My home is a mess

sonastin

As a starting point, is the carer part of a larger organisation? I would suggest that it is worth having a word with them if the individual concerned is doing a proper job. If your neighbour is paying for this "care" she deserves better treatment.

Beyond sorting her out with worthwhile help, the best way is to start tackling it one step at a time. If your neighbour doesn't want everything thrown out, you might have to move it around and clean underneath it but anything you can do to help I'm sure will be appreciated.

41_and_i_know_it

Fruball wrote: »

No change here - house is still a mess

my house is a mess too because i'm the only one that does anything here and i share a house with a slob 5,8,19 and 24 year old

Lleucu

sonastin wrote: »

As a starting point, is the carer part of a larger organisation? I would suggest that it is worth having a word with them if the individual concerned is doing a proper job. If your neighbour is paying for this "care" she deserves better treatment.

Beyond sorting her out with worthwhile help, the best way is to start tackling it one step at a time. If your neighbour doesn't want everything thrown out, you might have to move it around and clean underneath it but anything you can do to help I'm sure will be appreciated.

thanks for responding, no it is a purely private arrangement.

grousescot

Thanks to all who responded to my initial post with advice - much appreciated. Yorkshirelass, bearcub, wifefaefife (I'm in Fife actually!) and alec eiffel - hope I haven't missed anyone.

I did manage to get a fair bit of clearing up done, in fact I almost don't recognise the place when I come home. Still lots to do but progress has definitely been made. I think I must have been stepping round clutter for ages without realising it. So positive stuff:

Hall is clear, have to be much stricter with myself folding the clothes dryer away when it's done its duty and not leaving junk mail or paperwork on the little table where the phone is.

Living room much clearer, still have to find a home for some bits and pieces but at least they're not in the way anymore.

Bathroom - attacked the perennial black gunge on the bath/shower sealant with a toothbrush and strong cleaning fluid (not bleach, I've tried this before and the fumes go straight for my eyes). A marked improvement but I think it still needs to be replaced entirely.

Emptied the laundry basket, sorted contents and got rid of anything which is either worn out or doesn't fit. I will have to go through my wardrobe soon and do the same sort of clear out.

Throughout the floors have been swept and mopped and boy did they need it! This will have to be a weekly task at the very least.

Still to do the spare bedroom. The bookcase is going I think. It can't be unscrewed so I guess I'll have to lever it to bits somehow and chuck it. Once that room is done I think I will feel in a position to let someone in here. The living room main light really needs replaced with something which illuminates better and it's not something I feel able to do myself so I can look into getting that done soon.

Feeling much more positive about this and I can see where I need to keep on top of things to stop things from regressing.

rosalie-lavender

Grousescot.

I used this on our very black sealant in our shower and it has transformed it.
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/20284/HG-Mould-Remover

It does smell but the good thing is you can just spray it on and leave it and shut the door. I sprayed my sealant and left it on to work for two or three hours and then rinsed it off. Then I sprayed more on and left it again. I thought the sealant needed to be re-done but apart from one or two odd stubborn patches it is all white again after using the cleaner. I used it over the course of a two or three days leaving it for whatever time I had in between going to work, until it was clean.

YORKSHIRELASS

Lleucu wrote: »

Can I join this thread please and receive some advice?

My neighbour aged 85 is living in total chaos and dirt. She is nearly blind and disabled. A so called private carer is supposed to clean for her but does nothing at all. I was asked round today to help with a flooding washing machine, we managed to turn off the water and get a plumber out.

I cleared up and did some basic cleaning (6 hours later ......) but the place was terrible, it has got to the stains and mess on EVERY surface, brown grime on everything, cobwebs everywhere, cleaning materials and chemicals going back to the 50s - the worst I have seen for a long time and I work with problem families. You could hardly see out of the windows and everything was caked in dust which becomes brown grime after a while.

I want to help her but risk alienating her scary carer.

She was very happy at the improvement, the dirt and dust was aggravating her and embarrassing her with visitors.

Putting the carer issue to one side, to get the place up to speed seems overwhelming.

Presumably the order of cleaning is to get rid of the junk into bags, attack the dust and cob webs and then clean, a room at a time? The walls and doors are covered with grime - would a steam cleaner shift it?

