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Retired folk - how long do you spend on household chores?

(133 Posts)
Revolucion Sun 13-Jun-21 11:52:25

Wondering how much time people who are retired generally spend on cleaning, cooking, laundry, food shopping and other household chores.
For me I think it’s about 12 hours a week as DH (who is still working) does some of the cooking, I guess another 3 hours or so.

How about you?

BBbevan Mon 14-Jun-21 11:46:18

Best thing to do is plug the hoover in then read a book, or some such. If anyone visits you were just in the middle of hoovering. Simple. I have done this for years

Juicylucy Mon 14-Jun-21 11:59:15

3 hours a week… life is for living well that’s my motto.

Quizzer Mon 14-Jun-21 11:59:30

Oh thank goodness I am not the only ‘lazy’ one.
One of my neighbours, who lives alone in a small 3 bed house spends 2 hours almost every day just cleaning. How does she get it that dirty?

Nanette1955 Mon 14-Jun-21 12:03:48

Maybe an hour a day, longer if I’m doing some cakes or batch cookiing. X

Happysexagenarian Mon 14-Jun-21 12:08:22

As little as possible! Perhaps an hour or two a week. DH does all the cooking, we order groceries and most shopping online. I do washing when I can't get any more in the laundry basket, and ironing when I need something to wear. I vacuum when dust bunnies start settling around the edges of rooms and damp dust as needed. The gardens get more attention than the house does! There are far more interesting things to do that cleaning.

Witzend Mon 14-Jun-21 12:14:43

I have a Singaporean sister in law, who once came for lunch, bringing her own mother, who didn’t speak English.

However the first thing she asked (SiL translated) was, ‘How on earth do you manage without a maid??’
I said I wasn’t over fussy - unless anyone was coming.

So many Sinagaporeans have live-in maids - for some years my (non working) SiL had a nanny too. As I once said to her now grown up dd, ‘Your mum was so spoilt.’
She replied, ‘She still is!’

Witzend Mon 14-Jun-21 12:15:55

BBbevan ??

Notright Mon 14-Jun-21 12:19:35

I agree, when I feel like it and as necessary only. Then I'll do a blitz on each used room every 6 weeks or so. House work is not compulsory, A famous person, can't remember his name, I think he died, he was gay. And his policy was when you can write your name in the dust that's the time to clean. Gone are the days when the housewife was supposed to spend all her time housewifing.

Buttonjugs Mon 14-Jun-21 12:22:41

sf101

I'm in the camp of 'as little as possible'. We all know by now that however much you do, it will always need doing again!!
Just had fake grass put down in my small garden so don't have that job anymore either. Happy days.

That’s really sad for the wildlife.

Theoddbird Mon 14-Jun-21 12:29:00

When I can't stand it anymore... hahaha. The sun showed me this morning that the portholes need cleaning. Shopping....well...I have just returned from an hour and half walk to village coop and back. I can't drive at the moment as waiting for cataract surgery....

Callistemon Mon 14-Jun-21 12:31:20

sf101

I'm in the camp of 'as little as possible'. We all know by now that however much you do, it will always need doing again!!
Just had fake grass put down in my small garden so don't have that job anymore either. Happy days.

Leaving your lawn to re-wild would have been more environmentally friendly and very fashionable too.

3nanny6 Mon 14-Jun-21 12:34:34

Do the bathrooms/loos everyday and also keep the kitchen
worktops and cooker clean everyday. Living room and bedrooms clean about every two days. Get in the groceries and cook also feed and walk dogs and potter about in the garden.

I always joked when I was working that I had to retire because
the work at home kept me too busy.

Alioop Mon 14-Jun-21 12:39:00

I would do more than 12hrs a week as I live alone so have do it all , so never mind the cleaning, cooking, ironing etc, over the weekend there I had to cut the grass, weed the borders and paint my fence.

Callistemon Mon 14-Jun-21 12:40:28

I just swept the front drive

(polishing my halo)

Joesoap Mon 14-Jun-21 12:42:54

As little as possible here too.

lovebeigecardigans1955 Mon 14-Jun-21 12:43:37

I spend as little time as possible on the wretched task. I know I should get the duster and the vac out as I may get a visitor tomorrow but I'm putting it off.

Hobbs1 Mon 14-Jun-21 12:47:23

En-suite and downstairs loo are cleaned everyday, as is the kitchen. Main bathroom cleaned weekly even though not regularly used. 4 beds, stairs, hallway, landing through lounge and dining dusted and hard floors cleaned twice weekly. Upstairs vacuum twice weekly, downstairs daily. Windows cleaned monthly. I’m at bit OCD, especially in bathroom and kitchen areas, but I also like cleaning ☺️

Megs36 Mon 14-Jun-21 12:57:21

We have a small bungalow,when Iwas fit and with it I could go all round in a couple of hours, probably missed corners, now trying to get a cleaner for 2 hours every other week, seems to be the average, one lady came twice and never came again! Now waiting to be ‘interviewed’ again this week??The dust is mounting up but my eyesight is bad so not helping. Some friends have husbands who help, mine hasn’t got a clue.??

Aepgirl Mon 14-Jun-21 13:04:52

I do what needs to be done at the time. If I don’t feel like doing it, it gets done next time. Nobody gets medals for housework, and I certainly wouldn’t time how long it takes.
My kitchen, bathroom and downstairs loo are always clean and I’m quite a tidy person but don’t panic if some things are left undone.

Lettice Mon 14-Jun-21 13:05:44

My sister loves cleaning. She lives about 250 miles away and that's the nearest I get to housework.

GrammaH Mon 14-Jun-21 13:19:56

As little as possible....

Kartush Mon 14-Jun-21 13:24:56

As little as possible, i make the bed if i feel like it, clean the kitchen and lounge, do a hoover once a week, the laundry is once a week. Shopping is once a week. I dont know, i guess maybe an hour a day

Startingover61 Mon 14-Jun-21 13:32:29

I live alone in a 3-up, 3-down. I have a housework rota which means I do one room a day and nothing on Sundays! Although my rooms aren’t that big, I do clean them quite thoroughly. My back garden is simple - artificial grass and the rest slabs; plants in pots. Very easy to maintain. My neighbour paints my fences when they need doing and I’m happy to pay for the paint. I clean my inside and outside windows when necessary. I vacuum quite often, especially when my dog is shedding. Most of my groceries are delivered, although I do the occasional top-up at the local shops. I don’t spend ages cooking! I do the occasional bit of paid work but I have plenty of free time to devote to leisure pursuits. Washing and ironing once or twice a week!

JdotJ Mon 14-Jun-21 14:49:38

'Household Chores'
What are they ? ?

JaneR185 Mon 14-Jun-21 15:21:19

I clean the house properly, change sheets once a week, towels at least twice a week, tea towels and dishcloths daily. Do washing twice a week but iron as little as possible. I vacuum twice a week and wash bathroom and kitchen floors every other day. Usually give the bathroom and kitchen a wipe over daily. I damp dust two to three times a week as we live on a busy main road and it gets dusty. I shop on line while watching tv. I suppose it takes about 9 hours max and dh usually does breakfast, lunch and odd tasks as required! I can be persuaded to abandon duties if a better offer comes along, or any offer come to that. I enjoy having a reasonably clean home and don't mind most housework. Love gardening and sitting in a shady spot reading more.