Not much to clean?

amother

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 2:24 pm

I feel like everyone is stressing and cleaning for Pesach and I don't know what I'm forgetting/missing. I'm not cleaning my upstairs other than regular weekly cleaning - linen, bathrooms, floor, etc. We don't usually eat upstairs. I need to vacuum the couch, wash the shelves in the dining room. Wash tables and chairs and cover. Clean coat closets, coats, backpacks. I have separate toys for Pesach so I'm just locking up my playroom, not cleaning that. I sell most of my kitchen cabinets so only cleaning the ones that have food, like the pantry. Fridge and freezer. I can do all that in a few hours. What am I missing here? (My husband will be cleaning the car.)

I grew up in a house where we cleaned the chandelier and scrubbed the pots with toothpicks. Am I just doing too little because we did too much? Am I doing enough?

amother

Gold

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 2:28 pm

for me the stress is the period of time turning over and worrying that maybe I didn't clean the kitchen well enough. it's an OCD thing a lot of people actually switch out their cabinets which are a lot of work, you aren't doing that. a lot of people have a lot of clutter Wink

we did bedrooms on sunday, it took a long time because my kids get distracted and it's when we really go through everythin. I mean I did find a bag of cheerios with my daughters treasure bag because she said she wanted to have a snack handy when she played with the stuff in the bag. 5 year old logic! but if I was doing it myself only for pesach cleaning it wouldn't have at all. you also aren't doing playroom. spring cleaning...

amother

Bone

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 2:30 pm

I’m making my first pesach this year and learned the halachos extensively

I’m finding most people go majorly overboard with their cleaning. It’s not spring cleaning, a speck of dust is not chometz, there’s so many things beyond the scope of necessary that people do.

amother

Blueberry

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 2:39 pm

We have chometz everywhere. We have a small house, but I need to clean everywhere due to little kids. It doesn't take so long, but I do one room at a time rather than all at once.

amother

Pear

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 3:17 pm

OP, I relate. I live in a two bedroom, kitchen and dining room combined.

I am fishing up the masters today, the kids bedroom later this week.

Then I have the couch, table chairs, highchair, oven, fridge freezer and cabinets. And cleaning bathroom.

One of the (only) perks of living in small quarters.

Ema of 5

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 3:22 pm

amother Lawngreen wrote:

I have a two year old so I'm operating off of the assumption that there is Chametz everywhere and so far it's true. Animal crackers, cheerios etc

Same only mine is 17m. BH food is mostly contained to the first floor, but I’m not ruling out the possibility of finding something in a bedroom.

roses18

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 3:28 pm

It’s also the same for me. The only extra cleaning is the oven and fridge and chairs. We only allow food in the kitchen/dining room area, and I have never found food in random places. We’ve had this rule forever so the kids are very used to it. I don’t clean or change out the toys.

amother

Smokey

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 3:35 pm

I have a 2 year as well, and also a bigger house than you it sounds like.
I have my kitchen of course, then a study that kids eat in, a family room, dining room, living room, laundry room, mudroom, whole basement, including guest rooms, playroom, and office. Then upstairs I have more bedrooms. Also a whole huge garage. That’s a lot, with no organizing and spring cleaning

amother

Seagreen

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 3:44 pm

The bedrooms are easy it's the main floor that is a lot of work. I am not the best housekeeper, my kids are messy and there are always kids in and out of the house. Most of the year if makes for a chill home where everyone feels comfortable hanging out. Before pesach it makes me cry.

amother

Hibiscus

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 6:05 pm

I’m cleaning all my bedrooms all the drawers and closets so yes it’s a lot
I’m cleaning all cabinets and drawers in kitchen so yes it’s a lot
If ur not doing that then of course not so hard
I have little kids so I need to check every drawer, closet, and cabinet

thatworn

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 6:20 pm

Does anyone forbid eating outside of kitchen/dining area? I feel like I must be a real monster, but I just can't abide children roaming the house with food willy nilly wherever they please. Food is consumed at the table. If children move from the table, food is taken away. Apart from Pesach, who needs sticky, crumby mess and ants n bedrooms, etc? My main Pesach cleaning is kitchen and dining, which is always a huge ordeal but I feel like if I would have children roaming at will with food, it would be that x10!
OP, I really think you're doing all you need to do. I would for sure vacuum/sweep the floors and while you're doing it, check for chunks of chometz. As you put laundry away, check drawers for chunks of chommetz. Just in case. And that's probably it.

amother

Cornsilk

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 6:34 pm

Things really changed for us when we moved quite a number of years ago and instituted rules about eating only in the kitchen and dining areas. Our whole lifestyle changed. Pesach cleaning focuses on the kitchen.
I did research on the halachos and found methods that made sense and are workable.
BH we also started 'spring' cleaning and organizing in the summer and/or winter months. Not all a once; one project at a time.

Bnei Berak 10

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 6:36 pm

thatworn wrote:

This

amother

Purple

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 6:39 pm

Another vote for keeping food to the kitchen. My kids keep to it , and they see DH and I keep to it as well. Not obit does it make Pesach time easier , it makes for a more hygienic home all year round.

Ema of 5

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 6:53 pm

thatworn wrote:

I don’t forbid it, but we do have a “no food beyond the dining room” rule. However, guests don’t always listen, little kids don’t always listen, and my 17m for sure doesn’t listen. Yes my main cleaning is the kitchen and dining room, but that doesn’t mean I don’t need to clean other places too.

amother

Forestgreen

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 7:04 pm

My main cleaning is kitchen and dining room. Upstairs we don't eat much. It's also cleaned and vacuumed twice a week at least thoroughly. My kids will go in thru their drawers. My room I will do quickly. Guest rooms I'm not doing. No furniture so it's just mopping.

Garage/basement dh does. Cars dh does as well. I don't stress at all. We are laid back and haven't started.

I do no spring cleaning. My house is not cluttered.

Toys I will go thru quickly.