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I keep our home safe and sanitary, but not neat. Something had to give.
In some cases, I prioritize what room I want to not be a pigsty, for example I'll clean the living room and kitchen and paper piles, but leave the kids room and my room a mess, just shut the door, and go running.
I am working on my whole organizing strategy, but that's another story and you didn't ask.
Last thing, I do not indulge in having household help (personal reasons, personal choice..I respect all choices) , but I do indulge in pre washed, pre cut, pre everything fresh foods.
I have had a maid come every other week to clean even when I'm not IM training. I can't stand housework. I have enough trouble doing my laundry (well I wash it cause I need it, but it often sits in piles for a very long time befoe I put it away) and loading and unloading the dishwasher and keeping my kitchen counters clean. It is money very well spent in my mind
I'm not a great housekeeper...I just try to maintain as best as I can. But I can live with some dirt (not OCD for cleaning).
I will send out one of my favorite pre-IM tips:
If you can, go to Costco/Sam's/Walmart and do all your non-perishable shopping in bulk. Esp. the things that will force you into an annoying run to the store, like toilet paper, paper towels, laundry soap, dish soap, people soap, toothpaste, etc. You can just stock up on all those types of things and reduce the nuisance shopping.
"Have any of you hired a maid or cleaning service during IM training?"
Just get yourself a husband, or at least one named cerveloguy. Drove me nuts when my wife was training for the World's Long Course in Aussie. I had to do a lot of "womens" work while she trained. Thank God she's back to short course.
i have figured out ways to do it in the most time effective way possible since there are no cleaning ladies in college appartments. for the bathroom, i pour toilet bowl cleaner in before i shower, jump in the shower (usually after a workout) and clean that while i'm in it, then all i have left when i'm out of the shower is to scrub the toilet, and clean the sink. laundry usually takes an entire day, because it put it in/switch it/take it out, when i am going that way, so it fits in when i am coming and leaving for other things. I also enlist my boyfriend who also does tris and lives with me, to help me as well. he does a lot of the cooking/dishes.
"What am I on? I'm on my bike busting my ass for six hours a day. What are YOU on?" - Lance Armstrong
I mow my lawn after my long rides or run. I use it as a cool down activity and it seems to work for me. I can't do it before because its too early for the neighbors. I do one "cleaning" chore very early in the a.m. I put the laundry that needs to be folded on my bed - so it has to be folded before I can get in bed.
I hear ya.... I did not want to do anything but train/rest last go 'round. Going to try to use my Mom's trick this year: one room a day. Takes minimal effort and about 1/5th the time.
I would love to get one for the first week afterward my im event this year.
I'd like to have someone come 1x a month and do the really annoying stuff (outside windows, etc)......
ahh....to not have to clean! NICE!
Tiger for Life -- War Eagle!
Not last time.
Last year my hubby and I both trained for IM LOU. Not only did we not hire a maid, we also cleaned minimally at best, did laundry mostly when we needed training clothes and didn't touch the back lawn at all. I did keep the front lawn trimmed because of HOA laws.
We pulled the blinds and hermited -- and the only people we allowed in the house were also training and we didn't care what they thought! They, btw, had a maid.
After we finished IM, our neighbor called to congratulate us and then asked if this meant we'd mow our lawn when we got home.
This year we can afford a maid 2X a month and we're going to hire one. My hubby is annoyed by this, but I don't care. I think the service they provide is definitely worth the money.
We own a vacuum???
Serious - I'm in the same boat. Fortunately for me, my fiancee is the bomb. He does the laundry and cleans the whole house while I'm out on my long rides or runs. Then I come in like a whirlwind and filth the place up again :)
We're installing wood floors this weekend and plan on buying one of those roomba thingies to stay on top of the dog hair for us. Anyone have any experience with them?
I tried putting laundry on the bed once. Discovered that sleeping on the floor for a week isn't so bad!
Funny, I was just contemplating a Roomba tonight. It seems that the past feed back on ST has been good, although I don't know anyone personally that has one.
I be happy to hear feedback on them as well.
Thanks everyone for your input! I'm glad I'm not alone.
Great story, eisenhund...My fiance and I have taken to closing off the 2nd bathroom and guest room in the house for less areas to clean. This year we're both training for HIM's so household cleanliness is pretty good. 2009 is IMLP for both us--I'm saving my pennies now for maid!
We have a Roomba. I think my husband and I might be in the minority, but neither of us are thrilled with it and we have pretty much stopped using it. Our house has mostly laminate floors and we have two dogs, although only one dog at the time we were using it. It filled up with dog hair really quickly and generally had to be cleaned out every time we used it. With the time it took to clean it out, it seemed like we could have just run the damn vacuum through the house, or at least through the part of the house that showed ;-). Plus, it's pretty noisy and that noise can get a bit annoying given the amount of time it has to run to hit every area of the floor. I suppose it might work okay without dogs or with low shed/no shed dogs, but that German Shepherd of ours could fill that thing up in no time flat!!
Thanks for posting that. Since dog hair is the primary reason that I would get a Roomba, it sounds like I would be better off without it. (My two dogs produce an unbelievable amount of hair, even though labs are theoretically not heavy shedders... )
M
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The beatings will continue until morale improves
Hey Ladies,
I have just read this thread and would like to inform you that I own a domestic services business. I have been in the domestic industry for over 15 years and love what I do. Services range from housecleaning to personal assisting. If any of you are in the Long Beach/Seal Beach areas and in need of help while you train, contact me.
I am new to triathlons as I did my first today so soon I will be working my way up to competing in a HIM. It is something that I am looking forward to.
Good luck to you all.
info@DomesticExperience.com
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DISH is how we do it.
You really have to stop and ask if a silly ironman race is worth it.
I try and take time every night to do a little bit but generally, my house is such a mess I don't invite people over. Two dogs and 5 cats really do a number on the carpets. My husband is terrible about cleaning but he also doesn't care at all if the house is a mess. It bothers me but I have other priorities and won't drive myself nuts over it.
Because of the animals we can't have a house cleaner but I would do it in a heartbeat.
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Jen
"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce