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Good housekeeping
: Anyone (who finds it hard to get motivated) want to join me for a big clean-up day tomorrow?
(129 messages)
have a whole 6 hr day tomorrow (Thursday 8th) while dd is at school to really go for it ...
stole idea from LoveMyGirls but would you like to join me for a sort of mutual "kick up the bum and get your house sorted " thread? Suggest meet on here at 9am GMT (I'm an hour ahead - so will get a head start ) and then report back in at 45 min or hourly intervals ....
anyone??
thought the participants in these threads might be interested :
I'd love too but at home with 5m ds who won't let me have 5 mins but I will keep popping in to see how you're doing. If he has a sleep I'll join in too.
i will join you in this - my flat desperately needs sorting, am world's worst housewife just keep shoving the mess into store cupboard which am now terrified of!! My problem is that there is so much ironing / sorting / cleaning to do that it would take a team of professional crack cleaners months to get through. Thus I just shove everything in cupboard and give floors a quick going over if anyone is calling over. I live in a 1 bed flat and DP is messy and has LOADS of STUFF that he refuses to declutter; so I have given up. The worst is the (clean!) laundry - hot press is overflowing. Have stoppped ironing except shirts etc but argh am depressing myself thinking about it. Could we post before & after pictures???
Oh fgs!!! I am out working all day tomorrow and then got to go to solicitors......i would have joined you.....honest! Hope the day goes well for you all anyway, will be checking in later so that you can make me jealous by how much you have all got done!
I spent half an hour tidying - not cleaning, just tidying - the kitchen today. You're picturing some cavernous kitchen cum dining room cum living room cum playroom aren't you? Something swish and stylish like off of Property Ladder or Grand Designs or summink?
It is 6' square. Tops.
I can't even begin to tell you of the chaos that is the sitting room, or the municipal tip previously known as 'Boudoir.'
My hoover thinks it's been abandoned. My dusters have got, er, dusty. The Windolene has all evaporated, leaving behind a very shiny bottle. My iron last saw hot action under a Conservative government.
I'm usually to be found on the FLYthreads (not intimidating at all, honestly) but have lapsed a bit of late and need a serious kick. I'll be on the school run at 9, and toddler group 10-12, but the dds are at school til 4.15 today so I've got a bit of extra time this afternoon.
I have a list of jobs to do to keep above dysentry level, so will try and get them done first, then do some real work.
(I include things like feed the dc in my lists so I can achieve easily)
Welcome Jas (a professional Flylady-person - bows respectfully) and anyone else who would like to join this morning ....
OK - here we go - hello to:
Vacantly Pretty Fifisworld TowncalledMalice Wandering Trolley Jas
and benign observers (and possible participants) Pablop & Blossomine
sorry if I've missed anyone
Here's my plan - just adapt to suit your own circs:
I've got my timer at the ready. (If you haven't got one just use an alarm clock or oven timer.)
I've chosen 6 rooms to tackle in 6 hours -spending 45 mins in each - spending the last 15 mins for loo break/coffee break/putting in a load of washing/taking out a load of washing/ ditto dish-washer/ drinking water/making phone calls/quickly checking in to Mumsnet etc
My plan is (in order of worst first): master bedroom 9-10 am sitting room 10-11 am office 11-12 am play room 12-1 am kitchen 1-2 pm bathroom 2-3pm.
Depending on how easily bored and distracted you can change things around/mix things up by just spending - with use of timer - 15 minutes in each room but keep repeating sequence X 3 per 45 mins (if that makes sense!!)
Good luck! Put the answerphone on/don't answer the door/dress in cool clothes/drink loads of water ... adopt seige mentality ...
Don't get despondent- visualise your house tonight when it's all finished - and visualise being able to do less tomorrow because we are getting on top of things today!!
You can do it!! Go for it troops!!! (said with maniacal fervour ...)
Good luck everyone and remember to report back in every hour (and don't worry, I'll be one hour ahead)!!
