My home is a mess

bearcub

Hiya, Emms. It sounds to me as if you're doing fine, more than I thought you might be able to do. It's a bit embarrassing, isn't it, when you find something lurking at the back that must be
l-o-n-g past its use-by-date? One of the shelves in the food cupboard is half-empty atm, and we've realised just how filthy it is. I've just been sent some cleaner for a trial and survey, so I'll give it a go, as I have to use the cleaner at least twice a week. it might as well be this one!

Our loft is part-boarded, and we have to use it as storage space, as we have so little in the house itself. We never thought about that when we moved here, but we love our little house, anyway - it's a people-sized dolls' house!

Buffythedebtslayer

hello Messies,

Emms you are pretty amazing I think

Right I have been wondering this holiday - Am I right in the JPSCloud is missing in action? Has she posted ? Did I miss it?

JPS - if you are reading post and let us know you are ok? Am hoping you went away on home xxx

My weekend was LOVELY. One awkward conversation but its ok, I feel better for it.

Of course I have come home to my room which is just embarrassing mess of huge proportions!

Does anyone have any tips on dealing with paperwork?

It is my biggest problem. ugh.

xxxxx

bearcub

Hi Buffy. I'm SO pleased that you had a good weekend; it was proably just what you needed. As for the paperwork, the only suggestion I can make is start with the oldest then, hopefully, you'll at least start by throwing some away. I quite like sorting paperwork, so it's not much of a problem for me.

You're right about JPS, and Farmerswife's not been for ages, either. Could you send JPS a PM, and I'll send FW one?

sonastin

Wow Emms, I can believe how fast you're mending. Long gone are the days of being laid up for months I guess! Huge thanks to you and Bearcub for the support with the neighbour. I feel really guilty about upsetting him because he's a (fairly) recently widowed 80-something year-old but I keep telling myself that age is no excuse for being rude. OH could be a real help to him, being here all day and really handy, but instead he's rather live next door to the angry, paranoid dope-smoker that he used to have to put up with! Anyway, he cut up a load of wood during the week so that got moved into the newly constructed wood store beside the garage. We stacked up a load more wood next to the "bench" he's got set up in the garden so that's ready for cutting but he couldn't do it today as it was raining. But we're slowly getting access to the fence and the sooner we can replace it the better.

Buffy - glad to hear you had a good weekend. Awkward conversations have to happen sometimes so best to face them when the opportunity presents itself. Sounds to me like you actually got a heck of a lot done this holiday. Might not be as much as you had planned but tonnes more than I've managed to get through. When you find the answer to paperwork, please share. I am terrible for dealing with it. Although the woodburner is great for junkmail now - we're just about keeping on top of it by using each day's unwanted post to light the fire. God knows what we'll do with it all come the summer (if we have one this year!)

I've got some of those paperwork-y/e-mail-y/type jobs to do and I've been putting them off for weeks now. I know its just a matter of getting on with it but I'm paralysed with procrastination. I've done all sorts of jobs around the house today once the rain started, none of which needed doing as much as these tasks. I suppose its like being a student - student houses are never so clean as when its exam time! At least I've ticked off a few bits of cleaning and tidying that needed attention.

Buffythedebtslayer

bearcub wrote: »

Hi Buffy. I'm SO pleased that you had a good weekend; it was proably just what you needed. As for the paperwork, the only suggestion I can make is start with the oldest then, hopefully, you'll at least start by throwing some away. I quite like sorting paperwork, so it's not much of a problem for me.

You're right about JPS, and Farmerswife's not been for ages, either. Could you send JPS a PM, and I'll send FW one?

Have sent JPS a PM

Went upstairs to get the basics ready for tomorrow.

room is in a TERRIBLE state.

comtemplating Flylady, for a look anyway
xx

Emm-in-a-pickle

Morning Messies!
Buffy & Bearcub - I hope FW and JPS are ok and call in soon. PM`s excellent idea. I had assumed that weather/the farm had kept FW too busy to post, but it`s been a while now. JPS was last heard looking forward to Easter hols, and even that seems ages ago - but I`ve been in a bit of a time-warp myself recently!
Buffy, steady on there - Flylady is SCAREY! I showed it to OH and said `aren`t you glad I`m not like that?` He looked at me funny and said `I think you are, in your mind!` Am I being a bit too demanding in my delegating, d`you think?
I`m really glad your weekend went well, and your room may still be a mess but no worse than when you left it for your well-deserved break.
Paperwork? Is it work-related stuff, or just all of it?
I`m efficient with junk mail, it goes straight in the recycling, and the Very Important stuff is ok, sort-of filed...it`s all the in-between guff and bumph that builds up here, stuff you think `I`d better keep this`...then ages later you wonder why it`s still hanging around. There`s PILES of that category, definitely the worst!

