My home is a mess

Helpless_Warrior

Mine is still messy too, but not as bad as it was before xmas. My bedroom and under stairs cupboard are my worst areas by far. Trying to pluck up the courage to do the under stairs in case of eight legged freaks. Bedroom has tons of stuff waiting to be put in the loft but Mr HW has been saying he wants to empty loft and board it out for 6 months, nothing form loft has appeared as yet though

Slinky

Baileys_Babe wrote: »

I'm still a mess too, this thread was always such a comforting place to be, supporting each other through the ups and downs.

Come and join us on the KonMarie thread if you truly want to get rid of the mess, instead of being comforted in your messiness. I mean it in the nicest possible way. There is light at the end of the tunnel, it just needs effort and a plan to help you get there.

Emm-in-a-pickle

BB, Hi, lovely to hear from you again.
I know what you mean about it being comfortable.

It wasn`t a case of comfortably wallowing in messiness, we did share our frustrations at some of the underlying causes, particularly health issues, lack of funds and co-operation from household members, some posters felt comforted by sharing their very minor bits of progress, and there was humour in so many posts too.
Slinky, I think most of us `truly` wanted to get rid of the mess - but everyone`s Ups and Downs are different, and the KonMarie `by the book` approach is fine for some folks, but not all. I`ve read a lot of that thread, the posters are nice folks, especially when they digress....

Mess-wise here-
Kitchen is currently quite acceptable, as I had to replace the old cooker last year (finally summoned up courage to get someone in to take it away and install new one) so keeping new cooker clean as new. Helps with motivation, a sort of knock-on effect.
Then, HAD to replace the tall fridge - it was from Comet (no wonder they went bust!) and the top hinge of the door wore through. Attempts to reverse hang the door failed (long story) so finally DS and I managed to put the door on upside down. We knew it was a temporary fix, all the door shelves didn`t fit right way up, so door was useless. Now have a tall Beko and that`s another item that`s kept pristine.
When we were getting rid of the old fridge, the microwave was lifted off the top and the grot that was under it was incredible (mostly just DS who used microwave, He Who Never Cleans), so now micro lives on worktop, where I`ve had to clear more space. Win-win there. I also feel happier about the hidden bits of floor, as under cooker and fridge got cleaned during replacements.
The only downer is that my little Lily-dog has recently learned a new trick - playing tiddleywinks with her biscuit bowl. When it`s half full. It`s supposed to be non-spillable. I don`t know why she does it.

Living room is now in `summer` mode, the red fleece throws washed and stored, and white cotton ones in place, also woolly rugs washed and stored and cotton ones down.
Lily-dog sheds a bit, but her hairs don`t show up much, just her little wet footprints but they disappear when they dry.
Worst areas for mess are the bedrooms and hall, but it`s a sort of transition time, too soon to put away all winter stuff, and so I`m postponing a good sort out. It`ll happen, and I`ll be taking quite a few things to the Charity shop, but I won`t be fancy folding - I have more hanging space & shelving than drawer space - and there`s always the floors, which I`d like OH,DS,and DGD not to put clothes on.

alec_eiffel

Hi everyone.

BB I know what you mean about it being comfortable too, it's a place where no-one is going to say "but how can you live like that" etc.

I am going to whisper it fairly quietly, my house is not too bad at the minute. the outside is a mess as we're having building work done but inside, it's not perfect but I'm not complaining (or looking in my wardrobe). DH inspired a massive declutter over the past few weeks so quite a lot of things have been donated or taken to the tip.

One of my rabbits has taken to tipping food about the place too recently, who knows why but she looks very pleased with herself.

Slinky

Emm-in-a-pickle wrote: »

BB, Hi, lovely to hear from you again.
I know what you mean about it being comfortable.

It wasn`t a case of comfortably wallowing in messiness, we did share our frustrations at some of the underlying causes, particularly health issues, lack of funds and co-operation from household members, some posters felt comforted by sharing their very minor bits of progress, and there was humour in so many posts too.
Slinky, I think most of us `truly` wanted to get rid of the mess - but everyone`s Ups and Downs are different, and the KonMarie `by the book` approach is fine for some folks, but not all. I`ve read a lot of that thread, the posters are nice folks, especially when they digress....

I take your point that MK does suggest a very rigid process, but most posters haven't followed this to the letter, there are lots of us who have to revisit 'categories' and have a further sift, the true thing that seems to work for people is the alteration of mindset. That we're fed up with all our 'stuff' and that having a plan, even if it's not followed 'to the letter' does give you something to aim at. Otherwise it's all too easy to be continually moving stuff from place to place under the guise of tidying up and the hotspots just keep moving round our homes.

