When You Are the Help

1
When You Are the Help

• Practical Ideas for Cleaning Your Home

2
What type of cleaner are you?
3
How do you leave your bed in the morning?

• A. Leave it just as it is -- why straighten it --
  Im just going to mess it up again tonight.
• B. Covers pulled up slightly -- after all we
  dont want be too messy
• C. Usually made, but not magazine beautiful
• D. Made up -- complete with hospital corners and
  decorator pillows. Its so tight you could
  bounce a quarter off of it.

4
How often do you change your bed linens?

• Are you supposed to change them?
• Once every 6 months or so, whether they need it
  or not.
• Every couple of weeks, or when they smell a
  little funny.
• At least once a week.

5
Which best describes your dishes and your kitchen
sink?

• Dishes, who uses dishes?
• Dishes are washed only when we run out of clean
  dishes.
• Sometimes the sink is full of dirty dishes,but
  dishes are usually cleaned each day or so.
• Dishes are washed, dried, and put away after each
  meal.

6
Which best describes the state of your bathroom?

• Dont mind that orange colored growth on the
  shower floor -- it adds color to the room...
• The toilets are cleaned once a month or so,
  whether they need it or not.
• Usually dont let the toothpaste sit on the
  mirror too long before cleaning.
• Wipe down bathtub, shower, walls and sink after
  every use.

7
What type of cleaner are you?

• Mostly As -- housekeeping likely ranks very low
  on your list of priorities.
• Mostly Bs and Cs -- you likely lead a busy life
  and while important and/or necessary, cleaning
  isnt the highest item on your priority list
• Mostly Ds -- you place a high priority on
  cleaning

8
Why clean?

• A clean home is a healthier home.
• Disease-causing microorganisms
• A clean home is a safer home.
• Excessive debris

9
Why do we suffer from housework burnout?

• Because . . . housework can be
• Repetitious and Monotonous
• Never ending
• Low on positive feedback
• Hard work

10
Deciding Whats Right for You!

• Research suggests
• Neatness traits come from modeling
• Couples often disagree about cleaning issues

11
Overcoming Housework Burnout

• Three underlying reasons we experience housework
  burnout
• Stress
• Inadequate time
• No help from others

12
Finding the Time to Clean

• Determine your standard of clean
• Prepare a cleaning schedule
• Do a little each day

13
Finding the Time to Clean

• Find the best and fastest way to get the job done
• Use efficient cleaning methods and tools
• Make use of free moments
• Try doing two things at once

14
Getting Help From Others

• Women spend more time on housework than do men --
  11.2 hours/week compared to 3.9 hours/week
• Married women spend 14 hours more on housework
  each week than do their single counterparts
  married men spend only 90 minutes more than do
  single men.
• And what about the children?

15
Practical Ways to Get Help From Others

• Prepare a list of all chores.
• Each family member should take responsibility.

16
Practical Ways to Get Help From Others

• Have each family member select one or two chores
  that they will be responsible for completing
  every week.
• Have young children work together on their chores
  with an adult.

17
Practical Ways to Get Help From Others

• Hire part-time help to help with specific chores
  if keeping up becomes overwhelming.

18
Finding and Maintaining Your Balance
19
For more information please refer to the When You
Are the Help newsletter on your mini-CD
20
(No Transcript)