My House Is Never Clean.

My mum says it's springloaded. That the spring magically breaks when the last teen moves out, but until then, spring loaded.

My daily chores (before my shower)

- Dustmop
- Wash the floors
- Clear and clean counters and table
- Start a load of laundry

and my house is ALWAYS on the verge of total collapse. What I can see just sitting here in my chair not even turning my head that don't belong there unless otherwise noted:

On a leather chair
- Bunny puppet
- Stethascope
- Jammie Bottoms
- A stack of papers

On the coffee table
- Evian bottle
- Chess board
- Camera
- Can of soda I neither buy nor drink (huh?)
- Video games
- Books (3)
- Hexbug/nanobug set
- Incentive spirometer
- Micky D's cup (that I also didn't buy
- half of a magic trick

On the couch
- Dog
- 1 throw blanket that's supposed to be there
- 1 throw blanket that's not supposed to be there

On the other leather chair
- Stuffed crocodile
- Babywipes
- Plastic lids
- Parking ticket
- Pillow from couch (umm... sorta balanced precariously between that chair and a guitar)
- Video game box
- 1 red shoe

On the foot stool
- Pillow from upstairs
- Thinkgeek catalogue
- Bottle of bubbles
- xBox controller

Med table
(where the stesthascope and I.S. are supposed to be)
- IV pump & gloves & nonrefrigerated meds other medicalish things that *do* belong there
- A pair of sunglasses (missing for a week)
- A half drunk gatorade
- Halo Encyclopedia

Floor
- Dog (he moved)
- The other half of the magic trick
- Sleeping bag (huh?)
- Huskies Football
- Random plastic bag
- Manila envelope, opened (aka recycling)
- My hopes and dreams

That's only one room, and I had this room SPOTLESS 12 hours ago.

Yup. Springloaded.

13 moms found this helpful

My house is clean ... it's just not super neat (ok it's not even sorta neat half the time LOL). I have a family and we live in our house. I don't expect it to be a showplace, and am never comfortable in houses that are. I'm always affraid I'm gonna break/dirty/ruin something just by breathing.

The people who matter don't mind ... and those who mind don't matter. And anyone who doesn't like how I keep house is more than welcome to leave :)

9 moms found this helpful

Rule 1 of housekeeping: Mopping the floor is an immediate invitation to have something nasty and sticky spilled on it. I think it's one of the unexplored rules of physics. Seriously, do those spills EVER happen when the floor is already a mess?

Rule 2: for every room/space you clean, children will balance it out by destroying another part of the house. I'm not sure why this is, but it is a common (and frustrating occurrence) in my home. Closely related to this is:

Rule 3: The more time you spend working in one room or area of the house, the faster the other people who live with you will bring it back to exactly the state of chaos it was BEFORE you spent a second in there. Sometimes a little worse, as though to discourage you from making a further effort there.

Rule 4: The laundry bin is a bottomless pit. Either that or a self-regenerating pile. One way or another, there is no such thing as done.

Rule 5: See rule 4, but substitute dishes. Doubly true if you don't have a dishwasher.

Rule 6: Tomorrow is another day to do it again :D. Cut yourself some slack and know that your life is about so much more than the outer trappings, especially with all you have going on right now.

I for one have now gotta go tackle those dishes, the laundry, scrub the cat puke out of the carpet (again!), and clean up the chocolate milk my daughter just spilled (again)...

8 moms found this helpful

wow.... i was ranting about this this morning while throwing toys back into the kids rooms and picking nasty dirty socks off the couch.....the sinks never empty....theres always something sticky on the floor....i dont get it either....

i used to think it was because i was at work all the time but now i've been home since december and nothings changed.....at all hahaha.

i've decided that people throw clean clothes in the laundry just to mess with me because theres no way that 4 people can go through 3 outfits each a day before bedtime.....

nice to kno im not crazy and i would love a redbull-xanax-vodka-mocha-coolatta also lol

6 moms found this helpful

My ultimate fantasy these days is to live by myself in a nice tidy apartment.

5 moms found this helpful

Heee! I'm so glad I'm not the only one. I totally understand you, in fact, I could've written your post myself! I've just started what I'll call a "game" with my kids and husband. Right before bedtime, I set a timer for 10-15 minutes. During this time each person has to pick up/tidy/clean an area of the house. It has been working well so far, and at least I wake up in the mornings without all this "stuff" looking so messy and dirty. Try it - it just might help you feel a little less stressed! And by the way, your redbull-xanax-vodka-mocha-coolatta sounds fabulous. LOL! :)

5 moms found this helpful

Oh I sooo know what you mean. It's really frustrating. But I try to think of it as my "job"....like if I worked in an office, my "inbox" would never be empty...as soon as I finish work, it would be there again. I think that's just life!

I have learned that the tasks NEVER go away. So I've tried to change my own attitude and realize that this is my "work" in life right now and that deep down, I really wouldn't rather be doing anything else. I still have my freak-out moments when I vent to my husband about how messy my house is all the time, but I also try and look at the bigger picture.

