How to organise everything in my life OS?

Own_My_Own

Don't panic.

A tip wont kill you.

My house often looks like a tip. It seems to happen over night.

Sit down and right a list of the rooms that need doing.Then put them in an order that suits you. Then break down each room into smaller sections. Hoovering, dusting etc.

You can then tackle one thing in one room at a time. Tick it off your list so you can see it getting smaller.

Try to do one section a night. I give myself a time to do things in, as I find this helps. In my job I have to work to a set time, so at home I pretend I am at work for that hour.

Get the older kids to help, I know it isn't easy, but try to make it fun. It may not be to your standard, but it could be better than it is now.

If the ironing is really piling up, put it away un-ironed and do it the night before you need it. Once the house is straight, go back to doing it as you did before. This way you wont be looking at it getting depressed.

Please don't let it get you down. There are so many other things to worry about.

furballmad

Totally agree with the ironing thing. Put away and just iron the night before. The flylady thread is what worked for me. Just do step one at first and you will see a difference. If i could give one piece of advice it would be declutter. This freed up much needed space and i think helped with my peace of mind as well.
Ask the older children if they want to donate some of their toys and books to charity shops. Tell them that children less fortunate than themselves will benifit. Or if you have the time ebay them (the toys not the kids). This will make room for christmas pressies.
It helps if you look at one part of a room at a time, instead of looking at the whole house. I found this overwhelming(sp) and didn't know where to start. Post on here if you need help, there are loads on here who have been through the same thing and can motivate you. Good luck.

threemuttleys

FWIW, I am not single, but I am a mother, and I work long hours too.

I know some here subscribe to flylady, but I could never get my head around it. I just wanted to do it all at once!

Its not easy to keep on top of housework (I am taking two weeks off to blitz mine)

Is that something that you could do? Take a week or two off (while the eldest are at school, and presume little one goes to nursery) Have a good old sort out/clean out/tidy and freezer filling fest.

Once that is done, then all you need to do, is do yourself a little rota. Set aside 30mins in the morning and evening to do the jobs, get the eldest kids to do their share (dusting, tidying their rooms, help with menu planning) Even the little one can help (:rotfl::rotfl:)

Then use a weekend day to do a good clean.

Dont give yourself a hard time.

short_bird

What's the worst point in your day? Think about that and I'll be back later!

heavenleigh

MrsLK wrote: »

Hi everyone,

I have been browsing the threads and am feeling very inspired... my house is a TIP! and needs to be sorted. A little background...

My marriage ended in February and I am now a single mum to 3 gorgeous children (9,6 and 2), I work full time, leaving the house at 7:15am and getting home at 6pm, I have never been so disorganised in my entire life and its starting to affect everything... I have a short fuse at home and cant concentrate at work because i'm thinking of the mess at home

I could really do with some pointers on how to kick start a manageable routine and also dinner ideas that I can cook in the evening and freeze... I can bake but I have never really cooked if that makes any sense?

Really am at the end of my tether right now

Thanks in advance

L
xxx

Hi there, my husband left me with 4 children 3 years ago (not that i'm counting lol) they are now 14,11,7 and 4. I'm not going to lie, at the start it's hard work.

I was 31 and thought my life was over, but i'm happier now than i ever was x

Prioritise, as long as the house is clean it doesn't need to be tidy! Kids make a mess (fact)

Make sure you get a little time a week to yourself, even if it's just a long soak in a bubble bath with a good book, your kids ages should allow you an hour in the evening.

I found having a movie night with the kids (Friday so no school in the morning) with a home made pizza and some popcorn worked really well at relieving the stress of everyone in the house (kids memories aren't built on money spent, they are built on quality time)

It took me a good year to pull myself together without forcing myself to do things, my house is still a tip on certain days (not all) but it will happen.....better to be a loving and happy parent in the long run than being miserable in an unhappy marriage.

I'll be happy to chat more about my own experiences if you want to pm me sweetie. It may seem like the end of the world right now but honestly it's just the start of the rest of your life!

MrsLK

Thank you for all the responses, I will reply in more depth later

Short_bird, I think the worst part of my day is probably the mornings... I struggle to move my butt in the mornings and then end up running around like a headless chicken shouting army drill commands at the kids! It doesn't seem to matter what time I got to bed... I just can't seem to get up!

L
x

ItchyFeet

I would suggest perhaps to accept that you simply don't have the time to do everything you would like so settle for the bare minimum. A quick basic tidy round in the evening, kids school clothes, homework and lunches sorted the night before. Save proper cleaning for the weekend.

heavenleigh

This was my sitting room, the morning after movie night http://sphotos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/403260_2367050355266_546997991_n.jpg
Not the end of the world hun, don't put too much on your own shoulders

In a perfect world it would have all been cleaned the night before, in my world, we all went to snuggle happily in bed after a good night, and the cleaning could wait! :0)

bess1234_2

Hi
I feel for you.
I have been a single working mum, a married working mum and now a stay at home mum.

I think the honest truth is your life is really hard right now, and you need to make it as easy as possible.

Can you take a week off, and find the kids a doting relative at half term? Long enough to do it all, sit down and enjoy it? And don't feel guilty, a sane mum is a happy mum.

I started following fly lady and found polishing the kitchen sink whilst house was a mess bizarre but a week later I am gob smacked. I look like one of those people whose houses don't ever get mucky!

I learnt to cook with a student cookbook, cheap easy nutritious, look for a cheap quick one that has your kind of meals in it. Chilli bolognese soups stews always make double and put one in freezer. Label it. Lucky dipping doesn't always work lol!

Make a meal plan shopping list and order online, bingo, it arrives.

Get a system for paperwork , mines a shoebox. As long as its organised and dealt with straight away, it's sorted.

De clutter. Get an eBay box and fill it. Then hide it until you have time and energy to deal with it. Get a bin bag and fill that while your at it.

And most importantly relax. You don't have to do it all perfectly, just good enough. And have time left over to enjoy yourself

All the replies so far have been very similar. Try bits of them and you will find your own way . I cried the first time my OH took the bins out. just because I didn't have to do it all anymore. It was always the bins that got to me. I hated taking those bins out for six long years lol! Every week!

esmf73

Hi mrs LK, my house is a tip too and it's me, husband and 2 kids and various animals. I try and take a room at a time, and outsource my ironing!!! I give stuff away or sell it or charity shop it. Nightmare today as whole house is chaotic!! You'll get there! X