Look forward to hearing from you, nice to be able to sound off.

Aww poor thing, this made me really sad. To have got to that age and to end up living in a mess with no-one to help you. Well done for stepping in. I guess you need to get rid of any rubbish first then as you say tackle each room at a time. Never used a steam cleaner but someone else might know. I guess lots of hot soapy water and elbow grease are going to make some impression and anything has got to be an improvement. Keep us posted on how she is getting on.

Grousescot, well done on your progress. The tricky bit is keeping those bits you have done looking good while you move on to other jobs.

Have agreed to meet my parents today to go walking. Dont really want to be bothered and I feel a bit mean dragging DS2 with us but dont like leaving him on his own for too long. Why didnt I just say no? Well I know the answer to that really as I didnt want to hurt Mums feelings and I know how much they love spending time with me.

Ah well, better get on and get the washing hung out. At least the sun is shining!

sonastin

Lleucu wrote: »

thanks for responding, no it is a purely private arrangement.

In that case, I suggest you consider approaching your local authority care services. From my experience, the assistance offered varies massively from council to council but at the very least, it is worth getting your neighbour assessed and finding out what services are available to her. My gran has had all sorts of help and support from her council & she is happily living in her own home well into her late 80s. My grandma is in the next town over and her council offered next to nothing to begin with. Only when she got really bad did they do any sort of useful assessment but she's ended up in a care home and loving it. The help available isn't always free but depending on your neighbours circumstances, she might be able to afford it, just unaware of what is available to her.

jpscloud

Evening messies, true to form for term time I've been so exhausted I couldn't even keep up with reading the posts this week. I have just had a quick read and apologise for not responding to posts.

I've had a lazy day here, really needed it too - just shut down and pottered. I did a couple of loads of washing and a bit of dusting but then just rested all day. It's been lovely.

The crickets are into the second generation now - the older ones have all passed away (they have short little lives bless 'em) which meant that I had to fish their sad little bodies out of the faunarium... eww. I have fully graduated in the art of not panicking when they scuttle now though :cool:

However, they have somehow managed to have babies (well the babies somehow managed to hatch from eggs) and there are quite a lot of those. At first I thought I was seeing fleas in there :eek: but two weeks on and they now look like large ants.

Sadly, there's no chirruping any more - maybe that's just a summer thing or the second generation (the ones that were little when I got them) haven't yet matured fully. It is rather cold in the house as I don't have the heating on much, so that might account for their lack of chirrup.

My cat has just come back in and smells disgusting! Goodness knows what she has managed to find, but she is one of those VERY affectionate cats and wants constant cuddles... I feel very hard hearted and cruel but am steadfastly refusing to cuddle her at the moment and actually considering bathing her :eek:

Hope all messies are well, have a lovely evening all!

Baileys_Babe

Hi Everyone Just popping in to say I am managing to keep up with this thread even if I'm not getting much done round the house :rotfl:

This morning whilst I took ds to his drama class OH tidied the living room and hung the washing on the airers. Later on we did the DW hokey cokey and cleared out OH car, it was a pig sty and took 2 of us about an hour :eek: Also we started packing the car for an early start on Monday as OH is dropping me & the children off at my parents for the week. So no demessing will be happening here but they emptied their loft completely a few weeks ago and they say they have lots of my stuff for me to go through, I'll keep you updated.

Different_Corner

Mess, mess, mess, mess, everywhere !
Work and a smattering of of social activities have me still on the start line of sorting this house out.

Standing in the kitchen looking at the pile of paperwork/shredding to be done. Empty fridge, full tumble dryer and washing machine (and ironing basket!)

Abandoned shoes in the hall, another charity collection sack poked throught the door(we get at least two a week).

Evidence of 18 yr old having takeaway last night (dog thought he'd get carton out of kitchen bin).

Front room, Xbox controllers left on sofa, discarded batteries on window sill, more paperwork on table. And the floor, well it neds a good vacum.
So I look at my 'hoover' that's not a hoover it's a Vax and I hate it. Could suck more a straw, worst purchase ever.

Think of my long gone Dyson and sigh.

Anyway I'll get something done today...