Not always a fixed strategy, but generally I dust and do the bathrooms, DH does the floors and the kitchen.

And sometimes we do it all in one day but mostly we split it up...dusting one day, bathrooms the next for me....floors one day, kitchen the next for him.

But then sometimes we split it by region...one day the back rooms...the next day the front ones.

Most important for me, since I really don't like cleaning, is to put on the Beatles channel and crank up the music so I can sing (please no one listen!) and dance while I clean. Makes it so much easier!

I tend to clean as-needed. Ok, let's be honest. I tend to clean when it's been needed for a while. In our old house, I had a schedule. Certain rooms on certain days. I did everything, then moved on.

I didn't have any help, DH just made the messes. Doing it by my schedule meant that I never spent more than about an hour per day, which was just fine.

Now we're in a much smaller house. I can clean the whole place in an hour.

A-D, I have found music helps me, too. A blog I follow posted a “feel good” playlist back about the first of May. Lots of upbeat music. I came very close to subscribing to Spotify just to listen to that one playlist.

aok, I’m afraid that is somewhat my style, too. We are usually pretty clutter-free. However, right now the biggest “mess” in our house is the DR table. On half of it, I’m working on tax info for the CPA and the other half is our mail quarantine area. DH’s messes are mostly confined to his study and to his chair in the LR. In both places, it consists mostly of TV remotes and glasses. Sitting within a few inches of each pile is a decorative box for storage of said TV remotes and glasses.

To each is own. That's the motto. How did your cleaning gal do it? All one day or parceled out? Back in the day my sister married a man who grew up with a weekly maid detailed to his home. He did not appreciate her schedule of bathrooms on Tuesday/floors on Wednesday etc...he had an ideal of one day of a perfectly pristine home. They had four busy children and a large home. He ended up getting her a cleaning service to satisfy his standard. Me we always cleaned on Saturday..each kid had a job...it all had to be done before lunch. When my kids were little my mop was never dry..now when I mop I think gosh when did I do this last..and feel guilty the mop is dry. With two of us now I clean when I notice there is a need, or am having company...tonight we are having guests for pie around an outdoor bon fire so will mow!!!

My schedule is:

Deep clean every Friday ... vacuum and mop (move furniture, get under stuff), heavy dusting (not just furniture, but ceiling fans, tops of things, frames, baseboards, etc), scrub bathrooms and kitchen. Fridays because I like to go into the weekend with everything freshly cleaned. That includes laundry done, and dishwasher empty. When I worked full-time, Saturday was the day.

I usually dust every room first, then scrub and clean kitchen and bathrooms, then vacuum entire house. I always vacuum last.

I clean in one day. It just feels good to know it’s all done. I put my hair in a bun, put on classic rock, and wear my comfiest clothes. The cats sense the a Vacuum Monster is about to come out, and hide under the bed. :D

Day to day, I keep everything picked up and wiped down, laundry as needed, etc. I do get teased by family and friends for being a neat freak. I’m really not.

Ok, yes, I am. But I didn’t know you were still using that glass! It’s in the dishwasher. Is that a crumb on the counter? How many have to pile up before you decide to wipe up?! Who didn’t put the sponge back right side up on the sponge holder!

Ahem. Sorry.

You’ll see what works best for you. Everyone is different, and has varying factors involved. Just try some different ways, see what methods you prefer. I never intended to get into a set schedule, but it just kind of worked out that way.

.

*Background: Downsized to smaller house, and it’s mainly just DH and me. Adult DD rents a room, but is rarely here. The biggest messes are due to cats! 🥴

I used to have a great system, based somewhat on Flylady, using a weekly “home blessing”, daily routines, zones, etc. Flylady isn’t for everyone, and I’m not one to follow things like that to the letter, I just use it as a model.

Then DH moved his office home a few years ago. I hesitate to vacuum, or clatter around, lest I disturb a client call.

I have been cleaning everything on Friday, which was cleaning day for my housekeepers. I vacuum/Bona the entire first floor, then I dust, vacuum the furniture and move to the second floor. After that I do the bathrooms, and lastly the kitchen. I like everything to sparkle and be done in one fell swoop.

Keeping everything tidy and doing mini cleanings in the bathrooms and kitchen are what I did before coronavirus.

Beds are changed twice a week, Friday and Tuesday. Laundry is done every day. Ironing on Mondays.

I really miss my housekeepers.

Following with interest. I've just let our housekeeper go. I've been paying her all this time, but just can't see feeling comfortable enough to let a cleaner in for months and months yet, so...

