I had a huge list of things I needed to get done today before visitors arrive tomorrow and I only have three things left to cross off but both can be done tomorrow if need be (one of them is vacuum which Shun will do in the morning)
This is the first time I have had to do any major cleaning while it has just been Noah & I at home- usually I do most of it at the weekends when Shun is around so that if Noah is awake he can watch him but I wasn`t sure we would have time tomorrow before we had to head out to meet Sarah & Nay and to go to Nana`s birthday party.
The to do list for today was
- Go to supermarket (due to weather I will do this by myself in the morning- or send Shun)
-Prepare dinner
- Express milk
- Washing ( I did two loads- but only hung out one, will hang the other out overnight since the weather is bad and they need to be hung out inside)
-Clean kitchen including konro, sink, fridge and oven!
- Prep the futons for the girls tomorrow night
-Clean our bedroom- namely hang up all the clothes and tidy up.
- Cds for Cassie with some kiddie music (I still need to do this but it will get done today)
- Clean the toilet, bathroom sink, bathroom floor and shower/bath.
There were a couple other things like sort this months money, write in the money book and email back a friend who is coming to stay next week from Australia.
Anyway- I managed to get everything done except the vacuuming (which who am I kidding, it is Shun`s job and I was never going to do it), supermarket trip & cd`s for Cassie.
I did most of it while Noah was napping but he had a bad night last night (up from 5:30 and would not resettle and was crying a lot- and I was up til 11:30 last night sorting out our medical bills tax thingy with him so didn`t get much sleep- in total I think I slept for 4.5 hours but it was in two lots) but Noah only naps for 40 minutes or so each time so some of the chores needed to be done while he was awake for example cleaning the shower/bath- I made a game of it and played peek a boo while I did it because I didn`t want to put him in his bouncer too close otherwise he would get wet (plus the cleaning chemicals wouldn`t be good for him) and he also sat in his bouncer and watched me while i prepared dinner- now all I need to do is grill the fish later but everything else is ready (Japanese food tonight!)…I did the rest of the bathroom/toilet during another of his naps though.
The kitchen I did while he was sleeping and that was easy enough (and the konro was WELL OVERDUE for a clean!). The futons were easy to do while he was sleeping too and as for tidying our bedroom I did that while he was playing in the bouncer in the living room and just put on some extra music for him to listen to as well and he was fine for the 15 minutes it took me to do that.
I was wondering what other people do though- especially those that have kids and did the routine change once you had children or did it stay the same? I am actually a pretty bad cleaner! Although I keep a tidy house. What I mean by that is that while it might not be SUPER clean how house never gets SUPER dirty either- I also hate clutter so our place doesn`t get very cluttered and things have their own homes etc. I do a big clean once a week in which I usually dust, clean the genkan, clean the bathrooms properly (I do the sink and toilet seperately an extra time during the week usually, sometimes two extra times) and obviously I do washing everyday (which inevitably ends in folding) as well as a general tidy up of the kitchen. The living room and dining room table area I tidy up each day (ie put toys away, fold blankets, sort the mail etc etc) and I wipe down the kitchen floor with one of those special mops you attach the wet paper tissue too a couple of times a week.
Shun`s job during the week is to wash whatever plates are left in the sink before he goes to bed- now this isn`t usually very much since I do Noah`s bath in there (I put his baby bath in the kitchen sink) so it is only what goes in there after Noah`s bath which is usually only Shumpei`s dinner plate and bento from the day and maybe a coffee cup.
I should say though that dusting in our apartment and wiping down all the surfaces is a bit of a waste of time sometimes because it is such an old building and gets dusty as soon as you have finished dusting!
Amanda over at working mom in Japan recently wrote about having prompt cards etc to get things done in her house- I liked this idea as I am a big list person anyway. I have a little notebook next to my computer which has lists of things I need to get done- sometimes I will write mini daily lists on a post it and stick it to the top of my notebook so that I can get a thrill when I cross something off (haha, yes I am that dull!)- I also love her idea of a command centre which is essentially a pinboard/noticeboard near their kitchen- if I made one I am not exactly sure where I would put it but I am definitely thinking about creating one! I could write the meals for the week up there and also mini reminders of things I need to get at the supermarket when I run out (ie, milk, soy sauce, minced garlic etc)…Amanda`s system also involved rewards so that if she completed everything then at the end of the week she would get a reward. I like this idea too- even if I rewarded myself after each task with some tv watching time or something like that…
We don`t have a printer so I am thinking of hand making something perhaps- or making something up and printing it next time I am at the in-laws.
