Cleaning

I'm a believer in routine too, and definitely in not doing too much at once! When I was in my twenties I could clean the whole flat in one day, now in my sixties I could, but are not going to, as I would be dead-beat for the rest of the week.

I can still clean my kitchen cupboards, but when weeding the garden I sit on a stable stool, as getting up from the path or flower-beds is difficult. Try a small collapsible but stable stool for the low kitchen shelves. If that doesn't help then place a chair or a walking stick nearby, so you have something to hang onto when trying to get up again.

No, I do not live alone but we have always divided work on the doing what you are best at basis. DH's skill is DIY on every level from minute to grand scale, He has converted lofts, moved windows and mended fine jewellery. He is at his happiest when he is fiddling with something fixing it. We would not have the house we have were it not for his skills.

I on the other hand am a competent household manager, including running family finances. He does what he is good at, I do what I am good at. The fact that to a certain extent it follows more traditional roles is entirely incidental.

Merrill, I have sometimes had a lie down when the mood took me to do a good clean while thinking about where to start. Ended up doing nothing but read a book. so much better for my health.

Surely cleaning should simply be a shared task?
Boys' jobs and girls' jobs David1968

He does what he is good at, I do what I am good at. Likewise with us, although we have been known to overlap roles occasionally - which just means that he sometimes gets in my way.

And, as he is taller than me, he does the 'high cobwebbing' and I do the lower bits.

We have just got the decorators in, and in preparation we had to move sideboard etc which have not been moved since we moved here almost five years ago. What’s a bit of dust? Still, it is a good opportunity to make a fresh start.

I keep the kitchen, bathroom and main floors clean on a regular weekly basis, but only do other cleaning when I feel like it, eg turn out drawers and cupboards. However, once the decorators have gone and we get everything straight again, I have resolved to gradually work my way through the house having a bit of a sort out and more thorough cleaning than usual.
Like the OP, it is all a bit of an effort and I struggle to move furniture, and to get up again if I have been down on my knees. DH would be even worse. His job is the garden and any DIY needed.
So I do what I can when I can. It is really not the most important thing in life, though it is nice when done ( till the next time).

Remember, after 10 years the rolls of fluff and dust don't get any worse. Quentin Crisp RIP. So stop now and in 10 years time just relax even more!

Hmmmm! Then I am definitely a slut of the first order! Can't afford a cleaner (that is a blatant lie but would rather spend the money on handbags or new shoes!) and have LOADS of more interesting and exciting things to do. I just flick a duster on the glass tv stand when I have a visitor as you can see the dust and hooray no bullying bloke around to call me said Slut! Last time I dusted anything was 4 years ago. And that was the first time in 7 years. The dust was as deep as my forefinger is long on top of the picture frames. At 72 I dont give a damn. My grumpy son can dust the whole lot, or chuck it all out once I have kick the proverbials!! HAHAHAHA!!!!!! (manic laughter )

Things like clearing out kitchen cupboards I leave to my daughter in law who seems to enjoy such thankless tasks and who am I to ruin her fun?
Under beds were probably last done when I had a new carpet laid two years ago. I poke the hoover under the bed but I have no intention of moving it as it weighs a ton.
I don't really have summer and winter clothes, I just have clothes and ample drawer and wardrobe space.
I do have regular clear outs of all sorts of stuff. I've just had a new roof on my conservatory so took the opportunity to empty out and dispose of all sorts of stuff I no longer have a use for and now have lots more space. I bought an extra cube storage unit and now all the parrots paraphernalia is housed in the lidded cubes and out of sight. I shall clear out the shed if we have some more warm weather and if not I shall make a start on the loft. I last did that a couple of years ago and tbh it needs doing again. I also need to get rid of the last of everything the ex left behind when he went in 2014 so enough it's going to the tip.
Just give yourself a sensible timescale and pace yourself. I find I use the memo facility on my phone to remind myself what needs doing and what I've done.

Much of my housework is 'fitted in'. It's amazing how much can be done while waiting for the tea to brew! Yesterday, for example, I wiped out a cupboard shelf. During another brew, I grabbed the contents of the cutlery drawer (a compartment at a time), wiped the compartment clean and dropped the contents back in. I can clean the loo, hoover a room, wipe the worktops, clean the hob in the brew time. Mind you, I drink a lot of tea!

I remember having a birthday card that said ‘I can’t see the point of housework - you spend all day doing it and then six months later it all needs doing again!’

