Some simple questions about housekeeping

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This is probably really stupid but I'm curious about housekeeping habits. My mom thinks I'm crazy because:

I have one set of sheets per bed. I take the sheets off, wash them and put them back on. This saves me from having to fold sheets. I hate to fold sheets. It's impossible to fold fitted sheets.

I don't turn everyone's laundry right side out after washing. I figure I'll waste hours turning each garment right side out while folding while they'll only spend a second a day flipping what they want to wear right side out. I know that laundry tends to turn itself seam side out but if I take my clothes off right side out they usually come out of the was right side out. You want your clothes right side out? Take some responsiblility.

I don't seperate my silverware before it goes into the dishwasher; I do it when I put it away. I load the dishwasher at night and I'm tired. I can unload it any old time so I don't understand what difference it makes.

I don't sweep or dust, I vacuum. I have an amazing vacuum -- it's the kind that floor refinishers use. You strap this monster onto your back and go to town. Nothing is safe. I vacuum my bookshelves, walls, ceilings, whatever the hell I want to because this bad boy does it all.

I don't think my habits are "quirky", Mom. Jeeezzzzzus. I'm a grown up. I might be lazy but I'm grown. All right?

Ooops... sorry. Got carried away there.

Really, my mom is lovely and I love her she just thinks my housekeeping habits are odd.

I'm just wondering if they really are odd.

What are your sheet, right side out, silverware, dusting protocols?

If I'm missing something, fill me in!

Thanks!

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Type: Question • Score: 29 • Views: 9,063 • Replies: 64

[+3] - roger - 10/25/2009Cats lost too much fur when I pulled off the duct tape.

@boomerang,

Other than having an amazing vacuum, you sound like us.

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@boomerang,

I want your vacuum. I hate dusting.

I have a lot of bedding though. Cotton sheets for spring/summer and flannel for fall/winter.

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Yup, us too, but... I do have two sets of sheets, summer and flannel.
I vacuum everything too. Luckily, I live in a fairly dustless place.
My mom sweeps and washes her floors everyday. It would be a cold day in hell...

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exactly like you with everything except the cool vac.
Which means I still vacuum as much dust as I can with my Dyson. When things get really thick, I might do a little more.

I have a way of putting on wrong side out t-shirts so that they end up right side out, that seems to puzzle my man...

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@caribou,

Is the Dyson as good as it claims, do you think Caribou? (There's a new vacuum in my future and I'm wondering if I should start saving up.)

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I love good bed linens. I have a collection. Some are vintage, but I'll mow down an old lady for a new Egyptian cotton set on sale.

I reverse clothing, check pockets and make sure zippers are up. I make my own laundry detergent. All my laundry baskets are wicker. I prefer line drying. I use naturally scented linen sprays (please don't hate me).

I use what the Metropolitan Museum of Art uses for wood furniture - bowling alley wax with a real beeswax base. Smells divine.

What brand of vacuum you hauling around? I want one.

I used to be a closet hausfrau, but I came out long ago and now I'm proud of it.

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@Green Witch,

Quote:

I reverse clothing, check pockets and make sure zippers are up.

This is a good practice. I didn't this last load. Low and behold there was a tube of chapstick in the pocket of my favorite light weight yoga jacket. I put it on this afternoon to see greasy spots all over it. Made me sick when I found the little culprit still in my pocket. Just reinforces the fact that it is a VERY good habit.

I vacuum once a week - hardwoods, carpets, area rugs. I vacuum dust once a month - but that's everything - bookshelves, cornices, etc. I have one of those static dusters that my boys use the weeks I don't vacuum dust. Just one less thing for me to do.

I have 2 sets of sheets for each bed. But my practice is to strip and wash and put back on. My second set is just in case I am not going to be home and can't get it done. It happens rarely but I just like to make sure I have a back up plan.

I spot clean the floors. I have a squirt bottle 1/2 vinegar 1/2 water and I squirt that and drop my old baby diapers (I kept soley for the purpose of cleaning) on the floor and rub it with my foot. I mop on my hands and knees once every four to six weeks - I like to wipe it all down good - baseboards and all. That is a habit that was given to me by my Mom I can't seem to let go.

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@boomerang,

Quote:

I don't think my habits are "quirky", Mom. Jeeezzzzzus. I'm a grown up. I might be lazy but I'm grown. All right?

You're doing it your way, she does it her way. Different priorities, different generations, that's all.

If you're happy with the way you do things that's all that matters. She should just leave you be.

Me, I could have a spotless house if I routinely did every single job that required doing ... if I had a daily "cleaning schedule". But there are heaps of other things I enjoy doing more, and I enjoy doing those things when I feel like doing them, when possible. Nothing worse than feeling that the house chores must be done first. Or that they can't be put off till later, till it suits you. Who wants to be a slave to housework?

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@Tai Chi,

I got the Dyson luckily from Craigslist (New-ish and Cheaper!) and my previous vacuum was a shopvac. So, keeping in mind I'm not an experienced vacuum owner, (I like it simple and super sucky), yes, I like my Dyson.

