r/homemaking

Like I told my kids they had to clean the toilet before the cleaners got here because I’m terrified they’ll see poo or pee. Is this too far

so my roommate moved out last month and took her fancy detergent with her and I've just been using whatever generic stuff I grabbed from the dollar store. my clothes smell fine coming out but theres this one hoodie I wear constantly and it has like a permanent armpit situation that nothing is touching. googled it and now im three hours deep into some rabbit hole about enzyme laundry boosters and im more confused than when I started.

I'm not looking to spend a ton, I just want something that actually breaks down whatever is living in that hoodie and works with a regular top loader. if you have actually used an enzyme laundry booster and it did something noticeable please just tell me what it was

My partner switched us to reusable paper towels. The problem is that he uses up to 10 a day and leaves them in wet piles in the sink and all over the counters. At any given time there are damp, food-covered towels sitting around the kitchen.

I find it absolutely disgusting. It looks messy, smells gross, and makes the kitchen feel dirty. I literally can’t stand being in the kitchen when they’re there, so every day I end up gathering five or six at a time, rinsing them out, and hanging them in my shower or outside on our patio to dry.

I’ve suggested rinsing them out and hanging them up, or even putting them in a designated bin, but he refuses and insists on leaving them in wet piles because he says he washes them every day.

Am I overreacting, or would most people also find piles of wet reusable towels sitting around the kitchen pretty gross?

Thinking about replacing my furnace with a heat pump in Pennsylvania. Contractor is pushing a dual-fuel system because of our winters. Upfront cost is $4,000 more than a standalone heat pump installation. Is cold-climate performance actually that much of an issue, or is the upsell not necessary?

I used to think our fridge door was messy because of grocery notes and random school papers.Now I think it’s messy because everyone in the house has a slightly different life and somehow the fridge is where all of that crashes together.There’s a dentist card for my husband

school reminder that says “wear blue Friday” which I only noticed on Thursday night.

sticky note about library books.

tiny calendar with two things crossed out and one thing nobody remembers writing.

paper about early dismissal.

One appointment card from the vet.

And a note that just says “trash??” which is not a schedule but does feel urgent.The funny part is we do have digital calendars. Several. Shared ones too. But the fridge still wins because people actually stand in front of it.Nobody opens the family calendar app while making coffee.Nobody checks a shared note while packing a lunchboxBut everyone sees the fridge while half awake and looking for milk.I used to want the fridge door to look cleaner. Now I just want it to be readable. There’s probably a difference.

I currently pay my househelp AED 500 per month, but I'm not happy with the quality of the cleaning. The kitchen floor is often still dirty, the house feels dusty even after she's finished, and she frequently leaves tasks incomplete.

I've suggested to my husband that instead of continuing to depend on a cleaner, we invest in a good robot vacuum cleaner (and eventually a dishwasher). I feel these appliances would make daily cleaning much easier and more consistent.

However, my husband is very old-school. He doesn't mind paying the cleaner every month, but he thinks buying a robot vacuum or dishwasher is a waste of money.

For those who own a robot vacuum:

• Has it actually reduced your dependence on a cleaner?
• Is it worth the investment in the long run?
• How would you explain the value of these appliances to someone who believes traditional cleaning is always better?

I'd love to hear your experiences, especially from families who made the switch.

my coffee has tasted kind of off for the past few weeks and i finally accepted that its probably the machine and not the beans. looked up how to clean it and immediately got hit with like 15 sponsored articles all recommending different stuff with names like ‘descale pro ultra’ and ‘brew-brite triple action formula’ and honestly my eyes glazed over immediately

ive been burned before, bought some hyped up appliance cleaner for my microwave that smelled like fake lemons and did literally nothing visible. so im a little allergic to anything that sounds like it was named by a marketing team at 2am

my coffee maker is a basic drip machine, nothing fancy, probably has some mineral buildup from hard water because we live in an area where the water is genuinely terrible. just want to know what actually works to get it clean without spending $20 on something that underdelivers again

does anyone have a real answer here, not the ‘top 10 best descalers of 2024’ listicle answer?

I’m buying the Dailee planner because it has everything I need. HOWEVER, it’s too huge to carry when needed to. Anyone use two planners because of this? Or this and a digital version? I used to take pictures if I had to run out the door but I don’t like that. I like to check things off. Also I’m a mom so the most efficient way is best for me. Should I just write it twice?? I love paper and pen so I can’t go fully digital.

