I'm miserable :-( Neighbour came round & saw how chaotic my home is & I'm ashamed...

meritaten

as I said I LIKE a bit of untidyness - but, if I look around and think 'OMG - I can't let anyone in - its a mess' then I do make an effort and go into 'supercleaner' mode. or at least tidy some clutter, (ie hide my books in the spare wardrobe) and clean the kitchen (the bathroom rarely needs a 'good' clean as I clean as I go in there - Literally! I can reach the basin from the loo - and often clean it as I am er, waiting to um, 'go'). havent worked out how to do the bath from there yet - but as we tend to shower, then unhooking the shower head and spraying it around the bath usually takes care of THAT job! and the grandkids can usually be persuaded that rubbing tiles with a soapy sponge while bathing is FUN! and so is rinsing it off with the shower!

Need2bthrifty

charlies-aunt wrote: »

Clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be happy! :j

Thats the expression that I was trying to remember whilst reading this thread, or is it the other way around - dirty enough to be healthy and clean enough to be happy.

My neighbour must think that I'm the untidiest person out, when she "pops" in I always seem to have a pile of clothes laying on the chair waiting to be ironed - which I then have to shift to let her sit down :rotfl: .

I always remember my grandmother telling me that I was born to be a lady but wasn't needed - referring to my half-hearted attempts at cleaning - but I always had something else more interesting to be getting on with and found the drudgery of housework something tedious and never ending - you got one bit cleared & cleaned and someone else comes along and puts something down & makes it untidy again......aaaaarrrgh :mad:

I have become much better in my "old age" but I think it is about being organised and having places to put everything - yes the hoover lives in the cupboard under the stairs rather than being unplugged and left in the last place I was using it, the dishes and pots are taken off the drainer and put back in the cupboards, the junk mail is put in the recycling bag straight away rather than left to build up and coats/shoes/boots are taken off and put in the hall cupboard rather than left hanging on the banister or creating a trip hazard and cluttering the hall floor.

Small steps Gail, good luck, your not alone and yes because I've been busy with other things at this point in time I can write my name in the dust that's collected on the furniture in the spare room, but that will be sorted next week - honest - I blame the weather its been so fine I've had all the windows open and loads of dust has blown in

lollipopsarah

Home is where the heart is and s+d the dust!
Have to laugh as I sat on the loo earlier and noticed some horrid cobwebs on the ceiling - ewwww
was it Quentin Crisp who said that after a few years the dust doesn't get any thicker?
xx

calicocat

A friend and myself often have mentioned 'cleaning' etc when chatting on phone,I decided I'd have to go to her house first to 'check out' the potential 'clean house' competition.......imagine my delight when I found cobwebs,mess,dishes,laundry,stale catfood in a bowl,unvaccumed carpets,sofa in tatters due to cat,stairs like an assault course..............and someone NO different to everyone else! People like you for you,not your hoover.

nannyboo1

Mojisola wrote: »

You've got children, one with special needs, and yet make time to arrange fund-raising events and your kind OH is off decorating for a disabled friend. Would I prefer to have you and your untidy house as a friend or a someone with a perfect house? You win every time!

This person said it all - life is too short to worry enjoy your children the housework can wait

Mics_chick

Thanks again peeps :T:T:T

I do feel much much better but I am taking steps to remedy the situation


Today I have:

1. cleared the unwashed pot mountain.
2. put the clean folded towels and school uniforms in my airing cupboard (find it easier to keep uniform handier than fishing out of kids drawers and cupboards).
3. caught up on washing by doing 5 loads (I think).
4. finally folded washed and tumble-dried clothes mountain left earlier in the week and folded all other clothes washed and dried today.
5. sorted out plastic & cardboard items to take to a craft activity organised by the charity group.

Tomorrow I hope to:

1. put away all clean clothes.
2. tidy and re-organise daughter's bedroom (hopefully clearing some of the clutter from lounge at the same time ).
3. sort out other items I need for craft activity.

I will see how I go tomorrow

nannyboo1

lollipopsarah wrote: »

was it Quentin Crisp who said that after a few years the dust doesn't get any thicker?
xx

Four Years

There is no need to do any housework at all. After the first four years the dirt doesn't get any worse.
Quentin Crisp

nannyboo1

Been looking for this which i think is very relevant you are a mum with children one of whom as you say is special so I thought of this and searched for it

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait for tomorrow,
For babies grow up, I've learned, to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust, go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep.
(Ruth Hulburt Hamilton)

Make the most of your children they grow up too quickly (sadly I've none of my own just borrowed ones - I'm a childminder).

If you are really bothered by it as has been mentioned the fly ladies on here are fantastic. I have just read the Sink Reflections book by the Fly lady herself and certain things spring out at you.
1. It didn't get like that overnight so you can't tackle it overnight
2. Whatever you decide to do concentrate on one room at a time and clear the clutter first tackle one room at a time
3. Clutter cannot be organised so put away, recycle or get rid
4. Do everything in 15 min cycles so15 min in one room then stop

Am sure a proper Fly Lady will explain it much better than I can though

Superbiatch

My colleague asked me around for tea last week in return for helping her out with some IT stuff. As we get along well I agreed and looked forward to it. She is the type of person who needs to be liked and very often will make a cake or lunch for the whole team (about 10 people!), so i knew she could cook a nice meal!

Anyway upon arriving at her house it dawned upon me that this woman was not in fact the superwoman I had envisaged. She didn't give much thought to tidiness, although the house was clean. She made me a lovely meal but having spent a few hours with her since, she places no importance on a tidy house, she lives life to the max. She has family engagements almost every night of the week, and those she doesn't she is working - it really opened my eyes! It made me realise life isn't for cleaning, its for living

She is a lovely woman, and family/friends are everything to her which is quite inspiring.

[Deleted User]

Ameyturtle wrote: »

I think if anyone should be judging here it's you, you said she was overly pushy about coming in for coffee, I hate that.

She has no right to judge if your house if abit messy, when shes invited herself in.

More to the point even cleaning creates mess, and so what if your house is messy, surely with your children you have more important things to worry about, than how clean your house is.

I'd rather be a happy pig in mud than a clean pig that is unhappy.

Totally agree - Its YOUR life and YOUR house and you are free to live as you please and it doesn't make you a bad PERSON!!!

I live in mess and clutter at the moment but don't give a HOOT as I get round to it when I WANT TO as in I WANTED to sort out the living room today so I DID , not for anyone else but myself :D

I have cleaned and tidied for 30 years now so if I want a break from it now the kids have left home & I have no lodgers then I ruddy well deserve it LOL

Peace of mind is way more important and even if someone has a SPOTLESS house it doesn't mean they are HAPPY ( sometimes the contrary to be honest ) xx