DH and I are both retired and I really don't feel like doing all the housework myself, but I know this is going to be a challenge. When I dusted the bedroom last week, I balked at doing his nightstand because he's got crap all over it, and it would take me an extra ten minutes to clear and then replace everything. I offered to get him small trays or something, which would make the job more maneagable, and still keep his stuff available, but he doesn't want to do that, ugh. Same thing with our long, double vanity. I like to clean it every few days, but his end is home to all kinds of extraneous stuff, so again, it's a much bigger job. So I hand him the cleaner and the cloth, and eventually he gets to it. So my choice seems to be to live in a house that isn't as clean as I would like, or do everything myself. True, they aren't my areas, I don't have to actually use that sink or that nightstand, but honestly, I don't like walking past a filthy nightstand or sink area... Do other people deal with this?

I have always cleaned our house. Tried a couple of times hiring it out, and I just prefer to do it myself, even if I don't particularly like cleaning. That said, I will no way say that I am efficient. But I'm not tied down to the house and it works for us. The Mr. helps when he can (when his business allows) and is good at keeping things picked up. I don't have a certain day to do things. My MIL is anal about cleaning and everything is done on certain days, even though she has not worked in many years. I refuse to schedule my life. That said, we pretty much do things as we see the need, other than routine things like cleaning bathrooms, kitchen, floors, etc. Bathrooms are cleaned at least a couple of times a week. Well, the master bathroom is, because that's the one used daily. Kitchen is wiped down usually daily - floors in there as needed. My little sweeper comes in handy for day-to-day pick up and I pull out the big vacuum as needed. Same with mopping, sometimes it's weekly, sometimes not. Dusting is as needed, usually weekly or at least every other week. Floors are always done last. Windowsills, blinds, light fixtures, etc. are not done as often but as we see the need. Beds are changed at least once weekly. Laundry I usually will do several loads first of the week, but then I do a load almost daily (which I cannot understand how that happens with TWO people in the house). I do have some nifty little helpers, a baseboard duster/cleaner, a scrubbing brush that extends (great to use ever-so-often in shower for soap scum), a hand held steam cleaner, steam mop, etc. It's really what works best for you.

Yesterday my lovely housekeeper came back and I'm soooooooo happy! I've been cleaning the house and it mostly reminded me why I hate it with a passion.

My routine is like Jinx's in that our house stays tidy; both husband and I are pretty neat, organized people and I like things to be cleared and put away on a daily basis. We clean the kitchen nightly-wipe down sink and stove, empty trash, wipe counters etc. And yes people also have called me a neat freak!

I've cleaned on the same schedule as the housekeeper came, twice monthly, all in one session. Takes me 5 hours or so in total but she does more in that time than I can accomplish! I divide my work into wet and dry cleaning and get the wet rooms-kitchen and both bathrooms- done first because those are the most labor intensive. Then I dust, then vacuum area rugs and mop the rest of tile floors. I'm another who prefers to have a totally clean house when I'm done; parceling it out over multiple days would drive me nuts.

As a housecleaner, I get into a routine and don't tend to get to every single nook and cranny. Our housekeeper also cleans all the windows inside and out, dusts baseboards and cleans places I don't get to such as inside of refrigerator and stove. She also cleans the downstairs apartment even though it's not used often; she says she likes to wipe everything down at least and she mops the tile floors as well.

I feel I do a pretty good job of keeping our house clean and tidy. Tidy's not an issue; that's just a matter of putting stuff away after using and cleaning up daily messes as they happen.

But I truly loathe spending a day doing that deeper level scrubbing and cleaning, so having help is one luxury that I'd not give up unless I really had to.

I hadn’t cleaned in 30+ years either. When I retired I decided I’d had enough of my overpriced housecleaner and dismissed her. I intended to find someone else but had difficulty doing so and decided to just do it myself.

I thought I’d have a schedule and do it all at once as if I was the housecleaner. Well that idea quickly fell apart. Once I got the Dyson stick I started vacuuming the floors, rugs and furniture much more often - anytime I saw cat hair and other stuff to be vacuumed up. So my schedule kind of morphed into as needed. Some things are cleaned more often now, some less. Floors and bathrooms more often, furniture dusting less. I clean kitchen and laundry surfaces more often now because of the virus.

If it weren’t for the virus I would probably be a bit more rigorous but since we don’t have any guests I’m a bit more lax. I’ve always been clutter free and that hasn’t changed. As long as there’s not a bunch of junk sitting around I can tolerate things like dust until it becomes very obvious.

