Hello!
If you follow me on my ‘Modernwifelife31’ instagram (if you aren’t – um why aren’t you?) you will see I upload regularly about cleaning, keeping my house presentable & cooking. It’s kind of “my thing” – not everyone likes doing that stuff, but I do.
I really like it & I enjoy encouraging other women to be house proud & wanting to be “domestic” in a world where sometimes being “domestic” isn’t so widely accepted, in fact I have found that it is more commonly looked down upon – which I find ridiculous.
When I post those images I often then get comments but more regularly messages from other women, friends, Mums or even just random people I don’t know that well asking me for cleaning advice – wether it be just how to clean something or how I stay so committed to a cleaning routine.
I answer every message individually but I figure I should also write this in a blog post so that way it is just out there…
Basically, you asked so I answered…
The biggest question I get asked is; “how do I do it all”…
Trust me I don’t – ever. And I am sorry if I paint that picture. I just really don’t focus on posting not positive stuff online. Our life is just as chaotic, wonderful & not perfect as everyone else’s, but I tend to only focus on the joy. Everyone’s life is a mix of good & bad, anyone implying otherwise is pretty much lying.
I have weeks that I fall behind, jobs pile up & I get really annoyed at myself for not getting things done. But I commit to a day or 2 of solid “getting shit done” and well, I get shit done. And then I vow not to let it pile up again – but it will. Because life happens, we get busy, we get sick & we get distracted. If things don’t get done, well it isn’t the end of the world really – it’s life & sometimes other things are more important than housework.
The next most commonly asked question is; “What is my cleaning routine”…
I don’t have one. I truly don’t. I have jobs I do every single day & I try to commit to 1/2 an hour at the very least a day to cleaning but schedules don’t work for me. I try to do them, but they just don’t fit into how I clean. Each week is different, I prefer to just see how the day unfolds and get as much done as I can.
Every single day I do at least 1 load of laundry, make the beds, I unpack dishwasher in the morning & pack it at night, I vacuum at least once a day as well as a quick vacuum around where LuLu eats her meals & snacks after each time she eats, I pick up around the house, take the rubbish out & wipe down the benches.
They are my basic daily jobs – I aim to do them every single day – they are really standard. And please don’t think I drag my huge Dyson out to vacuum all those times, I have a handheld/cordless/stick Dyson thing that I use for those times. I use it more often than my bigger one, because it’s so convenient – I love it.
During the week I aim to wash our bedding once, clean the bathrooms a few times, do a vacuum with the corded Dyson & steam mop at least once & clean/dust all the surfaces. I also try to mow the lawn once a fortnight or so, depending on the grass growing rate! All these tasks may not all always get done, but more often than not it all goes to plan.
“How do I find time to clean with a baby/toddler”;
I have been getting this one for awhile. When LuLu was new, I couldn’t juggle everything, so on Trent’s days off I would spend 1 or 2 days cleaning like a mad woman. Now she’s older, she is happy to either play on her own or just follow me around. She’s learnt to stay off the freshly mopped floors until they are dry & sometimes she likes to help me do jobs. It may mean the job takes double the time, but I love that she wants to help. It’s very sweet. So if you are a Mumma with a new baby, don’t even stress about cleaning – when you find the time & energy & desire to do it – do it. But don’t make it the number one priority – babies are only so little for such a short amount of time. Sometimes when she was little, I would strap her in the “bug carrier” (Maduca baby carrier) and clean with her.
I have always found that if I get my jobs done straight away in the morning it is a lot easier. LuLu is more happy to entertain herself with her toys or colouring while I clean, I aim to get everything finished 2 hours or so before lunch so we can play before lunch, eat & then I get her ready for a nap and then I can either clean with chemicals if I need to (I don’t do that with her around) or I give myself a bit of a break. And then we can do a craft or play in the afternoon.
“What cleaning products do I use”;
It depends, it truly does.
Most of the time what I use I make myself.
I do have some store bought cleaners, but I am trying to use them up so I can use everything homemade.
I like knowing what I am using and how it was made.
I do like buying a shower cleaner, but I rarely buy the same one. It’s normally whatever “eco” one is on special at the grocery store. We have a grey water system – which is kind of annoying. I like every now and then to give my sinks, drains & toilets a good clean with bleach. I can’t really do that because apparently bleach or any harsh chemical is bad for the system – silly sensitive thing! I also buy an “eco” toilet cleaner.
I have been asked for recipes on my cleaners, I am trying to work that out – I kind of eyeball measurements so next time I make a batch up I’ll try & start writing down how much I use. But vinegar, bi-carb soda & oils are brilliant to clean with!
Also if I have something to clean that I need to use chemicals with I aim to do that while LuLu is napping, the main reason behind me using more natural & homemade cleaners is that they are a lot safer to use around her.
“How do I find the desire or motivation to clean”;
Easy, I see it as my job. It has been a very clear set up between Trent & I since we’ve been engaged. It is a lifestyle many don’t agree with or wish for themselves. But it works wonderfully for us. He takes cares of us outside of the home & I take care of us inside the home. Sure he helps me if I need it around the house and I also “work” on my blog/YouTube.
I love the feeling of having an organised & clean home. I get annoyed & mad at myself if I let it get out of order. So I always strive to stay on top of things.
Basically I clean my house for LuLu so she has a clean space to play & live in, for Trent because it is my role & he goes to work everyday so I should work too & he works damn hard so deserves a well kept home & also for myself because I am so much happier & relaxed when my house looks beautiful.
So they are some of the top questions that I regularly get messaged about & my answers.
If you liked this post please let me know, as I can do more posts on this topic. Please let me know what you would like to read…
I was thinking of some posts like… how to set up a cleaning routine, how I clean certain areas of my home & keep them clean, cleaning tips, how to make your own cleaning products/my favourite products, a day in my life, how to stay focused on maintaining a presentable home, etc… Oh and the way I organise my grocery list was also interesting to a few ladies, so I was thinking of discussing that as well – if you are interested.
Let me know what you want to read!
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Also if you have anymore questions on anything, let me know & I can do another Q&A post, questions can be on anything!
🙂
Thank you for being patient in between posts, like I said life gets hectic some weeks and April has been a busy month for us!! Being a wife & a Mumma comes first & I thank you all for being understanding about that!
I will do an April wrap up in a few days!
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