I’m a mum and my interval tidying method will keep your home spotless all the time – and won’t exhaust you
KEEPING on top of the housework while looking after kids and often working as well can be a daunting prospect.
So in order to make things more manageable for herself, mum Emma came up with an interval tidying method - breaking things down into chunks and tackling one at a time.
"Working full time, looking after a six-year-old, husband and trying to keep on top of housework can be hard work, and can often leave you feeling like there are not enough hours in the day," she told us.
"My method is based on short interval tasks, the main one being an half an hour daily clean/tidy up tasks.
"Every evening once I log off work, I put the tea on and fold my laundry whilst it cooks.
"Then after tea I will take the laundry upstairs and put it away.
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"I will then spend time with my daughter playing or doing school work."
Once Emma's daughter is in bed, she then spends 30 minutes tidying things up or doing a specific clean.
"If there is little tidying to do, I will choose a room to spend 30 minutes cleaning," she explained.
"It could be dusting, polishing, a quick hoover of the lounge, or moving everything off the kitchen surfaces and doing a full wipe down, including the cupboard doors, or even a bathroom clean."
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To prepare herself for the week ahead, Emma writes a list every Sunday night of what room she will tackle on which evening.
"I may even note done what I will do in each room," she said.
"And I tell you, the satisfaction of ticking off the list is huge - it makes you feel so positive!"
Once she's done her 30 minutes, Emma moves on to preparations for the next day.
"This involves filling my daughter's water bottle and placing it in the fridge, having her snack ready, school bag by the front door, and coat ready to put on in the morning," she said.
"I will also ensure her uniform is ready for her to put on when she wakes up.
"This saves you running round like a headless chicken in the morning and means you can sit and enjoy a cuppa or breakfast with the little ones!"
Emma's interval method also means that when it comes to the weekend, she only has to do a general tidy and quick hoover or mop, meaning she gets more time to spend with her family.
Once all this is done, its a case of sitting and enjoying the evening, and ticking off my list for the day.
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"Who wants to spend all weekend tidying and cleaning when they can enjoy days out?" she laughed.
Emma documents her cleaning journey on her social media pages, including her page here.
