Is it hard for a single working person to keep a house up?
Question:My cousin is thinking of moving from her one bedroom apartment to a 4 bedroom detached house (buying it). She often works up to 50 hours a week. She intends on staying single. Will it be too much for her to handle? She's young and reasonably self sufficient, but also likes her free leisure time.
Answers:
It can be hard. But shouldn't be. If she is the only one living there she'll only have to clean up her messes. as far as regular cleaning like dusting, vacuuming, etc. if she does 1 or 2 things a day before or after work that take up to an hour her house will stay clean. Or she could do it all at once on her days off but who wants to work at home on their days off. My mom since I can remember even when I was living at home cleans an hour before she leaves for work which she also works at a R.V manufacturing plant 10 hour shifts 5 days a week. My parents house is as clean if not cleaner than a hospital. It's one of those house's that your scared to touch anything because it is so clean. It doesn't have to be so extreme but it's proof it is possible and you can have a clean house and still have days off and have a life.
If your cousin can manage her time well, then she will not have any major problems maintaining a home on her own.
I've owned multiple businesses, am a self described work a holic and have never had too much difficulty keeping the INSIDE of a house under control. My problem is that the yard work can be overwhelming and the lawn needs mowing regularly. I really also don't have problems keeping up with normal maintenace, but there are still things that I am unable, not knowledgable enough or too unskilled to do (Like trimming trees, for example.) She has to decided which battles to fight and which ones are best left to the professionals. Then, she has to decide on a budget for hiring out the things she cannot do herself. I think she can probably handle it, but she needs to take a good look at the reality of what she can and cannot do to maintain the house.
If she does not end up with a house full of non respectful roomates she will do good by investing in a house at a young age althought they are a good amount of work if she has help from people who are reliable or lives on her own she will be glad she did it down the road when her other friends are still renting and she is buying her second property.
Good luck and have faith you can do it.
I keep a house clean, food cooked, clothes washed, etc for my whole family by myself. I get no help. So I have a bigger mess than one person alone would make. She should have no problem taking care of a house by herself.
If she needs help getting organized and wants a system to keep her house clean with only a few minutes a day spent doing it, then she should check out FlyLady. http://www.flylady.net
Flylady's system works for any person who wants to use it, and it's free. I hate to sound like a promoter of something, and that's not the way I intend to come off. I found this system last year by looking up "motivation to clean house" on a web search. And I have to admit, my house has been easier to maintain since I used her system.
Best of luck to your cousin!
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