Home improvement: How to stop the strife over cleaning

Covid has reportedly led to a 300 per cent increase in couples considering separation, but there is a way to help hold it together.

The Separation Guide, an online service offering advice on how to end your relationship, reported a 314 per cent increase in couples considering separation this year, especially in locked down cities.

It’s also taken a toll on the house.

Aside from rising energy bills to keep the house warm, some of us have brought our less-than-ideal work habits home, whether it’s leaving used cups around the house or not cleaning up after lunch.

For primary caregivers, it can feel like you never get a break.

The Separation Guide reported a 314 per cent increase in couples considering separation.

Q. I’m tired of picking up after everyone else. Is it wrong to expect everyone to do their bit?

A. Trying to keep a house clean when everyone is home all the time is tricky. It’s an uphill battle – and one you shouldn’t fight alone. Sit down with the family – including your partner – and run through what needs to be done on a daily and weekly basis and what your expectations are of everyone.

If the kids are new to cleaning jobs, show them how to do it and expect them to be less than perfect to start off with. Give them lots of encouragement and offer incentives if you want to, like a trip to the park or a family movie night, but I’d steer clear of tying it to cash.

They’re part of the family and they should do their bit because they live there.

Teamwork makes the dream work.

Q. What if they don’t want to do it?

A. I will say this only once: you are not the maid. Even if you are used to doing the bulk of the housework on the days you’re not in paid work, you should not be taken for granted. Everyone contributes to the mess generated, so everyone needs to take responsibility for the clean up as well.

Q. Do you have any hacks or short cuts for keeping the mess under control?

A. There are ways of making housework less painful for everyone. With younger kids, you could create a task chart using a whiteboard where they can see what they’ve done already and what still needs to be completed.

Making a game of it can also help.

You could have a race to see who is the fastest to clean up their room or their desk at the end of the school day. With older children, put on some active wear, let them choose music they like and then crank up the volume while they clean.

Make it fun for the kids to join in.

Upbeat music is a great motivator.

Even if it’s not your cup of tea, it can be a useful way to connect with teenagers. Working alongside your kids (or asking them to help you as you clean) also tends to be more successful than telling them what to do.

The key is not to make it too complicated.

Keep storage solutions like baskets open and accessible for small kids and cleaning products in obvious, accessible places for teenagers and young adults at home. And don’t worry if it’s not absolutely perfect.

Robyn Willis is The Fixer. here to answer all your home improvement, renovation and repair questions. Email us at [e-mail]