I need to get my act together - anyone else?!

[MillieMoodle]

I really need to get my act together - my house is a mess and needs a bloody good clean, I don't look after myself properly so always feel scruffy, I'm overweight since having 2 DC and I permanently feel stressed and like I have no control over anything.

So I am going to take back control. I would like to be an oasis of calm and serenity, preferably 2.5 stone lighter, obviously much slimmer, with decent hair, nails and eyebrows, a lovely clean house and the ability to turn down a chocolate bar once in a while. I also want to be able to wear a bikini on holiday next year without feeling quite so wobbly. It starts today!

Anyone else up for it?

Thanks for inspiring me OP. I've been on a downward spiral since hitting the menopause and hoped that HRT would be my saviour. And it hasn't. So need to crack on and get motivated myself.

Have made myself a chart, to log diet, exercise, reading, cleaning etc so that I can tick things off each day. Will reward myself every week if I tick everything off.

Good luck everyone.

Me too. I so need to get my act together.
I am 2 stone overweight, have let my friendships slip, am unfit, been menopausal and felt like crap for 3 years ( causing all problems listed), I need a job ( am a SAHM) and look a mess.
I need to go on a retreat for 6 weeks drinking carrot juice and doing circuits and yoga, have a makeover and style consultation.
Sorting my life out is bigger than sorting Brexit.

Swiss kit. I tried HRT and it made me feel worse. I then switched the progesterone part to a mirena coil and felt loads better as had no periods and do no crazy peri-menopausal fuelled PMS. I then dropped the oestrogen HRT and now feel loads better.

I’m in. 2.9s to lose and a cluttered house

A productive evening (thanks to there being sod all on tv ). Ticked off 4 things on my list so I'm happy. Just waiting for the washing to finish.

Hello to the new joiners!

Had a productive day yesterday, did all on my to-do list apart from sorting the wardrobe. Off to a theme park today for DS2s birthday so won't get chance to do much round the house but will hopefully get some good steps in and will get to spend some decent time with the family.

@MillieMoodle well done for making progress 😊

I've started calorie counting and walking more. I'm determined to shed some pounds.

I chucked out 3 things and cleaned my bathroom, 2 loads of washing and changed the bed so at least I haven’t been completely lazy!

Sounds productive, Gothamgirl.

I woke up feeling motivated today which was most unexpected . I'd agreed to help a friend with something this morning and was up early to get a couple of jobs done first and have managed to get a few little bits done since I got home too.

I'm stalling on the eBay listing though.

Enjoy your day and ds2's birthday, Millie

Thanks @Mrsmummy90 and @Clutterfreeintraining! We had a lovely day, did a fair bit of walking and the DC loved the rides.

@Gothamgirl1970 chucking things out is where I really come unstuck, I am the worst hoarder, everything seems to have some sort of sentimental attachment, it's ridiculous. I am getting better as the DC get older but I find it so draining trying to get rid of stuff.

Tonight will be spent getting the DC to bed, trying to pretend tomorrow isn't Monday, and watching American horror story on Netflix. I have told DH that I need to have some early nights this week though. Work has been horrendous for the last few months and I think I am burnt out, so need to try and properly look after myself.

@Mrsmummy90 we are going away for October half term and I want to lose half a stone by then, part of my attempt to lose 2.5 stone by next May (as we're going abroad next July). It's hard-going but I have lost about 4 pounds so far and it's making me more motivated now the scales are going in the right direction!

Oops, didn't meant for all that to be in bold!

@MillieMoodle I don’t know why but I can’t make myself sell anything and I have lots of (too small) designer clothes. I just donate!

Well done on your day

@Clutterfreeintraining thanks! I felt a bit less worthless after doing some tasks and tidying!

I sent seven bags to the charity shop last week two of them were rags but still.....

Rubbish day today with the healthy eating but I got lots of stuff done and finally cleaned the bathroom, which had been on my to do list for ages. Tomorrow I'm taking the cat to the vet for her boosters and then running a few errands out and about; at home my to do list currently stands at:

• finish cleaning living room (dust/ polish)
• clean kitchen (aaarrggghhh )
• vacuum bedrooms
• clean hallway
• tidy up garden

Oh and the loft still needs a good tidy but that is firmly on my 'maybe one day' list!

Interesting post about the feng shui aspect of 'getting things done' @Isthisblocked. I think my feelings are primarily that I want a nice living space - but find it hard to accomplish it with small DC around - but also that if I can only get that sorted out, then hopefully everything else will fall into place, and it won't be as hard to keep clean. Or that's the theory, anyway.....!

Checking back in to remind myself what still needs doing!!

• finish cleaning living room (dust/ polish) - DONE
• clean kitchen (aaarrggghhh sad)
• vacuum bedrooms - DONE
• clean hallway - DONE
• tidy up garden

I've also vacuumed the stairs, which I forgot about, but it has reminded me to dust the landing..... this is neverending!

But, the cat is sorted out, the clean washing is on the line drying, I have a list of all our fresh food printed out to refer to - feel much more organised. Once the kitchen is finally done I'll be in a much better place (mentally as well as physically!). I really want to enjoy cooking/ meal planning but can't when the house is a tip and everything else wants my attention.....