Hello to everyone on list below and everyone who would like to join for a big motivational "clean-up" and chuck out day today!!
Anyone there???
My first 45 mins went very quickly indeed ...
Confess I started in bathroom (easiest) as couldn't face squalor of bedroom this early in the morning. Starting that in 5 mins or so ...loud groans ... wish me luck ....
I intend to go about this chaotically, getting side tracked by a pile of admin and a trip to the shops.
So far today I have:
bleached the kitchen and bathroom bins dimantled the shower head for de-limescaling made a pot of coffee put away a vast pile of washing up put on a load of washing (second load about to go in) dragged some summer clothes out drunk first cup of coffee
In admin I have:
turned down a job offer I can't do because of having to spend all day cleaning the fecking flat
What I have saved on cleaning products I have lost in work! Alas!
I'm just checking i on my way to toddler group, then I can neglect ds al afternoon while I clean.
I will start with the kitchen as soonn as I get back, and no I'm going to make my bed (we are currently sleeping on sofa bed in sitting room so this is an essential) and clear breakfast stuff.
Good luck everyoe, and I'll be back at lunch time.
"At ease" Wandering Trolley ... not literally of course.... although sounds as if you have done brilliantly already ... sorry about job offer but you will be able to accept next one in knowledge that you can tackle it without distraction of clutter around you ...
I'm also desperately trying to keep myself on track .... so easily distracted it's untrue
Sounds like a good (if v. energetic) plan Fifisworld ...are you really going to clean oven as well today? I'm slightly at sound of this ... daren't tell you how long ago I did mine ..
.good luck and to you Jas and everyone else
I'm behind schedule already. Bathroom is done. Bedroom is taking me much longer than planned. Good news = found my long lost favourite fountain pen. Bad news = found part of a moulding banana under bed. Ewwwwwhhh ....
and welcome to any newcomers who want to join in at last minute ...
thanks for support everyone, onward and upward ...
Hang up washing that's in machine now & put new load on Make bed & change bedclothes Tidy DS clothes away and put aside anything too small Ditto my clothes & DP Hoover bedroom
Had embarked on a well overdue clearout this morning before noticing this thread.
So far I have - Sorted out one large bag of clothes for charity shop and two bags of old toys for school fair - cleared all the empty and almost empty shampoo/bubblebath bottles cluttering up the bathroom - gathered up a massive pile of laundry after a few days away at bank holiday, haven't started washing any of it though
My plan is to - Start into EU laundry mountain - continue to sort out dc's old clothes for charity shop - declutter kitchen and wash floor - do water change for goldfish tank - clean bathrooms - vacuum and dust
Will just have a cup of tea first to set me up for the challenge...
am late, but started at 9.30 and living room is now cleaner than its been in months. smells better as well.
am about to tackle dd2+3 bedroom. am going to clear loads of toys, put clothes away, and hoover/mop the floor. plus make the beds. if i get time i will dust in there as well. am doing that in 5mins, just having a cup of tea and a snack, as am starving after the living room clear up.
next load of washing in put clean laundry away - currently in piles in several rooms tidy the bathroom fix shoe rack rip tons of packaging into managable pieces for recycling
......as soon as I've had my next cup of coffee and checked out This Morning
just gone through fourth hour here (one hour ahead of most of you I think) and crikey it went fast .....blink and you've missed it.
I'm massively behind schedule (but have just stopped for a cup of tea and a quick mnsnet) ...
sorry - x posts before VP - sensible to not be too ambitious - have massively under-estimated the time I needed to do everything - well done you!
Towncalled Malice - sweet Jesus indeed - I'm drowning here too - but starting is main thing ... well, and trying to plod on ....
Good work Fifisworld!
Welcome Misdee and Toadette!! LOL at Eu laundry mountain!! You are very welcome. All support gratefully received and returned in spades ...
OK you lot. Well done for all the achievements so far but break's over. Put down the remote control (stares fiercely at Wandering Trolley) and the snacks and the tea cups ... here we go again ....(smacks own hand) ....
