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Coping with Housework?


Sandi

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How do you cope?

Do you have a roster that you work to? Or are you lucky enough to have domestic help?

I need ideas coz I'm used to having a live in domestic back in South Africa that helped me with my kids too. Suddenly I find myself having to do it all & I'm battling to cope. Think it's partly what's getting me down.

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Hi there Sandi

Yes the housework is something to get used to but that is just it...something to get used to. Back in SA it was easier in this regard but: get yourself into a routine as fast as possible! For example this is my timetable (more or less-but I am flexible and you should be if fun stuff comes along otherwise it will get you down.)

Monday: Wash day

Tuesday: Ironing (buy yourself the iron aid - it is a life saver!)

Wednesday: Shopping (Food etc)

Thurday: Vacuum, Mop, Clean Kitchen properly, Clean Bathrooms-this day is quite hard but you will get into shape in no time. It is not nice but once you get used to it time flies!

Friday: My day!! Do something nice.

Like I said this is what I do and it is not fool proof or without fault. I also realised that my house will not be AS clean as it was in SA with FULL TIME help but it is fine. With this timetable you will still ahave a life and it wont feel like you are just cleaning all the time.

All of the best in this regard!

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Do a bit every day. That way you stay on top of it. Get the whole family involved. I don't have kids so I am not speaking from experience, but in my opinion they should be helping as they will have to do it themselves when they eventually leave home. My husband has got into the habit of cleaning the shower glass and tiles after every shower. Only takes a few minutes and keeps the shower sparkling clean. The bathroom basins and loos get cleaned every day. Again, only takes a few minutes. Our Australian neighbours work full time. She washes the clothes and he irons them. One of the advantages of being brought up without a full-time maid :holy:

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Hi Sandi,

If you don't have a tumble drier, get yourself a good one. My tumble drier has an ironing cycle and this really saves me a lot of time. Get the washing out of the tumble drier as soon as it stops. I tumble dry everything that would normally need ironing and hang things like underwear, towels, socks and bedding on the washing line. During the week, I try and do a load of washing every 2nd day or so. This leaves weekends free to explore and do the things you want to do. With the exception of my hubby's business shirts, I don't iron anything. This came only with time and practice!

As far as the house is concerned, we try and clean where we make a mess. The most difficult is keeping the kitchen and bathrooms clean. If everyone just does their bit, it all helps. My hubby helps and does his bit too.

Don't get stressed if everything is not perfectly clean all the time, turn a blind eye! Don't forget you need to enjoy yourself too!

SAS

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Hi All

Maybe this is a lesson in life as well as well!!

WE WERE, are SPOILT!!!!

Your house is yours to clean, your children are yours to bring up, your husband is yours to keep happy, your life is yours to live in an unselfish balanced way!!!!

If we weren't so spoilt with cheap labour in South Africa all these settling in problems would not have been. But, good old SA and the black labour spoilt us!!!

Well now that we're in the real world I suppose it's shoulder to the wheel, pull up our socks and do our duty!

PS I also don't iron much at all, just hubby's work clothes that are 100% cotton and doesn't matter how I try, still need ironing!

Wishing all of us LOTS of energy!!!!

Lovies

Nilo

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Hi

We are one of those people who need a roster.... we try our best to stick to it but you have to let some things slide :blink:

We spend about 20/30 minutes a day doing housework (excluding washing/ironing), and everything gets done.

The rest of the world manages to clean their own homes, so we should be able to :blush:

Happy housework

Gaille

PS I hate ironing but I can't stand it when stuff isn't ironed, so my ironing takes me ages.

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Gaile dit hang ook af hoe groot n mens se huis is.Party mense vat langer om hul huise skoon te maak.Ja as dit n klein plekkie is en jul het niks kinders wat vuil smeer nie,kan n mens regtig nie kla nie ne?Dis net ek en my vrou so die plek bly maar meeste van die tyd skoon.Sandi vat elke dag n stukkie en werk dit so deur van n kant af.

Sterkte :blush:

Danielle

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Hi Sandi!

Ons is nou wel nog nie in Oz nie, maar ons doen klaar al ons huiswerk self. My bediende (wat net een maal per week uitgehelp het, het getrek). Ook maar goed so, want nou kom ons in die gewoonte om alles self te doen. Ek het vir my kinders gevra watter werk hulle in die huis wil doen, die een het die baddens en wasbakke skoonmaak gekies en die ander een ruim die kombuis op. Werk soos 'n bom as jy werk uitdeel, maak elkeen sy eie bed op, gaan nie uit die huis voor jou kamer netjies is nie, gaan slaap nie voor die kombuis aan die kant is nie, leer hulle om netjies te lewe, dan is dit heelwat makliker om die res van die huis skoon te maak. My redding is 'n skottelgoedwasser, stoomskoonmaker en 'n tuimeldroer, die klere waarvoor ek baie jammer is hang ek eers op om droog te word, dan gooi ek hulle op 'n "low heat cycle" in die tuimeldroer vir 20 min. Ek was elke dag (behalwe naweke is ek lui :blink: ) 'n bondel wasgoed, een dag lig en een dag donker, dan bly ek voor en kry ek darem nog handoeke en linne ook gewas. Roetine werk vir my.