New list:

• clean kitchen
• tidy up garden
• dust landing
• clean utility room
• sort out the loft when I can find no other way of putting it off

Perhaps we could tackle our lofts together ruby !
We've been in the house over six years and DH has been unofficially "in charge" of the loft. Firstly he's taller and secondly the gun cabinet is up there so I've usually just passed him stuff and asked him to "chuck it in the loft"
When something occurred to make me go in the loft I was aghast to see he had taken me literally and just hurled stuff through the hatch
I've cleared a gap and have a small pile of our stuff that needs to stay on one side, the rest of his hoarding is still in a heap it's a wonder the ceilings not fallen in

Our loft is fairly full @TreacherousPissFlap as we have a small house and not much storage! All mine and the DC's stuff is in plastic storage boxes, labelled, probably some of it can go once I realise there will be no more babies and no need to hang on to baby clothes HOWEVER DP's stuff is scattered all over the floor and in random binbags. He did get rid of a big bag of videos recently - didn't believe me that no charity shop would want them! - but for some reason his collection of glasses, china and old CDs must stay

Trying to concentrate on cleaning at the moment as my DM isn't well and it's keeping me from fretting about her.....

Current list:

• clean kitchen
• tidy up garden
• clean utility room
• sort out the loft

'Clean kitchen' has been split into a few sections so I can crack through it eventually without feeling too much like I'm procrastinating!

I did a pretty good job yesterday, I think.

• cleaned mould off the grouting in the bathroom
• put away laundry
• made a list of all the household things that need to be done
• rearranged the shelves in the kitchen so I can actually find stuff
• got my bag ready to go swimming after work

Husband did a lot too.

• put up baby gates
• started training the dog
• washed the car
• arranged his office

I still have so much to do, but it's hard. I just want to feel in control!

I have come down with a cold so feeling even more tired that usual. Haven't managed to get a great deal done the last couple of days but have taken some time out to try to relax after work and chill out a bit.

I am very late to the party, but can I join?

Menopausal 50 something with almost empty nest, a need to get back working after 20 years out of the workforce, at least a stone to lose, but probably more if I could motivate myself to stand on the scales.

I suffer from IBS and try to take a probiotic every day. I have a few good weeks, then fall off the wagon and wonder why my digestive issues come back.

Have had 2 interviews and got neither job

I have had bouts of reorganisation in the house and have found the Marie Kondo method very helpful. Have quietly removed several car boots of stuff to charity shops and nobody has noticed. And that was several years ago.

My eating is still not up scratch, but I do line up a pint glass of water by the sink, and try and drink from it while passing, and that’s in addition to my teas and coffees.

Lastly, I read on here a while back that we should all be eating more like 10 portions of fruit and veg a day. So rather than taking stuff out of my diet, I’m trying to add more veg into it. When all my veg becomes too bendy, it gets made into soup. :)

"Lastly, I read on here a while back that we should all be eating more like 10 portions of fruit and veg a day."

I feel like until we all live on a diet of pure spinach, there are some who will never be happy.

The more rules like this I try to follow, the worse my diet gets as it never feels 'good enough'.

So I just try to eat sensibly. I swap white for wholemeal when I can. I try to include some protein and some vegetables in every meal. I limit my sugar intake to one sugary thing a day.

Welcome to @ByeByeMissAmericanPie good luck with the job hunt - that's one to add to my 'to do' list once the house is sorted and the DC are settled at school!

Hope you're feeling better @MillieMoodle?

I'm doing well with finishing the big clean/ tidy up but healthy eating has gone by the wayside for the moment I try not to let it spiral (I've had a bit of toast, so I might as well have some chocolate, and maybe some crisps as well.....) but will be concentrating on it next week.

To do list stands at:

• finish cleaning kitchen
• finish tidying up garden - about half way through
• clean utility room
• sort out the loft
• book flights for next year whilst they're cheap (family wedding in Italy) - gives me something to aim for in terms of weight loss!

DH and DS have been exceptionally diva-ish about holidays and the only compromise was a Nielson holiday - this will cost a shade under £4K for a week

This does however remove any need to lose hours of my life trawling for a holiday that will suit everyone - every cloud and all that

@WatchingTheMoon - I didn’t say I managed to eat 10 portions!!

I’m a loooooong way off that. But I’m probably now closer to my 5 a day as a result.

Rather than stopping stuff, I’m trying to add stuff. Makes me feel less deprived!

@RubySlippers77 thank you. Still feeling rubbish, this cold has gone on all week and I am fed up of it! It's getting worse if anything and DH and both DC have it too.

Was hoping for a quiet weekend but got football this morning and meant to be going out with PIL tonight (although might rearrange as we're all ill). More football tomorrow morning then a quiet afternoon hopefully!

House is relatively tidy but needs a good clean. Weight loss isn't going well, my head is so full of cold I can't really think about what I'm eating at the moment. Or anything really, apart from hoping I'll start to feel better!

Hope everyone is doing better than me