Household tips? Are you serious?

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The wonderful and entirely mad bodran (how many dogs have you now, is it just the ten?) has tagged me for 5 household tips. Mmmm, here we go:

  1. If you pick things up off the floor and clean it you can get away with a multitude of sins. A hoovered rug looks like you care and the dusty skirting boards don't seem to show.
  2. Lots of lamps and candles beat overhead light every time: better for wrinkles, better for dust and piles of stuff, warm, atmospheric and kindly.
  3. If in doubt, cook something. The smell of a roasting chicken or a lemon cake coming out of the oven makes a far bigger impact than a clean washbasin and you can eat it.
  4. From the age of about 9 children should look after their own rooms. Clearly this means that some rooms will be a bit clean and tidy and some will permanently look like a bomb has hit them. When a room is a disaster hold your nerve. Close the door firmly, get a job or an overwhelming interest and leave the room alone. It will not be tidied by the offending child, or only a little bit when they are desperately looking for something, but it saves you loads of time, it is their responsibility which is good for them, and eventually they will leave home and you can put nine years of detritus in the bin.
  5. Try very hard not to let piles of stuff get higher than your head. Throwing things away, free cycling them or taking them to the charity shop beats any amount of polishing windows for making you feel good.
  6. Finally bring flowers inside, preferably from the garden and so in season. The sight and the smell lifts the heart.

I think we will have worked our way through everyone pretty soon but I tag Fennie and Littlebrowndog, if they feel like it.

Comments

  1. Blossomcottage31 January 2008 at 16:49

    I'm with you all the way with the clearing the floor and low lighting, its amazing how much better things look when the carpet has been hoovered or the floor swept, and the low light fantastic.
    I agree with the children clearing their own rooms but you have to be sure that you know where they are cause if yours are like mine they might be in danger of going missing for days on end!!
    Blossom

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  2. Westerwitch/Headmistress31 January 2008 at 16:56

    Yup agree with all of those - especially the one about the children's rooms - they are their rooms after all - hard to do - but if you shut the door firmly enough and practice amnesia it works well.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AC31 January 2008 at 17:56

    great tips...I'm going to follow them to the letter!!!! :-)
    Take care,
    Alison

    ReplyDelete
  4. mountainear31 January 2008 at 17:59

    All very sound advice and definitely my sort of housewifery.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Kim31 January 2008 at 18:18

    All very good tips. I have three kids who take care of their own rooms. One room is quite neat. The others I try to avoid and keep the doors closed.

    ReplyDelete
  6. bodran...31 January 2008 at 18:26

    You and me with the bedrooms once a year i visit ellies and usually leave with about 6 bin bags I don't venture near the caravans xx see you soon ps found another map maybe i've said before? Fancy coming over for a walk soon and a pub lunch of course...

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous31 January 2008 at 18:38

    I am definitely in agreement with the charity bags. I have so much stuff to take now I need to get my skates on and get it done.

    Getting the kids to tidy their rooms as from 9yrs is also a great idea. Not sure Amy will do it but still, it's a nice thought!

    Crystal xx

    ReplyDelete
  8. Pig in the Kitchen31 January 2008 at 19:25

    i didn't know that skirting boards gathered dust? remarkable. love the piles no higher than head height...i'm feeling quite smug about my knee-high piles!
    Pigx

    ReplyDelete
  9. laurie31 January 2008 at 21:28

    heh. or hire Merry Maids!

    ReplyDelete
  10. snailbeachshepherdess31 January 2008 at 22:45

    Oh yes ...lug the flowers in ...I'm a great one for that....flowers everywhere. All my boys suffer with piles...piles of clothes...piles of books...piles of STUFF! I'm with you ...the door...shut the door so I can't see them!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Expat mum1 February 2008 at 03:09

    Hi there,
    I think you can actually buy scented candles and plug-in things that smell of baking bread etc. For me at least, even easier than trying to bake!

    ReplyDelete
  12. the rotten correspondent1 February 2008 at 15:45

    I think #3 is the most all-inclusive. If you can smell cake from the oven, the state of the rest of the house is moot.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Omega Mum1 February 2008 at 22:36

    I particularly like the tip about not allowing piles of debris higher than your head. I think I've already lost that one, though...

    ReplyDelete
  14. Potty Mummy1 February 2008 at 23:35

    I'm always afraid that when I take stuff to the charity shop they will run down the road after me and try to give it back...

    ReplyDelete
  15. Kitty2 February 2008 at 15:19

    Very good ones - I thought of an excellent one the other day, and didn't write it down, now I've forgotten. That's why my house looks like it does...

    ReplyDelete
  16. Lane Mathias3 February 2008 at 20:44

    Great tips especially low lighting and candles. I refuse to ever have overhead lights on. They're brutal:-)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Cait O'Connor4 February 2008 at 00:09

    I agree with all your tips. candlelight, baking smells, hoovering and flowers are my faves.

    ReplyDelete
  18. laurie4 February 2008 at 01:41

    there's a blog award for you at my place.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Milla5 February 2008 at 12:25

    Have missed this strand - perhaps some organised person could shove 'em all together in some forum or something?? (says lazily)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Fennie5 February 2008 at 18:29

    What me! Elizabeth, you are being unkind. You can't have seen my house, dear. I don't mind you noticing the dust but please don't write your names in it! And I don't even have a dog - at least not as a permanent resident.

    I am afraid if I write my household tips people will feel I am such a slut and never speak to me again. Boo hoo!

    Still I suppose on the basis of don't do as I do, do as I say, I might see what I can do on Friday.

    ReplyDelete
  21. LITTLE BROWN DOG5 February 2008 at 20:00

    Love these - especially the low lighting and self-cleaning rooms. You sound like a woman after my own heart!

    Thanks for tagging me. Must say, cleaning and household management aren't really my forte, but will have a go - it can't be THAT hard to think of five... (or can it?)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Bluestocking Mum28 February 2008 at 08:54

    Wise advice indeed. Nothing quite like candles and flowers-they are always around here too.

    xx

    ReplyDelete

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