How do you do it?

JodyBPM

The more I read, the more I think that the problem is that OP's house is such a mess that she can't see the wood from the trees!

Keeping on top of the day to day housework with a baby=easy, completely decluttering and tidying up a house that has (perhaps) years worth of accumulated clutter with a baby=very difficult.

OP can you afford some money for a cleaner? Then maybe set yourself the task of decluttering one room at a time and then get the cleaner in to give that room a deep clean once it is cleared. It would give you some incentive to get each room clear. Once the house is basically tidy, its easy enough to keep on top of the day to day jobs (including changing the bed linen!!)

Good luck!

Metranil_Vavin

I'd second the cleaner idea. Even if you don't have one regularly, you can get someone in to give the house a good blitz, and then you'll want to keep it tidy.

We have a cleaner in once a fortnight, ok not very MSE, but to be honest with a 4 month old it's an essential in my eyes, even if it means cutting back on something else!

pigpen

I use waterproof mascara too and it is impossible to remove.. I think it requires turps or something lol... I still wash off all the rest of my slap and leave the mascara.. so long at it is fully removed at least once a week it is fine.. I rarely wake up panda-like as it is welded to the eyespashes.

I never use cleansers or anything as they make my face sore.. my face is washed in plain water and dried and moisturised I brush my teeth and collapse in bed.. usually between 11 and 3.. and I am up about 7/7:30 most days. I got a lie in today when OH got up with the baby after I had been up with her half the night as she is unwell

Bathroom tiles.. I have a pair of those exfoliating wash gloves.. I wash me in the shower... I put on the OLD wash gloves .. not the ones I currently use on me and I scrub over the tiles.. I get out wrap myself in the towel and use the shower to rinse the tiles.. adds less than a minute to my wash time! The sink I clean while on the toilet or while cleaning my teeth.

Danili

I have a 5 year old and a 11 week old. My OH works 5 days a week, leaving home at 7am and not returning until 8pm.

I would definitely recommend that you get up earlier than you are at the moment, maybe at 7am? This would give you an hour of undisturbed housework a day and your getting dressed time. I get up between 5.30-6.00am, clear up as I go, do washing every day, clean bathroom/kitchen every day and hoover/mop kitchen floor every other day. I then dust, iron, change the beds and do more 'involved' jobs for a couple of hours at the weekend, at a time that doesn't interfere with our family time, usually before everyone else is up. For me, although I sacrifice a bit more sleeping time this routine means that I have plenty of leisure time in the day which I use to go out, shopping and meet friends.

Spring_Time

I do it through gritted teeth! But do it I do!

My kids are a lot older now but I do remember the baby days and hubby away sometimes for months and months at a time and I living in another country with no family support (Forces) you just do what you have to do. You will start feeling so much better and WANT to get changed for bed when your bedding is clean, your bedroom is tidy and calming etc. Baby can go with you into each room as you tackle a little bit. Even if you only do ten mins a day of "sorting/decluttering" that is a huge start and you will find you kinda get on a "roll"... You are not busy for every second of the day and nor should you be! You deserve time for you to...watching a bit of tv in the evening...some net time etc....but some of the housework building up will be down to a little bit of laziness (sorry ) I know, because I have been there! Hours can pass when browsing the net sat on my behind (my kids now are much, much older) and then I wonder where the time went and I have no time to do anything etc! lol!

You just have to be strict with yourself and make a little start each day. There is no miracle to it. No magic. Its just doing it!

Sorry not much help!

Edited to add: There is a GREAT thread on the old style board called "My Home is a mess" read that through, its very motivating! I ended up blitzing my kitchen cupboards after reading that lol!

gratefulforhelp_2

There are loads of things we veggies can eat from a slow cooker, casserole/stew/chilli/curry.

Thanks for the tip about exfoliating gloves, piggers, I wondered what they were for!!

I have an 8 week old and I have a playpen (a cheap one) with his playmat in and I pop him in there so I can do the odd thing like load/unload the wm and it keeps him safe.

Also we co-slept with DD2 and this baby sleeps in his cot, I have to say that the half hour of sleep with baby in his cot is worth two hours with baby in the bed for the quality of the sleep. Not much to be done about this now, but it explains why you are so darn tired, especially with partner away all week.

pigpen

gratefulforhelp wrote: »

There are loads of things we veggies can eat from a slow cooker, casserole/stew/chilli/curry.

Thanks for the tip about exfoliating gloves, piggers, I wondered what they were for!!