Best - in answer to your question about the sink/nightstand issue. I’ve never tolerated surface clutter so DH doesn’t have all that much surface stuff. If he did it would drive me nuts. There are drawers, etc where I shove his stuff if it’s accumulating where I can see it. I know what he actually uses and what’s just accumulating because he won’t get rid of it. Eventually either he or I clean out the hiding places and throw at least some of it away.

Best, my DH likes to have stuff. Whether “stuff” is useful or not doesn’t seem to matter. I bought a nice tray for his vanity, so at least the stuff would be collected in one place and maybe look deliberate. Didn’t work. He sets the stuff beside the tray. 🤦🏻‍♀️ I remind myself that he doesn’t leave clothes or shoes around and he does his own laundry. It could be worse.

I vacuum daily, scrub the kitchen and bathroom floor at least 3 times a week, spot clean it as needed in between. Change bedding weekly, run the dishwasher as it gets filled. Trash taken out daily, kitchen cleaned daily. Things picked up constantly.

this may or may not be an unpopular opinion on this board, but I'm in the camp of "americans are way too concerned about cleaning". our house is always tidy but not sterile (we don't have pets or kids so this helps). I clean the important things on a regular basis (countertops, toilets, sinks etc), but the rest is a bit more open. plus, I do all of the cleaning, home improvement, and about half the yardwork so I have so much on my plate. (my husband works full time and I'm only PT, work from home, so it feels fair.)

the house stays tidy all the time because I'm constantly picking up as I go.

as for a schedule: laundry, take out trash/recycle/compost to the curb on thursday. linens on tuesdays. vacuum all floors once a week / bathroom stuff once a week whatever day I can work in. kitchen gets cleaned every night after dinner.

some things only get cleaned when I feel like they really need it, like scrubbing the cabinets or mopping the kitchen floor. whatever. we're not eating off those floors.

Well, I lived in two different countries in Europe, as well as in Canada, and I wouldn’t say there’s any difference based on geography ... some people were neat freaks, some were extremely messy, and lots were in between.

We were working on a ranch in Canada, and lived in the main house with the owners (who were German). She cleaned and scrubbed from morning to night. I was afraid to touch anything, especially after coming in from working cattle/horses all day and doing barn work.

I have a spreadsheet of over 150 tasks that are categorized as weekly, monthly, quarterly, semiannually and annually. There are a few that are on 2 and 5-year cycles. Except for the infrequent tasks, each is assigned week(s) of the month and a day of the week. It works pretty well except that I often do things on different weekdays than assigned. I hate being told what to do, even if I'm the one doing the telling. It's my little rebellion. (I know. Wackadoodle!)

i suggest taking time to understand what matters to you. Kitchen, bathrooms and beds need to be clean for health reasons. Beyond that, what's "clean enough" for you?

Be realistic about your energy level and how much time you have available for cleaning. That will determine how to set up cleaning sessions.

If you need more than one session per week, it's usually better to clean by room rather than by task so that there are spaces that feel clean all at once. If you prefer a single marathon session, it might be more efficient to do certain tasks throughout the space. Infrequent tasks can be good candidates to do at once. I dislike vacuuming ceilings and walls, so I do that in a single shot every other month.

It's generally best to work from dry to wet, but that's not the only possibility. I do the bathrooms, kitchen, bed linen and change the cat boxes first. If the rest of the schedule gets derailed for some reason, at least the crucial items for health and well being are done.

Best - My solution for dealing with a mess-maker is multi-pronged. I keep the kitchen tidy because it matters. I don't tolerate mess in the bathroom or bedroom. DH rarely leaves something on the night stand or bathroom vanity. I assume that's because the consequences are so unpleasant. His clothes are in his tv room and he has the basement. As long as there's no food or drink to attract pests and vermin in those areas, I ignore it. He knows he has to tidy it up if he want me to clean it.

Jinx I suppose I got the impression that it was a particularly US / Canadian thing from ...somewhere... I can't even remember now. maybe some of my foreign friends, IDK. but you're right! clean freaks can happen anywhere. I don't disparage their preferences, FWIW. to each their own.

BF, I’m glad you made me think of those days! Besides the Mrs Clean thing, it was a great time in my life. :)

I can totally see myself doing this (I do have a lot of spreadsheets for most everything.

I have a spreadsheet of over 150 tasks that are categorized as weekly, monthly, quarterly, semiannually and annually. There are a few that are on 2 and 5-year cycles.

but for now I am more of this:

my schedule kind of morphed into as needed.

I think if I had a spreadsheet, cleaning would feel like a chore, now it feels more .... inspired and voluntary. The kitchen sink, counters, and stovetop are empty and clean every day. Like 3Katz, I also have a Dyson and I just grab it whenever I see something, and then I run it until it dies and then put it back on the charger. Laundry, with 5 of us home now, is near constant. We have laundry in the hall between the MBR and the pool, and a second set of laundry machines in the basement. I have not used the latter at all. I clean when I notice something needs cleaning. My kids are doing their own bathrooms and BR (eye roll) and laundry.

I did not grow up with any household help. When I lived w a BF in NYC, he had cleaning help and that was when I started, and never looked back. For at least the last 10 years, we have a had a cleaning lady come 3 days a week, usually about 10-4, and on additional days for projects. In addition to cleaning, she did all of our laundry (that took a long time).

To my great surprise, I have not missed her at all, and i have learned a lot. She did the same things over and over again, so nothing ever got the least bit dirty. But I don't need my bathroom floor mopped 3x a week .. its just me in there and I'm not messy. We don't need the LR vacuumed 3x a week. I am doing less cleaning than she did, but my house is still quite clean (my kids say.. since when did you become a neat freak?). I don't know what I will do when she is back in the country (she is stuck in Brazil).

As far as DH, mine is pretty good. But two people will always have different ideas about what you should keep and what is junk. We had near fisticuffs the other day over ... a ruler. The ruler, exhibit A and B below, is, I claim, no longer useful. The numbers are worn off. DH claims, no, no, this is a great ruler. You can guess the numbers from the other numbers, plus... you can still see the metric side. I reply - when is the last time you did anything in metric? Also, we probably own 3-4 other rulers, 5 or 6 yardsticks, measuring tapes and tape measures.

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

I used to clean the house from head to toe on Friday's and Mondays. Not deep clean though. I didn't work outside the home and DH did and it didn't bother me at all.

Now I'm a bit older with a touch of osteoarthritis, wood floors everywhere, more sq. feet to the house after we remodeled, DH opening his office from home about 7 years ago and cooking himself three meals a day along with his famous pies for everyone (I don't eat pie) in the world and expecting me to clean the kitchen after him, doing all those dishes, pots and pans, washing countertops, always being the one to empty the kitchen trash, I can't do it all anymore!

It's not like he's at his desk 8 hours a day so instead of the common arguing between spouses getting the husband to help with cleaning inside, I sent him a subtle message and he fell hook, line and sinker, and it's been this way for several years now and I can finally have a totally clean house in a short time.

One day when the soaker side of the sink was more than full (I actually took a picture for a friend) I stopped doing the dishwasher, washing counter tops, & emptying the trash under the sink. Cold turkey with no explanation. Along with some unnecessary "Ouch! Ouch's!" when I'd pretend my thighs were hurting. :) If he wanted to cook and eat anymore he had no choice but to do the dishes and empty the trash. I actually let the trash over flow where there were empty cans on the floor of the sink and all sorts of stuff. I use liners so I didn't worry.

That began 3-4 years ago. After he did the full dw routine including unloading, and emptying the trash, something got into him to where he does it every day and hates leaving anything in the sink! He's obsessed and I love it. Now if there's a day he's tired or been in court all day, I happily fill in.

I also came right out and nicely told him I can't clean his toilet anymore, that I spent 21 years cleaning toilets (surrounding walls, floors, lol) after having only boys and I simply can't take it anymore. I supplied his bathroom with everything to clean it with so not one finger touches the yucky stuff.

I do everything else and it's made life so much easier for the both of us because now his wife is happy, and it gives me a lot of time to do crafty stuff or just lay around and eat bon bon's.

Always dust the room before vacuuming it. ;)

OMG, I want to be Moxie! I’m not ever going to be, so there is no sense in fooling myself. It would never occur to me to vacuum the ceilings and the walls, although a couple of weeks ago, I used a Swiffer and DH’s you-can-see-it-for-miles LED mini-flashlight to clean all the crown molding, the corners, and the tops of door/window frames. That little LED flashlight will highlight a cobweb like nothing you’ve ever seen before!

It takes me for-stinking-ever to get cleaning projects done. Last week, I spent 4 hours, no joke, cleaning the stove and the 2 cabinets on either side of it. If I did all that some of you do, I would work from dawn to dusk with no time for GW!!! Horrors!

I’m in awe of those of you that clean the house top-to-bottom every week. I keep the bathrooms and kitchen spotless and the laundry and ironing gets done once per week. Anything else gets done when I can’t stand it any longer. We have no children or pets and are both tidy so it’s really dusting and vacuuming that goes undone. I know it would be better for the carpet if I vacuumed more often, but it‘s not going to happen. Luckily, we only have carpeting in the bedrooms. Everywhere else has a hard surface of some sort that is easily mopped.

