New SAHM: What chores do you daily and weekly?
- Thread starter rudytoot
- Start date
@rudytoot Oh boy my baby’s less than 3 months so whatever I can with one arm, or with her in a carrier. I barely sleep and she won’t nap in the bassinet so 
Laundry. Maybe make dinner, maybe brush my teeth. Mostly take care of the baby.
I’m so glad I meal prepped & froze dinners before baby came. Wish we’d gotten rid of more stuff and done more deep cleaning.
Laundry. Maybe make dinner, maybe brush my teeth. Mostly take care of the baby.
I’m so glad I meal prepped & froze dinners before baby came. Wish we’d gotten rid of more stuff and done more deep cleaning.
@rudytoot As everyone else has said, the first few months are more about getting through the day and surviving! I wouldn’t worry to hard about making sure the house is super clean, just do what you can as you can! Newborns don’t really stick to schedules they are just too little. Once my little guy was old enough to start having a rough “schedule” (aka consistently sleeping only 3 naps a day) I started to do small things like vacuuming and dishes everyday, dusting and laundry once a week, and tidying when it got overwhelming. Bathrooms and stuff as long as they weren’t awful were a 1-2 times a month thing.
Now at 19 months and 1 nap a day I use his nap to do my own thing (usually nap also lol) and do chores he can help and things that need to be done with daily. So vacuuming still, dishes, he likes dusting so we do that most days. And I mop as needed but we have a dog so sometimes that’s twice a week and sometimes that’s daily lol. I’ll try and break laundry up into two days a week now since he loves to help with laundry. Then weekly I typically clean his bathroom particularly his tub and tub mat/toys, give the other bathrooms a quick clean, do a proper dusting, tidying, vacuuming the stairs, cleaning out all the toys and crumbs from the cushions/under the couch, cleaning the bedrooms (dust and vacuum and wash sheets). Once a month I try and deep clean and make sure all bathrooms get a deep clean and are restocked with soap and toilet paper, and shampoo the stairs.
The best thing you can do now though is declutter! And do some of your deep deep cleaning you don’t do often because it’ll get really hard to once a kid is involved lol, like the floorboards and washing the curtains and cleaning the stove fan if you have one
Now at 19 months and 1 nap a day I use his nap to do my own thing (usually nap also lol) and do chores he can help and things that need to be done with daily. So vacuuming still, dishes, he likes dusting so we do that most days. And I mop as needed but we have a dog so sometimes that’s twice a week and sometimes that’s daily lol. I’ll try and break laundry up into two days a week now since he loves to help with laundry. Then weekly I typically clean his bathroom particularly his tub and tub mat/toys, give the other bathrooms a quick clean, do a proper dusting, tidying, vacuuming the stairs, cleaning out all the toys and crumbs from the cushions/under the couch, cleaning the bedrooms (dust and vacuum and wash sheets). Once a month I try and deep clean and make sure all bathrooms get a deep clean and are restocked with soap and toilet paper, and shampoo the stairs.
The best thing you can do now though is declutter! And do some of your deep deep cleaning you don’t do often because it’ll get really hard to once a kid is involved lol, like the floorboards and washing the curtains and cleaning the stove fan if you have one
@rudytoot Daily, my checklist is laundry, dishes, playtime for the pets, and my husband and I's needs. This is my baseline.
In addition, I have class, plant maintenance, and 20 min tidy as a daily suggestion - they aren't imperatives but aspirationals. The 20-minute tidy is often a timer that i use to convince myself I've done "enough" for the day and often is not completed in one go. If i consolidate every laundry bin, take out garbage, and run a dry rag over surfaces, I've done plenty even if it felt like a cop out.
Weekly, I schedule 2 rounds of floors, 2 of bathroom cleaning, 2 meal prep days, and 1 day where i challenge myself to clean every room for 5 minutes on a timer. This can be decluttering, dusting, or picking cat boogers off the wall. 3x a week I have a reminder to clean the litter - I am for daily cleans, but 3 reminders keep me on track at a bare min level. One reminder a week to change the bedding.
I use Google Calendar for this because it is easy to schedule repeating tasks and reminders, and there are no ads. It's free. Also, keep in mind that i do not achieve everything in a week, but generally find that this is more than enough to keep things in a generally tidy and very clean state. A lot of times, it ends up that I'll do one bathroom on one day, then the other. Floors is left vague, so if im just surviving that week, I'll do a desperation sweep of the floor and call it. Meal prep can be as simple as cutting up bananas that are getting too spotty and freezing them so they can be lobbed onto cereal frozen in a rush. It can also be a whole recipe, but I'm not losing sleep on a wild week.
In addition, I have class, plant maintenance, and 20 min tidy as a daily suggestion - they aren't imperatives but aspirationals. The 20-minute tidy is often a timer that i use to convince myself I've done "enough" for the day and often is not completed in one go. If i consolidate every laundry bin, take out garbage, and run a dry rag over surfaces, I've done plenty even if it felt like a cop out.