~Emptied shower before plumber comes to fix it ~completely emptied two drawers in the kitchen, majority of it went in the bin so I was keeping crap. ~ wash load done ~ tidied hallway and landing (place that gathers most crap in our house.
hmm not got very far have I My mission today is the kitchen, the drawers and cupboards are overflowing with junk. Already done the 2 drawers, cutlery drawer isnt too bad so I must get on xxx
I'm at that stage where the house actually looks worse than before I started...
Stepping over binbags full of clutter at the moment.
So far I have - one load of clean laundry folded and put away - one load in washing machine, just twenty to go.. - one load in tumble dryer (next few loads to hang outside) - more old clothes sorted - kitchen semi-decluttered at present, dishwasher loaded and worktops and kitchen table washed down, floor still desperate to be mopped
Still to do - yet more laundry - clean bathrooms - clean table that PC sits on and get rid of clutter - vacuum and dust downstairs - clean upstairs bathroom and downstairs loo
Not too late at all JuleBooz - welcome!! You've done lots - don't worry ...
Oh yes - same problem here Toadette - and only two hours to go before I have to pick up dd ... somehow I think she will be helping me finish this lot later on ...
Someone please give me a proverbial kick up the rear .....
Ouch! That was strong enough to stop me lurking on the style & beauty threads ... and then getting side-tracked by recommended on-line clothes shops ...
Ta. v. muchly Toadette (marches off purposefully rubbing backside)
treating myself to a dinner out... Be back soon kitchen cupboards are done and need to take bin bangs to tip and get DS out for some air before he drive sme potty!
lol Melly J - that hammock sounds good right now ...
maybe we should make this a regular Thursday fixture then?
Anyone up for that?
I could be going away on holiday for a week next Thursday (not sure yet) but maybe we could take it in turns in running/iniating the thread?
In the meantime ...
bathroom done 2 loads laundry done 1st load hanging in sunshine bedroom a heck of a lot better than it was but still more to do sitting room - tidied but not clean upstairs beds stripped haven't touched office yet - aarrgggh
Kitchen looks like a kitchen again, but I'm not going to get anything done upstairs I don't think.
I'm going to tidy and hoover the sitting roomand dining room next, so at least downstairs is ok, then I'll do the bathroom, and make a serious effort to get the bedroomss done tomorrow.
Back from dinner, just waiting for DS to settle then Im going to
~ polish and dust ~ hoover sitting room and hall way, ~ dishes (i want a dishwasher!) ~ put clothes away ~ make ds's bed ~ hang wet washing up to dry ~ put another wash on ~ put bins out ~ empty hoover
Think that will keep me busy till i need to leave to get DS at 3pm. Plimber has been, we need an electrician so need to ring BG about getting one out
Got my much waited for mri appt through just now too it scared
house is messier than when started due to pulling loads of forgotten clothes out of cupboards. I have made big pot of spag bol and cleaned a bit but lots more to do. Think I will bring some of ungiveable-away stuff to clothes recycling bin. Decided that it is impossible to spring clean with 2 yr old in situ and will continue my quest when he's at nursery/ asleep.
ok, have done dd1 room, including washing her windows, no idea why they get dirtier than the rest but there you go.
dh has reloaded the dishwasher but decided that bringing in laundry and hanging a load out was too much like hard work, so i am going to do that now.
then once the kids are in bed tonight, will do a quick clear up of their devestation, clean kicthen and our room.
then that means i can relax tomorrow.
and maybe go and get dh to buy me some maternity clothes as most of my stuff is too tight (i would get them myself but am waiting for a new bank card to arrive after i lost it over bank holiday)
Missed everything again - will def join in next week if you do it again. Well done all of you, you can all have a chilled evening now!
Meanwhile, I have a cunning plan! Kids have 3 friends coming round for tea so will pretend to dh that house was immaculate and the 5 kids demolished it before he got home
V pleased with myself, now, where's my hammock?????!!
