the kids are in the bath. The rest- floors, bathroom, dusting, organization I sort of rotate but I don't have a schedule, just use little pockets of time. The biggest game changer for me was consolidating most of the cleaning to the evenings so that I don't feel like I'm cleaning all day but there's still a time to get things together so we can start fresh the next morning. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2105647 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 11:34:05 +0000 FaithFertility 2105647@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We vacuum/mop every other day (thanks dogs)<br /> We wipe down kitchen/dishes nightly...<br /> I tend to wash DD load of laundry every Friday when I change her pnp sheet if I haven't had to before ;)<br /> That seems to be our only routines </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2105628 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 11:27:06 +0000 winniebee 2105628@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do you guys have an app or way that you track chores? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2105601 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 11:17:16 +0000 JerricaBenton 2105601@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I do a little every day, following a schedule. I might do more if I have time but I always do my daily item. It's really helped. I always kept things pretty neat and clean but now I finally feel like I'm pretty much always ready for a pop-in visitor. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2105322 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 09:52:17 +0000 KayKay 2105322@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a dream schedule that I would ideally keep to and it has one thing to do each day (i.e., grocery shopping, vacuum, laundry, counters &amp; toilets, etc). Sometimes I manage to do it; other times I do 2+ things on the days when K is at preschool. Other than that, I have tried to be really good about having K putting away each thing as she finishes playing with it. At least that way my house has the illusion of clean, even if in reality it is only marginally tidy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2105234 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 09:31:33 +0000 illumina 2105234@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My rough schedule is that I do most of the cleaning (hoovering, bathrooms, dusting...) on Monday mornings (it's the only morning we don't have a class/activity) and then just tidy and do laundry as we go the rest of the week. I know what you mean about the "tornado" so I try and limit that to just a few areas of the house (playroom, hallway and kitchen). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2105188 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 09:23:08 +0000 meredithNYC 2105188@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm ok about keeping on top of things, BUT I only have one LO (due with #2 in April) AND our house is only like, 1400 square feet. I will admit that I tend to get stuff done while my daughter watches TV, so... not the perfect solution. Sometimes she also likes to "help" and can keep herself pretty busy with a single Clorox wipe, lol. And I also have to admit that I don't do a ton of deep cleaning. Like, surfaces, floor, bathroom, etc. are cleaned but God knows what kind of dusting is lurking like, under the beds and behind the sofa, you know? I just try and tackle the things that drive me craziest and that's pretty much whatever I can easily see. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2105185 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 09:22:54 +0000 lamariniere 2105185@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I WAH so I'm here all day. I cannot stand mess and clutter, so I am constantly picking up after everyone. We are between cleaning ladies right now so I'm also doing the deep cleaning whenever I can fit it in. I try to make sure everything is at least picked up at the end of the day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2105165 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 09:18:59 +0000 Glitter 2105165@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In order? Lol. Well for starters there is always laundry to be folded or ironed so let's take that out of the equation. Gio is ten months old and loves feeding himself so while he's having breakfast in the kitchen I wash and put away dishes from the night before or the current morning and straighten up the kitchen really quick. Shortly after that he would play so I put him in the baby proofed living room while I tackle other chores - start preparing lunch and dinner, fold some laundry. Shortly after he's ready for a nap. While he naps I take care of me and finish up dinner. Then he's up again til his mid afternoon nap. I use that time to straighten up whatever I can between the living room, nursery and DH and my bedroom before DH returns home in about an hour. Nothing is ever perfect but it's livable, and doing a little each day keeps it from being a complete total disaster until our deep clean every other week. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2105144 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 09:15:35 +0000 Anagram 2105144@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yikes, we both work and it's a mess by about Wednesday of every week and gets worse until we clean on Saturdays. My house is cleaner when I'm off work on summers, but I only have 1. That will probably change when #2 comes along. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahps-how-do-you-keep-the-house-in-order#post-2105134 Thu, 12 Mar 2015 09:12:53 +0000 winniebee 2105134@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel like our house was so much cleaner when I worked. My toddler is a tornado who makes a mess of the house whenever we are home and with taking care of a 3m old it is so hard to keep on top of chores (laundry, cooking, dishes, clutter pileup, and little house projects).</p> <p>How do you keep the house in order? Do you have a schedule you follow? </p> <p>Pretty much the only schedule I have is run all the laundry on Monday and fold it all on Tuesday, the day my toddler is in school. We are fortunate enough to have a cleaning person come every 2 weeks to do deep cleans but the day to day clean up, vacuuming, kitchen clean up and all the other chores are overwhelming. </p>