We would probably still do a big clean each week (as this is how we have always done it since we moved in together 4 years ago) but the mini daily tasks and other weekly tasks and/or monthly tasks would be great.
Would be interesting to hear what others do. What is your system? Do you even have a system? Are you a neat freak who loves to clean or someone that just does the bare minimum and have you gotten better since you got married and/or had a family or worse?
Anyway that is me all done for the day (I started this post 4 hours ago though, haha- oh the joys of motherhood!) except for the cd`s which I am going to do now and then I am off to bed because the munchkin slept so badly last night and I was up so late that I want to be asleep by 9pm!
ps: You may have noticed there is no mention of ironing in there. That is because we dont own a proper iron (i have a very little one I use for sewing projects but that is it) and I do not iron. I told Shun when we met that if we ever married that I wouldn`t iron and that he would need to deal with that or give me money to take any clothes he wanted ironed to the drycleaners. So far we have never really needed one…not really anyway.
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I am just a twenty something Aussie girl living in Chiba, Japan with my Japanese husband trying to make sense of the crazy Japanese world we live in! We welcomed our first son in December 2009 (Noah) and a second son in January 2011, 2 months premature (Shion). I am working hard at raising them to be confident, bilingual, happy kids!
Well done on getting everything done! That seems like a long list =) Bet you’re excited about everything this weekend!!! Can’t wait to see you (as I’ve been saying in every comment for the last couple weeks haha)
It’s funny, lately I’ve been SOO curious about everyone’s chores/cleaning…and then you post this to draw those very answers out of everyone! Maybe I’m used to it, and it comes natural to me… but I clean the house top to bottom every day. Vacuume, dust, wipe things, wipe the kitchen down, swifter the floors, water the plants, make the bed, do laundry (wash, hang, fold), tidy everything. Never dirty, never cluttered. It never takes that long either, I slowly do it throughout the day sometimes while Missha is sleeping, but usually while she watches. I also cook a full breakfast, sometimes bake in the afternoon, and make dinner all meal planned for the week ahead with a shopping list once a week. (Go for eggs, milk, bread again mid week though)
Tetsu…. does no chores, leaves his clothes and towels and dishes everywhere. So following him around is another chore I guess… lol Used to bother me but now that I’ve accepted it’s just the ways things are I’m all the more happy to do everything. No expectations of him to be crushed and he really appreciates me in return WIN WIN
I guess I fall under the cleanfreak category? Though it’s not so much obsessive, as something I enjoy doing. Sorry for the long commment… you know how I feel about lists and organizing hahahaha… See you soon!!! Wish Nana a Happy Birthday from us <3
If I cleaned as much as Khea does I would have no time to knit! Or maybe I would, I just prefer to knit….
I think my apartment is tidy enough (you could probably lick the floor without getting a communicable disease) and I try to keep the toys/ Nana mess contained….but knitting is definitely more important!
Ok, in my attempt to control my obsession/sickness with cleaning, I am in the process of trying different approaches to daily cleaning. Now I live in a big house, LDK plus tatami room, big bathroom and change area, two loos, three bedrooms and a storage room, plus a big genkan, it is a lot harder to keep on top of it.