Yeah i'll be back next week, i like to have everything properly done on a thursday coz i go out friday during the day and hate spending the weekend cleaning when dp is off work!!
Might have to do another massive cleaning day tomorrow as we have friends coming over at the weekend. But house will be a tip again by next week so I'll see you all next Thursday (unless anyone wants to join me tomorrow???)
Don't know if I'll be talking to myself on here this morning but I'm going to post my list anyway just to keep myself motivated. Jas and Counting, will hopefully see you on here this afternoon if I haven't collapsed from housework fatigue by then!
Ok so today's list is...
- have cup of coffee to set me up for the day ahead - continue sorting the laundry situation - tidy dc's bedrooms and make beds - change bedding in spare room - clean main bathroom including shower tray and screen - clean downstairs loo, basin and mop floor - living room, tidy up migrating piles of toys that find their way into corners and under sofas - dust and vacuum living room, clean window - declutter dining room and clean wooden floor, clean window - hallway and stairs, vacuum and dust, clean windows - load dishwasher, wash down worktops, cooker and kitchen table, mop floor, clean patio doors - keep ds2 entertained and fed while I clean, cbeebies alert
Right..off to have some coffee and will report back on progress with list
Hi I'm on a massive cleaning frenzy this week so do you mind if i pop in belatedly? Yesterday was downstairs and today is upstairs:
coffee - essential!! - clean loo and loo room - chisel clean bathroom. - stuff dds stuff into cupboards so she can sort out later. - dust her room - wade through our room and sort out clothes - stuff things into our cupboards - dust - change bedding (eep ought to put it on to wash) - put everything in spare room into neat piles - hoover upstairs - wash carpets - clean fish tank. - water garden
blimey. will report back too. Tis nice to have the support. Good luck with your list!!
oh dear. got a bit distracted. (I always get distracted!)
cleaned toilet and loo room thoroughly.
Then started on bathroom. Tried to wipe mould off ceiling - wouldnt come off of course. So 15 minutes later I find myself perched on bath painting the ceiling . Think I've got all the splashes off the walls now.... just hoping mould stays hidden else i'll be very cross!
Anyway, bathroom is cleaned now too. Am having an early lunch to try and recuperate then onwards. How is everyone else doing?
I'm back from todler group and you can't tell I did anything down here. yesterday.
I decided to wear a dress today so ironed it this morning, and that combined with losing my front door key meant that I've just come back to see that the housework faries haven't sorted out the whole bowl of porridge that ds pourd on the floor this morning
So, I need to
~Clean carpet (see above) ~ Hoover ~Wash up ~Tidy kitchen ~Make tonights tea ~Sort out the dds rooms....I like the sound of the stuffing it all in a cupboard technique, but the cupboards are alreay stuffed!
Hi jas, hope you got to the porridge before it hit the cement stage <having nightmare flashback to chiseling off readybrek and weetabix from highchairs>
Ohyoubadbadkitten, pmsl can't believe you end up painting and decorating this morning, where was that on your list
I've just got past the 'worse than I started' cleaning stage so I have a sense of achievement this morning. Wouldn't like anyone to open our cloakroom door though, ahem.
Downstairs is now resembling a house again, and the real work starts. I'm going to do dd1s room (box room, very few toys) before tackiling the pit that belongs to dd2 and ds.
Well done, jas. I'm going to do dd's room with her later, so much messier than her 2 brothers. From this morning's list, remaining items are : - clean windows and patio doors - vacuum downstairs - shower doors and tray in main bathroom - unload and reload dishwasher - mop kitchen floor
Better go and make lunch for ds2 (and get him dressed)! Will try to check in this afternoon with a finished list.
Well done Toadette and Jas - especially in this weather
Am doing really well.
Mould is staying hidden - yay!!!
Not going to be able to move later though!!
Have got all bedding out on line drying.
Upstairs is dusted, carpets vacuumed and washed.
Cupboard doors are miraculously staying shut despite volume of stuff behind them. (waiting for the sounds of avalanches!)