Despite the struggles that come with my specific situation that lead to being a homemaker, I truly love providing for my family. That being said, I can’t clean all the time! I want to know your favorite hobbies, what you do outside of cooking and cleaning that still enriches you and your space, and how you spend your time every day :)

Lately, I’ve been trying to clean up the kitchen and reset the counters every night before bed so I’m not starting my day in a total mess. It’s definitely helped me avoid that morning chaos that used to ruin my start to the day.

But lately, I’ve been questioning my own motivation. Sometimes, while I’m dusting or scrubbing, I wonder if I’m genuinely enjoying the rhythm of it, or if I’m just over-romanticizing chores to make them feel more meaningful than they really are—just so I don’t get hit by the weight of how constant and repetitive this maintenance actually is.

When I first moved out, I didn't realize how much homemaking was just… endless maintenance. Does anyone else feel like they’re performing a version of a cozy, put-together homemaker just to trick themselves into doing the work? I’m trying to keep this rhythm going without feeling like I’m just managing my life instead of actually living it. How do you keep the maintenance mindset without it feeling like a chore you’re constantly trying to talk yourself into?

Hello!! I am one of those millennials who was essentially raised to be a housewife, but lives in an area/situation where there’s just no way we can have a one income household. I don’t have the greatest job (housekeeping), but I enjoy it and I work hard to add what support I can to our household.

Recently I’ve decided another way I can support our household is to start making some things homemade - we stopped ordering pizza and buying tomato pasta sauce and stuff, we make it at home, type of thing, but I would like advice on what else I could do homemade in order to help pinch pennies. Bread is an obvious one, but what are good/healthy/easy ish ways to approach this? How do I decide what kind of bread or recipe? What are some other things I can do? Is there a chart or method I can use to plan things like this and organize chores?

I understand I can just google this stuff, but there is SO much info and I wanted advice from actual people on what things they’ve done at home that has helped save them money and keep their household clean and organized, despite working.

Anyway. Thanks in advance for any advice or recipes or organization tips. I no longer have my mother to ask direct advice like this and appreciate any and all suggestions.

I used to think buying a matching cookware set made the most sense but after years of cooking i realized that i only reach for the same four or five pieces regularly. Part of me wants to replace everything with a new set but another part thinks it makes more sense to replace pieces one at a time and gradually build a collection around on what i actually use.

My kitchen is already a mix of random cookware collected over the years so maybe thats just how most people end up cooking anyway but for those who cook at home most days did you stick with full sets? And also what cookware ended up earning permanent cabinet space because it just kept performing year after year?

Like most of us I am sure, I have a few pieces of wooden furniture. Am I supposed to polish/oil/wax these pieces from time to time? All I have EVER done is dust with a damp cloth. I know nothing, please help me!

I am going to try to make this as straightforward as possible.

In T minus 3 weeks I will be a SAHM to two under two. My husband will be staying home for the first month postpartum but after that, it’s just me and my beautiful babies.

I am super excited but I also realize that life is going to look a lot different for us and the workload of caring for a family is going to require a different strategy.

We value home cooked meals both for financial and health reasons. I realize that there may be times where both kids need me and I simply cannot cook a labor intensive dinner.

I was wondering what your thoughts were on getting an air fryer? Have you found that it’s worth it? Are there any factors I am not considering? I think it’s worth it to get dinner on the table, my husband thinks it’s more dishes and can cause more stress as a result (not to mention more money than just using our oven). What are your thoughts?

Also, what gadgets, organizational tools, and systems do you recommend to help homemaking run a lot smoother with two under two? TIA!

Hello Homemaker community,

I have worked at my most recent job for nearly 28 years, and was fired 2 weeks ago. I'll be fine, but while am home job searching, I'd like to lean into being a Homemaker.

While I've always done housework and made meals for my husband and our daughters (when they lived at home), it always felt rushed. Dinners were made after work with little or no thought put into them, and house cleaning was mostly left to weekends when I had more time and energy.

In the past 2 weeks I have been meal planning and definitely putting more thought into meals. House cleaning is being done at a slower pace. I'm enjoying it but I also feel like I'm floundering, like I don't have a routine. I had a flexible, but predictable routine at my job with daily, weekly and monthly tasks. I am missing that structure.

I'd appreciate any advice on bringing that structure into my new, albeit temporary, role of full time homemaker.