Hou die blink kant bo :)

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I do a bit every day, then it's not so depressing and tiring. I vacuum and mop one day, next day I'll dust, the next day I'll clean the bathrooms. The kitchen gets cleaned every evening after meals, do I don't really bother about doing more. I put all my clothing in the tumble drier and try and take it out and hang it immediately. The things I don't put in the tumble, I hang up on a hanger (it keeps a form better and does not create as many creases). Learn to buy things that don't need ironing! My husband irons his own work shirts and over weekends just wears t-shirts that don't need ironing in any case. Forget about ironing bedding! I have a 3 year old and have relaxed a lot with regards keeping a house spotless and tidy. It's just not possible and in any case there are much better and nicer things to do than clean all day. If someone invites you for a coffee and your house is a mess, go to a coffee shop - much more enjoyable!!! Good luck!

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Hi,

We are four in the house, myself, the wife, daughter of 13, boy of 8. We each have our chores and Saturday morning we spend 1 hour as a team and the whole house is clean. I vacuum and wash floors. Girly does the bath rooms, boy'tjie helps mum to dust and shake our rugs.

We iron almost nothing. We have a clothes rack in the laundry and do about three loads a week. We hang it on the rack and once it is dry we all sit and sort out undies and sock while watching TV and it takes about 20 mins and all the socks are paired up and ready for the rooms. Spending a couple of dollars proper cleaning tools makes it easier.

We used to wash the tile floors on hands and knees (STUPID!) Now we bought steam mop, does it in a fraction of the time and doesn't break my back. We think, the money we save on getting cleaning help justifies buying proper cleaning tools and gear.

It also helps, as mentioned before, to stay on top of your house. Keep it tidy, keep ornaments to the minimum, they just collect dust.

Leave the shoes by the front door. it saves having to wash these stupid light carpets!

Enjoy!

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It's at times like these I'm glad I grew up the way I did in South Africa. In our family we simply didn't use other people in our house or garden, our family took care of this ourselves (Mom, Dad, me and my sister). We cleaned up after ourselves, did the gardering ourselves, never did trust any of the so-called help in our house - never!

To me my home is sacred - I have not and will not in future use a maid to clean my house, my wife and I do it ourselves. I never could understand South Africans attitude regarding having a maid to cook and clean, raise your children... etc etc.

Soos my Pa altyd gese het - dis sommer net slegtigheid as mens nie agter jouself skoonmaak nie.

Edited by RenierPret
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Hi

I have no problem doing housework I dont care how stressed or painful (ironing) it may become

That fact that my girls will be safe and happy and I can begin to live my life again in a Safer country will not make me worry about doing housework.

The small mandane things in life an't gonna get me stressed

I SAY BRING ON THE HOUSEWORK IN OZ :blink:

:) Col

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Hi

I have no problem doing housework I dont care how stressed or painful (ironing) it may become

That fact that my girls will be safe and happy and I can begin to live my life again in a Safer country will not make me worry about doing housework.

The small mandane things in life an't gonna get me stressed

I SAY BRING ON THE HOUSEWORK IN OZ :rolleyes:

:holy: Col

We will see how good your house keeping skills are on Sunday after the party. :lol::lol:

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We will see how good your house keeping skills are on Sunday after the party. :rolleyes::holy:

Good point Camper

Especially after a couple of stywwe doppe....she will be cleaning in circles :lol::lol:

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I think it is hectic to adapt to a life without help in the house!!!! :lol:

It will be tough!

I dont mind housework, it just takes sooooo long. I think Ive became a little spoilt in SA. :holy:

But in Aus it will be a totally different scenario. I have looked at the posts advertized and chatted to a few physios over the internet. And they all cope with their careers and housework.because they work 40 hour weeks and only every 4th weekend.

So then: i wont work 60 hour weeks in Aus,(they pay health workers decent salaries) I wont work every second weekend and I wont be the sole breadwinner. For that and legio other reasons I solemnly promise today that I will iron and mop and scrub in Australia like I did in the days before I could afford a house worker. :holy:

It has just been such a privilege to "rest" from housework now for the past 8 months since I got a domestic worker (full time :lol: )

I thought about letting her go, but I've decided to keep her as long as I have the luxury available. :rolleyes:

And when I get there, I WILL GRIN AND BEAR IT!

