People with lots of land!

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

How do you manage your time?? I feel like I can have a good garden and the yard in decent shape or I can have a clean house. I don't seem to be able to do both!

My house ALWAYS has dirt tracked in. Pine shavings, mud whatever. I read the flylady about putting on a pair of lace up shoes and keeping them on all day! Clearly the woman does not have barn shoes!!

DH worked 7 days straight 12 hour shifts and now he is out mowing the grass - which will take three hours or so to get about two and a half acres (out of ten!) done.

Am I just here too much??

Ah, seriously, I HATE housework it is mindless boring Sysiphean task.

 

[speckledhen]

I much prefer the outdoors around my place to staying inside. Housework doesn't get done on a daily basis here, LOL. I dont have grass to mow, but the jungle does have to be beaten back from the house a bit, especially in summer.

EDITED TO ADD: We have 5.37 acres, but only maintain 2 of those. .The rest is woods, except for the walking trails we cut occasionally. Trying to sell just over 3 of those, but in this economy, land will sit for years. It never gets done. The house needs work, but the coops are maintained!

 

[Beed]

I could take care of ours is the old DH would stop putting his "projects" ie. old cars, trailers, scrap, you name it on it. We have a pool too! My house is clean looking because I scatter around in morning to make things look okay but by the time everyone starts showing up, our house is the place where every body congregates, it is filthy again. I were crocs and have them all over the place. Different pairs for each area. I guess I have given up a little. If you can't beat em....join em. By that I mean the lovely piggies I live with. Good thread-thanks I feel better.

 

[xtremevermonter]

We have been spending much more time tending to the gardens, birds, lawn, etc than boring horrible dishes and laundry.

We don't miss winter.

 

[okiron]

Do you have any kids? Assign them some "chores"

My house always looks cluttered though it's clean lol.

 

[Southernbelle]

I like to listen to books on tape when I'm doing housework. It helps keep my mind busy when my hands are at mundane tasks. Right now I cycle between the entire Harry Potter series one after another and the Twilight series. That way the kids can listen in, too.

I've followed the flylady's philosophy off and on. I had to get rid of a lot of clutter and everything stays much neater now. I don't even miss it. I just kept asking myself "Do I really love this?"

We have 6 1/2 acres. DH mows and it does take him hours; he usually does it a bit at a time on the riding mower. We have a 16 x 12' garden that I "tend" (ignore), so it's messy and could probably be more productive if I spent more time on TEG

 

[Judy]

He mows 10 acres? Are we talking about harvesting hay or something? Or mowing like mowing the lawn?

As for housework... pfffff. It can be kept presentable and sanitary without dusting every day and vacuuming three times a week (not this kid!) There are some bits of pine shavings on my bathroom floor that have been there a week -- but no one sees my bathroom except me. Outdoor shoes come off at the back door. Doesn't stop the mess but keeps it well in check.

I don't feel the least bit guilty about the time I spend here. I take care of meals, housework, shopping, dogs, cat, chickens, garden, lawn... and me.

 

[purr]

well as far as the mud it was sooo bad but my DH took an old stiff broom took the handle off it and screwed the bristle part upside down to one of the deck steps and now we just brush off our shoes before we come in. It's made a big difference.

 

[Judy]

Quote:

I'm actively encouraging most of this 11 acres to turn into a jungle.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

i guess the key is - determine that you are ok with not everything being done. in the winter i concentrate on the house - in the spring, summer its every man for himself.

and i love flylady - its the only way to stay sane. and here is how i do it - slip on shoes and pull on barn boots. this way you can go in and outside without having to lace up every time. the key is to have sturdy inside shoes - even if they are slip on.

we are moving to more wood floors and flooring and away from carpeting for lots of reason, laundry day is one day or you have to do it yourself, and of course getting up early to miss the heat of the day outside (and come inside for a break/organization) never hurts.

and if it gets too bad... get a house cleaner to come in a couple times a month.