Z tackles the web

I don’t hate housework, but it rarely takes priority.  However, tomorrow morning will have to be set aside to clean the house.

It’s not that I haven’t done anything of course, the kitchen and bathroom have to be kept reasonably hygienic, if not tidy, and I’m up to date with the washing and I even hoovered a bit the other day and wiped dust off surfaces that show up most when the sun shines, but it’s not enough and I’ll have to work until it’s done.

But it’s so tedious, if not unpleasant.  There’s satisfaction in sorting out a really messy room or cleaning something filthy, but just routine wiping of every surface whether the dust is visible or not, changing the bed linen in chilly bedrooms, hoovering the ceilings to get rid of spiderwebs (whilst being careful not to catch any spiders, of course), moving furniture – no, none of it is my idea of a good time.  So I set a series of time limits.  I set a timer on my phone and that gives me an incentive not to dawdle.  Twenty minutes to clean the bathroom, for example, half an hour for my bedroom (it’s just a little bit untidy, I have to confess), another half hour for the rest of upstairs, and so on.  Breaking the time down gives me a sense of urgency and prevents me stopping to read for a while or breaking for a cup of coffee when I take the laundry downstairs.

I should get a cleaner of course, and one day I probably shall, but I’ve never come across one who works as fast as I do when I get going, so it feels a bit of a waste.  Anyway, it’ll be worth it.  It will last for weeks once it’s done.  

14 comments on “Z tackles the web

  1. Rog

    That sounds a very good plan.

    We had so much to do after a weekend away that we sat down and made a list this morning, and the satisfaction of ticking off that list 5 minutes ago was almost audible. In fact it was audible and sounded like a large “phew!”.

    Reply
  2. Beryl Ament

    My husband insisted I get a cleaner and I have two charming Polish women, “We don’t do windows” they said. And getting down on hands and knees seems to be an alien idea. I thought somehow I was aiding the trickle down concept, but they informed me they will not be coming next time because they are off to Florida while I stay here.

    Reply
  3. Z

    You ticked off the whole list? Phew!!!!!

    Beryl, every cleaner I’ve ever had started off fine, but after a while corners started to be cut. But not doing windows … hmmm.

    I just have more interesting things to do, Roses!

    Reply
  4. Anonymous

    The two quotes I’ve come across re: this are:
    “housework doesn’t kill, but why take chances”
    “A clean house is the sign of a dirty mind”

    Reply
  5. Z

    There’s also “Dull women have immaculate houses” but that’s not really fair to those with high standards. I don’t have anything against clean and tidy, though it’s not for me. I don’t feel comfortable if I’m afraid to dent a cushion.

    Reply
  6. Z

    Oh, hang on, that’s odd. AQ’s comment only came through a few minutes ago, Anon’s was last night. Sorry I repeated what you said, AQ.

    Reply
  7. luckyzmom

    When you have too few responsibilities housework makes an, oh so, insidious slip in priorities, until, “I can do that later,” has created an overwhelming mess. Making lists and assigning time limits could get me back on track. (A housekeeper would be nice too!) But, my husband has always said I would have to clean the house before she arrived! I agreed with him in the past. I am thinking differently now.

    Reply
  8. Blue Witch

    I’d give up most things before I’d give up my cleaner. 14 years on and she’s more wondeful than ever and even refused the pay rise I tried to give her a few weeks back!!

    Reply
  9. Z

    Plan a bit party, LZM. It concentrates the mind wonderfully.

    I’ve had several cleaners in my time, BW and I’m better than any of them. When I actually do it, that is!

    Sorry, no time for a post today, back soon

    Reply
  10. mig

    I don’t mind cleaning once. It’s having to do it again that infuriates me.
    I get cleaners in for times when I need the whole house clean at once and they do a perfectly adequate job in less than half the time I would take but I don’t think I like one coming regularly. (Mind you, years ago I didn’t think I’d like a dishwasher.)

    Reply

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