Housework - cleaning rooms unnecessarily

My sofas and coffee table are too heavy to move. They only get pulled out when the carpet is shampooed, and it takes both of us to do it. When it's time to replace them I plan to only look at ones I can move single handed. It didn't occur to me to try moving sofas in the showroom, so it wasn't until we got them home that I realised. You'd think they were made of lead. The coffee table has a hinged lid and drawers, and is full of junk interesting items, so I understand why that is heavy, but not the sofas.

Before we moved into a house with wool carpets up the stairs, hallway and landing, we paid to have them professionally cleaned. The house had been empty for 2 years so it was really necessary to get rid of the musty smell. The professional cleaner offered a moth repellent spray and a scotchgard treatment and we never saw a moth for years. HTH someone

There is a chipboard factory in our village that produces an inordinate amount of dust. I don't, but I could dust daily and still see it on the duster. I try to have a routine but haven't managed yet.

I'll never forget a story my sister told. She was gobsmacked when visiting a friend who apologised that her vacuum cleaner cab!e didn't reach round behind the bedside tab!e in the guest room so that bit only got vacuumed twice a week!

fancythat

^There’s no way I can move heavy furniture so my cleaning does not extend to behind the bed or sideboard, bookcases etc.^

I am glad you dont.
I know someone who had to be told to stop doing this by her doctor.
She kept doing herself too many injuries.

I have quite deliberately bought furniture that can be hoovered under without moving it. What is more that is not just in old age, I have always done it because it is time saving and less hassle.

There’s no way I can move heavy furniture so my cleaning does not extend to behind the bed or sideboard, bookcases etc.

I am glad you dont.
I know someone who had to be told to stop doing this by her doctor.
She kept doing herself too many injuries.

There’s no way I can move heavy furniture so my cleaning does not extend to behind the bed or sideboard, bookcases etc.
Despite the massive amount of stuff I have shifted in the last couple of years my house is still far from being clutter free. With no pets or small children, it does not get messy. I make an extra effort if someone is coming. With no overnight guests, who is to care whether my house is cleaned every day, every week or once a year? I keep the important areas clean and do what I can or choose to do when I can or choose. There is more to life than a spotless house.

Emma Grede on Dragons Den as a guest just mentioned this evening how her mum encouraged cleaning etc. She said she hated any form of cleaning. I feel the same. The time spent doing that can be better used earning money to support the family. I like a clean toilet and kitchen. Cannot bear dusting. It’s back the next day. Once an entrepreneur, always an entrepreneur.

I have so much more to worry about than if my house is clean and tidy. In the scheme of things who cares?

I think it was Joanna Trollope who said cleanliness is suburban rather than godly...

We have had mice on occasion, we live in a big old house - soon to downsize thank goodness - so I never leave rooms for any length of time before attacking them with a hoover and various other cleaning equipment, am not entirely sure that this even deters mice but I leave no stone unturned, plenty of anti-mouse plug ins, peppermint spray liberally applied and humane traps under kitchen counters, behind the fridge, in the loft etc.
Fact is I dislike housework but I dislike mice even more.

GrannyGravy13

This is probably a silly question but who wouldn’t want to know that their entire home was clean and tidy?

Why only when guests are coming?

I cannot honestly say I give the matter much thought. Ireally do not want my house to be perfect.

Robert Herrick, the 17 century poet wrot a poem called 'A delight in disorder '. It referred t o disoder in dress.It could just as easily apply to houses.

My spare rooms rarely get cleaned (live alone, no pets or overnight visitors). The rest of the house gets cleaned weekly, and is always tidy.

It was Quentin Crisp who said: “after the first four years, the dirt doesn’t get any worse”. Words to live by!!

I tend to give spare bedrooms a good cleaning every couple of months, with a quick vacuum and dust about once a month.

Norah I feel twitchy if I know my home isn’t clean and tidy, I cannot relax.

Which is why I am so stressed at the moment due to builders and decorators.

I do have help in the form of my wonderful cleaning fairies 🧚‍♀️🧚🧚‍♂️

It does make me feel uncomfortable if I sit down in the evening and notice dust!

I can see the cushions on a sofa are awry because a very DGD has been but they can wait for a while, I'm not itching to jump up and tidy them

GrannyGravy13

This is probably a silly question but who wouldn’t want to know that their entire home was clean and tidy?

Why only when guests are coming?

We can and do keep our whole house clean and tidy, feels good.

Of course ours is not the only way to stay ahead of cleaning.

LaCrepescule

Thanks for your replies, spare rooms will
now get a monthly going over and I don’t have to worry about carpet moths because I have floorboards.
Interesting to see your views on housework 🙏

Carpet moths like wool, carpets made from non-natural fibres are ok.

GrannyGravy13

This is probably a silly question but who wouldn’t want to know that their entire home was clean and tidy?

Why only when guests are coming?

Because for some of us, if it's out of sight, it's out of mind? And we don't have guests anyway, so what does it matter? If we're happy with the way things are, that's all that counts.

Exactly Allira and Ohmygoodness - this is why Henry has to go up there every so often!
I've also been round the edges with an anti-moth spray I'm afraid - (belt and braces) and have sticky pheromone pads up there to keep a watch 👀 for any activity too.

This is probably a silly question but who wouldn’t want to know that their entire home was clean and tidy?

Why only when guests are coming?

Thanks for your replies, spare rooms will
now get a monthly going over and I don’t have to worry about carpet moths because I have floorboards.
Interesting to see your views on housework 🙏

I don't have any spare rooms, so that gets me off that hook, and I like housework.

Yes, I know, this is an outrageous thing to admit to, but there are worse vices, after all.

I hoover the sitting-room floor, clean the bathroom and wash the kitchen floor and that of the wash-kitchen which is the main thorougfair in and out of the house once a week.

The rest gets done when and as it needs it.

Today, I mowed the grass for the last time this year and cleaned the mower, then swept the workshop floor before putting the mower away for the winter.

By now we must all have so much experience of keeping house that we know when things get dirty (depends on where you life, air pollution, number of mucky paws and feet traipsing in and out etc. etc.) and of course on what level of tidyness you thrive best with. No-one else can or should decide that.

If I did have spare rooms, I would clean them after they had been used, cover the bed with a dust sheet, then get the room ready when I was expecting a visitor. The rest of the time, I would keep the door shut and leave the place alone.

Only do occassionally. Not needed now

I do them when I feel like it or when I’m expecting visitors. We have someone coming tomorrow and the house is gleaming!

merlotgran

M0nica

As little as possible, as much as is needed. that is commensurate with the huse looking in good order.

I loathe overcleaned polished to an inch of their life houses where one is afraid to sit down, eat or drink because the owner anxiously hovers around readyto mop up every real or imaginary action that might have soiled the house.

I don’t get invited to houses like that. 😂

I have done.
Turned out each time that later, it comes out that the person had OCD.