7 days to sort my house out

[madmaisie]

Hi I am new here. I have a week off work and need to sort my house out big time. Its very cluttered. Laundry everywhere. clothes, books, mags, paperwork. There isn't one clean and tidy room. Any ideas on where or how to start. I do feel motivated as I really want to get this sorted once and for all. I just don't know where to start. Help

[MiniEggsJumpedInMyBasket]

Hello! My advice would be to pick one room, and focus on that room alone. Don't make a start on any others until you've got that room sorted.

I would start with decluttering a room; go in there with a bin bag (or more!!) and be ruthless. Once you've binned everything you want to get rid of, then put the clothes away, books in the bookshelf etc, And then once the clutter is gone you can clean the room.

Some may disagree with this but I would leave the sorting out of cupboards and drawers until you've got the rooms tidy; doing cupboards and drawers at this stage would simply add to the mess and make the task even larger. Buy a whicker basket or plastic tub to put paperwork in, then focus on filing it all and sorting it once you've got everywhere tidy.

I've had a massive declutter in the past few days, followed by a big cleaning session, and it's been great. Once you've done the first room it's a huge motivation to sort the rest out!

Good luck!

[madmaisie]

Thanks minieggsjumpedinmybasket. some good advice. I am thinking that I should clean each room as I declutter. at least I would see some progress.

[FourArms]

Be prepared for it to look worse before it gets better. We've been cleaning / decluttering / decorating since Sunday. Looks a tip but I know it's clean underneath now. Hoping today I can get the order back. Good luck!

[FourArms]

Have you got a dishwasher / tumble drier / washing machine? Have them all on the go constantly. We've got loads dry on the line over the past few days. Sort your washing into loads so you can put one in as one comes out. Dishwash everything possible - fridge bits, cooker bits, utensil holders...

[MrsHiddleston]

Be ruthless. Do not give up, once you start a job finish it. Good luck!

[goonyagoodthing]

The best tip I read on here was to set your phone for say 10 minutes when you walk into the room. Spend that ten minutes doing the most that you can.

I find that if I don't do this I wander from room to room thinking I am busy but really getting nothing done.

[wheredidiputit]

Good luck.

As others have said be ruthless. Do not move stuff to other rooms unless to kitchen to be washed.

Yes clean as go, so the room is decluttered and cleaned by the time you have finished.

Take tea/coffee breaks when needed. Also take rubbish to dump/charity shop when car is full.

[madmaisie]

oops didn't get as much done as planned as I had to mind dgs 8 months. managed to get 3 loads of washing washed and dried and put away. and decluttered hall dresser during his nap. At least its a start.

[Charlesroi]

Am not a Flylady fan but did like the idea of the cardboard boxes labelled for each room. So, as you go through a room and find stuff that should be (e.g.) in the bedroom, chuck said item in the bedroom cardboard box.
At the end of the session move the cardboard box to the appropriate room.