<<<out of cheese error>>>

DrSpendLittle · 12 July 2018 at 4:16PM

Good stuff, Redo!

HairyHandofDartmoor · 12 July 2018 at 7:15PM

redofromstart wrote: »

The decluttering/tidying of his room is done. It'll need another hour of wall and carpet washing tomorrow though. I hate cats, and teenagers, and spiders.

Awwww you love them really (well maybe not the spiders :rotfl:)

redofromstart · 13 July 2018 at 8:45AM

Thanks all - I couldn't sit down with a nice drink though - had to pick the boy up from school late from a school trip. Classic school sent a text 5 minutes before they were due to say at least 45 minutes late, actually an hour and a half late. Luckily he had a mobile and had let me know anyway. Some poor parents had been sat sweltering in the car for all that time with no contact.

Last day boy free today so I need to make it count. I'm nipping up to the swedish store shortly for another chest of drawers then when I get back I [STRIKE]want[/STRIKE] need to wash walls and carpets in the boys end of the house and change their curtains for the spares.

I'm out for the day tomorrow for a much needed break, Might even sit down for some of it

redofromstart · 13 July 2018 at 8:53AM

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

Awwww you love them really (well maybe not the spiders :rotfl:)

I even quite like the spiders this morning. They catch the moths

That R/kil moth killer spray I got form Wilkos is excellent by the way. As I cleared stuff out of the way I sprayed the empty patches and the odd one appeared as if by magic. It seems to attract and kill. I don't like killing anything but there doesn't seem to be a humane way of getting rid of an infestation otherwise.

redofromstart · 13 July 2018 at 11:06AM

Best laid plans and all of that. I was waiting to head up the m'way when the traffic had cleared, and to get there for opening time. Was just finishing my coffee ready to go when openreach turned up unannounced as they still have a fault showing on the line, even thought the internet was working again. Made him a cup of tea and cleared the middle hall so he could get to the master box, it has a fault (again!) and has had to be replaced. Such a messy, cluttered, pet hair filled space. I'm ashamed that someone has seen it. If they had made an appointment it'd have been cleared, cleaned and scrubbed. As it is I might as well stay in and sort it out before I put all the stuff back. Meh!

redofromstart · 13 July 2018 at 12:48PM

Some years ago I was at home in our tiny terrace, with a baby and a toddler and the meter reading person knocked on the front door. I was mortified. I had to let them in, and they got to see the state of the living room as the front porch opened straight into it. After that I never, ever sat down in that living room without making sure I wouldn't be ashamed if someone had to be let in. Never sat down at the computer if the same half an hour could be used to clear a mess. I signed up to Flylady, and slowly, slowly got the whole house under control before we sold it and moved to a much bigger house.

What changed? Well, I got ill, increased my working days to five a week and the house/garden outstripped my time and energy. It got neglected for years. I can't see the mess any more, and sometimes I think I refuse to see it. I've been chipping away at it for a bit, as regular readers know, but I hadn't done much downstairs. Today I had to let a visitor in at no notice. He had to come in via the front door which lets into a little front hall, and the middle hall, rather than take him through the untidy kitchen and room of doom dining room. I'd shifted OHs stuff, and the dog cage, and quickly hoovered while he got his stuff out of the van but oh the shame. Switching the light on so he could see, and then I focused on the cobwebs and dust and pet hair and stuff everywhere. I'm so cross with myself for letting it get that bad. I hate the idea that he saw the frankly shockingly horrid state of the usually unused middle hall. It'd be so easy to just put everything back in, pretend nothing happened and go on like before. Instead I've abandoned the plans to go out and to do the boys room and I'm dusting, and washing walls and woodwork like a demon. It smells of bleach, not damp and dogs. The wood work is still ancient, yellow and peeling - but its no longer overlayered with years old dust.

I'm so upset with myself, and mortified that someone has seen it. I don't even have the no time excuse after months at home.

Look around you. If someone knocked on the door now and you had to let them in, how would you feel? If the answer is bad then get up and do something about it. Hoover. Empty the bins. Wash the dishes. Wipe the woodwork and the radiators. Don't be like me

I've found a slice of cake from the freezer, and am having that with a cup of tea before I start again.

redofromstart · 13 July 2018 at 4:52PM

Middle Hall :starmod:
Back Hall :starmod:

Looks a lot better, clean but needs decorating. I can live with that.

DrSpendLittle · 13 July 2018 at 5:33PM

Awww Redo, I'm sorry you've experienced all these negative emotions today. My neighbour often says to me the queen isn't coming when I talk about cleaning the house at the weekend. In some cases, she is right - why should we feel the need to put on a show all the time? But in other cases, there is this thing called pride (and shame!) and I too would be mortified if my neighbour came into the house right now, with last nights dishes still in the sink and stuff scattered here, there and everywhere. I find tidying up after a messy DF difficult enough. I can't imagine what it must be like for you with a big house, a family and your ailment. And the various cat and garden-inflicted injuries you've sustained!! Promise us you'll give yourself a little bit of a break. And perhaps more cake. And, props (I think that's what today's youth use as a form of celebration) to you for doing the middle and back hall!!

HairyHandofDartmoor · 13 July 2018 at 8:33PM

Well done for doing all that cleaning Redo :T. Shame can be a great motivator so go with it, whatever it takes. It's not just to impress visitors, it makes YOU feel better if the place is clean and tidy.

Having said that do pace yourself physically and don't try and do too much in any one day. But believe me I have been there, done that and got the tee with regard to unexpected visitors and mess

:eek:.

RosaBernicia · 13 July 2018 at 8:57PM

Oh Redo well done, but please don't beat yourself up about it - or exhaust yourself physically - everybody has housework and everybody knows it can get out of control at times, especially when trying to juggle it with a job and kids and other things. Anybody who really turns their nose up probably isn't someone you want in your house much anyway (this is my theory and I'm sticking to it

). Have you found yourself some rewards for this - both little ones for getting through each bit and something bigger for later?

As it happens mine is passably presentable today if you ignore the jungle you walk through to get to it - going to do some weeding and chopping on the weekend. But that is partly thanks to the Robovac which at least means the 'middles' get done, as I just can't be dealing with wrestling the proper vac out of the cupboard very often. And I've just looked at the state of the bathroom and decided that may have to be the next project as campervan set up fades out. I've been avoiding it as it means learning to fit a new toilet seat and put up a cupboard... _pale_

Rosa xx

<<<out of cheese error>>>

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free