I remember watching an Oprah, long ago before I boycotted Oprah. They had some "scientests" on the show, running tests on people's sheets, kitchen sinks, toilets, etc, to see how many cooties they had running around. First of all, sometimes the old saying "ignorance is bliss" is true. I would rather not know how many cooties are running around in my house. Oprah then confessed that she had her sheets changed every other day. (of course SHE didn't have to change them) It just made me think...what is the normal length of time to go before changing your sheets.? Are you brave enough to admit it? I would love to say that I change mine every week...but that would be lying and I don't lie anymore. I can honestly say it's probably once a month. Is that disgusting? Seriously I'm not sure what's "normal" when it comes to sheet changing. I do change the cribs sheets often but, I'm curious to hear what other people have to say?
My other question for all of you busy moms is how do you keep up with the house and kids and still have time to "play" with them? I feel like I spend my whole day cleaning, doing laundry and making meals...and then realized that I haven't really spent any time with the kids? If I put off doing all of the housework, then it just piles up and I have double the amount to do the next day. Do any of you have any strategies, schedules, etc that work for you? Or do I need to hire a cleaning lady? :)
8 comments:
Well, for a while I was actually really good about changing the sheets every week. Then when I got pregnant, that schedule went kaput, now I'm lucky if it's once a month. Bleh. I want to get back on the once a week, or at least twice a month, but the belly is so BIG. And then of course I'll have a newborn as a handy excuse.
I have bad news for your husband - you should just hire a cleaning lady. I don't know what to tell you. I only have one kid and my house is messy almost all of the time.
Maybe this will inspire you:
http://my-angle.blogspot.com/2007/01/i-am-starting-movement.html
Let's try that again.
http://my-angle.blogspot.com/2007/01/
i-am-starting-movement.html
Great questions Deena! I am always struggling with the "how to keep things nice AND play with the kids," dilema. I think I'm still trying to figure it out - however, over the years, I've realized that it isn't going to be perfect. I know I still need to stop more often and just play. What I'm trying to do is just balance things a little bit - do some cleaning (not all of it) and take a break and play a game or do a puzzle or go outside and ride bikes. The other day while I was ironing, Emma and I took turns telling stories and stopping and then the other person would take over the story - it was really fun AND I got some ironing done! The cleaning is never done and the house is never perfect - but I think that goes with the stage of life we're in!
As far as the sheets go - I wash them every other week. However, on Friday I asked Jon if he'd put the clean sheets on the top bunks since it's getting a little hard to do with a big tummy. He struggled trying to get them on and then told me it was really hard to do and that I washed the sheets way too often. :)
Normal? What is normal? I am lucky if the sheets get changed every 3 to 4 weeks. I can't stand them after the one month mark. I have an oily headed husband. So his pillowcase gets changed between times. Chloe's bed gets changed every night right now, but hopefully that is over because it is tiring! We are a here and there family. A little cleaning here and there, cooking here and there, laundry here and there. Working forty plus hours a week, and even more during the summer, I just don't have a lot of free time. So we play between everything else, but I'm embarassed to say, my kids have really had to learn to find things to do on their own, or play with eachother. I'm not overly proud of that, but they are both pretty independent. As for the cleaning lady, I'm all for it, but look into it really good. I have had friends who have brought people in, and they don't always do what they say they will, or what you think you are paying for. I have one very good friend who does daycare out of her house, and she brings someone in twice a month just to do super scrub on her bathrooms. She really likes that! Can't blame her, I think I would like that too! I just want someone to do my laundry! Ugh, I hate laundry!
I say "hire a cleaning lady!!!" I honestly would love to have one come in once a month and do some deep cleaning in the bathrooms. I actually looked into it a few months ago but so far I haven't found anyone that would do it only once a month. If I ever DO get some extra hired bathroom help I am going to try and be proud of it and not be ashamed.
As for the sheets...um, can't say I do it on the month mark but that is a great goal. I hate making the bunk beds and often don't think of washing the sheets if they haven't been peed it--we haven't died of creepy crawlings yet.
I agree with Dawn--it is all a balancing act. One that I am sure no one will ever perfect!
I only remember to change our sheets if Jane has just spit up on my side of the bed.
I think we're pretty lucky to get the sheets changed once a month. And I totally struggle with the "playing" thing too. I'm trying to do better, as I realize these kids aren't going to stay little for long, but I OFTEN find myself asking myself (when they're asking to play whatever) "how big of a mess is that going to make and how long is it going to take me to clean it?"
I clean sheets about once a month and I clean the towels and pillow cases about once a week. I love clean sheets! So if I wasn't already doing 2 loads of laundry a day I would probably wash them once a week.
I have always liked flylady.net for cleaning help. And it's helped me have a more mellow attitude about the condition of my house.
Sometimes I get so busy cleaning I don't spend time with my kids so then I just try to make them clean with me, make it a game.
I think it's truly unrealistic to think you can have a perfect house while you have four little ones messing it up right behind you. Plus I've never seen your house messy.
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