Chop up the chores

Apparently there are people out there who enjoy housework. However, for most of us, divorced or otherwise, cleaning the lavatory, ironing shirts and taking out the rubbish come pretty low down on the list of things we want to do. Unfortunately, unless you can afford to pay someone else to do some or all of your household chores then you are going to have to get used to the fact that an hour of housework a day is not going to kill you.

Don’t become obsessive
There is no need to become a clean freak but having somewhere hygienic to cook and wash will go a long way to helping you achieve a well ordered existence and a subsequent sense of peaceful well being in your life after divorce. Although housework is rarely pleasurable there is a certain amount of satisfaction to be gained from a clean and orderly home.

Chop up the chores
Breaking housework into manageable chunks will help you to keep on top of things.

Daily
Take fifteen or twenty minutes a day to keep on top of clutter. Clear tables of books, papers. Always wash dishes and put them away or empty the dishwasher if you use one. Sweep the kitchen floor and wipe down surfaces. Keep the top of the cooker and the sink and draining board clean. Tidy beds. Make sure that lavatories are clean and waste bins emptied. Wash clothes and other linen as necessary.

Weekly
Wash the kitchen floor, wipe down cabinet doors and the fronts of appliances. Clean bathrooms and shower rooms. Using a damp cloth clean window ledges and other surfaces. Change beds and vacuum through entire house. Do the ironing.

Monthly
Spread the following out over a four week period. Polish or wax furniture and floors where appropriate. Turn mattresses. Pull out beds, sofas etc and vacuum behind and underneath them and also vacuum any blinds or curtains. Wipe around light and plug switches, door handles, knobs and skirting boards. Knock down cobwebs.

Six monthly
Pull out kitchen appliances and clean behind them. Turn out and clean kitchen cupboards and drawers and throw away out of date packets or other food stuffs. Clean difficult to reach areas such as skylights. Take down and wash curtains or blinds in the kitchen and bathroom.

Once a year
Wash curtains and cushion covers. Turf out the under stairs cupboard, wardrobes and drawers and the loft, garage and shed. Get rid of anything you have not needed or used in the past year.