@mtnrdredux_gw

That's a GREAT ruler. You can see through it!

I used to clean once a week and did the whole house. That was long ago, when kids were still at home, before I had a housekeeper and before I got old. While we are pretty neat and keep things picked up and put away, I still like to have a clean bathroom and kitchen and clean floors. I didn’t really mind cleaning myself the past couple of months, but it was on my schedule, when I felt like doing it.

DH shares laundry and kitchen duties and will run the vacuum if needed. He also does most of the ironing. For major cleaning, I clean our bathroom once a week and touch up the other two as needed. I might dust the same day or maybe save it till the next. If I have to dust baseboards that is a long (and detested) job for me, so I put it off. Same with cleaning windows, even though we have the ones that tilt out, I procrastinate. Floors aren’t hard, I just grab the Dyson stick and keep the kitchen and high traffic areas clean in a few minutes. Then do a major job once a week with the Bona cleaner and the steam mop in the bathroom and make sure the area rugs get a good vacuum. We do laundry as needed, and of course the sheets at least once a week.

All that other deep clean stuff, like ceilings and stuff? I do that when I think about it or notice a cobweb or whatever.

Since we no longer have a dog, the house seems to stay cleaner, I’ll admit. And I am glad to have my housekeepers back, even though I think I clean better than they do.

Bbstx, you just described my husbands table in the LR too. All the pretty things I've bought to put those stupid remotes in gone to waste. Men.

I have been married a long time, and I tease my DH that if we are ever in divorce court, I will proclaim it was over the state of his office! He has stuff (read: clutter) and likes to be able to see it and I like to throw things away. This sums up out personality differences.

So fascinating to read about the many approaches to cleaning one's home! We have a cleaning team who come every two weeks; we began this when DH and I were both working full-time, and have continued since retirement. We are in our geezer years and I have a bad back, so certain things are beyond me. In between their visits we take care of the house ourselves, obviously, dividing up tasks. I do the vacuuming and tidying and DH is in charge of kitchen cleanup and neatness. DH manages the front bathroom, which is basically his, and I do the master bedroom ensuite. Sinks and toilets are wiped down every day or two. For any job involving abrasives on bath and kitchen fixtures I use Bartender's Friend, a great product imo.

I love my Dyson stick so much that I am about to order a second one, for the back part of the house (master BR and bath, walk-in closet, and laundry room), so as to avoid lugging it all over the house. The Dyson is a necessity for cat hair, which isn't too bad except in the den.

Parts of the house are very tidy and parts are not! Clutter seems to follow me around like a cloud - papers, internet printouts, magazines, books, and the drinks and chewing gum (prescribed by my dentist for my teeth) that accompany the reading of all that stuff. Fortunately, DH is a good guy, very tolerant. His stuff, of course, is always literally squared away.

I changed my attitude toward dusting when I discovered Campanelli cleaning products. These are basically cloths of various sizes and textures, in pretty colors, that are used for cleaning everything, from dusting Grandma's figurines to scrubbing pots to cleaning the dog's paws. I keep a cloth in every room tucked in a corner or drawer, and thus our "dusting problem" has been solved. BTW, I do not work for or represent the company! It is, like Bartender's Friend, simply a product that has worked very well for me! I especially like their "puppyfur" cloths, which might also have named "kittytummy"!

I do a whole house clean on Monday mornings. This includes disenfecting kitchen and baths, washer and dryer, door handles and stair railings. I dust all surfaces, including fan blades and lamp shaded starting high working down. I then clean french doors and exterior door glass then i use my corded vacuum doing stairs, under beds, etc. Then I mop all hard floors. My house is small at under 2500 feet of finished space and I am a clean as you go person so I can do the three floors in just a few hours.

With pets and my allergies I do use a cordless vacuum in the whole house everyday and this makes a huge impact on how my house stays cleen. I also wipe showers and tubs down after each use and use glass cleaner on bathroom mirrors daily too. I have never needed to tilex mold in any bathroom because of this practice.

Full dusclosure, When I had my two young neices(both under 5) plus my child who is now 13 living with us I did not have the time to use the big corded vac every week and honestly my daily practices kept my house very clean. I always tidied up when the girls napped and used my cordless vac but only dusted lightly weekly during those years.

That little LED flashlight will highlight a cobweb like nothing you’ve ever seen before!

Well then turn it off and stop looking at the ceiling. And you can ✔️ ceilings off your list.

Oh I forgot to mention in the 90s when I just got my first place with a boyfriend and were working crazy hours and yet could still not afford a cleaner I read a book called speed cleaning. It was enlightening at the time. It might have newer versions for much of the cleaning products I love now were not readily available then, like micro cloths and swifter or cedar mops with washable or disposable cloths. But the process made alot of sense. https://books.google.com/books/about/Speed_Cleaning.html?id=g6O9InQ4Ri0C&source=kp_cover

hh, things like the little LED flashlight are my downfall when I clean. Mopping the floor leads to touching up the paint on the backside of the island, which leads to touching up the paint on the bathroom cabinets, which leads to noticing the grout is awful.... I will have been busy all day and nothing will have gotten cleaned.

I'm a "better invite people over so that I am compelled/inspired to thoroughly clean house" person, so you can imagine what my house looks like now! 😂

Honestly, it's not that bad, but I'm with aok - I tend to clean as-needed. Ok, let's be honest. I tend to clean when it's been needed for a while.

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Beds are changed twice a week,

Twice a week?! Again, for me beds are changed on an as needed basis.

Oh, yeah, terezosa, inviting someone over always gets me motivated! But then I do things like get distracted and decide I need to clean out underneath the sink on my side of the vanity. Like who is going to look under there????

When I worked, I had a schedule for every month, in addition to the regular daily and weekly things. As an example, here is what I did in January of every year.

JANUARY

Front Porch

____ Shake welcome mat

____ Sweep down corners

____ Wash outside of windows (porch and bay)

____ Clean light fixture

____ Scrub porch with water and a broom

____ Wash front of entry door

Entry Hall

____ Wash inside of entry door

____ Wash walls and baseboards and both sides of closet door

____ Straighten closet

____ Dust pictures

____ Sweep entry hall

____ Mop entry hall

Dining Rooms

____ Wash inside of bay windows and sills and French doors

____ Wash louvered doors

____ Wash walls and baseboards

____ Dust buffet

____ Straighten buffet

____ Clean light fixture

____ Clean mirror

____ Dust pictures

____ Clean silk flowers and plants

____ Straighten cupboards

____ Clean TV screen

____ Dust TV table

____ Dust TV trays

____ Change batteries in remote in May

Living Room

____ Clean fireplace

____ Dust pictures

____ Dust and/or wash items on tables and mantel

____ Dust mantel

____ Dust tables

____ Clean silk flowers

____ Sweep corners

____ Wash inside of French door and window and sill

____ Clean fan and light fixture

____ Vacuum under sofa cushions

____ Wipe off leather furniture and vacuum

____ Straighten TV cabinet and tables

____ Treat paneling and baseboards in May

____ Change batteries in remote in May

It worked so well for me. I wish I could still do this for myself. I had finally hired a really good house cleaner who came one time and did a fantastic job, then this corona virus thing hit. I have been doing what I can, but nothing like I used to do.

Saying it again, Kswl 2, Campanelli microfiber cloths for dusting (available on the website I posted above, also on Amazon and QVC). They're amazing. Dust literally leaps on to them, it is gone rather than floating around in the air; they go into the washer and dryer, but no dryer sheets (which will remove their static qualities). Tuck one under or behind something in every room, where it's hidden. Your housekeeper will like them, although I assume that s/he already has a wonderful system of her own, but perhaps not...!

Sable-- I just went to look at the site you posted, and then to see on amazon. Do you use the puppy fur ones for all your cleaning? ( on the campanelli website where it says to buy on qvc, they also had cleaning cloths that were microfiber towels - not as plush as the puppy fur). Just trying to see which you are raving about for cleaning. I had used microfiber cloths years ago and still have a few but those were not so great and were not supposed to be dried. These Campanelli ones do look pretty good.

Sable, there is truly nothing new under the sun! I went to the site you linked and yes that is a nice collection of products, although IMO in the vilest colors only two clueless guys could have thought marketable. I have been —-or our household has been—-using those products for years, just manufactured by other companies. The stain remover is a clone of Spot Shot. The cleaning paste looks like a dead ringer for the same thing by Norwex, which I’ve tried and don’t like. The microfiber dusters have been in use by our cleaning company for a long time. I’ve had a gray microfiber drying mat that folds up with snaps since around 2008. We have a set of microfiber towels in “dog size” with little embroidered paw prints that are stored at the drop zone (used to be at our old back door) to clean mud off dog paws without water. In the kitchen I use microfiber towels impregnated with Microban to clean And disinfect all surfaces without any added cleaner. It’s completely food safe and lasts for many washings. Our dishcloths are small microfiber cloths (in quiet colors with no pattern). This is all from the top of my head just to say that Campanelli products may be excellent but they are by no means new or unique. I’ve had a Dyson stick vac for six years as well as a more heavy duty Miele vacuum. In my quest not to hate housework I have all the toys. I still hate to clean.