Katryn

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hi ek wil net se dat ek n vertrek n dag skoon maak en gou vinnig in die oggende die beddens opmaak en die badkamers skoonmaak ek probeer ook die skottelgoed in die aand was....ons huur huis kan ongelukkig nie n skottelgoed wasser vat nie so dit is al nadeel... verder werk dit goed uit...ek was elke dag n bondel wasgoed wat ek in die oggend insit terwyl ek my man se lunch pak en dit is gewoonlik klaar gewas as hy ry

so dan is al my huis werk so net na nege klaar...ek staan 6:00am op...

sterkte...jy sal verras wees hoe gou n mens gewoon raak daaraan

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I had someone to do the ironing for me in South Africa and also in Abu Dhabi. The rest I've always done myself.

Things are a little more hectic for me in the house since I started working part time (right now, my bedroom resembles an exploded wardrobe with the all washing that needs sorting). Before I started working, my day would run like this:

Me up, make kids school lunches, shower and dress, wake kids up get their breakfasts and get them sorted for school and start a load of washing. My older daughter makes her own bed, and the younger one requires help. After the school run, would hang up the washing and do a basic clean - we have a small place with an easy clean floor (only carpets in the bedrooms) - I'd do the kitchen first, wash dishes (no dishwasher in this house), wash the kitchen counters and tables down and then sweep and wash the floor. It would maybe take an hour. On Tuesdays I'd also do a big dust and polish and vacuum. On Fridays the bathroom. Maybe another hour. Thats 2 hours a day twice a week, and 1 hour a day on a daily basis. I guess the key is to finish things immediately i.e. after dinner, wash and pack away the dishes straight away and wipe up spills. When washing comes off the line, fold and pack it away immediately (I hate ironing, and seldom do it. Kids clothes mostly don't need it, and hubby does his own).

AND remember this - housework, if done quickly and with energy, constitutes EXERCISE! So you are actually doing yourself some good too.

RIght now, with working three days a week, things are not looking so sparkly anymore... but hubby helps on his days off, and the kids are responsible for keeping their own rooms clean, except for vacuuming and washing of bedding.

So my windows aren't washed and I have piles of unfiled paperwork, but hey, its mostly tidy. It my opinion, life is more than just whether your napkins are ironed and your tupperware cupboard is perfectly packed. I have kids, and I live in my house. People must take me (and my house) as they find me. If they don't like it, its their problem, not mine.

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DD

I want to meet the person whose tupperware cupboard is "perfectly packed"... I could do with some help in that department, mine looks like a bomb has hit it and thats after I've tried to sort it :)

At the end of the day as long as you are cleaning up after yourself and getting through the washing, then I don't see the problem if your mates can spot a bit of dust and a stack of unsorted washing (mine looks like a design feature at the mo).

The windows are the pits....especially with all the rain we've been having lately. I'm thinking of hiring a window cleaner. We got a guy to clean the office windows for $60, I wonder how much they will charge for a house :blink:

Happy cleaning

Gaille

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Do any of you use cleaning services for spring cleaning every now and then? What's the cost? It seems as if it require some skill to balance home and work in oz! I will work full time and study part time... :blink: again... and will deligate as much as possible to hubby, but in the end who will clean around the corners and do the little things like clean light switches, remove light covers and get those oz bugs out, clean the doggie faces from my windows etc etc etc

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Henriette, I have done casual house cleaning for the local estate agent at Aus $25.00 per hour. Not sure if that is the going rate throughout Australia. Don't worry. No one is going to notice light switches, or any of the other little things. Teach your dogs to clean their nose smudges off the windows :blink:

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Teach your dogs to clean their nose smudges off the windows :blink:
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HEE HEE HA CAMPER AND TERBO

Dont let me get my broom and stick it were the sun don't shine!! :):(

cleaning house with a hangova is a whole new of experience, u c the house from a whole new

persepective!! :blink:

:) Col

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You will cope fine with the housework. I only start work at 9 so I leave the house about 8:30 drop my daughter off at school. So in the hour or so before work you quickly iron a shirt, sweep the floor or whatever. My daughter is 16 so her duties are to keep her bathroom, room and the study clean. The kitchen we all clean when ever you are in the kitchen. You will see it comes naturally it is as if they know and everyone just jumps in !

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Yeah, I think that we are soooo spoilt in SA. Sort of created our own downfall, if you know what i mean.... But it is actually a good thing to teach our children to work hard and do it themselves. If that is the only reason we all move to Oz it will still be worth it.

I must say that I will be doing some planning when we arrive one day in Oz, as I homeschool my kids and believe me, having your kids around most of the day means a very busy house. But they are all at an age where they are more than able to do some chores. It will really be good for them in any case, as here in RSA we have a live in, full time lady that cleans and irons. I am privileged that I don't have her raising my kids as I am here all the time.

I actually can't wait to get over there, as the change and the"TAKING CHARGE OF OUR OWN LIVES" is something I believe will change us for the better. :P

Elize

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