Seven Housework Tips For Lazy, Busy Mums

For someone who doesn’t enjoy cleaning and housework I have a really weird habit.  I love watching my favourite You Tubers show off their cleaning routines and their lovely minimalist houses.  My house is definitely not minimalist and I’m definitely not a clean freak so I guess it’s the ultimate in aspirational viewing.

Just in case there are any other mums out there who are as rubbish at keeping house as I am, I thought I’d share my tips on how I find cleaning motivation.

Get Organised With Clothes Washing

Laundry

Or is this disorganised?  I’m not sure.  All I know is that instead of spreading my laundry out through the week I tend to have two to three days per week of hardcore laundry catch up.  This involves:

  • back to back machine loads,
  • use of the tumble dryer for underwear, vests and PJs (I don’t bother with the tumble dryer for a lot of our clothes because I find they become so creased it’s unbearable – I’d like to hear your tips on how to avoid things shrinking and looking like a crumpled rag after the tumble dryer)
  • two full clothes horses,
  • and putting away clothes en masse.

This may not sound like the most logical way to approach the washing to some of you but it works for me – I like to get all tasks out of the way in one go.  I’ve also started using Ace For Colours lately.  I have a four-year-old so stains are a problem.  This is a liquid you add to the wash with your detergent for added stain removal and we’ve really been liking the results.

Plan Your Week

list

This is not so much a tip as a wish for the future.  With my part-time work and Caterpillar beginning Reception in September I’m going to have more time on my hands (in theory!).  I’m the sort of person who is motivated by to do lists and diaries, without those things I procrastinate quite a lot.  So, with this in mind, I plan to create a weekly timetable for myself which includes certain household tasks on certain days, as well as scheduling time for working, writing and spending time with Caterpillar.  Keep an eye out for a future post on this because once I’ve finalised my chart I’ll share it over here.

Share The Load

I’m one of those incredibly lucky women who have a really helpful husband who does a lot around the home (I know, I know, you want to punch me).  But even if your other half isn’t as proactive why not address this?  I’m a fair weather feminist and I do think it’s really important that couples share the burden of housework if work and schedules allow.  I’m not saying 50/50 but find something that works for you, based on your lifestyle.  In addition, why not get older children helping out?  It’ll teach them a vital skill for the future and you can always bribe them with some pocket money.

Get Your Younger Kids Involved

Completing housework with little kids around can be a nightmare, and that’s only going to get worse now the school holidays are upon us and we have the little ones under our feet for more hours during the day.  The best way I find to keep Caterpillar quiet is to involve him in a task, whether that’s joining me for a bit of dusting or putting clothes in the machine.  I won’t pretend it keeps him occupied for hours but it buys me a little time.  For more tips on how your kids can help around the home click here.

Hoovering

Get The Right Products

Good cleaning products can definitely make a difference, especially for the worst offenders in the house (bathrooms, windows etc).  Ace Multi-Purpose spray and Ace Power Mousse are fab and can be used all over – bathroom, kitchen and even for laundry stain removal.  I’ve mainly been using them in the toilet and bathroom and they have definitely made cleaning easier.  The mousse in particular has a great scent too.  Ace’s aim is to explore ways to deliver environmental sustainability benefits without compromising on cleaning results, visit their website to find out more.

Ace

Make It Fun

If you too find household chores to be an almost unbearable prospect I find it helps to make it as fun as possible.  For me this means watching iplayer on my phone when washing up or blasting Ed Sheeran while cleaning the toilet.  If I can incorporate a bit of self-care into the housework it doesn’t seem quite so bad.

Don’t Put It Off

I’m so bad at this.  I will put a task off and off until it simply can’t be delayed any longer.  And yet it’s never as bad as I imagine and I always wish afterwards that I’d just got on with it first thing (rather than waiting until the end of last night’s Love Island).  I plan to work on this going forward.

What do you hate the most about housework?  What are your tips for making it less mind-numbing?  Feel free to let me know below.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post. 


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2 comments on “Seven Housework Tips For Lazy, Busy Mums

  1. Washing is the Bain of my life ! With a family who like to wear things for 5 minutes then throw it in the wash basket it’s a never ending job- I’m sure I’m washing clean clothes numerous times over! Like you I have two clothes horses, a tumble dryer who is pretty much my best friend and usually a leaning tower of Pisa stack of clean clothes balanced on the dining room table ready to be put away

  2. Your tumble dryer is either set too hot or if you don’t have that option maybe the thermostat has gone. I tumble dry everything except cotton t shirts and shirts though M & S do great non-iron shirts that are perfect for the tumble dryer. You can get some woollen balls for the dryer to reduce static. I recently heard that Baby wipes are great for cleaning marks off the carpet. ☺️
    Anyways it’s always good to get hints and tips on housework to keep us motivated -thanks! Xx

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