I would be very interested in a cook’s apron of microfiber with two Big pockets. In white. Why doesn’t somebody make that?.

I'm interested in these Dyson stick vacuums. Can you tell me more about how you use them?

We do bed sheets weekly, bathrooms weekly, kitchen every day, laundry several times per week-moreso that DH is interacting with the public.

It's the deep cleaning/decluttering that is a problem. This is the only thing we argue about. We need to purge a lot of stuff, and he will not budge on it. He will not go through old clothes, etc.

Gscience, I think of Dyson stick vacuums (or any stick vacuum I suppose) as a Dustbuster on steroids. Easy to use and lightweight like a dustbuster, but far more powerful and with attachments that make it more akin to a vacuum cleaner. For most people I don't think it replaces a vacuum. If I had to vacuum my whole house, I would have to stop at least every 20 min to charge it for 3.5 hours!

I think this is why it never interested my cleaning lady, as she vacuumed the entire house each time. For me, I always felt taking out the vacuum and putting it back was a chore, and hated it and the cord following me as I went thru the house, etc. I tend to just grab the Dyson whenever I think of it and use it till it dies wherever i see some dog tumbleweed beginning to form. It is very well designed and easy to use, the head swivels nicely into corners. Plus, of course, it is pink. Mine retails for $300 but is widely avail for less, mine was from Best Buy for $250 w free delivery. https://www.dyson.com/sticks/dyson-v7-motorhead.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=us_en_fc_285K_always-on_vacuum_cordless_do_conversion_text_brand_bmm_v7-motorhead&utm_term=%2BV7+%2BMotorhead+%2BDyson+%2BVacuum&gclid=Cj0KCQjwoPL2BRDxARIsAEMm9y8Ms4UyXBsziRa7egKGw3mxzFDvergJs27kZ-NbN_OBJ57mMpAou9AaAi6-EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

This is very helpful in working thru which models might appeal to you. https://vacuum-cleaner-advisor.com/Dyson-Vacuums/how-to-buy-the-best-dyson-cordless-vacuum.html

Or, you can just pick the purtiest one.

I don't know why men resists purging material items. Luckily, with all our extra time in Q, we have tackled some of that.

I have two Dyson 8s - one at each house. I use them for nearly all my vacuuming but I never vacuum my whole house at once - just one floor at a time. Mine supposedly runs for 40 minutes but I don’t know for sure because it’s never run down while I’ve been using it. I do have to stop a couple times to empty it. Lots of cat hair of course but I‘m astonished at the amount of whatever else it continues to suck up. They are also excellent as hand helds to remove cat hair from furniture and even the plush cat blanket we keep on our sofa.

I have a Miele canister vac at home. It’s stored in my lower level and I thought I’d use it there. Used it once after I got the Dyson and never again. Dyson is so maneuverable and easy with no cord. At our lake place I have an Oreck upright also stored in the lower level. DH has used that to vacuum that level and we will probably continue using it there.

I just don’t obsess about housecleaning. Clutter yes - dusting and other cleaning no. The only time I get a bit over the top is when we are having guests. Then I will do thorough cleaning of everything or at our lake place I will have the housecleaner come and do it.

Re: Dyson stick vacuum

I have ceramic tile in the bathrooms, hardwood floors, oriental rugs. There's some sort of junky, wood-look planks in the basement, and low, tight weave carpent on the basement stairs. My Dyson Absolute has a head for floors, one for carpet, mini motorized tool, a dust brush, a crevice tool and a combination tool. I don't use the combo tool. I use the mini motorized brush on the stairs to the basement and on more durable upholstery. I use the carpet tool on the rugs but not on full suction. I've used the floor tool on them too but it doesn't work as well. I use the floor tool on the floors with low suction. The other tools work fine, but I prefer my Miele canister tools for the following tasks: walls and ceiling (special large dust brush), draperies (upholstery tool), crevices (crevice tool - I have a super long, flexible extension crevice tool that doesn't fit the Dyson.) Love, love, love the Dyson! Light weight and easy to use. My cats shed, so I have to empty the reservoir often, but that's fine. It's easy to do. I like being able to see what has been collected. No problem with run time, but the house is small and I vacuum often rather than doing marathon sessions.