Weekly, I schedule 2 rounds of floors, 2 of bathroom cleaning, 2 meal prep days, and 1 day where i challenge myself to clean every room for 5 minutes on a timer. This can be decluttering, dusting, or picking cat boogers off the wall. 3x a week I have a reminder to clean the litter - I am for daily cleans, but 3 reminders keep me on track at a bare min level. One reminder a week to change the bedding.
I use Google Calendar for this because it is easy to schedule repeating tasks and reminders, and there are no ads. It's free. Also, keep in mind that i do not achieve everything in a week, but generally find that this is more than enough to keep things in a generally tidy and very clean state. A lot of times, it ends up that I'll do one bathroom on one day, then the other. Floors is left vague, so if im just surviving that week, I'll do a desperation sweep of the floor and call it. Meal prep can be as simple as cutting up bananas that are getting too spotty and freezing them so they can be lobbed onto cereal frozen in a rush. It can also be a whole recipe, but I'm not losing sleep on a wild week.
ladyblue62
New member
@rudytoot I'm gonna be honest...chores go on the back burner for me during the day. I do dishes/laundry if I have time but as a SAHM my child is my priority and I very very often don't have time to do much else tbh.
This also highly depends on your child's temperament though. My kid has always been stuck to me like velcro and also hated carriers for the longest time so that makes it hard to do a lot lol
This also highly depends on your child's temperament though. My kid has always been stuck to me like velcro and also hated carriers for the longest time so that makes it hard to do a lot lol
@rudytoot At least one load of laundry (not folding though I pile it up in the cot 
) a load of dishes, sweep and vacuum the rug, one other thing if I can. Picking up the shit my toddler throws around 1000 times a day and throwing away nappies ALL DAY LONG (I have two kids and fuck me the work is forever never ending now)
) a load of dishes, sweep and vacuum the rug, one other thing if I can. Picking up the shit my toddler throws around 1000 times a day and throwing away nappies ALL DAY LONG (I have two kids and fuck me the work is forever never ending now)@rudytoot Your routine will change with life. Mine isn’t helpful to you cause I have 4 kids and it looks way different than when I had 1. What I found most helpful was to make a list of everything that HAD to get done and plan a time to do it. So if I’m doing washing every day, when does it go on, when does it get put out to dry, when does it get put away. And then I laminated the list and put it on the fridge to be ticked by whoever did it. I know I need to do at least 1 load a day and if any of those steps don’t happen my whole week suffers.
You’ll find a rhythm that works for you
You’ll find a rhythm that works for you
shadowwings
New member
@rudytoot I highly recommend reading (or listening to) the book How to Keep House While Drowning. The author has ADHD. I found it sooo helpful when trying to figure out routines and systems that work for me.
I also recommend that you start compiling a list of freezer meals you think you’ll enjoy (don’t forget breakfast and easy handheld snacks) so that you can tackle cooking a little at a time. It gets harder the farther along you are, but having a freezer full of easy meals to reheat in those first few months of parenthood is truly the best gift you can give yourself.
I also recommend that you start compiling a list of freezer meals you think you’ll enjoy (don’t forget breakfast and easy handheld snacks) so that you can tackle cooking a little at a time. It gets harder the farther along you are, but having a freezer full of easy meals to reheat in those first few months of parenthood is truly the best gift you can give yourself.
@rudytoot I’ve learned there’s a difference between messy and dirty. Have someone help you clean your house before baby is here, head to toe so it’s not dirty and take a picture because once baby is here, bye bye clean neat house. Your house will forever be messy post baby, or so it seems like that in my house. I would suggest getting things that usually require two things into one for example getting a Clorox scrub brush with disposable soap heads. Already has the soap built in and you just toss it one you’re done. Declutterring is the best thing you can do right night @downsizeupgrade has great videos on how to declutter and stop impulse buying, which can happen a lot with baby. Good luck mama, hope you have a healthy rest of your pregnancy and a smooth labor. Motherhood hits you like a brick wall start getting rest right now
@rudytoot Exercise pre and post baby will be so beneficial both physically and mentally, so setting a schedule of 60 minutes (walking, weights, Pilates,etc) each day will be helpful. This can be broken up into 15-20 minute intervals so don’t stress after baby makes it tricky. Any opportunity for movement counts, so give yourself credit for bouncing baby while on the exercise ball. The point is to give yourself a sense of meaningful accomplishment because baby caretaking is endless and muddled. If you set a couple of standard goals each day and can tick them off, you’ll feel better about the day to day routine.
Don’t forget about what gives you (mom) a sense of accomplishment. Read, listen to podcasts, meet with friends and family, learn new things, take care of yourself physically and mentally…… take naps as needed with zero guilt!!!
