My home is a mess

Lleucu

Suddenly realised I had not posted since 2 September - over a month - sorry.

Thanks for the kind words of encouragement from you about sorting out my neighbour's house.

We seemed to reach a 'tipping point' in early September, and suddenly she wanted the place cleared. Garden now looking OK thanks to a kind jobbing gardener, umpteen trips to dump have cleared the house of junk, various repairs done, district nurses visiting, and she now has a cleaner!! :j Other people have pitched in with help and the council have helped a lot with clearing big items (only £21 for 6 items), rat killing etc.

I have made curtains, got hold of storage on freecycle, assembled Argos cubes (easy) and Ikea tables (dont try!!)

There are some tasks in the pipeline but overall 100% better.

I am exhausted, I am also caring for a post stroke partner and trying to work as well,.

Main learning point for me in doing this job, start if you can by getting rid of as many major pieces on junk as possible, second one is that if you become disabled or die, someone else will have to sort it out so get rid of as much stuff as you can, and for what is left a place for everything.

Motivation is all, as things got better, the neighbour began to ask 'are you going down the dump today?' and she began to enjoy the improved surroundings.

Emm-in-a-pickle

Hi Messies!
Lleucu, thanks for sharing the update on your neighbour, I`m so glad to hear things are going well and your amazing efforts there are proving worthwhile.

Snookey, hope your foot is better.

Gilly, Alec E, well done! Getting Somewhere is a lovely feeling, I`m a bit envious as I`m just going round in circles myself...

Re Home Educating - I`ve not done this, but as a parent & foster-parent, then as a Grandma I`ve kept so much stuff over the years that `might come in useful` for the kids for school projects, crafts, etc. (and to be fair, a lot of it WAS used and useful) but now they seem to source everything online/print off educational resource materials, so I don`t keep as much clutter in that department anymore! I DO have an addiction to buying stationery though, and colouring materials - always useful to have a good stock and divide it out at Christmas for them.

Buffy, great work on the pets!
My dogs have been a bit of a priority here, a few little `accidents` in the last few days, and otherwise just ticking over on basics like cooking/washing up....
Work has been very draining, had a last-minute shift change too, and now have today & Monday off. Phew!! I`m just feeling like I need to conserve some energy for Tuesday, but can`t do that here!
I got home from yesterday`s late shift and did 2 WM loads (one lot was uniforms, the second was towels) while doing DGD`s supper then ours. Caught up with a bit of telly on i-player, had a little wine and then a lie-in this morning.
Today I have woolly LR rugs to wash (waiting outside since doggy `accidents`!) but need to do one load of clothes first.
OH has been very good, has mopped LR floor after removing `accidents` & rugs. DS has refrained from trashing the kitchen recently too. A few hours `blitzing` wouldn`t go amiss, but I feel so stiff & tired I mightn`t get round to it, so more `tick-over` will have to do.
Have a nice Sunday folks. x

Buffythedebtslayer

I am going into the garden.

this may involve

a) hoofing about in the shed to find compost and wood chip to clear a flowerbed (only so I can bury the fish that died Friday, poor creature is too big for the toilet!) then more hoofing so I can move some "stuff around in order to fit more stuff in.


or

b) Trying really hard not to cry at the state of garden and spiders in the shed, then running in doors for a cup of tea............


wish me luck!

xx

Emm-in-a-pickle

Buffy, good luck with the shed foraging, and don`t worry about the spiders, they`re on our side! I have 4 large Teggies in LR at this moment all lurking in corners near the ceiling - but no other indoor wildlife. I think they eat each other too.

Since I posted I got the urge and blitzed the kitchen, one WM load of clothes out on line and a woolly rug in WM now.I`ve de-cluttered worktops, found a small pond under steamer, and generally cleaned everything at worktop height. The floor is another matter....

dibuzz

I've ironed eldest's shirts and pants for work, filled the sink and dumped the dishes in and that's it
Does anyone else look at the state of the house and just sit and cry?

Buffythedebtslayer

dibuzz - Yep. basically. especially during the week!

And Emms I always think you don't eat off the floor so you know not exactly essential

Buffythedebtslayer

I gave up on the shed.

too much stuff.

However the garden is looking better, one flower bed clear and a few plans for pots. unfortunately Mum insists on always cooking Sunday roast so have had to stop for that. that sounds very ungrateful I know but it takes hours............and just makes a mess.

yes. am an ungrateful cow.


x

Emm-in-a-pickle

Dibuzz, I`ve learned NOT to look too closely at state of house when I`ve no time or motivation to deal with it.
My kitchen binge was a sort of `take myself by surprise` event, (I had only intended to wash the few pots.)

Buffy, well done in the garden, and the shed will keep. I agree about roast dinners, in fact I reckon most cooking just makes a mess! Even so-called `one-pan` meals. I`m SO glad I didn`t bother with the floor as I`ve since done a turkey leg curry for this evening (leftovers mostly but faffed with fresh chillis garlic & ginger too. THAT should flavour the chopping board for a while...)
Also boiling up a whole bacon rib, will pick it clean and throw in with cabbage & spuds for tomorrow. Maybe with a fried egg on top unless there`s enough meat on the bones. I`ve cleared up the re-mess in the kitchen.

Also took Littly dog for a walk and nagged DGD into shower.

I still feel like I`ve not done much, should have done more while I can, but, buggritt. I intend to take it easy this evening.
Could do with starting a shopping list, but that`s ok as it`s sitting down.

dibuzz

You sound like a great cook Emm, I'm useless.

sonastin

dibuzz wrote: »

Does anyone else look at the state of the house and just sit and cry?

I used to but then I realised that crying doesn't change the state of the house but it doesn't half bring me down. I end up having a crap day and the house is still a mess.

So now I figure if I don't have the motivation to clear it, I might as well make the most of the not-clearing-it time and kick back and relax. And if I'm going to spoil the day anyway, I might as well spoil it by doing something about clearing up the mess!

Take today for instance, my kitchen floor is literally crunching underfoot, there's toothpaste stripes all down the bathroom sink, I can't see the duvet for all the clothes piled on the bed and I'm lying here on the sofa contemplating a nap. If I allowed the state of the other rooms to bring me down, I'd never be able to snooze :rotfl:

Remember what Scarlett O'Hara said - after all tomorrow is another day!