DH is a very kind and generous soul. If you knocked on the door and asked for the shirt off his back, he would give it to you. But he will not weed out his clothes. I’ve told him the square toed shoes from the 90s must go. He doesn’t wear them thank goodness, but he won’t jettison them either - not even to give to Goodwill. My son-in-law and brother-in-law have both been schooled that if DH offers them something, even if it is ghastly, even if it will never fit them in 100 years, they are to TAKE IT. I don’t care if they put it in the trash on the way out of town, just take it.

And the jackets! He loves coats and jackets. Every fall we have a “discussion” about the people who need warm clothing and who cannot easily afford it. He agrees it is terrible, but he will not let go of a single jacket.

ETA: I’ve found the best buy on microfiber cloths is in the automotive department at Walmart. It’s been a while since I bought them. Looking on the Walmart site, it was either the pack of 12 for $8 or 30 for $12.

bbstx, it sounds like our DH's are lost brothers!

I'm intrigued by the stick vacuum since my upright Kenmore is great but super heavy and awkward to maneuver.

What the heck is it about our men and their jackets?! I cannot get my DH to part with many of his ‘treasured’ items of clothing either, especially jackets. I went through one of the bedroom closets recently where he stashes some of his seasonal stuff, and found he had 4 leather jackets. That isn’t counting at least one other one I knew about in his regular closet. I managed to get him to part with 2 of them so far. I’ll work on the others next winter season. He has some other lightweight and winter jackets I know he hasn’t worn in years, but he refuses to give them up.

On men and their clothing eccentricities...my parents keep a few things at our house so they don't have to pack them every time. I asked my father to please let me add a sweater because he is now in that time of his life when he is cold in all temperatures. He gave me a sweater that I swear to you has to be 50 years old. I remember it from my childhood. I'm surprised it hasn't been eaten by moths or disintegrated from age.

Thanks to Mtn and Moxie for their Dyson reviews (and thanks, Mtn, for the website, because now am going to order a V10Absolute as our 2nd vac). DH will pack away our Miele cannister so that I don't have to even think about that way too heavy machine. Our cleaning crew can continue to trundle their beast through the house, though. LOL about the "dog tumbleweed". It's probably worse than "kitty puffs".

Salonva - about the puppyfur Campanelli cloths: I mainly use them - dry, with no cleaner - on my collection of stone, metal, wood, and clay animals, gathered during our travels, so they are important to me, and also on really nice wood surfaces. I like them because they are very soft, durable, easy through the washer and dryer, and I enjoy the colors. They also soak up an incredible amount of dust and schmutz before needing cleaning. Whether or not aqua or apple green are "vile" is up to you! It reminds me of the old Hebrew saying "Al Ta'am veRayakh, Ayn Lehitvakayakh", "about taste and scent there is nothing to debate"! They also have extendable flexible wands for high and inconvenient spots. Inexpensive and you don't have to lug out the vacuum accessories.

However, have also used damp Handiwipes for dusting and kitchen-tidying. They are harder to find now; DH orders them from somewhere. He prefers them to purple puppyfur- : ^ ) . Talk about a rock-bottom basic cleaning product!

I also love my Dyson stick vacuum. I can do the whole house in about 20 minutes (our home is hardwood with a few shag area rugs). like others said, it's super quick to grab if you had a spill. I can easily get it into small spaces. the battery is amazing too-- mine has not seemed to lose power after 2.5 years.

I'm significantly better at cleaning my house than my cleaning lady. But I do like having her come twice a month and having everything cleaned at one time. I don't follow a set time schedule but since she hasn't been here in 3 months DH and I have worked things out. He does the 2nd floor (his office, his bathroom and a guest bedroom) and I do everything else (2 bathrooms, 2 bedrooms, living room, dining room, family room and kitchen.

I avoid looking around when I go into his office because the man just does not recognize dust. And he has offered to help me on the first floor but I'd rather do it myself - the trade-off is he now cooks dinner more often and cleans up after he cooks too.

My main complaint is that he has no clue about those odd areas that do need to be cleaned - like dusting the headboard, the back of the TV, picture frames, vacuuming HVAC vents, window sills, baseboards. We cleaned today and I decided to do the carpet on the stairs with the small hand vac attachment to my Shark vac. But before vacuuming I went over each stair and used my fingers to remove the dog hair from the back of the tread where it meets the riser. He asked what I was doing and was astonished when I showed him how the dog hair gets in that angle. Then I vacuumed - both the tread and the riser.

He thinks I clean too much but I am picky and want a clean home. And luckily my cleaning lady returns next week.