How To Make Housecleaning Easier?

Do you ever feel that cleaning your house is a never-ending job. There is an endless supply of dishes and clothes to wash, and that pesky dust never stays away for long. Sometimes it seems that there are just not enough hours in the day to keep the house clean and get everything else done too.

In order to stay on top of housecleaning, it is essential for us to have a routine. Every situation is different, so the routine that works for your mother, sister, or friend may or may not work for you. But we can all create our own routines to make housecleaning easier.

1. Tackle one room at a time. Many of us don’t have an entire day to dedicate to [nmslink:house cleaning, house cleaning] every week. Doing one room at a time allows us to break the work up into smaller chunks while still accomplishing something noticeable. One or two rooms each day should allow us to get the whole house clean in a week’s time.
2. Do one task at a time, but do it for the whole house. This is another effective way to break the work up. For example, you could dust the entire house from end to end and be done with it. Then you could move on to sweeping or vacuuming. Doing things this way will save time by eliminating a lot of the “stop and go” as well.
3. Try grouping certain tasks together to multitask. Chores like doing the laundry do not require constant attention, so we can do other things while we’re waiting for the clothes to be washed and dried. Associating another task with it that is more labor-intensive, like dusting or cleaning the kitchen, can increase our productivity. Once the first load is finished, we can fold or [nmslink:iron, iron] clothes while waiting for the next load.
4. Break larger tasks up into smaller ones if they become too monotonous. Some of us have rooms that it seems to take forever to clean, or certain chores that we just hate to do. Breaking them up into smaller, more manageable parts might help us get them done. For example, if you despise cleaning the bathroom, you could clean the shower and then go work on something more enjoyable for a while. Then you can come back later and tackle something else, and repeat until the whole bathroom is clean.
5. Put on some upbeat music to keep yourself motivated. Listening to music you love can make any task more pleasant, and something with a good beat will keep you moving. You might even find yourself dancing as you clean.

Having a routine is a great way to do anything more efficiently. This is especially true for housecleaning. You may have to experiment a little at first, but finding a routine that works for you will pay off. You’ll be able to get your house clean in less time, and you might even start enjoying it more.

Organizing Tips for Busy Moms is a step-by-step guide to help you organize your home.

[nms:house cleaning,3,1BMO757]

Tuna Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

4 green bell peppers, tops, seeds and membrane removed
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 cup soft breadcrumbs
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 can (7 1/2 ounces) tuna, flaked
2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a shallow casserole dish with cooking spray. Place peppers in a large pan of salted water that comes just to the tops of the peppers. Boil approximately 5 minutes or just until the peppers starts to tender. Drain off water and place peppers upside down on paper towel to drain any water out of the inside.

In a large bowl stir together onion, 1/2 of the breadcrumbs, egg, milk, lemon juice and tuna. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place tuna mixture into peppers almost to the top. Place the other 1/2 of the breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Add melted butter and stir until mixed together well. Sprinkle over the top of the peppers.

Place peppers in baking dish. Bake 13 to 15 minutes until heated through.

[nms:baking dish,2,0,0,756]

Is Your Husband Helping Around the House?

A marriage is a partnership in every sense of the word. A husband and wife must work together to keep a household running smoothly. But who should do what is often a source of conflict.

Moms usually get the job of taking care of the kids and keeping the house clean while their husbands work. But unlike several decades ago, wives and mothers usually have to hold down a job as well in order for a family to make it. It can be difficult to juggle all of these things ourselves. Getting husbands to help around the house can make our jobs easier and less stressful.

1. If you need help with something specific, ask. Most husbands are willing to do specific tasks when we have our hands full and they don’t. If possible, ask him to do something that he enjoys, or at least doesn’t openly hate to do.
2. Find tasks that you can do together or alongside each other. This will allow the two of you to spend time together while also getting something done. And the pleasure of your company might make an undesirable chore more palatable.
3. Offer to help him with his projects. If you are willing to help him clean his car or do the yard work, he will surely appreciate it. Then he might be more likely to offer to help you out when you are working around the house.
4. Talk about how your day went. Husbands often don’t realize how much their wives do in one day, and this can lead them to believe that we should accomplish more than we do. Filling them in on all of the things we have to contend with could evoke some sympathy, possibly even inspiring them to volunteer their assistance.
5. If you prefer a more structured approach, assign specific chores to everyone in the house. You could make a chart that tells which chores everyone is to be in charge of. Consulting with your husband when doing this is crucial. If he is included in the decision making process, he will be more willing to follow along.
6. Give lots of praise when your husband does help around the house for positive reinforcement. Nitpicking about the things he did wrong will only make him less willing to help. While it’s acceptable to offer some constructive criticism, it is essential to find something positive to say as well.

Getting your husband to help around the house may be effortless, or it may require a little coaxing. By letting him know how hard you work to try and get everything done and asking him to do specific things rather than expecting him to know what to do on his own, you can often get some willing assistance. And the end result will be a neater, cleaner, and happier home.

Next Page »