I have an 8 week old and I have a playpen (a cheap one) with his playmat in and I pop him in there so I can do the odd thing like load/unload the wm and it keeps him safe.

Also we co-slept with DD2 and this baby sleeps in his cot, I have to say that the half hour of sleep with baby in his cot is worth two hours with baby in the bed for the quality of the sleep. Not much to be done about this now, but it explains why you are so darn tired, especially with partner away all week.

Those gloves are amazing if you have dry scaly eczema..

I have co-slept before.. sometimes it is the only way to get some sleep.. but this one I was very strict.. and she went back in the cot after feeds.. I have too much to do to be tired. I do think this has contributed to my lack of PND this time round.. the next one will not be co-sleeping either.. I like my space!

I just swept the bathroom and put up a curtain pole while mine sat merrily bashing on an old keyboard.. I won't be able to sew the curtains while she is here though.. that's an after bed job! .. She goes down about 8 and wakes between 7-8 normally.. I love that time after the children are all in bed and the pots are done and the washers on and the toys put away.. grown up time makes it all the more bearable and definitely worth getting up a bit earlier for!

I'd consider getting him to bed an hour or 2 earlier and using that time to have an hour tidying and an hour just on you and OH when he is at home.. whether that includes a shower and removal of slap or just sat doing nothing that time for you is just as important as time cleaning and tidying!

Bambywamby

Can you get your eye lashes tinted and just use mascara for special occasions? It may save you some time on the make-up front.

I remember when my son was small, I was so knackered sometimes I fell asleep in my day clothes...on top of the quilt! I didn't even make it into the bed. So I wouldn't worry too much about that - but remember woollen cardigans and jumpers can go bally really quickly if you sleep in them - so try and strip those off at least.

Always try and fit in having a quick shower and if possible a hair wash - they can really brighten you up if you're feeling grotty and over tired. The two lots of bedding is a fantastic idea - I always seem to sleep better in fresh, clean bedding.

And let's be honest, you're a new mum - dust can wait...your baby won't. Enjoy motherhood and don't beat yourself up if the house looks a bit of a tip. It gets easier as they get older...promise. x x

LittleMissMPB

I have a 3yr old and a 3month old and I tend to follow the same sort of routine every day, don't know if this will help you or not, but it works for me and my house is usually quite tidy.

Wake up, feed the youngest
Get the toddler up and lay her clothes out
All get dressed
Have breakfast
Set the toddler up playing with something, colouring, bricks, dolls house etc
Put the baby in his chair with activity bar thingy in the kitchen
Do any dishes, wipe sides down, do the laundry (my 3yr old likes to press the buttons for me)
Feed the littlest one and offer toddler some fruit/breadsticks/some sort of snack
Play with toddler for a while while youngest goes for a nap
Lunchtime (2 days a week my eldest goes to pre-school at this time and stays for dinner)
After lunch, clean up front room. Tidy toys away, completely clear floor.
Declutter sofa's/table
Vacuum (every other day)
Wipe daughters table down
Put some more laundry on
Feed the youngest when he wakes up
Get out the house with both children for a bit, even if just a walk.
Get home and eldest will play by herself for a bit, put youngest under play gym/playpen in kitchen
Sort dinner out (done after both children in bed on a school day, otherwise pick eldest up at this time)
Clean up anything needed in kitchen while dinner is cooking
Put another load of laundry on if needed
Eat dinner
Put any clothes away while running bath for eldest.
Eldest has a bath while littlest one either has another nap or some playtime with daddy
Let eldest run around in dressing gown for 10mins if bedsheets need changing
Get eldest ready for bed, milk drink, story etc (I'm lucky and she goes to sleep every time without fuss)
Have a play with littlest one if he's not too tired, feed and bath him and put clean pj's on him, he then goes to bed when he looks sleepy
When both children are in bed, give the front room another quick blitz and tidy up main bedroom if needed (they are both in their own rooms)
I then have until around midnight when the youngest wakes up for a feed to do my own thing, shower, relax etc

LittleMissMPB

Also wanted to add that it may be worth getting baby in their own room. I let my daughter sleep with me and at 15months old she still needed to be cuddled to sleep. Not good. I then had enough, and jut put her to bed on her own. It was a long long week, she cried for 5 hours on the first night, but well worth it in the long run. She now climbs into bed herself, gives me a kiss, I leave the room and she sleeps. No fuss, no crying.