The pressure to stay on top of all of life's admin, maintain healthy relationships, and keep your home clean can be relentless.
What used to be the sole role of one person is thankfully being phased out, with more and more Kiwis choosing to take on a more shared role in managing and maintaining their home lives. In this series, we speak to couples who have successfully found a balance that works for them, and this time we speak to the wonderful Danica Paki and Sam McConnell.
The phrase "power couple" gets bandied about a lot these days, but in the case of Danica and Sam, the title really feels fitting. In between juggling busy work lives (Danica in tech and Sam in media sales), this Auckland-based couple has managed to find that sweet spot between managing the needs of a home and still having the time to enjoy it. Having recently completed what can only be described as a jaw-droppingly stunning renovation to their 1940s Mt. Albert home, we've managed to nab some time with them to find out how they share the load.
Thanks guys, for letting us pick your brain on how you guys manage your home and all of the cleaning responsibilities. To start us off, how would you describe your approach to cleaning?
DP. Our house is my favourite place in the world, so I am very passionate about how it feels, and cleaning it is a big part of that.
How is the housework managed in your home?
DP. The housework has always been a very naturally shared job for us. We've managed to slip into a great groove of knowing how we want the house to be, look and feel so the cleaning etc reflects this. We run a very tidy house together, so in addition to a weekend clean, we're always ripping the Dyson around midweek to keep it that way.
SM. Danica is often the busiest with work, so it's mostly shared, but when she is full on with work, I get the essentials done so she doesn't have to stress about it. I don't like when it becomes stressful.
Do you have roles with the domestic workload?
DP. Not really. We both just do what we see needs to be done. Typically, I don't do toilets or bins, though ;)
SM. I like to do the things that make the most difference to look at, like vacuuming.
Are there particular routines you stick to?
DP. There are always a few hours of a weekend that are considered to contribute to how the house looks and feels, whether that's indoors or in the garden. I can't leave surfaces messy and go to bed! So benches after a dinner party or things left on the floor always need to be cleaned before I can go to bed. And we tend to clean the house in the afternoons, so a gin on the deck is more rewarding.
SM. Danica likes to clean room by room, haha, so we typically do that.
What’s your partner best at? What do you wish they did more of or were better at?
DP. Windows and bathrooms are his things (let's not forget toilets and bins). I'm one for mopping most weeks, whereas Samuel could take it or leave it. Always mop, Samuel, always mop.
SM. Danica keeps on top of things and makes sure it gets done when it needs to. She could do the bathroom every now and again though ;)
What’s the most annoying mess to clean?
DP. Ovens, the self-cleaners still don't do the job, and because I like my benches super clean, I'm forever cleaning the stovetop after cooking. We have dark natural slate tiles in our ensuite, which are hard to keep clean when using natural products without damaging the tile. Cleaning these needs proper attention, and we like it to always look super clean. I hate a fridge clean too, always niggly.
SM. Anything that needs to be taken apart to be cleaned, like shower grates and the stovetop. And cleaning the inside of the bins in the kitchen once you've taken the bins out.
What’s your best tip for busy households juggling work, and family life?
DP.
1. A cordless vacuum that you can rip around mid-week to keep on top of things so the weekend cleaning doesn't seem overwhelming. Actually keeping on top of things in life in general, so it's not overwhelming.
2. A wall duster. We have high ceilings throughout, so having a flat wall duster with an extendable arm means you can keep the walls clean from spiders and dust.
3. An equal load for cleaning, always makes life easier and creates less resentment ;)
SM.
1. Listen to a podcast or music while cleaning.
2. Always have a beverage ready when you're done.
When do you book a cleaner?
DP. We've been on/off with the concept of a cleaner for years now because we're so particular (and there is a bit of a stigma attached to having a cleaner in our opinion) but after recent health issues we've arrived at the fact that it's about freeing up time and mental weight so that in the weekends we have more time and space to focus our energy on other things. For us, it's about placing value on our time and, if you can afford to, making a conscious decision about that value, so having a fortnightly cleaner does that for us.
SM. I like having the flexibility of not having one weekly; it means we can plug away at things how we like them but then have someone come in and support us when we need it.