I'm a long way from completing my clear outs, but way more 'stuff' has left the house this year than has come in, and so far I'm not missing any of it.

DigForVictory

alec_eiffel wrote: »

a place where no-one is going to say "but how can you live like that"

Blimey. I live in a Variable Mess as I have teenagers (& an indolent streak). Whenever we have family staying we get the But How query & I do see their point (along with the shock & horror) - we could & should have fixed the hole in the ceiling when the shower leaked years ago, but it's not in the way, & we don't notice it until the gasps start up again.

Then that the loo flush is controlled by a toothbrush not a ballcock? Somehow we had a slim cistern fitted so we can't just reach in & sort (eviscerate & replace) things. I do plan to Do Something about that, but the tiling will up the ante a bit. Nor will it match, but to gain a loo that doesn't need a toothbrush, I'm ready to overlook some pretty substantial tiling discrepancies.

Still, we swapped two sons rooms over (Ye Gods, the tip is too far away!), repainted, redecorated & generally removed all evidence they were ever sweet little souls, they are pleased & proud of their spaces. If I suspect them of continuing in their evil ways, I do knock on the door first before handing the empty bin bag.

Our sitting room has improved now everything to eBay is in boxes rather than one massive slithering pile. Eldest will be getting a short course in How to eBay (& 20% of the remaining take) to get rid of the comics. Once he's passed that, we may wean him onto other items.

I celebrate the fact we got the floor clear enough to hoover, and then hoovered. Also that my sister, a professional declutterer, was introduced to Marie Kondo by me, (thanks to this site). Gradually, we're getting there!

Emm-in-a-pickle

Alec E, Hi! And the Rabbits, bless `em! OH says the bowl-tipping is a ploy to get it refilled, but it doesn`t get rewarded so it can`t be that. And Lily-dog looks pleased with herself when she does it, even though she gets told off.
I would love to know why she`s doing it....

Dig for Victory, I think most messiness is variable, and the clever use of a toothbrush there deserves a prize rather than a shock/horror response. Some things just don`t fit into categories, unless there`s one for Genius!

Slinky, I have a different `mindset` about acquiring clutter now, but that`s mainly down to other threads on here, and trying to reduce spending and spend wisely if I must spend at all, as well as trying to be a bit more sensible than I used to be - say, when I first started going to car-boots.
But I`m NOT fed up of all the Stuff.
I have no problem chucking/giving Stuff away if I don`t want it, it`s just getting around to it - lots gets done, eventually, when I get one of my binges.
The only book that would help reform my menfolks` habits is probably a large heavy one, over their heads!!!

pollypenny

Hi, folks. My place is okay at the moment, but we're losing some big old kitchen cupboards soon so will have to have a huge clear out.

I've been very good at taking loads of books to Oxfam, the dear OH,,the chief hoarder will not part with even pulp fiction type books! And he wants to keep old hone recorded VHS things!

I have to fit the contents of four drawers into two, do got rid of tablecloths, old silver fish knives and some napkins. The drawer full of diaries, pens, rulers, leaflets etc etc etc which is a nightmare.

candygirl

Hi evetyone :j
Was on this thread ages ago, then drifted back into my old cba ways, mainly down to mobility n pain issues, that won't be going away.
Anyhow, i've culled tons of paperwork today, and am doing a gradual removal of old books.
I also have carrot munching, n food spilling pooches, both aged 13, but wouldn't swap them for a clean floor; )
I read the MK book, n thought it was several steps too far for me, ax I do like a bit of a homely, chaotic house

Emm-in-a-pickle

:rotfl:Pol, fishknives! At the other end of the scale here`s me hunting out my itinerant teaspoons. OH is a diary person, keeps a box of old ones on a high shelf upstairs, but to be fair he does look things up in them from time to time, so no culling there.

Candygirl, I`ve always had dogs but never come across this bowl-tipping trick before. Still wouldn`t swap her though.

Re the Marie Kondo again, there was a prog (or part of one) about her on radio 4 a while ago, and apparently she started this stuff in her early teens, at home with her family. One of the presenters remarked afterwards that maybe it was a miracle she survived to adulthood! I had to laugh, and wonder if he got told off afterwards for saying that. Still, she has clearly helped a lot of folks, and made quite a packet on book sales, Bless `er, but it`s not for me.

When a Need arises, like Pollypenny getting rid of the cupboards, or folks having alterations done, a lot of good clearing out gets done, it`s more natural.
Last year when applying for pension I had to rummage out documents and had a huge paperwork cull at the same time.

Today - I`ve had to get down on my knees and empty the washing machine sump/filter, so mopping kitchen floor was the next natural task. I`ve also got 2 loads of washing drying outside, encouraged by the WM now draining properly again. Upstairs will get my attention sometime, but it`ll keep.