alec_eiffel

I've probably mentioned it before but I love Flylady. It's how I got my house sorted out. I haven't had the emails or visited her site for years but the things that really helped me and I still do now are -

doing something is better than doing nothing
using the timer for 15 minute chucking/cleaning sessions
putting stuff away/in the bin after each session rather than telling myself I'd deal with it later
getting dressed
filling the sink with hot soapy water when cooking so I wash up as I go along
having a two minute tidy a couple of times a day - really effective
"swish and swipe" in the bathroom
put things away instead of putting them down.

Flylady is not for everyone and is far more simple than a lot of people would have you believe!

I hate dealing with paper work but what we do is - chuck envelopes and the junk mail bit of any mail as soon as it comes through the letterhole. We have suspension files with the various categories and when a new statement, bill or whatever comes in we shove the new one at the front - that way everything is in date order without even having to think about it. One of us empties the letter rack every Friday and files or shreds stuff. It's a pain to get everything sorted first time but after that it kind of looks after itself.

I've started a new diet and exercise plan today so I expect to be in a sugar-free grump for a few days but at the minute I have loads of energy so I'm going to do something. Have a good day all.

Emm-in-a-pickle

Alec E - I agree about the `wash-up as you go along` while cooking, I usually do that or I run out of kitchen space! And the timer sessions, especially with DGD, sort of turns it into a game. Also the `getting dressed` thing, except at the moment I`m avoiding trousers as they rumple my dressing, and I hate skirts, so am slobbing around indoors in a nightie & cardy, feels all wrong!!
"Sugar-free grump" made me chuckle!! Good luck with the diet/exercise.

Buffythedebtslayer

alec_eiffel wrote: »

I've probably mentioned it before but I love Flylady. It's how I got my house sorted out. I haven't had the emails or visited her site for years but the things that really helped me and I still do now are -

doing something is better than doing nothing
using the timer for 15 minute chucking/cleaning sessions
putting stuff away/in the bin after each session rather than telling myself I'd deal with it later
getting dressed
filling the sink with hot soapy water when cooking so I wash up as I go along
having a two minute tidy a couple of times a day - really effective
"swish and swipe" in the bathroom
put things away instead of putting them down.

Flylady is not for everyone and is far more simple than a lot of people would have you believe!

I hate dealing with paper work but what we do is - chuck envelopes and the junk mail bit of any mail as soon as it comes through the letterhole. We have suspension files with the various categories and when a new statement, bill or whatever comes in we shove the new one at the front - that way everything is in date order without even having to think about it. One of us empties the letter rack every Friday and files or shreds stuff. It's a pain to get everything sorted first time but after that it kind of looks after itself.

I've started a new diet and exercise plan today so I expect to be in a sugar-free grump for a few days but at the minute I have loads of energy so I'm going to do something. Have a good day all.

I loved FLylady and the book REALLY helped me, however Mum won't/can't/forgets and I can't do the Flylady lists on here cos I am "in charge" of odd bits of housework. I should just re read the book. I got annoyed by the e mails as they are now adverts for her products.

Swish and Swipe is excellent and the 15 minutes thing, in fact much of what you said Alec I also like her Errand day (thursdays)and other routines - before bed I still do, and try and have a morning one but that is dependent on dogs and guinea pigs.


Well I went to the charity shop and donated a car load of gear I no longer wanted. well to be honest some of I would have happily kept but have no room. I have to say tho the cupboard looks better without it all and my car is definately better off!!

Now I need to tackle the corner of doom in my room. Hmm. Finish my tea first!!

I was going to say something else but I can't for the life of me remember what.

alec_eiffel

Emails plugging the products would annoy me too. That was one of the things I liked most, she was clear the shop was there but it was very much take it or leave it. I liked that as her whole approach was "soap is soap" and it doesn't matter what you use as long as the job gets done.

Well done for getting rid of the stuff to the charity shop.

Today I bought some scrubby things to clean the bunny pen and a new washing up bowl. Ooooooh, fancy! Haven't used either yet but I don't want to over excite myself by doing everything in one go.