Question for people with clean houses :P

[ml2620]

How do you think you manage to keep your home clean?

Is it:
1) Having and Taking the time to do things right
2) Having organization systems set up to prevent messes
3) Having the right house - plenty of storage, the right set up, etc.
4) Something else I haven't even thought of

Also, is anyone a recovered slob? Like they used to be unable to manage the house and now have it in hand? (I'm in need of some inspirational stories on slob recovery!)

I've been back at work for about 4 months now, my husband works from home and does more of the cooking and household management, but I feel like every cabinet and closet is a mess and I can't seem to stay on top of the house and keep it clean - and my daughter is starting to crawl and clean floors are a priority! Granted, I have less time than some people, with a 7 month old DD and working 60+ hours a week, but the mess at home really adds to my stress levels and I am not sure how to tackle it.

[Ceashels]

Is it:
1) Having and Taking the time to do things right
2) Having organization systems set up to prevent messes
3) Having the right house - plenty of storage, the right set up, etc.
4) Something else I haven't even thought of

Oh, I am so hoping to find an answer as well. My internal organization skills are lacking and I find that I need to "over compensate" for it to get by.

If I find a good organization system for something I tend to stick with it and the area stays nice and tidy. I think having the right storage can make it so much easier to keep things tidy and encourages cleaning because you want to take care of it. If something has a home it is more likely to be placed back in that home after every use.

Right now I'm fighting the "abundance of stuff' syndrome and am trying to pare down and purge when I get the chance. It works against my internal nature to "save it you'll need it later" character. But I know I'll never wear those plastic funky earrings that I wore in the early 80's ever again. LOL

[joyofsix]

1)I put stuff up right away and have trained the kids likewise.
2)I have a general plan for the day which room will get the most attention and the others get a lick and a promise each day.
3)I enlist the slaves, er children, to help.
4)I'm a minimalist and try to keep 'stuff' to a minimum since our home is not that large.

[FrabjousDay]

Is it:

1) Having and Taking the time to do things right

No, there's not an overabundance of time at our house. Days are typically busy here.

2) Having organization systems set up to prevent messes

Not exactly, we have a preschooler. There are a lot of happy messes at our house that can't be prevented. However, those messes get picked up every night before bed. Beds are made first thing in the morning. Dishes are done immediately after meals.

3) Having the right house - plenty of storage, the right set up, etc.

Yes, I think having the right set-up helps immensely. Everything has a "home" in our house. Toys go in storage cubbies either in the family room or his bedroom closet, craft supplies are housed in the kitchen desk, there are files for paperwork and what doesn't get filed is shredded, etc.

4) Something else I haven't even thought of

I think there are a few things that really help at our house. I try to do something every day, even if it's just a small thing. It only takes a few minutes to dust the living room or wipe down the kitchen cabinets. I also do at least one load of laundry every day. It's not often that every single area of our house is picture perfect, but overall our home is clean and organized and I'm happy with that.

Clutter is the enemy. I'm vigilant, but it still sneaks in from school, work, grandma's house. Every once in a while I go through each room of the house and hunt it down. Trash and broken items get pitched, items that aren't being used (including outgrown clothing) get boxed up and donated. If I buy a new pair of shoes, an old pair goes out. If a new toy comes in, an old toy goes out.

I also find it helpful to keep the right tools for cleaning in the right locations. We have a main "cleaning closet" in the central part of our house with the vacuum cleaners and other cleaning supplies, but I also keep a stash of supplies in the kitchen and each of the bathrooms.

[tervsforme]

You know, I'm going through this same thing right now. I just finished my busy season at work and now am trying to get my house in some semblence of order. I have figured out I have way to much 'stuff'. I am working on decluttering, big time. I think having less clutter will definitely help. I also think it helps to do something for 15 minutes. I can't believe how much I can get done in 15 minutes. Once I get started I usually keep going, but if I want to stop, I do. I think I'm going to set up specific days to do different things. Hopefully it will turn out to be no more than 15-30 minutes a day, with the weekends the days that I wash the floors, etc. Not much help I know, but I'm right there with you. Trying to figure out how to get it all done.

[CrazyHomemaker]

What is a clean house? Mine is lived in, so it's not always exactly how I'd like it. DH and I both work and it's rough keeping it clean.

I've learned to turn a blind eye to some things (sometimes it irks me to do so) and get DH to help with others. Then, I prioritize what needs done worse and work on that.

[imagine]

Having moved around a bunch. I can say having the right house does help. Some are easier to keep organized and some are just easier to clean.

It always takes me a while to learn a house.