Don’t forget about what gives you (mom) a sense of accomplishment. Read, listen to podcasts, meet with friends and family, learn new things, take care of yourself physically and mentally…… take naps as needed with zero guilt!!!
concordiacounselling
New member
@rudytoot My routine:
BREAKFAST
Laundry
Tidy kitchen + empty/load dishwasher
Thaw dinner stuff
LUNCH
Tidy bathrooms + clean toilets/sinks
Tidy living/dining + vacuum and dust
Early dinner prep
Daily chore
(M-master, T-b1, W-b2, T-kid's bedrooms + clean fridge, F-mop)
Set dinner table
Tidy hall stand
DINNER
Clear table + load dishwasher
Tidy play room
Sweep/mop kitchen
Wipe down kitchen + fridge, toaster, microwave
Run dishwasher
Bins out
BREAKFAST
Laundry
Tidy kitchen + empty/load dishwasher
- Get out with boys
Thaw dinner stuff
LUNCH
Tidy bathrooms + clean toilets/sinks
Tidy living/dining + vacuum and dust
Early dinner prep
Daily chore
(M-master, T-b1, W-b2, T-kid's bedrooms + clean fridge, F-mop)
Set dinner table
Tidy hall stand
DINNER
Clear table + load dishwasher
Tidy play room
Sweep/mop kitchen
Wipe down kitchen + fridge, toaster, microwave
Run dishwasher
Bins out
concordiacounselling
New member
When the twins were newborn and my oldest was 2 this structure helped me keep a somewhat tidy house. I didn’t always get to everything, but it broke the tasks up into little 5-10 minute chunks and gave me a time of day to tackle them.
I liked to lightly clean the bathroom nearly daily then if I didn’t get a chunk of time for a big clean any given week it was not that big of a deal.
At 5, 3, and 3 all of this gets done daily with minimal effort really.
I liked to lightly clean the bathroom nearly daily then if I didn’t get a chunk of time for a big clean any given week it was not that big of a deal.
At 5, 3, and 3 all of this gets done daily with minimal effort really.
motherofteen
New member
@rudytoot PURGE NOW. Clutter, knick knacks, clothes. Do things like... are all these socks still good? Make sure putting away laundry is clear and easy as a task.
Daily, I get up, have my coffee, and unload the dishwasher. Then start a load of laundry.
During the day, load the dishwasher as you go, don't let things pile up. I vacuum constantly but that's because I have two kids and the toddler is a crumb factory. I recommend a stick vac, it's so handy to just yank it off the wall and attack messes as they come up. Plugging in a vacuum is too time consuming.
Flip that load of laundry to the dryer. Before bed, start the dishwasher. Even if it isn't full.
Bathrooms are a once a week job, but I keep lysol wipes in there and can wipe as i pass through.
Give your husband a list of things that he needs to stay on top of. At our house, my husband tidies the playroom and living room at night while I take a shower before we hang out. He also takes out the garbage and recycling. I just don't worry about those things. Also divide and conquer - if you are giving the baby a bath after dinner, then he should clean up dinner. Or vice versa. Basically our goal is after bedtime, we hang out and don't do chores.
Changing sheets is a once a week job. I do it on mondays.
Give yourself a ton of grace, there are days none of this will get done.
Daily, I get up, have my coffee, and unload the dishwasher. Then start a load of laundry.
During the day, load the dishwasher as you go, don't let things pile up. I vacuum constantly but that's because I have two kids and the toddler is a crumb factory. I recommend a stick vac, it's so handy to just yank it off the wall and attack messes as they come up. Plugging in a vacuum is too time consuming.
Flip that load of laundry to the dryer. Before bed, start the dishwasher. Even if it isn't full.
Bathrooms are a once a week job, but I keep lysol wipes in there and can wipe as i pass through.
Give your husband a list of things that he needs to stay on top of. At our house, my husband tidies the playroom and living room at night while I take a shower before we hang out. He also takes out the garbage and recycling. I just don't worry about those things. Also divide and conquer - if you are giving the baby a bath after dinner, then he should clean up dinner. Or vice versa. Basically our goal is after bedtime, we hang out and don't do chores.
Changing sheets is a once a week job. I do it on mondays.
Give yourself a ton of grace, there are days none of this will get done.
jigokudayu
New member
@rudytoot Mom to a 2.5 year old and a 10 month old. Daily: Full bathroom cleaning, take out trash, run the roomba, clean the entire kitchen after each meal/wash dishes, and general house tidying to make sure toys are picked up, clothes make it into hampers, ect. Twice a week I do all our laundry. Once a week I do a full house cleaning which includes polishing wood surfaces, cleaning glass surfaces, mopping, deep bathroom cleaning, polishing stainless steal and changing all bed sheets.
Definitely give yourself grace when baby arrives. Even the best among us have to take steps back sometimes. Recovering, bonding and caring for your newborn trumps all housework for a few months. If someone offers to clean your bathroom or do your laundry please let them! Congratulations on your growing family!!!
Definitely give yourself grace when baby arrives. Even the best among us have to take steps back sometimes. Recovering, bonding and caring for your newborn trumps all housework for a few months. If someone offers to clean your bathroom or do your laundry please let them! Congratulations on your growing family!!!