My home is a mess

Sassia

bearcub, that's pretty much how I feel. Take advantage of those urges to clean!

Morning Emm. A good night's sleep makes all the difference I find!

Different_Corner

Hello Messies
I've been lurking in these parts for a while and have come out to declare meltdown.

Worked a long week and the neglect is clear to see. It's not all me, two teenage sons add to the CHAOS. Yes I have full Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome.

I've tried Flylady with renewed enthusiasm every few months but never get past shining my sink, because I don't really care about the sink ! I get the hotspot theory, one piece of junk leads to another and another.

I need to do something, I know I can't do it all at once.

I've adopted a throw three things out everyday plan, yet because of my hours this week, I'm 21 things behind !

Mealplans, oh I love them - when I'm writing them. But then come Tuesday night I really CBA to make a bechamel sauce for the lasagne and it all goes downhill from there...

So to use the over worked phrase baby steps is my approach. I just want to come home after work and not have to 'do' anything. That's not realistic, but you get what I mean.

As Emm says, a 'holiday' is actually the time when I think right time to get on top of it all, but I never do.

I know once I acheive one small victory in this house, once I even start I feel better.
So here goes..

Sassia

DC, what I've found useful this time is promising myself if I do 15 mins of cleaning/decluttering etc then I can watch something on TV or do something else that's enjoyable. What happened with the kitchen was I got so into it that I ignored the timer and just under 2 hours later walked out of a spotless kitchen! Admittedly, it is once in a blue moon that I get like that though!

Different_Corner

Hi Sass
Yes I agree 15 minute approach is good, however this morning my 'just 15 minutes more on laptop' has grown to two hours whilst reading threads and blogging...

I will make inroads today though.

Sassia

Oh it nevers works for me the other way around! Just 15 mins more of computer/TV etc always becomes hours!

alec_eiffel

Different_Corner wrote: »

Hello Messies
I've been lurking in these parts for a while and have come out to declare meltdown.

Worked a long week and the neglect is clear to see. It's not all me, two teenage sons add to the CHAOS. Yes I have full Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome.

I've tried Flylady with renewed enthusiasm every few months but never get past shining my sink, because I don't really care about the sink ! I get the hotspot theory, one piece of junk leads to another and another.

I need to do something, I know I can't do it all at once.

I've adopted a throw three things out everyday plan, yet because of my hours this week, I'm 21 things behind !

Mealplans, oh I love them - when I'm writing them. But then come Tuesday night I really CBA to make a bechamel sauce for the lasagne and it all goes downhill from there...

So to use the over worked phrase baby steps is my approach. I just want to come home after work and not have to 'do' anything. That's not realistic, but you get what I mean.

As Emm says, a 'holiday' is actually the time when I think right time to get on top of it all, but I never do.

I know once I acheive one small victory in this house, once I even start I feel better.
So here goes..

Flylady isn't for everyone but I do subscribe to the shiny sink idea but it doesn't have to be the sink. Mine is my bed. If there's an area of your house that's a problem or that if it's done you feel like things are ok then that's your shiny sink.

When I was disorganised my side of the bed was a mess. I had to move a pile of junk off it every night before I got into bed, then when I got out of bed I'ld have to move it off the floor to get out again. So when I started I made sure that area was clear at the end of each day. It made a massive difference, to just be able to get into bed without thinking about it or clambering over a big pile of stuff is fantastic. So now, 8 years down the line the bed has to be aired, then made every day. If it doesn't happen I never feel like the place is quite tidy. It's nice to walk into the room and see it looking nice. That's what creates the knock on effect for me - if the bed are is tidy then it means I'm less likely to leave the magazines and books at the side of the bed, or the glass of water on the bedside table, or the pile of yesterday's clothes on the chair etc. So it spreads like that.

bearcub

Hello DC and welcome. The reward system works very well for some people, but I'd never use the computer as a reward - it's such a time-waster! If you don't have weight worries, then a piece of chocolate or a biscuit can be just as good a reward. Soworried who used to be on here used a 'do one, then do one extra' with her ironing, by ironing what she really needed, then ironing one extra thing. That could work with a number of household tasks eg clean the basin, then change the bath mat OR put away washed mugs, then put away plates. THEN have TWO pieces of chocolate! :rotfl:

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi all

Alec that is so true about your bed. We have an area in the kitchen that used to be a dumping ground and I now religiously keep it clear and mentally I feel like I am achieving something.

For me the one thing that I picked up from the Flylady thread was the idea of concentrating your cleaning time on one room a day. It really works for me if I stick at it.

I am threatening to introduce pocket money fines for my kids. I am going to fine them 10p for each item of dirty washing not in the laundry basket/each pot or dish left lying about or each thing that should be in a bin and isnt. Eldest son is the worst and he is at home a lot so there is no excuse.

Been hot and busy today but not sure what I have achieved - well apart from making a list of stuff to do tomorrow!

Gillybean103

Well it's evening again and I've not done anything housey for a few days. We did swap the living room and dining room round the other day so the dining table has become a dumping ground.

We did go to a family BBQ today which was lovely, little lady got lots of attention and had lots of cuddles.

Oh is back to work tomorrow, so really want to get into a routine with the house so that weekends can be family time

Baileys_Babe

Thanks for every bodies thoughts on meal planning. I know when I make a MP, which I use as a guide things go more smoothly for me, we eat a better variety, I waste less time thinking what are we going to have for dinner and we generally eat at a more sensible time. Friday morning we planned the next four main meals, Saturday morning I prepared fish pie for the evening (friends were joining us), whilst OH and dd under my directions put the bolognese for Sundays dinner in the slow cooker. We have plenty of both boxed and labeled in the freezer for a quick taste meal another time.

Apart from that over the last few days we have:
gardening
swept the hall
swept the kitchen
DW hokey cokey
fixed the chest of drawers
boxed up masses of glass bottles and jars we are saving to reuse (and taken upstairs)
3 loads of washing, all dried on the line
started tidying the shoe rack
cleared the draining board
soaking porridge
bags ready for going out tomorrow
emptied the glory hole in the hall (still have to deal with the stuff as it is on a tray in the dinning room )
socialised with friends
played lots of football in the garden with OH and the children
sorted through 1 drawer of dd's clothes and removed anything she had grown out of (20 long sleeved t-shirts, leaving 12 that fit)
Watched Doctor Who on iplayer whilst eating coffee cake dd (&OH) had made

Now sitting in bed catching up with MSE and I've managed to post before midnight :j