sorting all my problems for a new year start can it be done ?

Emmala

Gailey - your last post made me laugh.......sshhhh!! I too have the Anthea book....and the entertaining one.....and BOTH series on DVD!!!!!!!

Nancy888

Hi

I've been lurking on here reading everyone's posts but just had to reply to gailey's last post.

My house is messy - I work full time, single mum to 2 boys 13 and 16. My eldest is studying for his A levels and my youngest is under 14s keeper for local League 1 football team - training Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights, Saturday mornings and playing Sunday mornings...the training is a 70 mile round trip every night and I can only hope they play at home on a Sunday - 85 mile round trip so there's not much time for me or the house....

BUT - my point to gailey is I noticed you'd said OH had cleaned the bathroom but not very well so it needed doing again. I have OCD and everything has to be just so - same number of kitchen appliances either side of the hob and soup arranged alphabetically in a closed cupboard :eek: BUT I had to learn that sometimes you've got to let somethings go....and if OH has had a wipe around with a damp cloth then that will do for today...you've achieved so much already today with 3 littlies...

Someone else said we're not striving for perfect - just better. The bathroom is now cleaner than it was (better) it might not be the perfect that you would do but I doubt anyone is going to catch listeria / MRSA / streptococcus-something-or-other because you had already cleaned it as you wanted it done previously...I'm not having a go my love at all - I just can feel your pain and I think you're putting too much pressure on yourself right now...sending you hugs :grouphug:

mdhughes03

Hello lovely people, I have been lurking here and reading with interest and a feeling of familiarity! I'm not good at remembering to post but I will be reading along with you all and hoping it gives me a good kick up the bum .
I have taken a car-load of stuff to the tip today and reorganised our walk-in cupboard so that it houses things that should naturally be there. It dawned on me this week that our under-stairs cupboard is musty and difficult to get to the back of and that therefore, things of lesser value which don't need to be reached regularly need to go in there and things which are used more often should be in the taller more spacious, easy to get into cupboard. I know it sounds VERY simple but it really did only just occur to me! This house was my mum's before mine and having been here 30 years, I just accepted that things had their place and plodded along. I've only just realised that it's now MY house and I should be making it work FOR ME, not making life more difficult. Talk about a lightbulb moment

So hopefully, over the next day or so I am going to give everything in my house which was either homeless or inappropriately stored a nice new home to go into. I'm hoping that in turn this will make cleaning and finding things generally easier! Then I can start thinking about proper routines for laundry and so on :cool:

bubbs

Quote -My tip is one I was taught as a child and am now teaching my son as he grows up. TIDY AS YOU GO. This cuts down on so much untidyness in the house,
imagine a person coming in :
they take off their coat and throw it across the back of a chair, grab a drink from the fridge and leave the bottle top and opener on the counter, turn TV on and put their feet up, kicking their shoes off onto the floor beneath them.

This is sooooooo true although im not the tiidiest :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: but i am a cleaner, went to work this morning , the son who proceeds into his bedroom after i have just cleaned it and pulled all the drawers out looking for something im........:mad::mad::mad::mad:, clothes all over the floor,so go along and shut them all and pick them up AGAIN, go down to the playroom and damn me looked like a bomb had hit it so had to tidy it again!! well didnt have to be wouldnt have looked good when mum came home, kids had gone out by then with dad! but dad does not say anything!!!!

2012ismyyear

Right sorted through wardrobe so taht is done now, i have realized that i can't sort coalhouse without hubby but he is at work how annoying so that wil have to wait for now as some of the things in there i don't even know what there for car stuff !

clothes from washing today are away yay

HUBBY LEFT TOWEL AND PANTS ON FLOOR IN OUR NEWLY GORGEOUS BEDROOM HE WILL NOT LIVE TILL 2012 IF HE DOES THAT AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!

towel and pants picked up DONE

what is it with mopping i just hate it and i have put it off all day, well there is one reason the bathroom floor is lino but its silver with raised circles on that was bought by 20 year old me before we moved in the house have to admit its quite funky but its s*&t to clean! I am starting to feel the pressure now cause for the past 7 years i haven't had to work to a deadline apart from find pants before we leave house!:rotfl::rotfl:

I am so sure that i can get this sorted now though. Having some time off tomo morn as we are going to cinema to watch something :T can't wait.