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@mismi,

I discovered, after washing enough chapstick (oh, and it's the dryer that melts it), that Murphy's oil soap takes out grease. A dab, a squish it, and wash. Usual gets it.

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Okay so maybe I'm behind on the bedding thing. Maybe I do need more than one set of sheets. I buy nice sheets and they're (not just the ones I buy, all of them) so stupid expensive that I have a hard time buying more than one set at a time.

My vacuum is a Sandia Hepa Super Raven. They're cheaper than a Dyson but that's probably because they aren't sold in retail stores so they don't have all that marketing cost added on. (I've never used a Dyson but I've heard they're really good. Mr. B thinks anything you have to roll around is not good on hard woods. Mr. B is in the hard wood flooring business so I believe him.) Seriously, it's an amazing vacuum. We do a lot of construction on the house and we have several pets but this thing keeps the house clean.

I'm really glad to know that I'm not a truly bad housekeeper, just a cheap skate housekeeper!

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@boomerang,

The two sets of sheets is not necessary Boomer. You are comfortable doing it the way you do it. I actually asked for the second set from my MIL for Christmas one year because I saw some I liked and wanted to have them monogrammed. I do my sheets the same way you do most of the time...but I also know there are some days I toss the sheets downstairs and don't get to wash them...so I use my backup.

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@boomerang,

boomerang wrote:

This is probably really stupid but I'm curious about housekeeping habits. My mom thinks I'm crazy because:

I have one set of sheets per bed. I take the sheets off, wash them and put them back on. This saves me from having to fold sheets. I hate to fold sheets. It's impossible to fold fitted sheets.

I have two sets, but only use one of them for the same reasons you give. I do trade off the use of the sets with the seasonal changes so that they get equal wear.

I don't turn everyone's laundry right side out after washing. I figure I'll waste hours turning each garment right side out while folding while they'll only spend a second a day flipping what they want to wear right side out. I know that laundry tends to turn itself seam side out but if I take my clothes off right side out they usually come out of the was right side out. You want your clothes right side out? Take some responsiblility.

The only reason I purposely turn a piece of clothing right side out before washing is if it has a lot of lint or dusty dirt on it. If it is wrong side out, the lint or dust clings to the fabric and isn't removed.

I do, however, turn everything right side out before hanging it in the closet. I don't care how it is if it is folded and put into a dresser drawer. Most of my clothes are put on hangers because I hate folding clothes.

I don't seperate my silverware before it goes into the dishwasher; I do it when I put it away. I load the dishwasher at night and I'm tired. I can unload it any old time so I don't understand what difference it makes.

BBB seperates them and it drives me crazy. I go behind her and mix them up so that they don't nest together and need to be re-washed. Luckily I'm doing most of the kitchen work these days.

If my back isn't killing me, I load the washer at night and usually unload it again the next night before I load it up again. Have to admit that there have been a few days in the last couple of weeks where my back hurts too much after having pushed BBB's chair through the halls of the hospital to her various doctor appointments and I've let the dishes go for a few days.

I don't sweep or dust, I vacuum. I have an amazing vacuum -- it's the kind that floor refinishers use. You strap this monster onto your back and go to town. Nothing is safe. I vacuum my bookshelves, walls, ceilings, whatever the hell I want to because this bad boy does it all.

I'd love to hear more about this vacuum of yours. Tell me some details so I can Google for it.

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I have quirky habits too.

When I am done taking a shower, I use my washcloth and wipe the tub. No tub rings that way. I also wipe off the edge of the tub to get rid of soap, shampoo, hair.. anything that might have gotten there.

When I am feeling really froggy, i wipe the baseboards with that cloth too.
Keeps dust down. Leaves the bathroom smelling like my soap too. Smile

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@boomerang,

Cool!

Found their website.

http://sandiavacuum.com/

Is this the one you have? How heavy is it?

http://sandiavacuum.com/P001---Raven-10-qt.jpg

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@boomerang,

you need help

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neither lady nor I do any housekeeping, our vacuum we bought 6 yrs ago still has the original bag in it. we mostly use a snow shovel to move stuff around in the house making aisles from one room to the next. we don't have any linens because we use sleeping bags and have them cleaned every year. we buy chinet plates/bowls and plastic sporks. the dishwasher is just for storage. Sally dog and Dante cat do all dusting.

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I have a housekeeper for the regular cleaning but I do my own laundry.
I just separate them by color, there is no turning inside out or vice versa,
everything is just stuffed in the washing machine. I do fold it nicely though
once it's out of the dryer.

I have a passion for linen and every time I go shopping I have to restrain
myself from buying yet another duvet set.

For the dishwasher I have no system either - sometimes I just overload
and hope nothing breaks. I hate to empty the dishwasher though and mostly
have the kid do it.

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I deliberately mix up the silverware in the dishwasher.

I wipe down the shower after using.

I love sheets and have several sets. I love the different colors. Min. 400 thread only.(bed is really important to me)

I have a $20 swival sweeper that I love - picks up crumbs all over.

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Some simple questions about housekeeping

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