My home is a mess

alec_eiffel

Hi homealone, I know exactly how you feel!

I've had a professional come into my home and make me feel awful, they treated me as though I was daft, not untidy!

There are always tons of barriers to get through in order to get the ball rolling, you've done well in getting rid of some things even if you have loads more to do. You may have to accept that your ds will help, but it will never be their priority, but you may find the more progress you make the more they feel the urge to help too.

Are you actually getting the stuff out of the house or is it just being stored elsewhere in the house? It's easy to get into "churning" if nothing is actually leaving (I know the feeling well).

If there is anyone you can trust, a friend or other relative who you feel comfortable letting into your house, or can help in any way then ask them. Sometimes it just is too much to do alone. If you have the cash it might even be worth investing in a professional declutterer/home organiser, they have seen all this before, can understand your problems and offer a way for ward for when you're on your own again.

Emm-in-a-pickle

Hi Messies!

Welcome, Homealone. I do feel for you as well, my DS is very hard to get any help from (unless it`s a problem with the computer.) I hate nagging too, but sometimes have to. At least yours helps with laundry and cooking, so there`s hope perhaps.
Alec E, "Churning" is a great description of what still goes on here too, particularly when DS cleans HIS room, when the GF is due to visit. (She`s coming on Saturday so bracing myself for him wanting to stash more of his junk in spare room of Doom, and his laundry getting dumped on LR sofa!)

Homealone, if you are managing to get rid of stuff don`t lose heart, keep at it and you will begin to see a difference. Don`t hang on to unwanted/unused clothing just for your little visitors to nest in. You have considered paying a cleaner, but have you thought of paying your DS for a few hours intensive de-cluttering? Might lure him away from the xbox!

Pol, much as I agree with Kboss that ironing is a waste of time I do understand in your circs. It`s not like you are able to make a habit of it, Bless you!

Cat, well done with the freezer. I keep trying to use up & empty mine, but keep falling off the wagon with YS buys, so it`s 3 steps forward and one step back, but at least they`re not crammed solid like they were...

Chez Emm -
Not much done here today, had to go for my smear test this morning - not a cervical smear as that got removed with last year`s hysterectomy, but they still guddle about in the space left behind! LR & kitchen just had a basic tidy, will postpone mopping & rug-changing till Friday as DS`s GF is coming to stay for a visit on Sat. I`m working all day tomorrow, so an early night tonight, de-messying can wait. x

pollypenny

Churning is soooo tempting,,as well as dangerous! OH is the champion of it, as he sneaks stuff into the garage or the loft.

Homealone, little by little will get you there. I think Emm's idea of bribing your DS is excellent.

Edit to add: no work done at all today. Had a funeral , then printer died, then spent more than an hour on Apple Support chat trying to fix this iPad which freezes.

Talking of freezing, I haven't a clue what's in mine. I started off writing on its front with marker pen. Didn't kast and its stuffed with bargains, which won't be so if we waste them.

Have a good day in work, Emm.

Cat501

hi messies

homealone, I'm going for the little by little approach this time round after trying and failing to declutter in the past - we'll get there! Also like Emm's and alec's ideas

Not much to report from yesterday but not bothered about it - washed up, culled another bag of books, and went to Mr T to fill my newly cleared freezer with YS stuff. Unfortunately I timed it all wrong and the fresh meat section had nothing left! Got a couple of pies, some sausage rolls and a lemon meringue pie to take up to my friend's for dinner tonight, 25p so happy with that!

Also spent quite a while reading through posts on this thread, end of 2011/beginning of 2012. It was really entertaining, sad stuff, happy stuff and as always good advice which was well worth re-reading!

Nothing done today, will wash up soon, make dinner, then go out.

Hope everyone is well xxx

jackieb

jackieb wrote: »

It's the washing I can't keep up with. I can wash a lot in one day, but if I don't get them all dry they just get sour and I have to rinse them again. I'm averaging 4 loads a day as it is - and I have an 11kg washing machine. My son has excema so everything of his needs washing separately with Surcare, and given extra rinses. I have 2 occasional bedwetters, and someone who has had bowel problems for years, so I wash their stuff separately if they're soiled too. My bath is full of laundry that needs washed (we only use the shower). I can't get it emptied. I try to keep on top of the really dirty smelly stuff - it's the other everyday stuff I can't seem to catch up on. It's a good job I have a downstairs toilet for visitors.

I actually enjoy ironing though - but just can't catch up with that either.

This might've been my last post on here, back in 2011. :eek: :rotfl:

Since then I have managed to empty the bath and catch up with the ironing! Still behind with some washing but it's not as bad. I bought one new laundry bin and aimed not to have any more than a basketful of washing to do, but it's overflowed at the moment and has been for a few weeks. But at least the bath isn't full - that was a job and a half I can tell you!

I became a grandma in the summer and I wanted to have a tidier house as it's frankly an embarrassment. So with quite a bit of effort I caught up with the ironing for the first time in years - that felt awesome. :j There have been times I have wanted to iron but there was nothing to iron - unbelievable and unthinkable a few months ago.

The reason I am back is that I appear stuck and need a boot so I can carry onto the next stage. I also decided to lose weight and didn't want to be known as fat grandma and i've lost 5 and a half stone but have stalled with that too.

jackieb

Oh, and once my ironing was up to date I gave away laundry baskets as I didn't want to fill them. I did have 14 though. I still have about 7 but use one of the big ones for keeping clean recycling in, before it goes out to the bin. My aim is one basket for dirty washing and one for the ironing and one for upstairs for my son and daughter to put their washing in.

Cat501

jackieb wrote: »

Oh, and once my ironing was up to date I gave away laundry baskets as I didn't want to fill them. I did have 14 though. I still have about 7 but use one of the big ones for keeping clean recycling in, before it goes out to the bin. My aim is one basket for dirty washing and one for the ironing and one for upstairs for my son and daughter to put their washing in.

14??? I had palpitations reading that!!:p

Well done on your weight loss, that's phenomenal! They always say the last bit is the hardest. I lost 2 stone last year, got myself down to a healthy weight - then lost motivation and put every bit back on, possibly a bit more. I'm scared to go on the scales....but if the trouble I had trying to find a pair of jeans I could struggle into before going out last Saturday is anything to go by....

I loathe ironing and can't seem to find a way to avoid it though I only iron as-and-when-needed so mountains remain. I'd love to do a "skill swap" with someone but I have nothing I can really offer in return!

pollypenny

I'd do your ironing, if you do my cleaning.

I can listen to a play or some music, Steve Wright's oldies go down well.

I haven't done a tap today. Book group in the morning and poetry this afternoon. Washing up will be the total of my work today! Hee hee!

jackieb

Thank you but that wasn't even the last bit, that was just the first bit lol Definitely not giving up though.

Right now we're in a muddle as we're just back from the accountant and we need to find some paperwork for her for my OH's tax return. He works abroad and everything is so complicated and there is now paper everywhere and shredding going on, ugh. It was out of sight, out of mind, in boxes, always meaning to sort but never got round to doing it right, and right now it's in the kitchen and the living room and no supper has been made yet. It will be a quickie of omelette tonight I think lol

pollypenny

We are wading through a huge pile of stuff that DS fished out the attic. It includes exam papers, essays and even some confidential stuff.

They all have to be shredded nd its a case of do some until,the shredder overheats, then pause.