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I come from a long line of house-proud folks, so cleaning is part of my DNA. Each generation's idea of cleanliness has become more diluted though. You cannot eat off the corner floors like in my grandmother's house and I have never done the bi-weekly spring cleaning like my Mom did when she was younger. I like clean but not to an obsession.
I have a morning routine of getting things in order as the water comes to a boil for tea/coffee and then the brew time. Most things are like that. I earn my leisure time and enjoy it more if I know there isn't a job waiting to be done. Chores first, fun after works for me.
Since retiring the amount of chores hasn't changed but having more time to do them has made it easier.
This depends on your definion of chores whether they are routine or disagreeable tasks. It's the former for me. I typically enjoy the fruits of my labor so I don't mind doing household 'chores' when I have the time. I'm the kind of person who can not sit still so the only wasted time and energy activities to me would be something like watching sitcom T.V. or yakking on the phones ;-).
So the question that I have for retirees who stop doing some household chores is why?: Because they are not needed? because they have become too physically demanding? Because you would rather doing something else? If so, what would you rather be doing? Because you think you have saved enough money so now it's the time to pay someone to do the work? Because you think retirement is the time to just kick back, relax, enjoy your coffee, your margarita and let someone else to do all the work? etc.?
All of them.
I am an active person and have many interests. I would rather read ( which i often do while watching TV) write, meet friends, hike, etc. than my chores, routine or otherwise. i don't enjoy doing any of them but i don't mind some of them like making the bed, tidying up, cook and shop, laundry. i don't like yard work, garage cleaning, or even to go into the basement to organize or get rid of small animials that come in somehow and die.
If you can afford it yes, i believe in letting someone else do it and pay them fairly for it. Why not? I deeply appreciate the work my helpers do for me.
Talking on the phone with my sisters, children, grandchildren is a pleasure and i don't get to do it as often as i would like and should because, yes, the damn chores keep me from them - paying bills, getting service people to do something, appointments, constant chores.
Absolutely!
I've never been able to understand the idea of 'spring cleaning' for instance.
I will admit though, that if there is a 'project'.....like a really thorough cleaning of the entire refrigerator or defrosting the freezer,(I prefer non-frost free freezers) or windows....I do do windows there is at least a sense of accomplishment
i love opening my fridge which is clean, decluttered, and organized, so i like doing that. same with closets and drawers - declutter, organize.
windows are a necessity because i like the light coming in and want a clear view. but they get dirty too soon again.
The no ironing threads always make me smile. I quilt and sew and embroider -- therefore I iron. In fact -- I have a back up iron in case my good iron goes bad.
However.... my ironing board is never up. I made a pressing board. It's a flat 24" square, covered in a thick terry towel sewn together like a pillow case, and a cotton fabric case over that. I can remove the cases for washing.
So the question that I have for retirees who stop doing some household chores is why?: Because they are not needed? because they have become too physically demanding? Because you would rather doing something else? If so, what would you rather be doing? Because you think you have saved enough money so now it's the time to pay someone to do the work? Because you think retirement is the time to just kick back, relax, enjoy your coffee, your margarita and let someone else to do all the work? etc.?
In retirement, you keep getting older, physical abilities tend to decline. With a more limited amount of energy now, I prefer to do things I like, and that don't cause pain the next day. I gave up a big part of yard work a couple of years ago. Now I have enough energy to work out, which is a lot more fun.
I come from a long line of house-proud folks, so cleaning is part of my DNA. Each generation's idea of cleanliness has become more diluted though. You cannot eat off the corner floors like in my grandmother's house and I have never done the bi-weekly spring cleaning like my Mom did when she was younger. I like clean but not to an obsession.
I have a morning routine of getting things in order as the water comes to a boil for tea/coffee and then the brew time. Most things are like that. I earn my leisure time and enjoy it more if I know there isn't a job waiting to be done. Chores first, fun after works for me.
Since retiring the amount of chores hasn't changed but having more time to do them has made it easier.
How big was the house your granma cleaned? I know one lady would kick herself because she didn't wash her windows weekly like her mom.
I asked her how many windows did granma wash - turns out to be 7 windows! She had maybe 20. Big difference.
How big was the house your granma cleaned? I know one lady would kick herself because she didn't wash her windows weekly like her mom.
I asked her how many windows did granma wash - turns out to be 7 windows! She had maybe 20. Big difference.
It was an average sized house of the time, not the huge average one of today. They built their own home after having a large house where they took in boarders, like teachers, for years and she worked long hours in a canning factory in the summer. She was a busy woman, my memories of her are a clean house, even the basement was immaculate, and having fresh blackberry pies cooling on the Hoosier cabinet.
I think one of the reasons I do chores before pleasure comes from her. On Christmas Eve she would make a huge dinner for the family with presents opened afterward. No presents were opened until every last dish, piece of silverware was washed, dried, put away and the kitchen and dining room sparkling clean and tidy. Oh the agony for a kid, it seemed to take a lifetime! The anticipation was like no other though. I guess I recreate that a little each day.
Bh doesn't help, so I'd rather do things I want to do before I die.
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there is at least a sense of accomplishment 
