Feeling overwhelmed with boxes and mess...

[CarpeJugulum]

We moved into this house in July but due to a leak we had to move out in September. We've been living with family, but dumping things in this house to stop their house becoming overwhelmed with our stuff. Except we didn't have any water/heating so couldn't stay for long, it was literally drop stuff and leave. And so I didn't bother sorting this stuff out or putting it away.

So now, we have moved back in, and I have stuff to unpack from being away as well as boxes that we still haven't unpacked. And we still have decorators in, so I can't access areas while they are working. And I still have all the usual stuff to do - washing, ironing, cleaning etc.

I just feel so overwhelmed and I don't know where to start. I have a whole house of mess; there isn't a room that doesn't have "stuff" all over it.

I'm sitting on the couch and looking at the mess and just can't be bothered. I want to do stuff, but I have no idea where to start, or how to start.

Help?!

[BasinHaircut]

Sounds like house! We moved in April and have been continuously doing building/decorating ever since. We still have a few unpacked boxes but it's more the disorganised chaos of it all rather than that, that pisses me off.

We now have one 'finished' room. Still doesnt have a door and needs final touches. It is also currently doubling up as play room when it's purpose is, in the long term, to be toy-free BUT it's finished and otherwise clutter free.

I would say aim for one room that is pleasant to be in. Even though it's only in the evening, when DS is in bed and toys have been packed away, it's my sanctuary at the moment.

[BasinHaircut]

*our house

[Pootles2010]

Honestly - you've said you can't access the whole house, so just wait till decorators have gone. Just fire-fight so doing washing ironing etc, leave the rest. And i'd only do basic cleaning too, until dust etc settles.

[CarpeJugulum]

I think I'm just panicking and hating the mess. I am literally standing in one place and revolving trying to work out what to do.

Think I'm also coming down with a stinking cold (I usually get one when I've been stressed and the stress stops) so definitely not a happy camper. And the scaffolding guys have arrived to take scaffolding down so lots of disturbing banging about.

Gaaaaaah!!!

[BasinHaircut]

At least scaffolding down is something off of the mental tick list! Think positive!

Seriously, you need a room. We ended up paying someone to come and finish off one room when it could have been a DIY job, just to save my sanity. Totally worth it.

Even my bedroom is depressing. We have no bed, we are on a mattress on the floor so even if I make the 'bed' it looks awful. The blind on one half of the window is broken so can't be lifted, we need to plaster where the electrics have been chased out, the built in wardrobes/dresser are both broken and far too big for the room, and it is the most vile blue you can imagine which also makes it feel really cold.

But I can sit in my finished room until I want to go to sleep and it's stopped me from going loopy.

[CarpeJugulum]

Yes. The soffits are done and the scaffolding is down so that is a big tick before winter. It also means we can start putting things into the loft (if it's boarded!) which will clear away some stuff as well.

I think tomorrow I will attempt to clear the living room and move DS's toys from the conservatory linking from it so that I can see out into the garden without screaming! At the moment it's just full of junk and not useable at all. It may make another room cluttered for a bit (DS needs to go through and sort out baby stuff to be given away, but he's 5 and thus not keen!) but it will give me a couple of nice rooms to sit in and be calm in.

Similarly I'm going to move the washing airer from the conservatory into the spare room - it's too cold in there to dry properly so it hangs for ages and that doesn't help either!

If I can do that, then things will look better and I can start dealing with the clutter one box at a time.