Off topic: How do you keep house?

HannasMom · Jan 31, 2006

When I was in nursing school, I would clean the house before I could study for an exam. I know it sounds weird, but I needed to work off some of the stress before I could sit down to study. Plus I couldn't study with dirty dishes or a messy house all around me. It worked for me. I also like to pace back and forth when I recite information for an exam. Maybe I should go back to school so I could lose 10 lbs. LOL.

LydiaNN · Jan 31, 2006

I've told this story on allnurses before, so apologies to anyone reading it for the second time. My husband is also messy and completely oblivious to things sitting on the bottom step to be carried up, laundry that's been washed, dried and folded and is merely awaiting placement in the appropriate drawer or closet, etc. All of that I can and do abide. What drove me nuts, crazy, to distraction was a very weird habit he had of throwing trash in the sink. I'd go to rinse out a dish or wash my hands, and there's be a popsicle stick or pudding cup or whatever in there. When he ignored my requests and then my demands to cease and desist this senselessness, I started laying out a towel on his side of the bed and depositing his little trash collection there. Whatever he left in the sink, I left on the towel. It took a while but he stopped. Honestly, desperate times call for desperate measures.

nursingismydream · Jan 31, 2006

When I was in nursing school, I would clean the house before I could study for an exam. I know it sounds weird, but I needed to work off some of the stress before I could sit down to study. Plus I couldn't study with dirty dishes or a messy house all around me. It worked for me. I also like to pace back and forth when I recite information for an exam. Maybe I should go back to school so I could lose 10 lbs. LOL.

This is exactly what I do. I get home and it is quiet, so I spend that time to do the housework. It really helps me to burn stress, and I don't get distracted by the sink full of dishes and the pile of laundry waiting to be done. Then I lock myself in my room after dinner, and burn a hole in the bedroom carpet pacing and talking to myself aloud. My kids look at me funny. But it works for me.

Kim O'Therapy, BSN, RN · Jan 31, 2006

My house keeping has gotten so bad lately, that today my husband threatened to hire a cleaning lady. I called his bluff and guess what? He called a cleaning lady to come in and start this friday! I'm so thrilled & relieved. It's been terrible trying to keep the house clean with 3 messy kids and a pig of a husband. How do you all handle juggling classes, studying, working, running kids around while keeping the house clean? I feel so blessed to finally get help!

We hired a housekeeper to come in EOW and we do the laundry, etc. At first I felt really lazy or guilty, but then I also realized that school is like working two jobs. When you leave class, you're not finished for the day - you go to your second job, which is studying and homework. There just isn't enough time. Also, when I did have some time, my hubby and kids were sick of me spending it cleaning tubs and toilets. I don't blame you one bit! :rolleyes:

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Feb 1, 2006

he had of throwing trash in the sink. I'd go to rinse out a dish or wash my hands, and there's be a popsicle stick or pudding cup or whatever in there. When he ignored my requests and then my demands to cease and desist this senselessness, I started laying out a towel on his side of the bed and depositing his little trash collection there. Whatever he left in the sink, I left on the towel.

Oh mercy!... teapot,

All I can say is that at least he put it in the sink! My dh leaves it wherever it was that he ate it. Desk, couch, table, bookshelf, whatever. I tried the trash on the bed method but he just moved it all to the floor next to the bed. He is hopeless. I can't wait to do the blood curdling scream at just the right time! He's OOT this week so maybe this weekend! I can say I'm fortunate that dh is always happy with whatever he gets for dinner whether it be take-out, fast food, go out to eat, homecooked or even soup and sandwich. That is a relief at dinner time when I'm most tired!

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Feb 1, 2006

This is exactly what I do. I get home and it is quiet, so I spend that time to do the housework. It really helps me to burn stress, and I don't get distracted by the sink full of dishes and the pile of laundry waiting to be done. Then I lock myself in my room after dinner, and burn a hole in the bedroom carpet pacing and talking to myself aloud. My kids look at me funny. But it works for me.

Looking at housework that needs doing just makes me that much more stressed! argh ! My de-stress is allnurses.com, TV and sleeping. In that order!

nursemelani · Feb 1, 2006

I do my major cleaning on weekends, since I am at work or school during the week. During the week, I will tell myself to put away 20 things, and count as I put my kids toys in his room, dishes in the dishwasher, junkmail in the garbage, etc.

Fortunately, hubby likes to cook. When I do cook (once or twice a week), I always make enough for left-overs the next day.

TrickieTam · Feb 1, 2006

At first when I started school, my house looked as though I had several roommates and I live in a one bedroom apartment. This semester though I'm better at my housekeeping duties. I study for 50 minutes, get up and do something for 10 minutes and then back to my study session. Before when I wasn't cleaning I couldn't find things and would be late for classes most days, which is not good. Besides its just me, ain't nobody else gonna do it.

Kim O'Therapy, BSN, RN · Feb 1, 2006

I find not having anyone over helps too! LOL

mandrews · Feb 1, 2006

My house keeping has gotten so bad lately, that today my husband threatened to hire a cleaning lady. I called his bluff and guess what? He called a cleaning lady to come in and start this friday! I'm so thrilled & relieved. It's been terrible trying to keep the house clean with 3 messy kids and a pig of a husband. How do you all handle juggling classes, studying, working, running kids around while keeping the house clean? I feel so blessed to finally get help!

Boy can I relate. My house looks like a tornado hit it, and I have been out of school for a year. I work nights and sleep all day. I can sleep day and night.

My husband hired a housekeeper and she put so much bleach in the laundry it ate holes in our towels. Then she lied about it. (I fired her)There is a home for mentally retarded persons in my area that has a cleaning business and they are all bonded. They do not come out this far but if they did I would hire them in a minute. They clean my aunts home and she said they are great.

I feel like my husband and sons are capable of picking up after themselves.

melissa

medsurgnurse, RN · Feb 1, 2006

pay the mortgage every month

Josh L.Ac. · Feb 1, 2006

I toss my fiance into a room and tell her she can't come out until it is cleaned.

Actually, my fiance and I both clean. I am more concerned about cleaning but my old OCD days where I would stay up late and clean are long gone (now it manifests by the fact I have to clean my study or else I can't study) so I developed a compromise: I try to clean one room a day and try to pick up all my son's stuff on a daily basis (he's 9 months old). Then every other weekend we get the whole place clean at the same time. But since we clean each room at least once a week, it doesn't take as much work.

Edit: for those that can't get their husbands to clean, realize the most of us men are very easy to manipulate. All you have to do is stroke our ego a bit and the next thing we know, we're cooking dinner in our briefs. Just tell your man it would be uber sexy for him to do [insert chore] while wearing [insert whatever]. You have to make it believable so practice your acting in the mirror so you can get it right.

If that doesn't work, throw things. Men tend to track movement very well, so seeing a plate go across our field of vision and hit the wall is likely to make us look up from the TV. We might then go back to looking at the TV, but for a brief second, you have your chance.