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If Only I Were As Cool As My Dogs Think I am!

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Mastering the Art of House Management

Sunday, 27. September 2009, 17:17:52

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As the sole maid, chef, caretaker, and conseirge of this place I dwell in I do actually have a lot of responsibility. I've been trying to wrap my head around my new job and figure out the most efficient ways of doing things. This is part of my quest to get things done and still keep the fibro under control. My life has changed so much! Well, I guess a girls' gotta adapt ....



I've made a cleaning schedule with the help of Woman's Day magazine. This magazine is so helpful with articles about efficient house cleaning, budgeting groceries, and managing finances. :up: But, what I did was made up things to do daily (wipe counters, make bed, ect..), Weekly (clean bathtub, vacuum, change sheets, ect...) and Monthly (dust (hate that), clean out fridge, ect...). I'm hoping that this will help me keep up the work. Instead of trying to clean one whole room at a time, I will be cleaning parts of every room. This makes the home feel cleaner as a whole. So far I'm doing well with it and the house IS cleaner, although I'm no Stepford Wife, so it's far from perfect.

Another idea I've had is to stop getting groceries every week and get them every 2 weeks instead. My discovery there is that I tend to spend LESS money spreading it out! yay! Plus it helps me out fibro wise with lessening that exhausting chore.

I'm making extra food (on certain dishes) and putting in the freezer. Now on days I don't feel up to doing much I already have a meal! That is nice. :smile:

I'm brushing the dogs outside with a professional shedding comb and that seems to be cutting the shedding in the house down a lot. :yes:

To be positive, instead of writing a TO DO list, I am writing in my planner what I feel I can actually accomplish that day instead of what I need to accomplish. I do it that morning and then check off each chore as I go. It's much nicer to look and see a list of what IS done rather than looking at a list and seeing all that didn't get done. Yay for positive thinking!

I've also bought several new things to help me make cleaning less strenuous. I have a very lightweight vacuum I use generally and a heavier one that has a larger motor for deep cleaning the carpet once a month. The light one does not cause my back to hurt, is simple to use, and picks up a lot considering it's motor size.
I've cut my cleaners down and now use a multi-purpose cleaner for everything. Less bottles to mess with.
I have purchased scrubbers for the tub with long handles so no leaning into the tub to clean.


These are the things I've incorporated into my chore routine. It has made things easier and more efficient overall. :yes: If anyone has any other helpful tips, please share them!

:D :D :D

WELCOME!Candy Corn Jackpot!

Comments

rickwiedeman 27. September 2009, 17:31

Yep, I'm not the best-organized housekeeper, either. I've been trying for, oh, five years now (since the divorce -- the kids live with me, so if I don't stay on top of it, it all falls apart very quickly).

I'm trying to get a grip now that I'm engaged, so she doesn't move into a sty... but maybe I'm just getting better at hiding things.

Still, I just have a cat, not two dogs, so I have it (relatively) easy, at least as far as brushing goes. :smile:

Hermitess 27. September 2009, 17:42

It's easy to loose track isn't it! Especially with several people living together. Maybe the kids can help. I bet they'd love that :yes: :lol:

rickwiedeman 27. September 2009, 17:47

They're pretty good helpers, especially now that they're tall enough to reach the cabinets (they're 11 and 8 now)... but I do get a lot of comments like, "That's not mine!" To which I respond, "I don't care. I washed all the clothes, whether or not they were mine; you can wash the dishes, whether or not they are yours..." But still, that's a tough sell. :smile:

Hermitess 27. September 2009, 18:03

It is! My neice and nephew lived with us for several weeks last year, they were ages 13 and 15. Wow, it was so hard to get them to do anything! My neice was pretty good about it but my nephew just would not help. It was stressful.

Adele 27. September 2009, 20:10

Turn out the lights...

:lol:

Alternative suggestion: spend 15 years with a Belgian shepherd dog. Kelly ate almost everything that was less than three feet off the ground. To this day, I have problems persuading myself to put anything valuable on the floor :insane:

Sarah 27. September 2009, 20:50

although I'm no Stepford Wife, so it's far from perfect.



IF you were, I bet you would have a maid. Gladly, we would accept a maid too. awww

Mmm...any tips....my tip is...if it looks like it needs to be done, then I do it.

(Gosh! I am so not helpful.)

Hermitess 28. September 2009, 00:50

LOL Well, I'm mostly living alone lately so it's a bit different for me, you have quite a larger group in your home Sarah!

Adele, do you have problems with the dogs shedding? My dogs shed so much and they are little but I'm always vacuuming up their hair. Mostly it is my jack russell. Bad dog! :lol:

Adele 28. September 2009, 06:26

White hair shows up on everything! :wink: Oddly enough, my cat seems to leave fur all over the place, and she's even smaller than your dogs!

Leila moults twice a year or so, but really moults - her old fur falls off like a wolf's or fox's. Chiara goes for the little-and-often approach! But yes, grooming certainly helps.

Gavin Sheedy 28. September 2009, 11:48

Wow, that's organisation :O

Hermitess 28. September 2009, 12:27

Adele That is interesting. I didn't know any dog would shed like that. Do you do anything with that hair? I know with Malamutes they sometimes make it into things (according to D, lovinmalamutes) Yes white hair is everywhere! I have given up wearing dark colored clothing. I have those little sticky paper rollers for getting hair off of me too. p:

Gavin I'll take that as a compliment! :lol: I must be with this crazy chronic illness that has decided to make a permanent home within me. I forget or never get anything done if I don't do it this way.

Gavin Sheedy 28. September 2009, 12:33

'Twas meant as a compliment; I need to get organised myself. Or hire a housekeeper :down:

Hermitess 28. September 2009, 12:35

Thank you then! :wink: I'd like to hire a housekeeper... that would be awesome... a built male housekeeper, who cleans with his shirt off because it makes him too hot to keep it on... *sigh*

:lol: :wink:

Gavin Sheedy 28. September 2009, 12:39

:lol:

Adele 28. September 2009, 17:20

No, though we've often joked that we should knit it into jumpers! Lovely colour, perfectly humane, and very warm - what more could anyone want? :D

Hermitess 28. September 2009, 18:14

:lol:

:D Here, I knitted you a sweater out of my dog's hair...

:left: Um, Thanks?

:lol: That would be hilarious!

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