Now, I have a list. I have to do laundry every day. If the weather is nice, I can hang it out and take it in, fold and put away in one day, otherwise it stays on the line overnight and gets put away the next day (inside if it’s raining). I do dishes every day, probably about 4 times, but we are fitting the dishwasher this weekend, so that will save time. And of course I cook meals every day (apart from breakfast, which is a cereal and rice/natto affair). Luka goes crazy weird when I get the hoover out, so I tend to limit that to about twice a week, going around with a wet cloth or a dustpan and brush to sweep up food mess from the children under the table. Then I tackle a couple of rooms a day, top to bottom. I clean/dust with マイペット or vinegar and water solution (one part vin. four parts water and some essential oils because my pet stinks),windows, frames, bed frames, doors, floors, and change sheets, etc. And spend about 10 minutes in the other rooms just to pick up stuff and make the beds, plump cushions, etc. (like Khea, mostly after my husband). That way, it doesn’t take all that long, and I feel that I have done something enough to be able to relax and enjoy the afternoon before it’s time to start cooking again! But I have to say, that it is mess that makes me really stressed out. Hannah knows that she has to tidy up after herself, but there are still tantrums at the end of the day! It’s difficult, I have found, not to become obsessed with cleaning when you are a full-time housewife. But it’s surprisingly easy once you settle into a routine that works for you. As you say, I think clutter is a big barrier to keeping the house clean, so if you are clutter-free, that’s the main battle.
It sounds as if Shun does a lot to help too, that’s great! Oh, and I don’t do ironing either (although I have one that I mostly use when sewing). Ironing is for suckers!
Yes all my routines changed with kids, and they continue to change as the kids grow. It’s so stressful at times for me as I am one who loves a good routine. It’s the way it is though. I will have a really big change in April when dd starts elementary school and ds starts kindy. Anyway, my cleaning philosophy is simple. If it’s dirty clean it. Don’t mean that in a snarky way at all. Despite being generally very organized and routine oriented I just can’t get with any program like Amanda created for herself. (not that there’s anything wrong with her plan!) It’s just not what I do. I notice it’s dirty and clean it. The only cleaning routine I have is about washing bedding, but of course I am flexible. If I am tired or the weather is causing a problem (like for laundry) or something else needs to be taken care of first it has to wait. I used to be really anul about cleaning but still didn’t have any routine. My house is always clean and tidy. People can drop by unexpectdly; and I’m not embarrassed; but with young children in the house I have enough stress to deal with. Nailing myself down to yet more specific duties everyday like clockwork only creates more stress as I never know what chaos my kids are going to throw my way!
Ps. I guess I do have things I do everyday without fail- like vacuum, laundry, wash dishes after every meal and prep; but those are things that are forced on me by living in Japan. In the US I do laundry like once a week and wash when the dish washer is full . You know? And when and how I do those things are going to have to change from April because the kids school routine will change. Yk?
As i was reading these comments, my husband walked past with a bucket of water for the plants and said ‘do you mind if i start vacuuming?’ I just had to laugh. As if i mind! Makes me feel lazy tho LOL we are both sort of clean freaks but it does tend to build up a bit before we get round to it every week.
I have been trying really hard to do keep on top of the cleaning/tidying by doing a little bit every day but I think I will always be more of a “clean it all in one go” kind of girl. Saturday morning is when I clean. (Obviously I do laundry and washing up every day but tend to let everything else accumulate during the week) I normally start with the kitchen clean-up after breakfast then I do the hoovering/tidy the other rooms and then I do the bathroom before hopping into the shower. If I spot something dirty I will clean it up as the week goes on but I really don’t have time to do proper cleans every day. (in fact some days I am too tired to wash the dishes and will wash two days worth in one go..) I get a kick out of having a perfectly clean flat by lunchtime on Saturdays.
Doesn’t last for very long with Joey in the flat though!
haha, I am so glad you are asking those questions because believe it or not I was wondering the exact same thing the other day. Since I’m a student I feel like I don’t have enough time or energy to clean everyday, (i usually do it once a week) but once I do clean the entire house I still feel like it’s less than spotless. How do people do it?? Maybe it’s just because our apartment is so small so a couple items out of place makes the whole room look cluttered. Or maybe I’m cutting corners somewhere in there. Anyway, I’m hoping to get into a better groove sooner or later (and perhaps get over all of my college student slob habits, lol!) At least Tatsuya does the dishes every day, he’s such a dear
Oh, and have fun with your guests, by the way!
I wish I had cleaning down like you guys. I’ll have to take notes from your comments. Both my fiancee and I are not the biggest fans of cleaning. Getting him to help out can be a chore at times. I feel like as soon as I clean it goes back to the way it was before!