Reddit reviews Home-Ec 101: Skills for Everyday Living - Cook it, Clean it, Fix it, Wash it
We found 2 Reddit comments about Home-Ec 101: Skills for Everyday Living - Cook it, Clean it, Fix it, Wash it. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
I kept a relatively clean house through the toddler years. My suggestions:
Chill. As long as it's not poisonous or small enough to choke on, the baby won't be hurt by putting things in his mouth. I'm not sure how to handle fleas - maybe ask an exterminator's advice - but we had ants once, and our apartments are regularly sprayed, and my kid is fine. I understand that the flea situation is stressful, but cut yourself some slack. Lots of houses have to treat for pests. Your kid will be ok.
Create a schedule! I used to do maintenance chores throughout the week, and then set aside an hour or two every Saturday morning to do a big cleaning. And then I had a day where I did laundry and a day where I did a big shopping. And then I had a system for daily chores - wiping down counters, making beds, doing dishes, putting things away.. Actually, this book really helped me with schedules: Home Ec 101 - it has recommendations for what should be done every day, every three days, every week, every month, and once a year. You can tweak it for your own needs.
Quick question: If both of you are gone all day, how much time do you really need to be spending cleaning every day? I felt like I spent all day cleaning when I was a SAHM, but I was home, using the house, all day long. If it's clean at night when you go to bed, it should be clean in the morning, and then relatively clean (barring, say, breakfast plates) when you come home at night, right? So, no need to go into overdrive. :) Though of course there are the toys toys everywhere, which leads me to my last suggestion:
Bins! Bins for everything. My closet has a bin for office stuff (tape, scissors, white out), I have decorative display bins that I keep art supplies, puzzles, and stationery stuff in. My kid has bins for costumes, toys, legos, and pet supplies. I have a bin for mail. There is a bin for shoes. For wires. For playstation games. Whenever I need to put something somewhere, there is a bin for it! Every other month or so, I go through the bins and make sure they're organized. But they help so much on a day-to-day basis. Throw a thing in here, throw a thing in there - bam it's clean!
Oh and lastly, have your kid help out as soon as he's old enough (maybe even find small things for him to "help" with now). Sure he's little, but they don't stay little for long, and once your kids can help clean, that's a huge time saver.
Sorry this got really long. Obviously I've thought a lot about this. My husband hates messes, and while I can tolerate it better than he can, I prefer a clean place. It's possible, just give yourself a break, make a schedule, and figure out an organization system that works for you, and it's totally possible to have a clean house.
Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen Cookbook: 100 + Great Recipes with Foolproof Instructions https://www.amazon.com/dp/0618711759/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_gQ8rDbP9ER0QA
Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook: The Essential Guide to Caring for Everything in Your Home https://www.amazon.com/dp/0517577003/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XR8rDbBSNYVP2
Home Management: Plain and Simple https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998610100/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_qT8rDb6FDZZQA
Home-Ec 101: Skills for Everyday Living https://www.amazon.com/dp/1440308535/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_4V8rDb7GT21TK
Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD, 2nd Edition-Revised and Updated: Tips and Tools to Help You Take Charge of Your Life and Get Organized https://www.amazon.com/dp/1592335128/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6W8rDb6ZKRW49
Don’t be afraid to shop! (Within reason) It will contribute so much to your comfort and relaxation/mental health to have a nice space set up for you both.
I recommend Ikea for most things, Target, and Ross has a good “home stuff” section.