I showered, aired my bed, made a lemon sponge cake from scratch with lemon curd filling ( from a jar) buttercream all over, with blueberries packed on top and strips of lemon zest.
Vacuumed upstairs rooms, cleaned bathroom, remade bed and packed a bag with items bought for Macmillan raffle plus a decorated bowl of fruit (done this morning)
Fixed my hair, spritz of perfume, boots on and out of the front door at 09.40.
I imagine there are many on here who do much more every morning, especially Saggi
There is only me living at home but I do have visitors and family.
Cupboards cleaned weekly and I can vacuum daily, Fridge emptied/ cleaned every 2 weeks. I do skirtings and dado rails, blinds, soft furnishings and lampshades, doors etc when I hoover. All it takes is a quick wipe with a damp microfibre cloth on skirtings and above doors.
Inside windows done weekly by me, outside monthly by window-cleaner. Front door furniture cleaned when doing garden. I even wash the indoor plant-pots when I water the plants.
You could go round my house anytime and not find mess, dust or dirt anywhere EXCEPT in the boot-tray in the hall. I leave bathroom and kitchen J-cloths soaking overnight in Milton. Kitchen floor gets steam-cleaned bi-weekly. I go barefoot at home and no-one wears shoes beyond the boot-rack.
None of the jobs gets done on any particular day.
I'm retired (74 in Dec) so can please myself.

Cake I made this morning for Macmillan.

Boys' jobs and girls' jobs, Jalima1108? What? Are we still living in the 1950s?

GabriellaG a good job I was sitting down when I read what you do at home. Reading it wore me out so I should join the sluts club.

But is it any worse than people taking on work they cannot do because they are afraid of being accused of giving way to gender stereotyping if they stick to what they are really best at?

In our family DD is like her DF and does everything from laying drives, fitting kitchens, making soft furnishings to the finest of fine needlework. DS is like me, cack handed, his response to DIY is to get someone in to do it - as I would if living on my own or other than with DH.

Boys' jobs and girls' jobs, Jalima1108? What? Are we still living in the 1950s?
It was a joke David1968 - it's what Mrs May said!

The cake looks nice GG - are you sharing it on GN?

Jalima1108
I would if I could.
It was bought by a gentleman for afternoon tea tomorrow when his son and family visit.
I rarely eat fancy cake, preferring madeleines or home-made egg custard tart.
What I didn't mention, was the fact that I didn't wash the baking bowls and utensils until I got home

I was feeling like a mucky slut before I read this thread, now I feel much better, thank you ladies.

Marelli, I like your style!

A card-carrying member of the sluts club here. After I left Kenya, where I had full-time domestic help, I had trouble getting used to the idea of doing it myself. That was 42 years ago... Now I do have fortnightly cleaners - luxury!

Oh my goodness! What a depressing post yet I felt compelled to read it to the end. No way would I spend 2 hours on housework - it would just need doing again 2 hours later as there's so much toing and froing in our house and so many pleasurable things to do plus doing a stint at work as well! Life is too short - and getting shorter

I did all my own housework until seven years ago at the age of eighty eight. Now I have a help who comes for one one hour every day because I have walking difficulties. Kitchen and bathroom get done daily. Cupboards get cleaned when needed as do windows. (White vinegar for windows and mirrors) Not being active the bungalow doesn’t need much cleaning.
I did all my own decorating and gardening until I was eighty.
Still do all my own cooking.
There are so many detergents and anti bacterial products available now that housework is easy. I remember the days when we only had Sunlight soap, a tub of Vim and scrubbing brush.

Due to health issues and tired, achy joints, I just choose one room/area per week to 'detail' as needed. Some rooms don't need a lot of attention (ie. guest room), so it gets a detailing and fresh linens only when we have guests coming.

Our (big) house has become a lot of work as some things just can't be avoided. There's no way to get out of repetitive routines such as doing laundry, fixing meals, cleaning various rooms, kitchen and bathrooms and/or vacuuming.

He helps me with the household chores whenever he can which is often and I help him with the mail, keeping his closet/clothes organized, fixing his meals etc.. If we each had to do by ourselves, I don't think we could manage as well as we do.

missdeke

I’m 10 years younger than you and I struggle with all the housework! I’m trying to convince my husband that we should downsize (big 4 bedroomed house and only the 2 of us) but he’s not budging for the moment. Would that be an option for you?