I can't believe how many people feel the same on here i'm so glad that i posted now because i would have given up by now if i didn't have you lot thanks everyone xx

greenbee

Sounds like everyone is doing well

I don't have kids, but work from home which creates it's own problems! After having the bathroom redone this year (which has helped a lot) I am reorganising upstairs, so have just moved my study into a smaller room (there is logic in this!), and will be putting work stuff only in there (previously I had bookshelves and the ironing board and laundry basket too. I am also moving all work clothes and suitcases in there (when not working from home I'm travelling) so that they are out of the bedroom. I've ordered a wardrobe to match the desk and shelves from ik*a with the right shelves/rails in it, and have a matching chest of drawers I will move in there too - I can use the top for packing suitcases on if I keep it clear of clutter!

Its worth considering keeping your bedroom clear and tidy, so you have somewhere to escape to. As a child I wasn't allowed into my parents bedroom unless invited, so they always had a sanctuary! It might be worth trying to start that as a new rule for 2012 so that you have somewhere clean, tidy and relaxing to get away from things.

Oh well... I'd better get back to shifting boxes so I can get the CoD into the study and make space for the wardrobe!

Good luck everyone.

Dragoncry

gailey wrote: »

Aww dragoncry you similar to me. We do seem to have some similar mojo going on

well done 201 on what you acheived so far and inspiring others:D

Thanks to everyone being so lovley aboutcritical mam and younger sister.

Made me chuckle

shes never babysat by herself
shes never changed a nappy.
other week she turnmed up just as baby has puked and said ahh your house is so grim. Luckily the people who visit me don't say anything that nasty so I am lucky that way. When they leave it might be a different story though!

Me and my mum disagree about lots of things. My mum and I could have contested for England in arguing. We never spoke for about 8 years before she died. Long story, won't go into it here.

what galls me is she has lolvley big kitchen and frangemaster yet never cooks! no wonder her kitchens like a museum.
She hates fact I breastfeed and use cloth nappies. Sounds to me she is just picking at things. Quite sad really, you are doing great !

got used to it the last 30years of not doing stuff right.
all I get is gailey dont know why you wanted 3kids should have just stopped at 1.
We wanted 3kids they were all planned.
shes an occasional nanny thanfully shes 60miles away and wont drive over motorway. Ours is over 3 hours drive away and it costs too much in petrol for frequent visits, though it does mean no babysitter

I dont drive so dont get to see them that much thats another thing they frequently have a pop about like 2nd class citizien used to ride vespa until kids got here but expense of test and adding new driver to insurance right now too much.

Anyway enough about things i cannot change. Look forward, 2012 will be great I too have stuff from my past that niggles me and it is hard not to give into the emotions sometimes when you are low.

The lounge looks worse now than when I started its still not done and its day 2 mummys log
kitchens ok just need to wash up todays dishes
put more laundry on
wipe tops down.

all 3kids been fed
will run hoover round lounge one more time and starighten up sofa.

hubby cleaned bathroom but not great job will have to do again
my rooms a tip as kids been playing in there all day
the girls room a massive tip as has huge laundry mountain wont be tackled today job for tommoroiw its all cleaned amd just needs putting away or that scary word IRONING::eek: Ironing? what's that !

Like the uniform idea so pinching that.

making sausage casserole last night and adding boil in bag rice made easy work of lunch.:D cant do normal rice stresses me out . Rice is easy, if you need help doing some , give me a pm.

kids scoffing hm gingerbread men, Mine ate a whole LARGE gingerbread house over Xmas !

hubby putting down wood floor in baby boys room hes nearly finished just need to get everything back in and tidy then thats one room done be so happy:j it got repainted few months ago just needs new accessories when can afford them. Great to have dreams. We rent so not allowed to change any decor, so accessories it is

Right feel free to laugh at me I do:rotfl:

one of saddest books i own brought in the works I think is anthea turner perfect housewife, she used to have programme they showed it on sky home think as well as that awful bbc progarmme where that annoying cleaner stephanie sends mum off to spar and cleans their home!

