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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask you how you sorted out your messy house?

56 replies

Queenofcarrotflour · 08/04/2024 11:05

Looking for some guidance here on what feels like a huge task!

Have you ever had to sort out pretty much every room in your house following e.g. a house move, renovation work, long period of illness etc - with little time and small kids?

We made some big changes in our home, restructuring the layout (lots of DIY!). We then had some illness in the family, which means we got behind with housework for a week or two.

The result is that everything is everywhere - and we also have a housework backlog - and limited time each day to sort it all out

How would you approach decluttering, sorting and tidying the following pretty much the entire place?

The rooms are:

Kitchen
Adult bedroom
Kids bedroom
Living room.

Thankfully, the bathroom is fine!

I would love to hear your strategies!

OP posts:
NeedToChangeName · 08/04/2024 11:22

Ruthless decluttering

Visited my sister recently. They had stuff everywhere. It's far easier to clean empty surfaces

CJ0374 · 08/04/2024 11:18

We've recently renovated, have storage boxes in 1 room and work tools in another. The garage isn't finished yet, so somethings can't be moved out of the house as yet.
I'd like tips too! I tackle 1 room at a time and take in 3 boxes/bin bags. 1 for rubbish, 1 for charity shop/freecyle/olio and the 3rd to keep. That being said, we still have things being stored and seem to have endless clothes, in various sizes! When I think I've cleared a suitcase full- I find another!

Merryoldgoat · 08/04/2024 11:17

i had to do my son’s room last week to prep for decorating and got rid of 4 bin liners of tat.

Take bin liner roll, cloth and surface cleaner into one room at a time.

Ruthlessly chuck unwanted stuff (straight into bin liner), clean surfaces as you go and then tidy stuff away.

The a proper hoover and clean.

I also like a basket to pop things in that belong in another room.

kublacant · 08/04/2024 11:10

One room at a time. When my house was at its worst I followed the Flylady mantra of “ you can do anything for 15 minutes” and set a timer. Once or twice a day ( or more depending on how much time you have for this!)

it made it seem manageable and Ingot over feeling as if I needed a to spend whole weekends on it.

Rosesanddaisies1 · 08/04/2024 11:09

Moving about 15 times in 10 years helped us 😚But I'd see if you can fully empty a whole room at a time, preferably get it all outside if you can, and lay it out. Clean the whole room, then go through all the stuff and only put back what you genuinely need.

Whatsnormalhere · 08/04/2024 11:08

Declutter then tidy and then clean! Do one room at a time. Be ruthless when decluttering