Housework!

[ambrosia]

I do it slowly, slowly. Mostly I do the things that need immediate attention, such as washing the dishes and the laundry. Sweeping the floor isn't on my daily list unless I made a mess. I do a thorough sweep and clean with a mop twice a week. The bathroom is an area that I like to keep super clean, so I always wipe over all the surfaces with a disinfectant spray. All in all, it only takes me about 30 minutes every day to keep everything in order. And once a month I pay a woman to come and help with a thorough clean of everything.

 

[mariee]

I don't do it all. I do cooking, the dishes, laundry, dusting, cleaning the kitchen and bathroom, and organizing. But my partner does sweeping, mopping, cleaning the cat litter and taking the trash out. I'm lucky to have someone that's willing to help me out. Also he doesn't mind if somedays I'm feeling worse and don't do all of my chores. The only one I absolutely do every day is cooking because he can't cook, but if I'm feeling really sick he helps with the dishes.

 

[Trellum]

Same here, Marie! I think it's good enough we do that already, after all our partners do need to help us with the house chores, what is fair is fair. A 50-50 i always desirable! A must as well depending on where you live. It's great your guy helps you, I know some gals do it all at home.

 

[Trellum]

It is so hard to get housework done because of the pain. I've been sick lately, really sick, was admitted to the hospital, and still sick, noone knows why, either, and homework is even harder now with every 15 minutes I'm vomiting. Usually takes 5-6 hours to clean, now is all day and into 2 days. Being sick is aggravating my Fibromyalgia terribly. Having a young son with Autism doesn't help either, having to go back and clean again what I just cleaned because he made a mess. Such is life of a parent and one with Fibromyalgia, I guess.

Wow, treeca. So sorry to hear you are dealing with all this at once, being sick sucks completely. I'm on the same train and I know how depressing it can be, as if having fibro wasn't enough, then something else happens and makes things worse. I hope you feel better soon!

 

[mariee]

He has a full time job so I don't expect chores to be 50/50. I have more time. His only daily chores are the trash and cat litter. But still I appreciate he does the floors because that's the hardest for me to do.

 

[Susan123]

I am ashamed to even write my circumstances. Me and my husband are both sick.
We can't afford help, and others in our family have their own problems. Our house is first us just trying to declutter things that have piled up over several years of my going down ward being ill. Besides the fibro, I have lupus, and sjogrens, so I am having a very hard time. My dear husband has been doing all the cooking. He cooks very well. He takes out the garbage. I try to do our laundry, and we had our hot water heater go out, so right now dishes are piled up. This weekend my son is bringing a new one to put in for us. We are really dealing with clutter not quite as bad as a hoarder, but not much prettier. I need any thoughts you sweet people can give me. I use to have a pretty clean home. My dream right now is to have a nice clean home back again. I need help so badly.

 

[mariee]

De cluttering is the starting place of a clean house. The less unnecessary things you have, the easier it is to clean. De cluttering is not easy, the hardest part is letting go of those things you really don't need but you are attached too. Sell things that have monetary value, recycle or throw away broken things. Give away things that have very little value to you but might be useful for someone else. Only keep what you need. Organize what you keep. Pack things so that they take up less space and are easier to move. Like we have somethings we need but use rarely, so we put them on plastic bins and stacked them all on one closet, so we could use as much vertical space as possible.

 

[fibronaut]

Hi!

I have systematically replaced all of my cleaning tools with the lightest, most convenient items I could find...and yes, the Dyson stick vac is amazing! I have 4 dogs & 2 cats, it picks up hair very well, love it.

So now I have a great arsenal of cleaning tools I can use when/if I have the energy to do it. I am anal, and am even a pro organizer, but I have had to learn to let things go. One of the hardest things I have ever done with this disorder. Just do what you have to do to take care of yourself, and let it go, that would be my advice. I have a basic list of chores, and I get to them when/if I can. It's important that your friends & loved ones understand and support you. You can't sweat the small stuff - like dust bunnies. (Besides, they don't take up much space).

Hugs

 

[terbaer]

My husband and I both work full time, but he's out of town Monday-Thursdays most weeks. He is a clutterbug. I can't stand it. I currently don't have the energy to deal with it so am having to rely on him to help. He's doing it though. He's a keeper....He knows what is important to me. It isn't perfect, but it's the gesture that matters.

I have been slowly getting rid of extras. Extra clothes I "could" wear again, knick-knacks, books (that's a hard one). I want to simplify for exactly the reasons brought up before. It's easier to keep it clean if there is less clutter. I haven't dusted in months though. It's on my list. It's not a hazard so not high on the priority list.

I'm going to have to check out these cleaning tools you ladies are all referring too. I love that women have their own power cleaning tools....Hee hee!

 

[mariee]

Haven't dusted in months! I wish I could do that. I have to do it at least once a week, I live near a construction and get lots of dirt in the house.

 

[Cress17]

I find that on the days I have a spurt of energy I will tackle some of the chores that have been piling up like dusting, cleaning floors, bathroom etc. I keep the dishes and laundry turning over and not piling up - these are jobs that would really depress me if they were not done, and the cooking is shared between my husband and myself. Ironing is something that does pile up from time to time, even though I hate having a pile of it hanging around. The thing is I can't stand up for very long periods, so I often can't manage any ironing at all.

My illness has taken me from house-proud to house-as-it-is-take-it-or-leave-it, and although it caused me a lot of stress to see things deteriorate as I got sick, I have had to give in and allow myself to feel that it just doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. It gets done eventually between the two of us, but if it doesn't get done, then the next day will do, or even the next week.

 

[doulachic79]

I have a routine that I stick to. Because I'm a new mom, having a rigid schedule is imperative. I write out my to do list the night before and I factor in everything such as pain, fatigue, etc. I wake up, I have my medicine with coffee. I then do my computer work and drink about two bottles of water. I then do my routine of cleaning and cooking. If I need to take a break, I nap when my baby naps. Staying in bed all day isn't an option, so I have to have a schedule. It mentally gets me able to deal with the day.

 

[LLM1]

Sure hope they fond out why you were vomiting every 15 minutes..wow..my housework would wait

 

[terbaer]

My illness has taken me from house-proud to house-as-it-is-take-it-or-leave-it, and although it caused me a lot of stress to see things deteriorate as I got sick, I have had to give in and allow myself to feel that it just doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. It gets done eventually between the two of us, but if it doesn't get done, then the next day will do, or even the next week.

That's how my home is these days......along with my attitude.....Amen!

 

[fibronaut]

Treeca86 & Loftpat,

I feel such sadness in your posts, it hurts my heart. Sometimes I think the biggest challenge with this disorder is fighting the depression. Fibro does change your life, no question. It changes every relationship, every task, every decision, every day....all day long. Learning how to cope with that is the big job - everything else will fall into place. I don't say that lightly, it takes work and going easy on yourself. It took me years, and I still struggle with it...overdo, act like I'm fine when I'm nowhere near it. (I was diagnosed in 1999) .

There are some small things I do that help...I am a writer, so I can get lost in that..try journaling. Just getting those emotions out can help. Reading positive literature helps, and boosts the soul. Thank goodness for the internet, we could read 24/7! I don't know where your child is with his autism, but if you can get him to paint or use crayons - join him! I have a big box of crayons for when I feel really blue...it channels my inner child and cheers me up. Puzzles, word games, scrapbooking, whatever works.

We are all on this rollacoaster together. Big hugs!