Anyway according to anthea best to start in the hallway as first place visitors see.

And the tip start small taken heed so hall still a mess:rotfl:

But I did

hoover porch
put new bulb in porch light
sorted pile shoes out
scrubbed the white pv frame with dettol spray
cleaned the glass inside and out with mr muscle window cleaner.

also my front door is white painted wood with glass panes very much a dirt /dust magnet so so sprayed that too . Same here ! do we live in the same street ? hehe . I do a good clean once a month or so but it always attracts the muck.

All this took over an hour but feeling good

postie might be knocked out by fumes tommrow as he tends to open outer porchh door and drop off mail. Mine does too ! getting scarey now :eek:

Also got vac bag oddly exited going to suck up all girls summer clothes and place on top of wardrobe. If only i could vac pac everything.

I looked at flylady many a time but consider it better when house is sorted to maintain than when you lost the house plot like me.
Do miss my toddlers daytime naps used to get so much done. My little one is nearly 3 now so long gone are the naps. Can't wait till she starts nursery and sleeps in her own bed for a change !

My 5year olds the messiest but tried to train and failed sadly they not as easy to train as staff and dont want to turn into my mam! My 6 year old is the messiest, can't believe the amount of stuff she can make a mess with ...

I know I must enjoy pain but love reading home mags with perfect homes and dream of dream home which seems inpossible right now.
really need to play the lottory more. I have a mountain of mags for you to have a look at

I think back to my nan and great aunbt they had an everyday front froom and a best front room plus best china but they also had bigger houses would love extra bedroom or 2 reception rooms. My mum had a 'front room' in the first house I lived in. Was scarey to even go in there. Think we only ever used it once.

1 thing no ones mentioned is mental clutter im forver putting things off This is a good one.....I am the same and it gets really hard to actually DO anything

so yesterday-completed oustanding surveys
today rang up and paid a outstanding bill thats been worrying me.
emails-have hundreds:o because

sign up to online shopping for discounts
enter comps but never win but never stick at it will do in new year
get rid junk email
fb alerts.

need to redo cv and apply for few part time jobs

made list of things we need when have the money
will look on ebay for 2nd hand bits.

feel not only have I lost sense of style but my home has kids stuff has taken over so want few new pics and accesories to brighten place up
maybe some fresh flowers and tea towels in kitchen
need some new plates Treat yourself when you can, it's the little things that brighten a day.

want some new bedding.

me and hubby call it the enrich our life list,

can be big,smal expensive/cheap anything that betters our life.

last year got breadmaker, new tin opener and new mixing bowls really know how to live it up. You go girl

so will make new list and hopefully by end of 2012 will have some of it.

so plans are lose half stone, get fit be more glamourous Now is that a starter wight loss ? I need to lose 3 stone but am starting at a smaller goal.

find job, up income

debt bust Gonna try too

keep tidy /clean stylish home That will be the day when I am a flylady expert ! hah as if I will ever be,can dream though

be organised never losing things

save and buy in advance for birthdays/xmas

batch cook make healthy nutricous food therefore saving me time and money.

improve my baking skills can do meals no problem but cakes and biscuits not impressive tends to go wrong and eldest has monthly cake sale and im on the pta at school so really should be better I love baking and it makes a big difference at meal times and for school stuff

make time to socialise and have hobbies as kids taken over again sometimes forget the inner me

Sorry I waffled long enough. Never, love your posts :A

going to get kids in to bed early as shattered.

Hope you got them off early, it rarely happens that way here .

DC xx

saterkey

Hi there, really feel for you gailey.

I have two children, 15 and 12, both are quite messy and often leave a trail, crocks in their rooms dirty washing behind doors, messy bedrooms.

some of my strategies are below

kids have to make sure their bedrooms are tidy on a sunday else they dont get thier pocket money, but they still have to tidy even if i stand over them with a black bag and threaten removal of said items. Other than that i rarely go into their rooms, they get fined if they dont make bed and open curtains in the mornings, and 10p per crockery item if found.

