My house is such a state

karmaqueen84

Hi, I'm new to mse forums but have been reading through the main site for a while now, I was pointed in this direction by a friend who said you may have suggestions to help my current situation. I'm a severe, unstable, poorly controlled asthmatic and after really struggling and bouncing in and out of hospital for the last 12 months my house is awful, I'm behind on even most the basic 'daily' cleaning tasks :-( I'm finally slightly more stable thanks to new medication and really want to start getting the house under control while I can before my asthma starts to slide again but I just don't even know where to start. Everything is so out of control, and because the house is so small with so many people (2 bed maisonette with 2 adults 1 child permanently and an extra 3 under 8 at the weekend) there is so much clutter collecting dust it's unreal. I have to be careful what cleaning products I can use anything that gives off fumes or strong scents trigger my asthma but the current state of my house can not be good for any of us that suffer with asthma (all except the 4yo twins in varying degrees of severity). I no longer work properly due to my health only part time on a self employed basis so have plenty of time to get things under control but I need frequent rest/recovery breaks and I find it so disheartening when I seem to never stop but never achieve anything that I lose all motivation and just give up. If anyone has any suggestions that could help me get things under control myself and all my family would be so grateful. Thank you in advance xx

Out,_Vile_Jelly

Can the other adult not help out? Or could you look at getting a cleaner just for a couple of hours a week to do some of the more laborious tasks? The cost has to be weighed against your health considerations.

I would suggest a commitment to decluttering if so many of you suffer asthma, to reduce the amount of dusty surfaces. Aim to fill one bin bag per week/fortnight to take to a charity shop.

If you're faced with what looks like a mammoth task, the key is to break it down into smaller, more manageable ones. It's not realistic to do it all at once.

Lozzy88

I am so sorry you have been feeling so poorly.

Firstly you need to get everyone on board to help, even the young ones that stay at weekends!

De-clutter be ruthless, if its collecting dust you need to ask yourself, has this been used recently? Will it be used in the next 3 months? Do I need it? If you do it needs a more suitable place to live. If not bin it, donate it or sell it!

Its not going to be easy but if you do little bits everyday it will soon improve. If you need ideas the flylady thread is fantastic!

karmaqueen84

My oh does help with some of the smaller tasks during the weekend but not so much during the week. He works full time with an hour commute so he is away from home minimum of 10 hours a day in a stressful job he needs the evenings to unwind a little. We really have no spare money for a cleaner, I have just set up a chores list for the 7yr olds to earn pocket money as I have been trying to do everything for everyone and it's not working as I'm just not capable anymore.
I like the suggestion of breaking things down into manageable sections, iv never been overly successful at doing that though so will have to work on it lol. I think most of the problem comes from me looking at everything as a whole and trying to work out how to blast through it all before I end up back in hospital yet again.
Thank you for your help

good_advice

Hello Karmaqueen,
It sounds like it is time to declutter. To many things cause chaos in our lives.

Join the hoarders thread and have a daily chat.

Try small steps, a little at a time. May take months. Who cares?
Small daily changes, that is what I do.It works.
Tidy up the fridge, look at the dates.
I love my lock and lock boxes. Nice and tidy.
Go around the kitchen counters see if there is anything you can put in cupboards. Pick a few flowers from the garden.

patchwork_cat

Sounds like you would benefit from a flylady approach. On this board people are advocates of vinegar and bicarb for cleaning and microfiber cloths.


Go on here https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5011071 and tell them your problem.

karmaqueen84

Thank you ladies, I will go and look at the suggested threads now x

Starrystarrynight

I'm sure some of the lovely posters on this forum have posted up home made cleaning substitutes. Hopefully, they would be less likely to cause any reactions.

I'm mobility impaired, and have to take cleaning very slowly & gently. It definitely helps to keep surfaces free of any clutter, and I use a little step stool to reach up. Don't have the energy to stretch! Often, I will just do the tasks for one room a day to stop it feeling so daunting and tiring.

I recently got a handheld Vax vacuum using a discount code from this site and it's been a godsend for clearing up little messes without needing to get the big hoover out, or use a dust brush & pan.

meritaten

Do one room at a time - or even a corner of a room!
you MUST keep dust down hunny - its a known trigger for asthma and that is nothing to fool around with as you know.

Banish clutter - go minimalist! ornaments are a no no. Cupboards are great - hide 'stuff' in them and it cuts down on dusting. open shelves are 'dust attracters' try not to use them. I know people advise laminate or 'hard' flooring, but in my opinion it ATTRACTS dust! then you just move it into the air when trying to sweep it up! carpet does trap the dust until you vacuum - which should be every day.
and yes, I do know about asthma - my youngest son has severe brittle asthma which is also poorly controlled - and I do have another bit of advice for you which I will PM if you don't mind?

Honey_Bear

I really hope you join us on the Flylady Thread and stick around even by just reading for a few weeks - no one will mind if you don't clear the place instantly! We're all there because we find housework a tad overwhelming and it helps hugely if we natter with like-minded people.


Most of us started with the kitchen sink - once you get that clean and clear that gives you hope - one bit of the place looks fab!


Next time you pop over to the Flylady Thread, go back to the first page and read the very first post. It'll give you a few pointers and the best bit of advice I've ever heard - it took years for the place to get into a muddle, so don't think you should cure it in an instant. Everything you do will make your life a little bit easier and gradually you will get some semblance of control back.


It sounds to me as if you're already working incredibly hard just taking care of your extended family and it must be exhausting with your asthma.

karmaqueen84

Thank you very much for all your suggestions. I think a big clear out is going to have to be done ... Of everyone's stuff which I'm sure all the kids will be thrilled with, but the less stuff the less to keep clean right? Lol xx