Housework, am I alone?

This has been a very reassuring thread. I am obviously in the majority here.

GrammaH, your DD sounds just like mine!

Yes, my house is quite tidy but wouldn't pass a close inspection! I'm far too lazy to do much cleaning beyond the bare essentials- bathrooms & kitchen. I do have to have a blitz when DD is coming - she is a cleanliness obsessive & has been known to pick up a cloth before greeting me! Don't know where she gets it from, DH is as bad as I am!

I've really enjoyed reading all your comments, and have now a collection of 'sayings' If every I should need them if anyone should dare to make any comment about my home.
Although I hate cleaning, I do like the house to look tidy. I so agree with many of you who say a tidy house gives the impression of cleanliness

I am now a widow and live alone. Have various medical problems but the most problematic is a very bad back., which affects everything some days worse than other. So I am clean and like to have washing done and clean (always dry outside , smells much nicer and costs effort but no electricty, but when back is bad have to use mobility scooter to get it done. So priority to bathroom and kitchen and anythng else has basic cleaning but any effort to clean a room or cupboards is limited to what i am mentally prepared to do and how I am feeling physically. Good thing is have no one tutting or telling me to tidy up. Books to read , music to sing and listen to, and making the most of getting outside whenever the weather is ok and my back allows especially at this time of year.I live the way I want to and after running family etc it is great to go out and leave something half done and when I get back nothing is moved and I can just carry on. Not a lot to really enjoy being on your own but doing your own thing is one good bit to enjoy. Long may we all carry on

My partner does all the cleaning. We have two homes and he’s very neat and tidy and house proud in both. I just do the bits I want to do… the woman’s touch. he calls it. Works well for us. ( He can be a bit prissy though so I have to remind him to scale it down).

Love this thread , it's made me feel so much better.

Oopsadaisy1

I do housework when I’m stressed.

I’m stressed roughly 3 days a week………….

However, I don’t iron bedding or towels.

Who irons bedding and towels???

I loath housework! It is tiring, makes me hot and is deadly boring as well as being so repetitive! I do literally the bare minimum. Every 2 months I pay a cleaning company to come in and do a deep clean and tidy up. I pay someone to clean my oven too.
Some may think this is a waste of money and or lazy, but as I hate it I do not do a bang up job, and would rather pay someone to do it properly! I do obviously clean the kitchen daily and keep the bathrooms clean and I change the sheets once a week but I do zero ironing( another boring and endless task 🙄)
I have lots of other things I would much rather be doing than slaving over a mop🙄

Lyndie

I use housework as a form of exercise.

That’s me... at least one hour a day while listening to podcasts
I have been told that cleaning skirting boards, doors and window sills weekly is not something most people do..

I absolutely loathe housework with a passion too Lincolnimp as I would rather do almost anything else. Knitting, sewing, reading, listening to music, watching telly, gardening - all much more enjoyable.

However, I do feel more than a little ashamed whenever I notice 'dustbunnies' on the floor and wonder if visitors are quietly cringing.

I just do the basics, hoover through once, twice a week, clean bathroom and kitchen important, the rest when and if I feel like it, it's not going to rush away anywhere so it'll still be waiting when I get round to it.

I used to be mad about about cleaning and was relentless, even with kids and a full time job, with tertiary education going on. Absolute madness I now feel. Now I’m on my own I do very little here and it looks ok. I do spend more time doing the kid’s houses though as they are crazily busy!

Every time housework (and the lack of it) is discussed I'm always amazed at the number of people who are apparently so fastidious about toilets and kitchens but willing to breathe in decomposing insects and their excretions, skin cells, mold, pollen, fibres, paint flakes, bacteria, viruses and all the other things that get blown in on the wind every time a door or window is opened. 'It's only a bit of dust' can cause asthma and respiratory infections, rhinitis and eye infections, amongst other things. I'll stick to my hour or so of housework a day, I think. My house is never dust-free, and sometimes untidy, but I never have to run around like a mad thing when I'm expecting visitors.

How I envy most of you - I just have to keep my home clean and tidy. Makes no sense to me, I know there are more important things in life but unless everywhere is tidy I can’t relax! Can’t sit and read my book surrounded by a mess!

When I was younger, working full time with the children all still at home I seemed to have lots of energy to tackle the jobs and was quite house proud. My DH always helped out so we were a good team.

Now I am older and widowed I have grown to despise housework and really don’t need much of an excuse to put it off. I really need a good sort out as I’m beginning to feel cluttered and am always losing things like glasses and keys! If I don’t downsize I think I will consider getting a cleaner at some point. Ive never really fancied having one before but I am quite tempted now,

This is my motto.

lincolnimp

Am I alone in doing as little house work as possible---usually only when we are expecting visitors?
Toilets are obviously cleaned regularly, as are kitchen work surfaces /sinks and cooker. Regularly does mean when they need cleaning!!!

I just have far more interesting things to do with my life, as well as newly imposed Grandparent duties. Some of you may know why these duties are non negotiable .

No - you are definitely not alone!

... and as I was born in Lincoln, and know the ugly little Imp well - I will give you a definite 'thumbs up' for recognising that life is too short to get bogged down in housework.

My motto is - never do today what can be put off until tomorrow, we don't have that many days in front of us, certainly not the amount that we've left behind.

Who, on their deathbed says, "Oh, I wish I'd done more housework" .

The only stipulation I make for myself is the toilet - it must be clean at all times - and putting away the day's clutter... I can't relax if the house is untidy. Dust can wait - it returns almost immediately you've removed it anyway!

I daren't think whats down the side of the sofa but some dog food has just rolled out!

I've got my DD coming and one of her friends that I've never met, so I'm pottering in preparation. I guess a few days before they come I'll be in a complete panic trying to do what remains, Normally I do very little. One of the joys of living alone is there is no-one here to judge. When my DD was living here the place was a nightmare as her stuff was everywhere which meant I had an excuse, and most of her stuff is still here, though I've moved a few things out of the way. Hopefully her visit will result in removal of a few things and decisions about what I can get rid of as she is working abroad. I need to do some serious decluttering as I want to sell the house and move somewhere more manageable but not keen on taking all DD's stuff with me!

same here.prefer to be in my garden, luckily my dog does not loss hair,my friend has to hoover daily with her dog,always behind with a large pile of paperwork as well.lifes too short to be always cleaning,

I find housework therapeutic as well Curlywhirly nice to sit down and know everything is clean and tidy. I am fortunate in that my husband does all the shopping and cooking so that frees up my time.

Due to me waiting for shoulder and neck surgery, I’ve been unable to do anything much in the house. DH does his best bless him, but it’s only what I would call “man clean”. If friends or family call by, I at least have an excuse. 😄

It is said that housework never killed anybody but I'm not taking any chances. Says it all.

To think that I used to clean the whole house ( except the teenagers’ bedrooms) every week!
At the moment cleaning is neglected, as the house is full of stuff en route for charity shop/ auction house/family/ the tip.
I clean the toilets regularly, but tomorrow I must do the kitchen including the floor, and dust round as I have a visitor on Tuesday. Next week the decorator is due, so that will give me a new fresh start in those rooms, and I will try and keep up after that. But housework is not a priority. It is easier if the place is tidy though.

I use housework as a form of exercise.