Coping with Housework?

[Guest Bronwyn]

Yes, we were spoilt in SA, but let's remember the facts:-

1) If you have domestic help you are providing employment for someone and helping empower them and educate their kids

2) There are almost no 'job-share' arrangements in South Africa. It's usually all day or nothing.

3) There are almost no part-time jobs in South Africa. Finding one is rare and then the pay is terrible. So you spend 10 hours a day at the office.

4) The houses in South Africa get really dirty. I think it's the climate, or the wind or something.

5) Cleaning systems in Australia are better. People use blinds instead of curtains. The windows are often shaded from the rain.

6) The houses is Australia (well the ones I have seen) are usually a lot smaller

7) Australia supports the notion of moms only going back to work when the kids are school age. In South Africa you often NEED both salaries, because of inflation, and the ever-increasing costs of insurance, security, not to mention ever-higher interest rates.

8) You also need 2 salaries in South Africa because you need 2 cars. Taxis and buses are not as practical, safe or reliable as they are in Australia. Let's not mention the inflated costs of the cars due to government interference in pricing.

9) You need domestic help in South Africa because you are still doing homework with your kids at 9 o'clock at night. In Australia they do most of their work during the school day because the teachers are there and they don't waste any time during school hours, just get on with it

10) You can justify a weekend gardener in SA because the average house's land size is very big, often 1,500 or 2,000 sqm as opposed to postage stamp gardens of Aus, often only 500sqm.

11) Not so many pools to keep clean here, due to water restricions and costs to put one in. Our pool cost R30k in SA but would cost $25k here in Aus.

12) Both parents work full-time in South Africa just to keep up with expenses, and because they are effecively earning ever-less due to AA policies and dwindling jobs....you take what you can get at the moment. Salaries in Australia have to be fair. Let's not forget there is no Centrelink and obviously no allowances for low-income families are being handed out. So you work all hours to make ends meet.

The list goes on...

Therefore I say, let's stop beating ourselves up about having a maid, it's part of South African life.

Edited September 17, 2007 by Bronwyn

[Mary]

Hi Bronwyn

I enjoyed your post - you've made some very interesting, and extremely valid points! I now look at it from a different perspective..... thanks!

Mary

[DesV]

Here is a foolproof schedule

Day 1 - visit bookshop and buy book - SPEEDCLEANING - by Shannon Lush and Jennifer Fleming

Day 2 - Read book

Day 3 - Read book

Day 4 onwards follow book and have a spotless house in just 15 minutes a day.

Remember that a huge amount of housework can be avoided by be thoughtful and training your family to be thoughtful as well.

leave shoes at door

pick up behind yourselves

start buying clothes that require minimal ironing

tidy up as you go

[Yankeedoodle]

Or sign up at www.flylady.net.

[Nilo]

Hi Bron

Valid points and I agree, I would however like to point out that there are those little jobs that we and the children can do (when they are old enough) that are often left for the maid, i.e. making your own bed, putting your towel in the bathroom after using it, putting dirtylaundry in the basket etc.

Often, just because we have a maid, these little tasks are left for "Sarah" to do as well. Due to the work load and stress that parents are under in SA it is often just left for peace's sake, when the time comes, it is a big change that needs to be made.

So what I am saying is that we could have a maid, even full time, but that there are those little things that the children can be tought to do, that will in the end make a HUGE difference when you get to Australia and there's no one to help.

Gotta hang out the washing now, washed a fluffy thing with some sheets and now I'll have to pick the dem fluff off them, ARGGGG!!!

Lovies

Nilo

Edited September 17, 2007 by Nilo

[sa2auz]

Hi guys and girls

It will take a while for you all to adjust first month or so I vaccumed everyday, now once a week and a sweep every second day or so. Have a look at flylady check out the tips and routines and make your own list. Remember that all over the world people clean their own houses so to the Aussies the stress about cleaning is really quite ridiculous.

The key things are declutter often, clean as you go, leave shoes at the door, don't ever go to bed with dishes not done and get everyone involved. I have an ironing draw and anything that needs ironing goes in there and I iron once a fortnight for an hour or so.