Also...I try to focus on ONE room or spot a day. My house is never clean at the same time, but atleast I know that every room gets good attention every week.

Hang in there!! As moms and wives and homemakers, we are doing so much unseen work that is going to yield amazing results. Being there for our children and raising them in a loving environment where they feel safe and happy is what really matters in life.

5 moms found this helpful

LMAO ~ I could use a redbull-xanax-vodka-mocha-coolatta too! ; )

Welcome to the club ~ seems like it is a never ending battle!! If you ever find out the whatever the magic answer is that makes it go away, please let me know!! I feel like I am up and running from the minute I get up til' the minute I go to bed ~

5 moms found this helpful

I'll take a redbull-xanax-vodka-mocha-coolatta over here too!

~It is the 'never ending story' of our lives as The Mommy! I too, try not to be obsessive about it either but I admit to having the occasional freak out about it...it is just SO darn frustrating to spend a good portion of your day walking around cleaning up after everyone else!

I try and do a sweep through the upstairs before I go to bed and as long as the floor is clean and the kitchen dishes are done I am OK and can wake up the next morning and not start my day by being grouchy!

This morning I woke up (it's my b-day even) and someone (husband and 19 y/o) stayed up late and made themselves a midnight snack and DID not pick up after themselves AND there was a fork on the floor in my hallway? Wha? Why?? How does that even happen? You drop a fork on the carpet and you do not bend over and pick it up?? UGH!!!!! Who does that??? I am used to the random socks and odd toys ALWAYS appearing on the floor in the morning but a fork, really?

4 moms found this helpful

You cannot clean clutter. It is one of the first things that became abundantly clear to me after I got started with FlyLady ( a free website that helps you and motivates you to start new healthy habits)

I swear Laundry is MY nemesis as well. I Just got us all caught up. I have a family of 5 and do laundry Daily...I just have to, if I don't it gets to be a major nightmare.
Something that has helped, is everyone has their own laundry basket now, and towels and wash clothes go in the hamper in the bathroom. I throw kitchen towels and kitchen rags in a special spot right inside the laundry room that is right off my kitchen.

Really sounds over simplistic, but a routine makes it seem easier and not so all consuming = )

Cannot sing FlyLadys praises loudly enough = )

4 moms found this helpful

Wow! Are you my twin living in an alternate star trekian sort of universe?

If so you'll understand this. Don't you just love going to other peoples homes and they are CLEAN ORGANIZED and it ALWAYS is this way when you stop by?

About the redbull-xanax-vodka-mocha-coolatta....I'll have what she is having!

4 moms found this helpful

I'd love to share a drink with you! I feel the same way. My kids are like little tornados even at 5 & 6 they are still really bad about picking up after themselves. They even have chores, so it's not like we're not trying to teach them responsibility. We try to set aside 10 minutes every night to have everyone pick up around the house. With four of us, it usually gets pretty tidy. Anyway, you're not the only one. Sincerely, The Maid, The Cook and The Chaffeur

3 moms found this helpful

My house is never clean either. I can clean all morning and in about thirty minutes my younger two can have the house torn up again.

My husband gets home and he does his round of cleaning..by bed time it looks torn up again. I have gone to mopping every three days...just because my house is all hardwoods and my youngest loves to spill stuff all over the floors...I could literally be mopping ALL DARN DAY. There was a week i went through two giant boxes of swiffer pads. I have resorted to using the Orange glow mop or my Bona Mop...They have the washable head pieces. The spray is cheaper for those then the swiffer pads.

I keep telling myself that all three will be in school next fall...I will have five days a week my youngest and my oldest will be gone for the morning and then three days a week I will have three hours..no kids..I can deep deep clean and then the surface cleaning wont be as bad to do when it needs it.

I suck at doing laundry and cleaning the bath room naturally. So it is no shock to anyone when the Clothes is piled up in front of the washer and dryer. the bathroom looks like a mob of 16 year old girls went marching through before a party. I dont have make-up all over the place, but there is the tendency to be a few wet towels laying on the floor...along with bath toys from the night before...a few pairs of socks...and all of my hair tending appliances..I do have to keep the sink clean...I have an ocd about this. if there is tooth paste or anything gross in the sink I have to have it cleaned out!

It is nice to know it is not just my house...I get really embarrassed if the neighbor kids come in and see it...It is not gross messy it is just clutter messy most the time...and it all stacks up in what seems like a day s time. From school papers to my drawings and work stuff...paper takes over our counter and my desk...One day it will stay clean...one day it will.

3 moms found this helpful

My house is either always clean or always dirty. My kids are pretty good at keeping me happy and keeping their stuff picked up. And when I lose my mind, my husband is great at picking his stuff up too :). I think as mom's, the house can never be spotless!

