# Housework... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 1, 2004, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977 "2004-05-01T12:50:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dragongirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@dragongirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dragongirl)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977/1 "2004-05-01T12:50:24Z")
…is the most fucking useless thing in the world ! I could spend all the hours of the day running around with my vacumme cleaner and there would still be dog hair, dirt and little scraps of paper everywhere. I could stand at the sink day and night, but there would still be a dirty glass that someone never returned sitting on a shelf somewhere. Laundry just never goes away. Before I even finish a load, there is a dish towel, washcloth or a pair of socks in the basket. Where the hell does all of this dust come from anyway ? Is it any wonder, why I feel like I don’t accomplish anything ? ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977/2 "2004-05-01T12:59:55Z")
> [@dragongirl](#): > > Where the hell does all of this dust come from anyway ? I heard that most of it is made up of human skin. ---
**Author:** ![dragongirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@dragongirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dragongirl)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977/3 "2004-05-01T13:06:29Z")
Ewww ! ---
**Author:** ![unclviny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e274bd/32.png) [@unclviny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unclviny)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977/4 "2004-05-01T13:22:31Z")
Take out the return air filter and vacuum out the space behind it, this will cut a lot of the dust out (you see, it’s BEHIND the filter so its getting blown through the system). Unclviny ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977/5 "2004-05-01T14:51:07Z")
Yes. I sometimes wonder if the few five minute intervals I have about once a month where the house is clean- meaning I’ve got everything done and close enough together that I don’t have to redo something- are worth chasing around all the time cleaning things. I want dishes you can throw out (pots and pans) and cats in little protective suits so they don’t shed. ---
**Author:** ![county](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@county](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/county)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977/6 "2004-05-01T14:57:44Z")
It is important to enjoy the process. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977/7 "2004-05-01T15:00:21Z")
One of those little French maid costumes could make things more fun. I would imagine. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977/8 "2004-05-01T15:03:44Z")
Have you folks read “Home Comforts” by Cheryl Mendleson? [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/068481465X/qid=1083423465/sr=8-1/ref=pd\_ka\_1/102-4662772-6743351?v=glance&s=books&n=507846](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/068481465X/qid=1083423465/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/102-4662772-6743351?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) It’s a really wonderful book on housekeeping. It’s totally different from all of those other housecleaning books out there. One of the things that she discusses is that feeling of being endlessly burdened with housework, and gives some real practical advice on how to get out of it. Like any housekeeping book, some of her advice will be applicable, and some won’t, but it’s definitely worth a read. That’s not to say that I don’t despise housework! I think my primary motivation for wanting to make more money is so that I can get a cleaning lady. A twice a week cleaning lady who will do the straightening up, too! ---
**Author:** ![misstee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@misstee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misstee)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977/9 "2004-05-01T15:06:02Z")
I like to vacuum, I like the bathroom to be clean. I enjoy picking up the living room- it’s really easy to do. I hate to do dishes. They never go away. I swear, I just get them done, turn around and three minutes later there is a sink full, again! ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977/10 "2004-05-01T15:22:55Z")
I have to scrub my bathroom this weekend. Of all the things to do around the house, that’s the one thing I hate the most. Woe is me. You want pointless, try having a yellow lab and a golden retriever. It goes like this: pick up dog hair. Wait, oh, ten seconds. Pick up dog hair. Wait another ten seconds. Pick up dog hair. IT NEVER ENDS! The dogs are delightful creatures, but by Og they shed like mad! ---
**Author:** ![jsleek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8dc957/32.png) [@jsleek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsleek)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977/11 "2004-05-01T16:13:33Z")
I suppose this poem is from pioneer times. [http://ingeb.org/songs/olifeisa.html](http://ingeb.org/songs/olifeisa.html) There’s nothing that pays for The time you waste on it, There’s nothing that lasts us But trouble and dirt. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977/12 "2004-05-01T16:53:36Z")
I don’t mind cleaning the bathroom, but I hate dusting. I’ve settled this problem by not dusting. If something is dusty and I want to use it, I wipe the dust onto the floor. Then, I can vacuum it up! ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977/13 "2004-05-01T20:08:00Z")
One of the best things I’ve found for getting rid of housework is getting rid of a lot of the shit in your house. I’m not talking about major mess factories like husbands, children, and pets, either. I’m talking about _stuff_. A wide open space is easier to clean. It’s one of the tenets of the FlyLady system that I like, along with the zone system. Large chunks of the rest of her system suck ass for me, like the joy of serving your family stuff. (I’m still waiting for my sense of pride and accomplishment I was promised for shining my sink. Apparently, their signature purple pride and accomplishment, complete with FlyLady logo, has been on back-order since early July. Hmph.) But having less stuff to clean and only cleaning parts of it at a time is surprisingly effective. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977/14 "2004-05-01T22:02:41Z")