Remember its okay to moan about cleaning in front of your SA friends but don't do it in front of the Aussies they will think you are spoilt and a slave driver even if you never even had help in SA.

Also most Aussie homes are not spotless so don't stress yourself enjoy yourself there is much more to life than cleaning.

[elizes]

I must agree with you guys. There is so much more to life than cleaning... I think part of the stress of it is the way South africans compete over whose house is the tidiest... I know especially the younger Moms.

My hubby and I spoke about it yesterday...in SA it is as if everyone is in competition with each other, getting more greedy and greedy by the day? And we came to the conclusion that it is partly because of this underlying fear we have... Stilling our fear with Stuff.. buying the bigger house in a security estate, because the place is exclusive because of its safety... and thus a wicked cycle develops... having more labourers, one for the kids, one for the house, one for the garden, one for the horses....and on and on...

[wendy]

Ek stem saam. Hoe minder hoe beter. Die sitkamer banke float hier rond sonder koffietafel en tv of mat maar dit maak maklik skoon. Een vee met die besem en nog een met die mop en dis klaar niks vi afstof of af vee nie. Ek doen dit alles sommer in die aand as almal rustig of in die bed is en dan kan ek net more oggend opstaan myself mooi maak en shops toe gaan voor die hele spul weer by die huis en honger is.

En as mens nie tyd kry daarrvoor nie "so what" more is nog n dag!

Wendy

[strawbury]

I just want to know if it is possible to get household help? and what the cost would be

[Allie en Urs]

Hi Strawbury ja jy kan huisskoon maak services kry.Dit hang ook af waar jul bly want ek weet hier is plekke in Perth wat maar duur is en hang ook af van hoe groot jul huis natuurlik is.Waar bly jul?Soek jy dalk name van plekke.Laat weet dan kan ek vir jou deurstuur as jul dalk van Perth is.

Groete Ursula.

[Nilo]

Wendy my dier, wag maar jy gaan weer net so lekker opgaar soos in SA. Toe ons 8 maande gelede hier geland het was dit 'n fees om huis skoon te maak nes jy se, net 'n besem en mop en woerts warts dan's alles reg. Daar was nie veel nie maar genoeg!!!

Nou is dit amper 9 maande later en die hele huis is vol, en baie moeiliker om skoon te maak. EN ons bly in 'n groter huis, kan jy dit glo!!!

[wendy]

Ag tog ek hoop nie so nie. Hulle se mos hoe ouer jy word hoe meer gaar jy op. Ek sal elke keer as ek gaan shop vir mooi goed onthou wat jy gese het en myself vra of wil ek dit elke dag afstof of was. En as die antwoord dan nee is dan bly dit maar op die winkelrakke.

[Danie en Ritha]

Nilo dis waar wat jy se ek stem saam.Onthou ook net dit hang ook af hoeveel goed jy in jou huis het.Party mense kom met niks so dit maak dinge makliker met n mens se huis houding en skoonmaak,maar kom met n 40 voet kontyner glo my dan spin jy heeltemal n ander storie.

Groete Danielle

[Lynettej]

Wel wel, ek het gewonder wat ek met myself gaan aanvang as ons eers in Sydney is, op die oomblik werk ek voldag en doen ook my eie huiswerk.

Ek sal dit erinstig oorweeg om 'n skoonmaak besigheid daar te begin, angesien ek nie gaan werk nie.

!! soek enige iemand dalk 'n "bediende" ?

Sal julle laat weet sodra ons land. Hopelik voor Jan 2008.

Groete

Lynettej

[Antoinette]

You guys make it sound so easy. I hope that is the case. I have been looking at my daily schedule and I don't know how I am going to fit in what the maid does at the moment. I have a 5kg washing machine. I do 1-2 loads of washing every day, 6 days a week (that includes bedsheets once a week, couch cover twice weekly, rugs, dogblankets, delicate stuff etc.) Then you have to hang up all the socks, and underwear - one by one by one. I stay at home with my two small children. They have 3 meals a day plus a morning snack. After each I have to get down on my knees and sweep and wipe the floor under the table and their chairs and wipe down the feeding chair. I probably bend down a hundred times a day to pick up toys (and make-up and jars and tupperware and shoes and, and, and) and carry them back to whatever room they came from. I sit in front of the TV at night folding up the washing. I try to make time to play with my children, take pictures of them, supervise them on the jungle gym, bake pancakes with them. My maid comes in for two halfdays. She vacuums and cleans the bathrooms and wipes off tops and windowsills. Occasionnally she irons, oils furniture, washes off cupboard doors and washes carpets and once a year she helps me spring clean. And I still don't get to everything. My children are still to small to dress themselves. That is always a task cause somebody's one shoe is always missing. I have one or two errands to run, as well, almost every day. I like the system I have going and will have a really hard time adjusting. How do the women cope? I really don't know. O yes, I try to go to the gym every day for one hour. Usually works out to three days a week if I am lucky. I have given up blowdrying my hair because it just takes to much time. The other day I timed myself while making supper. I started at three. By 3:10 the baby was crying and pulling at my seam. I did not pick her up (was peeling and slicing veggies). By 3:16 she was crying again. I did not pick her up. By 3:40 my son was making frustrated noises in his room and I went to investigate. By 3:50 the baby (17 months) fell outside the back door and scraped the skin off her finger. Had to abandon cooking and clean, disinfect and put plaster on.

I will have to watch and learn from Australian mom's I think.

Once in Australia I think time on the internet will be a real luxury for me.

Shouldn't we move this thread to the Ladies lounge?

[Nilo]

Hi

Danie & Ritha - Julle sal nie glo nie maar ons het met net 2 tasse klere hier aangekom vir die 3 van ons!!! Ek het so gedink dat ek by die minimum gaan bly maar koop kan ons koop!!Aussie is goed!!

Antoinette - Nee los die post hier sodat die mans dit ook kan lees. Baie van hulle dink mos mens sit op jou alie die hele dag!!! Weetie wat jy ga doen nie bokka? Weet ook nie hoekom jy Gym toe gaan nie met die kinders ens Gym jy anyway die hele dag!!!!

Ek het toe my kinders klein was en ek maak kos, hulle sommer op die "counter" getel en dit was rympie tyd!! Die wat te klein was was of in die "plastic" kas (met my toestemming) besig om te alles uit te pak, en die wat regtig te klein was, in 'n loopring met 'n koekie!!

Hulle moet leer om hulself ook besig te hou, en the sooner the better!

Lovies

Nilo

[lost down under]

My goodness,

All the stress over housework It's not such an horendous thing. The advice in this post is easy to follow. Find a routine, get the rest of the family to pitch in, buy clothing that doesn't need ironing and ther you have it! For all of you who are used to having a maid, think on this. Your sugar, coffee, tea supply will no longer mysteriously disappear...think of the cost saving and best of all...no gym fees, housework is great exercise!

Jacqui

[Guest Bronwyn]

Antoinette! Bok! Daar's jou probleem. 'Shouldn't we move this topic to the Ladies Lounge?'

Nee, wat, the men in Australia have to do 50% of the housework. Didn't you know that?

Now I understand why you are battling. Let them read and weep. It is everyone's problem here, not just the ladies!

Seriously. There is much more equality here, and the SA men will and do learn. I feel for you with 2 babies, it is tough, but you will develop systems, drop your standards a bit, and be ok. Talk to your husband about doing his share, even half an hour after work will help. I say you you must work equal hours each day, that means he doesn't get to come home and sit on the couch while you keep going until 11pm. You have mos been busy all day already too!!! Don't fall for that. If he knows you are struggling he will help you. Emmigration is a lifestyle change. Maybe he does help you already, I don't know, if so, sorry! But I hope you know what I mean?!

Strawberry - a cleaner costs about $20 per hour. Ours comes for 3 hours on a Friday, so it's less than we paid our maid in SA. And it is a life-saver.

The more time goes on, the more practise you get as a family, and the easier it gets. We all chip in, taking recycling outside, making own beds, loading and unloading dishwasher, even my 9 year old and 12 year old iron. We all iron a few things on a Sunday night while we are watching Australian Idol. I just leave the easy things like jeans for the kids, and make the ironing board lower. They enjoy it. The time flies. We hang a lot of stuff to dry on hangars now and just put back in cupboards. We just tumble dry bedding and pop it back on. Oven gets done about twice a year (embarrassing but true), and fridge about once a month. One window every Saturday morning. We are making it.

We also have a lot of washing, at least 2 loads a day. I don't now how people do less.

My husband even learned a lot of new skills this year, such as cooking and buying kid's clothes, and he doesn't mind.

Bronwyn

Edited September 20, 2007 by Bronwyn

[elizes]

I am looking forward to this move...more and more!! Getting the Hubby's and kids working along... now that is family! Before you know your Mom-in-law will be visiting and thinking:"Maybe this was a good move for them, the house has never been this clean before...?"

Bring on the housework!

Elize

[Heather]

Sandi

I HAD a roster - worked well for about a year.... one did the floors, one vaccuumed, one dusted and one did the bathrooms - the rest of the time I did everything....once they got to 18 - well the wheels fell off and somehow I have not managed to get them back on...everyone thinks they are on permanent holiday...

I have learnt to not do any ironing - let them do it themselves (the dress shirts)- I tumble dry most things as well as it is the best... I also have now found a cleaning lady to come in for three hours a week and that helps me a great deal as I work full time, get home at about 630 and then have to still clean house after 4 lazy slobs!!!(teenagers...my own fault for having full time live in maids!!!) The cleaning ladies charge between $20 - $30 an hour - for any working mum its worth it.... I have learned that I dont mind the dust half as much as I used too - well, I kinda do but you learn to turn a blind eye otherwise you wouldnt have a life...

BTW Delphi - what is an iron aid?????

Heather

[Hennie-Pennie]

BTW Delphi - what is an iron aid?????

Heather

I discuvered it this week. WONDERFULL OZZIE STUFF You spray it on and it makes ironing easy very easy. It takes about half the time.

Ity is called Iron Aid or Fabulon sure there are a few other names for the same stuff. My steam press is in the container. cant wait to try it with the press

[MannyT]

Hi Girls and Guys

Dry your tears, it is only house work,so deal with it.

Ejoy!

Manny

[Nilo]

Okie Dokie Manny

Lets swop jobs for a day! But that day in the week that EVERYTHING needs doing!!!

[MzT]

Yes, the iron aid is a must. You also get a 'no iron' spray from Fabulon, but it's harder to find. You spray it on the clothes when they are damp and smooth out. It's not great for everything but it works for those things that only need a bit of ironing anyway, so you can just smooth out, hang up and put away in the cupboard.

Just a word of warning, some of the iron aids leave grey specks on white t-shirts. I have found that Fabulon is ok but the Coles brand left specks.

All in all I've found that the housework isn't so bad. Everyone chips in a bit, you find a routine, you learn not to be so fussy and you get on with it. You still end up having enough free time to do everything you want to.

[Karen]

Canadian way of housekeeping ( for me,anyway)- hope it can be of help to you.

Make bed on rising.

Change linen every second week.

Have kids do their own laundry from age 16 and never do theirs again.

Iron nothing. Drier- fold hot/hang and pack. Send shirts to the laundry - worth every penny!

Keep bathrooms swabbed down daily and neat. Same with kitchen.

Make your dishwasher your best buddy. Rinse, get each family member to load and take turns in daily unloading.

Hire a cleaning lady for weekly vacuuming and dusting and to do the floors.

Close teen bedroom doors and never peek inside and unless a foul smell is being emitted.

Wear socks/indoor shoes in the house.

Shove clutter into large containers when guests come.

Enjoy your life and forget about housework as much as you can!