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House work vs free time

(93 Posts)
Sallywally1 Tue 16-Jun-20 11:16:03

I have just become semi retired (working three days a week from full time). I have only ever really done the basics, shopping, all the cooking, some vacuuming and polishing, all fitted in around full time work for years.

Now I have a bit more time and still only do the above. What do other people do? I don’t want to fill my retirement years with house cleaning either and hope to get involved with other interests, swimming for example when they re open!

shysal Tue 16-Jun-20 11:23:42

I wasn't put on this earth to fill my time with housework! I do the minimum although I am retired and could spend hours a day.
This is my motto:

Lucca Tue 16-Jun-20 11:35:59

I was once given a fridge magnet (I know awful things) which said “boring women have immaculate homes”
Surely it’s up to you?

Ilovecheese Tue 16-Jun-20 11:36:46

I seem to do less now that I just do a bit of freelance work (and even that has dried up during lockdown) than when I was working full time.

J52 Tue 16-Jun-20 11:39:19

I keep housework to a minimum. I used to enjoy getting out and about to gardens with friends in the summer, it usually involved lunch. I love my own garden And spend a lot of time there.
If the weather is poor, then reading. But I have also enjoyed developing some skills in textile art, something that I had not done before. I’ve taken up a sport that I had not done since school days and joined a choir.
Also, of course travelling, somewhat limited now, but hopefully will be possible again.
I know I’m fortunate to have good health and an inquisitive mind!

ginny Tue 16-Jun-20 11:43:04

Loos , basins, and sinks cleaned or wiped every day. Otherwise I just do things as I notice they need doing. Far more interesting things to do,even these days.

kittylester Tue 16-Jun-20 11:49:31

We have a cleaner!

I also have a fridge full of magnets lucca and I have impeccable taste! grin

kittylester Tue 16-Jun-20 11:53:40

My fridge - including the magnet lucca mentioned.

Calendargirl Tue 16-Jun-20 12:02:03

‘Better a house unkept, than a life unlived’

dragonfly46 Tue 16-Jun-20 12:04:22

I only clean when it is so dirty I can't ignore it any more!

Gilly1952 Tue 16-Jun-20 12:06:51

What is housework? Does it involve using that thing in a box stored under the stairs that makes a noise when you plug it in?

Sunlover Tue 16-Jun-20 12:07:01

I live by the motto ‘ Housework makes you ugly!!’ Only do as much as I need and would always go swimming or out for lunch in preference. The dust will still be there tomorrow.

grandMattie Tue 16-Jun-20 12:07:49

My mitt is that no one died from an overdose of dust, or regretting not having ironed the pyjamas.
I clean every week, bathrooms and kitchen more often, but I certainly don’t go overboard. I prefer to read than dust...

Oldwoman70 Tue 16-Jun-20 12:11:58

Do as much or as little as you like. I like the house to look tidy but I don't clean all day - a quick dash around in the morning and the rest of the day is mine. I think I have mentioned a friend whose house is really untidy - to the extent you have to move things to sit down. She once said to me that her children (and now grandchildren) will not remember if her house was spotless but they will remember her getting down on the floor to play games with them.

twinnytwin Tue 16-Jun-20 12:17:12

DH and I do it together about once a week - he sweeps and mops and does bathrooms and loos. Also he vacuums upstairs and down. I do the bits he doesn't notice - dusting, windows, mirrors. It's only about 90 minutes tops. I do all the laundry and ironing as needs.
When I left work I went to an art class and really loved it. I still go to a nearby group. I went back to sewing all my clothes, knitting, learning to embroider. Retirement certainly isn't about housework.

Sallywally1 Tue 16-Jun-20 12:31:19

I agree I’ve never been much of a house wife type, too busy working. I think my thoughts were how do people fill their time with it. I do the bare minimum still. My late mil seemed to spend all her time at it.

sodapop Tue 16-Jun-20 12:38:24

I find it quite satisfying, I have to do a fair bit due to several pets. My husband shares the chores when he is not shopping or doing maintenance on our old house.
I tend to go hell for leather on the days I don't have anything else scheduled then a lick and a promise on the other days.

henetha Tue 16-Jun-20 12:42:28

I agree with Quentin Crisp who wrote "Dust doesn't get any worse after four years".
And I write in defence of fridge magnets..... each of mine is a happy memory of holidays in various parts of the world.

Galaxy Tue 16-Jun-20 12:49:51

I do lots of housework when I am putting off doing my actual jobgrin

pensionpat Tue 16-Jun-20 13:35:23

I dusted once and it came back. I’m not falling for that again!

Lucca Tue 16-Jun-20 13:48:35

Re the fridge magnet thing.....I don’t want to cause offence to your fridge décor!! It was just a throwaway comment.

Galaxy I believe that is called displacement therapy! Me too.

GrannyGravy13 Tue 16-Jun-20 13:48:41

Fortunate enough to have a cleaner, who on a quiet day will wipe over all my fridge magnets.

rockgran Tue 16-Jun-20 13:51:33

Each day I do what has to be done and then something extra if I can. Today I defrosted the fridge. That way I can feel smug for ages.

Smileless2012 Tue 16-Jun-20 13:58:17

I'm very fussy about the house, always have been. Even as a little girl my mum said I was forever wanting to dust and hoover my bedroom.

I don't spend half as much time as I think a lot people assume I do. Keeping on top of house work and being tidy saves a lot of time in the long run.

When I did my OU degree, I couldn't concentrate if I knew there were jobs in the house waiting to be done so always got them out of the way first and it was the same when I worked from home.

I need to tidy house to have an organised mind.

kittylester Tue 16-Jun-20 14:06:32

No offence taken Lucca, I thought it was funny!! smile