Can you do OS and work full time too?

sockdrawer

I agree with Pigpen. I'm on the FL list, and try my best to work to it, because it focuses me in a way my own lists wouldn't (and it's so much more fun doing it with other people) I hold down three "full time" jobs from home (and work 7 days a week)- One a large country festival, one a fishing and shooting shop (I do the web/online/admin/stock control stuff, and the other a web design business, (and a potential 4th that I'm working on at the moment) . I'm also studying for a degree level qualification. (why I'm not sure....)All are time heavy, and not to be stinted on. also, I have four children-23/18/12/and 10 and all the school/university/social commitments that go along with that.
I've never had anything but help and encouragement..... and the odd from the FL list.
The secret is to look at the lists-(on this site, not the American one) level one, and go from there. There's no pressure to go to level two or three. Level one will make a difference in itself. It truly does.
I'm in a difficult situation in my home, (just because of who owns it and why) and, as one FL said she felt it was good to see me "gain control of my home.... and actually my life". and she wasn't wrong.
I get a lot done in the early morning/lunchtime period, and then more just after lunchtime. It's just a matter of factoring it in to whenever I'm not busy doing paid work iyswim. When I'm working outwith my office, I do level ones when I get home, and level twos if I can. No worries. (I'm also apt to leave my work on the computer and do a FL list as a way of thinking about something completely different to work stuff, which surprisingly, does seem to help the work creativity!) Hope that helps. x

sockdrawer

Benson wrote: »

I suppose it helps if the others in the house muck in too rather than just leaving pots/pans On the side for me to clear away! Any suggestions? Asking or nagging doesnt work!

If it's flatmates, I would simply leave it for a few days.... the willing horse and all that xxx

gilly1964

Thank you all for the answers :A

I have made a start and am now sitting here watching Sunday afternoon telly and on the laptop.:j

Have decided I am going to aim for Level 1 in kitchen, bathrooms and lounge, with washing and ironing done daily, not backing up.

The Room of Doom as you call it will be tackled an area at a time. Our RoD is the study, paperwork not filed straight away, shredding not done asap. Bookshelves full to overflowing. This week I have concentrated on the bookshelves and they are now straight and re-organised into alphatbetical order by genre - how pedantic is that?

Will let you know how I get on

Thanks again

Penelope_Penguin

Glad to know you're making progress :T

I'll add this to the existing thread to give you more ideas

Archer0710

And work full time?

I read all the inspiring threads on here about how people turn their lives around, sort the house, keep on top of the finances, batch cook, grow their own veg, crochet pickle etc and it sounds amazing.

I can just about keep my house nice (I usually spend most of the weekend cleaning) but paperwork bogs me down, I do the basics in the kitchen but never find time to do full shops (I HATE grocery shopping) but never feel on top of it. I am surrounded by people who don't work and i feel like I have to achieve what they do and more. Yes I know I pile myself under pressure.

I have a stressful job with an hour travel time and it's not always 9-5) my OH is forces and I have 2 dogs, 2 cars, a garden that grows by the second and flaming depression.

Gosh I am waffling now, to bring it back on track how do you juggle everything? I feel like I need a few extra hours in the day.

So without a time machine and a cleaner (I did think about it but don't want just anyone in my house) how do you do it?


If I took a week off I could get on top of it all but staying there?

Fruball

Trust me, lots of us don't!

Look at the My Home Is A Mess thread!!! Plenty of us in there!

I love cooking from scratch, and making loads of savings from what I learn here, and living a reasonably OS life but I definately don't do it all

Depression is a witch, impossible to do it all

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

By looking at it realistically - are you going to be able to sort this and be happy at spending a whole week's holiday in dealing with it all by yourself - and how will you feel if you don't manage it in that time?



Shop online. If you have a freezer, stock it up so you don't have to faff around buying anything other than milk. You can even freeze milk if you want to. Stick stuff in the cupboard - that means you don't have to worry - if you're dog tired, have a bowl of cereal for dinner and go to bed.


Book a cleaner for a one off blitz. You need never see her again that way.


Book someone to wash the outside windows for you. I've been quoted £3 for two normal sized windows and a bay. It would cost me more than that to get a ladder.


Book a gardener for a one off tidy up for winter.


Take the other car to the car wash. Get it washed, waxed, polished, valeted if necessary, then take it home and put it in the garage/on the drive.


Bung the washing in for a service wash and iron at a launderette. If it's just you, it isn't going to be much stuff, just a few clothes and bedlinen.



Yes, this is a fair old outlay. But it's for a one off, as you will then be able to book a couple of days off work, come home, kick off your shoes in a clean, sparkly house, no real chores to see to and you can spend the valuable time getting your hair done, having a pedicure, whatever it is that you can't imagine having the time to do right now.



Once things are to that standard, it will be a lot easier for you to adapt and keep things going - and moneysaving and being oldstyle are very good, but sometimes, just taking a step back isn't a bad thing to do.

Linda32

Hi,

I very much doubt anyone does it all I certainly don't. Hence me writing this when I really ought to be doing a spot of paperwork.

Do you actually want to "turn your life around", or is it perfectly okay as it is?

I see you said you hate grocery shopping, have you considered on-line ordering by any chance. Delivered when it suits you

I can't say I fancy the idea of spending all weekend cleaning either :eek: I tend to spend half an hour or so, every other day'ish :rotfl: doing something. That might be dusting upstairs or downstairs, or vacuuming everywhere, that sort of thing.

As for batch cooking, depends if you each the sort of meals which you normally batch cook. Mince type things or casseroles etc, if you don't no point in trying to acheive it.

I think possibly baby steps is the way to go. Think of one thing that you would like to change to make your life easier, then think of a way that it would be possible and a way to stick to it.

gibson123

You just accept you can't do it all, cut yourself a break, deal with the health issues, get out in the fresh air with the dogs and garden and wait until you get a bit more energy then do a bit at a time.

Butterfly_Brain

I am home all day and can't do it all - yes I have arthritis and carpal tunnel which holds me back from doing what I used to, but when I was working I am afraid I didn't have the energy with two children to be house proud, the house got a quick spruce on a Saturday morning (I worked 6 days a week on nights) DH did try to help he worked days and took over when I went to work, but he always left me the washing up and I still had to get the children to school, do the washing, ironing and prepare a meal before getting a couple of hours sleep before picking the children up from school. So things that I really wanted to do had to be put on the back burner. I did grow veggies, but that was only with DH and MIL's help