3 moms found this helpful

Ha ha I feel your pain and thank you for making me feel better.
It's O-KAY! Back away from the vacuum.
I am totally with you and you made me laugh out loud.
Welcome to Mommy-World, huh?
I just do surface cleaning when I can, pick up when hubby and sd are out of the house for the day.....just for it to all go to heck when they get home.
Again, I just do surface cleaning daily:
wipe down counters
pick up
put clothes away
do laundry
pay bills
toss junk mail
sweep (because I can see stuff on floor ha ha)
then I play, play, play with my toddler (2 1/2) because this time will never come again and house cleaning will always be around.
Ask someone on their deathbed what they wished for and I doubt they said " I wish I had kept a cleaner house".
Btw, you just made me feel beter about my messy, wreck-of-a- house. :)

3 moms found this helpful

Get used to it. My oldest is almost 15 and the last time our house was clean was almost 15 years ago. HAHAHA. We are amazed when we look at baby pictures of my oldest and notice the background in our home was always clean - no dust, no toys, no school papers or sports equipment (which varies with the season), no piles of sneakers, shoes, cellhones, ipods, laptops, chargers, etc. NO DISHES IN THE SINK, and the dining room table was for dining, not piles of clean laundry.

On the other hand we had less love, less hugs, less sweet moments.

I'm told that when they grow up and move out we will miss all the not-stop busyness, and the kids themselves. So I'm trying to relax my standards and enjoy this season of my life - because if the last 15 years are any indication my kids will be grown up and gone before I can blink - and although that's our job, it still makes me melancholy.

3 moms found this helpful

R.:

Your last sentence says it all!!!! instead of stressing over this - let it go today...

have the girls help out. Have Rob help out.

Go by my rule - if I have asked you to pick it and you don't you obviously don't want it so it's mine....that works well!!

3 moms found this helpful

I wish I home enough to clean everyday...if I'm not at work or at practice, I'm at some Girl Scout activity...My house looks a dumpster half the time. No one and I mean no one cleans up after themselves. The dishes hadn't been done in days until last night...and guess why? He works! WTH? Like I don't!

I'm with you. It's never ending and sometimes I just look at it and think "I don't even know where to begin!".

3 moms found this helpful

My house is never clean enough.

I never sleep enough.

BUT, my kids love me tremendously.

So, carry on I will.

I clean daily. I am gone all day working in an office, and I can sit and think of all the things that need to be done at home. You are not alone.

OMG RILEY!!! I laughed so hard at your laundry list of things out of place! Are you sure you were not in my house taking notes?! Wait. I went back and checked - there were no ties, shoes and dress socks on the chair. Nope, you must be at your own home.

=)

2 moms found this helpful

I am sorry ...I have SO been there! LOL My kiddos are not great at cleaning up after themselves... that feeling you described up there is exactly why my house stays a disaster! Cuz I got tired of being that frustrated all the freakin time.

2 moms found this helpful

Don't feel bad. My house is never clean either especially since I'm prego till August!!! Yes, my Hubby helps out BUT he never cleans things the way I want them cleaned! So, I just do a little here and a little there and call it good. Life it too short to worry about a clean house! :)

2 moms found this helpful

I have a 4 month old and my house is never clean either. Everytime I try to clean or pick up something, she wakes up or is ready to eat or poops. Or spits up. It's never ending.

I think maybe the red bull-xanax cocktail isn't really what you need but maybe a mom's night off!!

Better yet, a cleaning lady!

Are your kid(s) old enough for chores? Maybe you can make a chore chart with a reward system to get your family being responsible for picking their stuff up to help you keep things dusted/swept, etc. a little more easy. That way when they are older, they can slide into more complicated chores naturally. Can you restrict food/beverages from a room to keep one room clean for you? That way you have a retreat from the mess of a family to regroup. And have your cocktail!

Good luck friend!

2 moms found this helpful

Sounds like you need a night out and your family needs to appreciate MAMA.

Have you ever decided to really just let it go? Not just mentally, but to see what would happen with your family if Mom DIDN'T do everything? What would happen if you didn't empty the dishwasher? Or pick up their clothes/toys/etc?

The reality is that we prepare our children for life starting in our homes. Why not show them what it's like when mom doesn't do everything? Maybe a reality check is in order?

I've done some of this in my home - my kids have been expected to step up and help (more). On the days I'm ready to snap - I remind them that I am not their servant.

I've also talked with my husband about getting a little help from him too. Or extra help when we need it - like a couple of times a year getting cleaners, having someone do yard work so we can have some time with him on the weekends.

I've HAD IT with pinching pennies (which means I do everything). Like you, I'm fine doing most of it on a normal basis. But I've also realized that I need a little balance - some girls nights out, date nights, and family time. Even then, we don't break the bank, but the time off is very refreshing.

Hang in there Mama! And get out a little more. Let your husband or the kids fend for themselves for the night. And if they leave dishes or food out - leave it there for them to clean it up the next morning. ;)

2 moms found this helpful

I like you R. D. You make me feel normal. I battle my house everyday and I am SICK OF IT. Someone get me a maid, nanny and gardener, STAT!

1 mom found this helpful