House work vs free time

I am tidy tidy tidy. I do housework as i go about my everyday life. Every mortal thing has a 'home' in the house, i take it from its 'hone' and i put it back from whence it came, that way its permanently tidy, tidy and i can go about my everyday life knowing behind the front door there is nothing awaiting me.

I cook because I enjoy eating and have a trained OH, who does most of the things missed by our weekly cleaner. I find taking my glasses off very helpful when I think something needs a clean. Honestly, life is too short and I have lots of other interesting things to do!

Housework is often a switch-off from my paid work, now I work from home. I like it clean and tidy but my DD and DGS mostly make that unachievable and I try to ignore, rather than have constant arguments.

The kitchen is done daily and mostly tidy as I go.

I often set myself a target of picking up/tidying 20 small things before bed. Enough to make a difference, not too many when I'm tired.

The simple answer is do what you want to do? Nobody can tell you what you should be doing. Why are you focusing on house work? Lots of other things to do in retirement but you have to find what it is you want to do. No point in people saying join the local art group for example if you have no interest. Retirement certainly doesn’t equal more housework- not unless you want it to.

I love to cross stitch! I am nowhere close to retirement, but because of my profession (nursing instructor) I have a very generous amount of vacation time.

You can find a great many cross stitching groups online. The UK has a number of wonderful cross stitch magazines that you can subscribe to or purchase from your local retailer, including Cross Stitch Gold, Cross Stitch Crazy, The World of Cross Stitching, and Cross Stitcher, among others. The latter two include a free gift in every issue, which is usually a beginner friendly small kit to stitch. Both magazines also include directions on how to cross stitch for beginners and how to read a chart.

I have to have things clean and tidy, it doesn’t take long and then I can please myself. I cannot live in chaos, know it’s might seem boring but it’s the way I am.

I hoover downstairs every day. Give the kitchen and bathroom floors a mop once a week and also at the same time give the basins and toilets a clean. There is just me here during the week.

I have to say I loathe and detest most housework although I do not mind washing up(no dishwasher) or doing the washing and hanging it out to dry, do not even possess an iron….

I've tried to be the house wifey type but just can't do it!

BelindaB shocked to hear your library is shut, ours are all opne now (Oxford).

Sallywally1 my neglect of my house remained consistent with retirement, no change whatsoever with more time available, as it's still way down my list of activities.

When I (eventually) get around to cleaning something, though, I'm incredibly fussy and have to get it spotless (must remove that fur coat that's growing on the cooker hood).

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Hi, oh, that's so sweet! I'm doing my kitchen layout too, rearranging the furniture and also want to change the windows and doors because they're pretty old. By the way, my kitchen is a purple simple style without all the extra stuff)

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I vacuum every year whether it needs it or not. If dust becomes thick it can simply be rolled up and lifted off. I have a very minimalistic style - my Mum would say boring! - so when visitors come (and surprisingly they do) a quick flick around and we're sorted. They keep returning so I must be doing something right.

Unfortunately, I have an allergy to house dust and so don't have a choice! Even worse, this house is a dust magnet...I've never been able to work out why.

Given the choice between a good book and housework - do I need to say it?

Plus, when oh WHEN are the libraries going to reopen?

Clean enough to be healthy , dirty enough to be happy is my guide .

Lovely cleaner here today, thank goodness. Never was very good at cleaning, we got her when I had my hip op. So glad when she was allowed to come back.

I clean the kitchen and bathroom every morning and a quick clean up after evening meal. The rest of the house is done when it needs it and i must admit my bedroom is quite untidy! I find it difficult to relax if the house needs cleaning but there are so many other things which i prefer to do i can sometimes live with it.

I have a cross stitch picture I stitched and framed "An immaculate house is the sign of a wasted life", and I am determindly working on not having a wasted life!

Lots of fridge magnets here but we have a built in fridge, so had to buy magnetic strips to accommodate them all - lots of holiday memories.

Back in the old day when we could have people round, was when we did the big clean. Now it’s an occasional occurrence.

You should do what makes YOU Happy, I think if you haven’t got much in your rooms you are going to be able to whizz round quicker, I dust when I see it, lol but there’s lots more things to do than focus on housework although for some people they don’t feel content until they have tidied, hoovered etc. Then they can relax

I put things away after I have used them. That's it, done

Some of us enjoy housework and hate gardening. I am one of them, but I do what I consider necessary in the house and garden.

I spend my time reading, and other hobbies.

Decide how much housework you think is necessary and stick to it.