A man may work from sun(up) to sun(down), But a woman’s work is NEVER done. ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977/15 "2004-05-01T22:30:52Z")
> [@whiterabbit](#): > > You want pointless, try having a yellow lab and a golden retriever. It goes like this: pick up dog hair. Wait, oh, ten seconds. Pick up dog hair. Wait another ten seconds. Pick up dog hair. > > IT NEVER ENDS! The dogs are delightful creatures, but by Og they shed like mad! _Yellow_ lab? Try having a _black_ lab. Nothing looks quite as dirty and obvious on all the rugs as black hair. I need black shag carpeting. As far as laundry is concerned, **ValleyGirl** has a secret sensor that tells her when I’ve just finished all her laundry. When this sensor goes off, she promptly lets loose with a leaky diaper of massive pooportions. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977/16 "2004-05-01T22:57:42Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#): > > A man may work from sun(up) to sun(down), > > But a woman’s work is NEVER done. Slight hijack, but the philosophy there REALLY gets under my skin. I’m an eglitarian. I think that males can nurture just as well as females, if they are given half a chance to learn how to do so, and I think that EVERYONE who lives in a house should at the very least clean up after themselves and pitch in with the more regular housework. Especially if the married partners each have jobs, or school, or both. To me, housework (and parenting) isn’t “woman’s work”, it’s a matter of basic living needs, and every person in the household old enough to contribute effort should do so, to the best of their abilities based on indivdual cases. Yeah, yeah, call me a romanticist, or an idealist. I know lots of people don’t think this way, and I feel it’s a shame. I think people would be less stressed, and generally happier with their lives if this philosophy were shared, because resentment would be lessened. If I feel the person might be open to changing their philosophy, I speak about my outlook on life. I’m very lucky in that my husband is also eglitarian, and is more than willing to share household chores. He veiws it as part of his adult/married life. He’d have to do housework for himself if he weren’t married, wouldn’t he? ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977/17 "2004-05-01T23:03:34Z")
> [@Zabali\_Clawbane](#): > > Slight hijack, but the philosophy there REALLY gets under my skin. I’m an eglitarian. I think that males can nurture just as well as females, if they are given half a chance to learn how to do so, and I think that EVERYONE who lives in a house should at the very least clean up after themselves and pitch in with the more regular housework. > I’m very lucky in that my husband is also eglitarian, and is more than willing to share household chores. He veiws it as part of his adult/married life. He’d have to do housework for himself if he weren’t married, wouldn’t he? Every male that has ever moved into a dwelling with me, either in a relationship with me or as a roommate to mr Aru and I, and with the exeption of Mr Aru has PROMPTLY forgotten how to do any housework whatsoever … and most of them lived solo before and managed to do their own housework then…they just seemed to get some funky sort of retrograde amnesia=\ ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977/18 "2004-05-01T23:04:36Z")
Erm, I’ll add many males nurture just as well as females, without having to be taught. They do it because it is in their nature, and their background. I didn’t phrase that as well as I wanted too. I’ve seen plenty of females that have also needed to learn how to do basic nurturing of their children. (By “nurturing” I mean dealing with them fairly, teaching them proper values, teaching them self respect and respect for others, so they can grow to be good members of society.) I did not mean offense or any sexism in my previous comments. :o ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977/19 "2004-05-01T23:08:20Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Every male that has ever moved into a dwelling with me, either in a relationship with me or as a roommate to mr Aru and I, and with the exeption of Mr Aru has PROMPTLY forgotten how to do any housework whatsoever … and most of them lived solo before and managed to do their own housework then…they just seemed to get some funky sort of retrograde amnesia=\ I know just what you mean. It almost seems to be a “cultural” thing in the US at least, (some areas more than others) as demonstrated by the quote I said bothered me. That saying tacitly encourages such a mindset, and I wish it could be nullified. ☹ Males and females both need to do a fair share of basic everyday tasks, it’s basic decensy, respect, courtesy. It’s an idea that isn’t entirely dead thankfully, so there is still hope. ---
**Author:** ![Idlewild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8491ac/32.png) [@Idlewild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idlewild)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977/20 "2004-05-01T23:40:17Z")
I’m spoiled rotten - my husband does more of the housework than I do. Just because he’s inherently more of a housework person. I am incredibly grateful for this state of affairs and just wanted to put in a word for the men out there who do their share or more. My dad always did his share of the housework, and so did one of my college house-mates. I’ve had nothing but good experiences with living with men. Maybe the tide is slowly turning. I find the older I get the more I want my environment tidy at least. I’ve always been fairly messy, and I doubt that’ll change soon, but there’s no motivator quite like having my own space and wanting it nice for me to live in and hang out in. Just have to get past the “piles of stuff” method of organization! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/housework/242977.md?page=2)