The one I'm living in now is the hardest least amount of storage space, two stories (first time I have hard one of those), it just gets dusty faster that any others I have had, and it has ornate wood work and alot of nooks and crannies.

I have also found if you have the right tools for the jog that helps too. The right scrubber thing for the stove top, a good vacuum that fits in all the nooks and crannies over and under, you get the picture.

[cab54]

My house is lived in...I don't really think there is a way to have an immaculate house. But the FLYLady system has helped me a lot.

FlyLady.net: Your personal online coach to help you gain control of your house and home

Now mind you---I strongly urge you NOT to 'sign up' on the site. All it means is mounds of emails from them and it just confuses you more IMO...especially if you have young ones and work outside the home, you're not gonna have time to read them.

What I suggest you do is just read the site a bit..don't try to memorize it at first..it's too much. Save it somewhere where you can read it maybe a little bit each night.

Pay attn. to how she says NOT to try to do too much at once--just 15 minutes a day or so at first---or you'll get burned out.

What I do is I just clean and declutter in which 'zone' she's in, and then I check Kelly's missions and do those each day. For YOU, the floors are important for you baby, so I'd concentrate on floors in the zone you're in, and do the 'weekly blessing' each week (dust and vac and mop throughout). The blessing might be best to do on the weekends for you.

Anyway--take it slow. Don't let it stress you, it's spposed to do the opposite.

[Natalie's Nesters]

I love the saying " Dull women have immaculate homes" I figure if the bathrooms and kitchen are clean, the health department will not call! Do what you can, life is too short!

[frugal is fun]

I also recommend flylady.com and the recommendation about not signing up to get emails is a good one.

the 15 minute rule is a good one. Take one drawer at a time, one cabinet, one shelf. You get the idea.

I find it very helpful for the kitchen to be clean, meaning counters are clear and wiped down, dishes are done, and table is clear before I go to bed.

Its just my son and I so its not that hard to pick up every day. My son is six so I've been having him do simple things like putting his empty cup or dishes in the sink or at least on the counter, put his clothes in the clothes basket rather than on the floor. Simple things like this do help.

Once you get things organized, putting things back where they belong is the easiest way to keep on top of the everyday mess.

[HappyMama]

Yes another Fly lady system fan, but agree with the suggestions of not signing up for the email. I have my own routine that is a modified fly lady.

[Emjo]

My house is definitely not immaculate (I've got a two young children who are home all the time who generate mess like crazy, in fact the 2 year old is painting the table with yogurt as I type this ), but I would consider myself a "recovered slob".

When I was a kid my room was always a disaster, like pathway from the door to the bed kind of disaster. Then every 4 months or so I'd spend all day cleaning it. I was like this until I had been married a couple of years...I don't know if it was my less slobby husband or maturing a bit (I married young) but I started to improve slowly. I got this book as well:

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Clean-Your-House-Aggie-MacKenzie/dp/0141018801/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302281940&sr=8-1"]Amazon.com: How Clean Is Your House? (9780141018805): Aggie MacKenzie: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31woVWAau0L.@@AMEPARAM@@31woVWAau0L[/ame]

which I found inspiring. These ladies are on a British show where they go around cleaning really, really filthy homes (like haven't been cleaned in 20 years filthy). Seeing that always inspired me to keep on top of the cleaning, and the book has lots of good information.

I think proper storage is important as well as a routine. Around here floors get mopped on Tuesday night, all the bedding gets changed Friday and the bathrooms are a Saturday morning job.

[FrabjousDay]

I love How Clean is Your House! Those two are a hoot.

[heartofmine]

To me its simply a matter of getting it clean and then keeping it clean by cleaning and picking up every day. I don't let it get to the point of being overwhelming. Organization helps. I like my home clean so I clean it.

[Momto5RN]

i have certain areas i want looking what i call showroom clean and
others i allow to get a little lived in and cluttered that can be fixed with under 1/2 hr each area and only look showroom clean before a party or when i have a new guest coming who has never been to the house before as i put alot into first impressions ( IE new girlfriends or boyfriends of older kids )

i like the living room and dining room to look showroom clean -
its two of the irst rooms you see going in the house and the 2 least used .

the kitchen --bathroom family and bedrooms may get a little cluttered ( mainly paper stuff nothing icky dirty we do dishes everyday etc ) and get a straightening when it starts to bug me .
bathroom - i am constantly trying to keep it clean but wth 7 of us and 1 bathroom its amost in constant use so hard to do - its not dirty but seems theres always a un-used qtip on the floor or toothaste in the sink

the basement and attic i just know are cluttered areas - too much laundrys and stuff we need to go through storage is down there and u there etc .