Did a quick swill out of fridge so could cram riverford delivery in. Bizarrely, thanks to dhs shopping and me not paying attention to what was in box have ended up with 3 bunches of spring onions and two lots of celery. I see celery and onion soup being on the cards (bleugh!)
Cleaned cat litter tray.
Will do aquarium later as its nearly school pick up time and we are walking to town for dd to research her project. (groan - maybe will take her on monday instead)
Going to have to go in a minute and scrub paint of self and get into some clothes a little less grungy.
Well done on all that work., Toadette and BadBadKitten . I haven't done quite as well, but dd1s room is done, and the other bedroom is started, but I'm losing motvaton, so stopped for a cuppa and will get dd2 to help when she gets in after school.
My fish tank is a disgrace (putting it in the sunniset window in the house was a bad idea.) but it will have to wait til tonight/tomorrow now I think.
(I used neat bleach on mouldy bathroom walls one, before painting over. It lasted about 6 months before it came back)
Crikey, look at all your lists ! You've really ploughed through today. V. impressive stuff!
Just got back from work - dd is with a play-date until 5.30pm (have to leave here at 5.10pm to pick her up) and so I now have an hour and a bit to try and (literally) clear a path on the office floor ....
Got more done last night (without intending to) as dd came home with "visitors" in her hair. Third time this year fgs so did a massive bed change, towel wash, brush and comb wash, hat and coat wash too which ended at 10.30 pm .. Here's hoping all the other parents in her class do the same grrrrr!
Spurred on by this thread, I got up at 5.30 am this am with dh (he was going on the Eurostar to London) and did a load of de-cluttering in the sitting room and washed the sofa covers ... so going to hang 'em out in the sunshine now ...
So am on a roll ...thanks to everyone here ... it's so much easier once you've started isn't it?? One thing sort of leads to another ....
Well done everyone! I'm impressed by all the painting and decorating, draw sorting, mopping, weetabix-hacking and window-washing going on ....
Counting - grr at your 'visitors' creating extra work. 5:30 am though - crikey that is a bit keen! /pours soup into cd drive....
Jas - wish I'd thought of the bleach bit! mind you knowing me it would have ended up everywhere and been a diasaster. One bit does need a touch up but dh isnt busy tomorrow when i am so he now has an assignment! we are getting some new fish tomorrow after a disastrous die off so they do need a clean tank. Good luck with rest of motivation.
OK, it's Sunday and I have some child-free hours. So I am going to use them to have a sort out. I'll probably be on my own here as you lot, very sensibly, will be enjoying the sunshine. I'm going to throw open the windows, put on some nice music and ...invite anyone to join me in a Sunday clean-up!!
1) clear up kitchen and hang laundry 2) tidy living room and clean out goldfish 3) take sheets off beds and do a new load of washing
Melly - FLY is an American website for people who find it hard to get motivated to keep on top of the housework On mn, we have a daily thread where we can post and keep each other company when we are cleaning, but it is also a friendly chat thread.We link to the FLYwebsite at the beginning of each day.
Some actually follow Flyladys plans, others just do the same kind of thing we did on this thread. Here is today's thread - you can always just pop on when you have a day of housework lined up, and there will be someone ther to keep you motivated
Had one of those mornings ... dd was up 5 times in night and woke up at 5.45 this am...not ill ... but crying ... partly about friends at school ... partly about a dream about a jelly-fish in a lift (!)... partly about one of her teachers .... trying to work it all out .... I've kept her at home with me because I thought she might be going down with something... now she's crying because she's not in school and because she's wearing the wrong socks (!)..... oh and it's my birthday (said quietly) and dh is away travelling ...
Moan over... now on to the important stuff:
going to try and tackle my office today (as much as dd's presence will allow anyway)
and get through some of the laundry mountain and ironing
Wish me luck as I don't really fancy doing either!!
Someone please send me a strong coffee and a piece of coffee and walnut cake ...
... 