I hoover lounge and mop kitchen about once a week, sweep more often if needed. Washing up gets done after dinner and put away (most of the time)

Partner very good, if he does anything like the bathroom, or lounge, thats good enough for me, in fact he usually does a more thorough clean than i do!

Partner also does his own ironing, i do mine and kids. Anything that doesnt need ironing gets folded and put away, socks go into back and a sock sort gets done about once a wk/2 wks. Bag in cubby hole with all odd socks in till pair is found.

Washing done - 1 load approx per day, wet gym, towels, school uniform, darks and whites usually in that order, probably two darks per week.

My mainstay is my filofax, all dates, reminders, parents evening, drs appts, work details, all go in there, to coordinate everyone, and we check this on a sunday at dinner to see what everyone is doing, friends round or whatever and update it.

My A5 notebook goes with above, it holds all my To dos, and all my To Buys at the back, so when i go shopping i know what i need (not food), and can make a list quite quickly.

Food list is on fridge, rip off one so i can take it shopping with me without having to write it out again.

Box with scarves, gloves umbrellas in porch, this gets emptied and replaced with summer stuff in appropriate month.

Im gradually filtering everything around house, so have a minimum of clutter, and all kids stuff gets put back into their bedrooms. (doesnt work so well with littlies.)

Iron when the pile starts toppling or i run out of clothes! Uniforms are checked on a sunday night.

Once a week i go around a room, and check /remove what shouldnt be there.

Windows sills get done a few times a year or when needed. Dusting about once a week or more often if needed.

I keep on top of it, but not overly so, there is more to life.

camNolliesMUMMY

forgot to add i iron and go............ oh irons his own stuff, as used to iron everything but he folds it up and doesnt put it away straight away thus needs irioning again!!! got that hacked off i stopped it ds1 also goes through drawers pulling clothes out and creases them again thus needs irioning again!!!!
so i wash them and spin x2 as live in a flat and helps with drying time and creases, hung on airers but shaken before hung to get creases out, folded and put mine and ds1 away oh finally puts his away when he sees fit, dont bother me as im not ironing it pmsl

school uniform is sorted by sunday and hung on ds1 bedroom door ready for morning with socks vest and pants, oh uniform is sorted by himself lol this is the only thing i dont do for oh is sort his clothes out.

Bag kepy in wardrobe with odd socks in to try and pair up EVENTUALLY!!

x1 load of washing done a day on double spin if their is any washing left to do, ive cought up now so will sort out ds1 blankets from when he was a a baby and prepare for ds2's arrival, i only use 1tbsp of wash powder and dilute conditioner normally on quick wash reduced crease setting and spun again.

tidy things up as i go along, if i go to the loo or brush my teeth ive started giving the bathroom a quick wipe.

x3 times a week vacuum and mop

bath x3 times a week, saving to get shower fitted as baths costing us a fortune in gas ds1 first with shallow water, oh next as likes it red hot then me.

menu plan every wednesday started ordering wednesday night for delivery the next day unless i get round to it a couple of days before??

i use up everything in the fridge first and freeze leftovers

encourage ds1 to vacuum his room and give him a treat sometimes he offers to do other rooms too bless him lol

keep it going girls and keep motivated.

2012ismyyear

wow got a phone call from a friend tonight and she is really depressed i'm really worried about her. I didn't know the extent of how she feels she is a mummy of 2 babies and has a hubby but she feels like she doesn't want to be here anymore. Hubby makes a lot of things hard for her and she has been to doctors today and they said heres some tablets, but i am really worried for her cause i love her so much and it really upsets me what can i do to help her does anyone know ?We chatted and i was really silly and made her laugh loads but wanna give her a great year but what can i do i said lets go on a valentines dinner and we'll celebrate everything on the calendar and even paint our faces for everything lol I want her to be so happy cause she deserves it she has been through a terrible lot in her life and i want to help make it better> I know it's totallly off topic but it's about making another mum/ person happy this year so any ideas/ help is appreciated xx