Help I don't like cleaning

I'm a 'stuff things in a cupboard/under beds' type of person. I tell myself that when I retire I'll have a massive clear out and suddenly become a clean freak. Think I may be delusional

I mean, dust just falls off stuff that you use all the time. Recently, I picked a book from an open shelf that I hadn't used for a while (years). I blew the dust off it and looked up what I wanted. There: dusted and done .

6 months seems a bit excessive to me.

Gracesmum you are so right about the 6 months!!

A quick tip for those who need specs - leave them off when cleaning - it'll get done in far less time.

I loathe housework and do the minimum. A clean sink, cooker, bath and loo make the place look respectable enough anyway, and provide the necessary hygiene.

When necessary, DH and I have a good dig out together. Sometimes we take up to 2 hours. But that's not often.

If we ever move or downsize we'll get the professionals in.

When my youngest daughter was little she loved to play with the vacuum cleaner so I used to switch it on and as she played she cleaned the carpet lol.

When the boys were little and saw me with the vacuum cleaner, one of them said, 'Mum, who's coming today?' Oh the shame of it! Plus ca change...

I've always had a cleaner as I had my own business and no time. My current one is a good friend - I was her first 'client' 10 years ago when she barely spoke English. Now she has a thriving business and employs people. She started work, looking after children when she was eleven and she can do everything. I am in awe. She loves ironing and the results are amazing.

I am absolved of all guilt about the state of the house as it is not my responsibility

The trouble with dusting is that you do it and then, damn it, 6 months later you have to do it again

Ana - it probably won't happen in our house either! However, I think her idea of doing it then was that when she came back from her afternoons out, she just had to take the food out of the fridge and put it in the oven to cook with no further effort. Mind you, I have to say the thought of slicing onions first thing is a bit of a turn-off!!

Prepare the evening meal at nine o'clock in the morning!
That's never going to happen in my house....I feel faint at the thought.

pattieb - you are a woman after my own heart! I too have just retired (last week) and I am quite undisciplined about housework (in other words I only do it when my back is to the wall and someone is coming!!). At the moment my house looks like a bomb has hit it. However, I am planning to try out a plan of action, given to me years ago by a friend who told me how she hated housework, but hated an untidy house even more, so she treated housework like a job. She started promptly at 9 o'clock each morning and the first job of the day was to prepare the evening meal, then up until 12 o'clock she did one room a day (plus the everyday essential of kitchen and bathroom). At 12 o'clock on the dot she stopped working and went and had a shower, did her hair and make-up and put on her nice clothes. The afternoons belonged to her when she visited friends, or had friends in for coffee or otherwise just pleased herself. Given my track record I'm not sure if this will work for me, but I'll give it a try!

Ariadne I quite enjoy ironing. It helps that I have a utility room which faces the back garden so I have a pleasant view. We added it on to the house, I designed it and I think of it as my space
I think of an ironing spell as an interlude when I can think either my own thoughts in peace, or listen to the radio or a cd.
The piles of freshly ironed, nicely smelling clothes give me a warm domestic glow
Sad, I know!

I don't particularly like house work, but can't bear dust and clutter, so "get done" (cf my mother) fast and then feel relaxed. Mind you, this is the first time in 30 odd years that I haven't had a cleaner, so it's maybe a touch of novelty too. now the ironing is really getting me down! All shirts!

Nice image, Greatnan, but no....not really!

To satisfy your curiosity - I take them to the laundrette in the next village. Did you think I took them to the lake and beat them on rocks?

I was just curious. I'm sorry if you thought my question odd. I won't ask how you cope for the rest of the year!

In answer to Ana's rather odd question - because I don't have a washing machine and my friend asks me to bring it. She likes helping people.

I think I've been cleaning my house non stop for thirty years, but it's always messy and dirty. My dream is to come home from work to a house and garden that's clean and tidy. I'm not bothered about it staying that way [I like junk, clutter and untidyness] but it's always there, waiting to be cleaned/tidied. It came very close to it being tidy the weekend that the landing ceiling started to drip with water but, somehow, it's gone backwards again. Mind you, I always think it looks nicely uncluttered when the Christmas decorations have been taken down, although it sometimes takes me months to clear all of them away [some stay all year round].

Why do you have to take your bedding with you?

The only Gransnetter that I stay with is so damned well organised that she won't even let me wash up. She has a huge house and a large garden and also teaches and takes part in local politics, walks, swims and skis.
When I go to stay, she always insists that I take my bedding, which she not only washes but irons. She is also a great cook. Sometimes I wonder why I still like her so much.
Of course, she is a lot younger than I am!

I clean every day whether it needs it or not. It helps keep me sane or insane ....not sure which Today downstairs is not tidy because I have washing drying and it's driving me insane. Our bedroom is not tidy because of Santa leaving presents everywhere so I have to take a deep breath before I go in

Yeah !!
Greatnan please come and stay !!

Wow Greatnan do you hire out

I agree with bags there is only so much mess I can cope with too before I get twitchy. When I have been between cleaners I find I get really cross if anyone (DH ) messed up the nice clean house but having a cleaner means that I know nothing will be bad for long and I can forget about it. I also find having a cleaner one morning a week makes us tidy up before she comes so nothing ever gets too untidy.

hovers out polish is on the bench all ready to go ..just by reading these is making me move and do somethink