What’s your stance on housework? Are you a complete clean freak who believes nobody can do it better than you can? So even if anyone wanted to – you’d do it anyway! Or, you firmly (and rightfully) believe women and men should share household chores – and you’ll be damned if your significant other doesn’t step up to the plate! Whatever you choose, as long as it works for you and your family – it’s okay. In my personal household, I clean our house but refuse to do the cooking, and some weeks I pass on the cleaning duties to my partner. This arrangement suits our lifestyle and family dynamic just fine.
Many women feel that their partners don’t do enough or pull their weight around the home. However, this mom of two chooses to do absolutely all the cleaning in her home, while her partner does nothing at all.
I Clean Our House
Emily Saunders is a mom to two beautiful kids. Elijah her two-year-old, and Finley is just six months old. She’s 24 years old and lives with her children and partner, James Preston in the UK, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.
Every day, Emily takes on her household duties and cleans up. After her husband, and after her kids. She does the laundry, and she packs away toys.
What’s more, Emily also studies online and looks after the children every day.[1]
“I cook our boys’ food, clean, dust, tidy, and vacuum. James, who works as a steeplejack, doesn’t need to do anything. He never makes the bed.”
Emily Saunders
My Husband Does Nothing
Emily says her relationship with James has always been this way. Since 2017, when the couple first started seeing one another.
She quit her job after she fell pregnant, and chose to become a full time stay at home mom, maid and everything in between.
“When people hear my partner James hasn’t cleaned the loo in nearly two years; they’re stunned. But I don’t care. It’s not his job. In fact, housework, in general, isn’t his job. I do everything, getting up at 7 am and stopping at 1 am when I fall exhausted into bed.
“I cook our boys’ food, and I clean our house, dust, tidy, and vacuum. James, who works as a steeplejack, doesn’t need to do anything. I don’t think it’s archaic or unfeminist like some people have claimed; I just think it’s the best way of doing things — and only fair at the moment as he’s the breadwinner and he’s exhausted when he gets home.
“When I unexpectedly found out I was pregnant, seven months after we met in a pub and got together in 2017, we decided I’d be a stay-at-home mum. So I left my full-time bar job. I’m not critical of working mothers, but I think kids benefit from Mum being at home and knowing they are well cared for by the person who loves them most.”[2]
Emily Saunders
I Am Not An Anti Feminist
While many people call Emily “old fashioned” or anti-feminist, Emily says it doesn’t bother her. She enjoys cleaning and claims she can still be a feminist and love what she does. We completely agree – It’s her choice, and if she is happy, who are we to judge?
“I think the last time I asked was when we moved house nearly two years ago, and I got him to clean the bathroom, and he never makes the bed. After the children are in bed, around 7 pm, we have a couple of hours together before he nods off around 10 pm, and I clean for an hour before studying, then prep the baby’s bottles for another hour.
“It does annoy me when people say I’m old-fashioned. I ENJOY what I do. I like a clean house and cleaning, and it’s my choice. It’s possible for me to still do all this and be a feminist.“[2]
Emily Saunders
I Clean Our House & Study, Too!
If you needed any more convincing, Emily is currently studying for an Open University degree in law; if that’s not bad-ass, I don’t know what is!
“I love it, but it’s a lot of reading, which I usually do at around 11 pm after James and the kids are in bed. I eventually want to become a lawyer, but nothing is set in stone. If I do achieve my dream, I’ll still do most of the housework. Hopefully, it’ll be less messy, as the kids will be at nursery.“
“I spend most days in a constant whirl of cleaning, putting toys away, and doing laundry. It’s hard-going, but I really want a clean house for James to get back to around 5 pm. When he arrives home, he relaxes for a bit then makes us dinner – he loves cooking – while I tidy up. James doesn’t offer to help but does say, ‘Tell me if you need me to do anything.’ But I rarely do.“
Emily Saunders
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References
- “Simple reason wife chooses to do all the cleaning around the house.” Kidspot. Madeline Cox. January 28, 2021.
- “NOT MAID FOR EVERYONE I clean until 1am and my partner does nothing – that’s how I like it.” The Sun. Anna Roberts. January 25, 2021.