# Help



## FeralFemale (Apr 10, 2006)

I am looking for a book that will teach me how to keep a house. 

I leave for work at 6:30am and often don't get back till after 5. I make dinner, then collapse from the day. I play catch up on the weekends and am sick of it. 

My mother spent most of my youth in bed and depressed. Our house was a mess, and I was never taught how to keep a house. I've picked up tips and tricks through the years from friends and such, but it seems like a never ending battle. I figure there has to be a better way. 

Dh suggested a cleaning lady to come in once a week or every two, but I just can't stand the thought of giving up. I CAN do this.

I thought there might be a book or website or something out there to instruct me how to keep house, like with a schedule or something. You know, on this day do this, on this day do that, everyday do this, etc. Also looking for tips on what tools and cleaners are best to use for the particular job.

Any suggestions?


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## JuliaAnn (Dec 7, 2004)

Oh goodness, there used to be a website that was awesome, but I can't for the life of me remember the name of it!! It was about keeping house in a very organized way, would focus on 'deep cleaning' one room at a time, about getting your kids to help, and had really good tips. I can't remember the name of it, but I found it very helpful. Maybe someone here knows what I'm talking about and can post the name of it. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

ETA I found it--called Flylady.net I googled around and found it. Hope it helps.


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## jennytw (Aug 7, 2009)

http://www.motivatedmoms.com/

I bought one of the calendars and I have not been very faithful on following it. This site breaks it down in to manageable tasks each day.


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

There are good ideas here:

http://organizedhome.com/

My mother didn't clean either and our home was usually chaos so I had to learn by trial and error.


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## FeralFemale (Apr 10, 2006)

Thank you! I will check them out


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## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

Take a weekend to clean every room.
Then organize every room. Dont allow bunches of clutter.

Then get your family to pitch in each day.
Everyone goes and walks around the house an hour before bed and makes sure every room is clean.
Its easier to keep it clean than let it go and play catch up!

Each family member should have a chore too.
Take turns cooking, washing dishes, doing laundry if no one wants repetive chores.

Here DH cooks, I do dishes.
Kids dust, sweep and pick up the clutter. 
I wash floors, counters, and such. 
We have no carpeting so every room is bare wood or linoleum.
DH does washes some of the laundry and I put it away and do the rest he didnt get to.
Dh takes out garbage.
I take care of animals.
I do more work than DH but he works 10 hours a day but I homeschool so I have a little more work since I am home.

Rules help. 
Here:
If you take it out, you put it back.
If you get it dirty, you wash it, such as when someone makes a sandwich and gets jelly on the table.
Dirty cloth come off and go into the hamper.
When you bathe/groomn the bathroom should look like it hasnt been used when your done.
In other words...everyone must pick up after themselves!
Coats on the hooks not on chairs!
Dirty dishes go in the sink when you finish eating, not later.

Whether your family is 2, 3, 4, or 1 person...it takes how ever many are living their to mess it, thats how many should be cleaning and maintaining it.


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## Michele of MI (Jul 8, 2009)

Sink Reflections by Marla Cilley aka Flylady. She is awesome. Someone else mentioned her website, which is also great.


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## ldc (Oct 11, 2006)

FF, it may be an easy way to start - get a cleaning person for once a month, and imitate, or rather, follow their lead! I learned by doing, but it still doesn't come easily, and I wish I FELT more clean and organized! The only trick I have is to lump together certain repetetive chores on the same day of the month, for example, for some reason the pets get their meds on the 5th of each month, and then I clean the ceiling fans...! Good luck w whatever system appeals to you! ldc


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Check out the Sidetracked Home Executives, too.


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## Jenn (Nov 9, 2004)

I'm shy about cleaning people- never enjoyed having one _much_- but my best friend would have her cleaner come in and they'd work together. They are very good friends now!


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## used2bcool13 (Sep 24, 2007)

Break chores up into manageable tasks that take 30 minutes or less.

Clean one room entirely and have a basket to collect all of the items that don't belong there.

When vacuming go over the bare floors also, sometimes you don't have to sweep much and can just go directly to washing the floors.

If you have a good friend or sister, have them help you one week and then you help them the next, its easier to do everything with a friend.

Practice makes perfect, have your husband help, divide up the chores.

If all else fails get a cleaner, consider it temporary help, it is hard to work full time and then come home and do everything else. It is definitely not worth getting crazy about it.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

nothing wrong with having some help when you're working outside the home.most of the ladies on my street have molly maid or some such come in for a few hours a week .some have them every day. i myself dont work outside the home. and anyway i would have to get a backhoe here before i could let anyone in to clean. there's not one weed to be seen anywhere in my gardens though.! you have to clean ceiling fans? ~Georgia.


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## Heather S (Jul 15, 2010)

There is a book that I would recommend called Speed Cleaning by Jeff Campbell. His method is to work on one room at a time in a circle and wear an apron to keep your supplies. He claims you can clean in a fraction of the time. I don't use it myself because I need to teach the kids to clean and it seems to be geared to efficiency not teaching. 

There is also a website which offers a cleaning schedule that would keep you on track. You can download it and then change it to meet your personal household needs. http://donnayoung.org/household/fullsize/housekeeping-planner.htm Hope this helps.


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## jmtinmi (Feb 25, 2009)

A book called the family manager might be just what you need. This author claimed that she never learned how to keep a house either. I am sure you'll be able to locate a copy through the library system

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/03..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0Z974R9EXM91MCTBJ90A


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