Does anyone follow a weekly timetable? I'm so snowed under with life

[Bemyclementine]

Thinking I need to actually set out times to do stuff - I don't know if other people do this.i have a few health issues and am constantly tired or under the weather and my house is getting worse by the day.

Single parent, 2 x primary (6 and 7)DC. Go to their dad's one day a week, no overnights.

On the 1 day I veer between blitz the house and do something for myself. Might be a long walk,visit someone, lay on sofa watching TV.... I always overestimate how much I can do in the time.

I need to get on top of the clutter but feel like I can only focus on one thing, when I need to focus on eating better, sleep, declutter, housework....

Well, yes, although I don't actually have it written down. I work full time (out 7.15am-5.30ish) and DS has a very time consuming hobby that has us out of the house all weekend on many weekends. In my head I have a schedule of what needs doing when (laundry/ shopping etc) that I have to stick to or the wheels would fall off. I'm sure many people have the same.

My problem is 'occasional' things that don't have a place in the routine.

This is my aim!
I need to do all those things you've listed.
I recently had a huge declutter. Had enough so filled binbags of stuff for the rubbish and for charity.
I did one room a day for a week now things look much better. It's actually quite quick when you get going but if it's overwhelming then break it down to an hour a day or deal with 10 items a day.
I find the more clutter you have, the more downtime and rest you need because things are overwhelming and your environment isn't restful.
Just do your timetable and stick it somewhere you'll keep looking at. Timetable tasks in for your kids too.
Start off with a meal plan and sleep.

I also watched some relaxing vlogs on YouTube of people just calmly doing tasks in their clean and well decorated homes. It's quite inspiring.

No.
I'm too undisciplined, and prefer to do things as the mood strikes.
I'm always busy, but think I work best when motivated by need or enthusiasm rather than self imposed rules.

@2reefsin30knots I did wonder if other just do thus while I just coast along. Although we have a rigid school/work/clubs routine, the rest is very hit and miss

@FuriousFurious the problem with the declutter is I'm very skint, and trying g to sell so me stuff. I've put a 2 week time limit, if it's not sold it's given away or charity shop. But it's not as quick as just blitzing into the bin or charity

I think I'm going to try and get back into doing TOMM, that helps with the housework.

I wouldn't want to waste the one day off when you have the house to yourself with cleaning. I would get that done first and then just enjoy your day in a clean house.

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I would also not bother selling them, just take them to the charity shop unless there is something valuable in there. I know you are skint but if you focus on not buying more stuff your finances and your mental health should improve too and the house will be so much easier to keep on top of.

I am also a single parent but my kids are older and don't need me much, but I clean one room a day on a weekly rota (it only takes 15-20 minutes), I wash clothes/sheets etc on Sundays, I also do my weekly shop on Sundays. I have six rooms to clean so Saturdays I have no chores and it's my day to do as I please with.

It sounds like you have a lot on. So I think the first step is being gentle on yourself. Lower your expectations. I follow a ticktock called domestic blisters and she talks about house work being morally neutral. This was great for me as it made me stop feeling bad if a task wasn't done. I'm not a bad person the hoovering just needs doing.

Also having a place for everything and it being in the place you use it is key for me. Like I take my meds first thing and lats thi hsp they're in my bedside table.

Do you go out to work? I’m in a similar position of just being completely snowed under and lacking the motivation to get going when I actually do have time, and it’s intensely frustrating.

I’ve even been thinking of jacking in my job (which would be a terrible idea!!)

if you’ve followed TOMM and it’s worked, then maybe try and do that again. 💐

I live by myself and everything is chaos but then I do work 6 days a week. You can't do everything.

Me, I've adapted the Organised Mum method and written out a timetable with all the rooms, etc. Eg the days I have something else on I make the tasks lighter ones. And I try to space out the load on the washing machine so Mon first floor bedrooms, Wed second floor bedrooms and Fri bathrooms (so the towels aren't clashing with all the bedding!)

I have one day a week to myself (well 5 hours really). I’ve been using it to do the big stuff. Yes I could clean the kitchen but it’ll only be messy again at tea time. So instead I might de clutter a kitchen cupboard as I think the impact of this might last and not having to search about etc will give me time now. Tomorrow I am going to gut my wardrobe and list on Vinted. Realistically this is a 5 hour job

Gemma Bray also does The Organised Time Technique to help you organise your days. You may find it helpful. There's a book and an app.

I'm not sure if this helps and might be a bit overkill, but someone here recommended a site called Reclaim.ai and I've adapted it a bit as I was having the same problems.

Even if I make a to do list, I can't prioritise because if I do one thing, then I become aware that I'm not doing any of the other things at that moment and get overwhelmed and end up not doing anythign.

Anyway Reclaim.ai can sync to your Google calendar. You then tell it what you want to get done, and roughly how long each task takes. It will then fit the tasks into your calendar, around other events already in there, telling you what to do and when. You can schedule bigger tasks, say 'blitz downstairs' with a total time of say 1.5hrs but only in time slots of 15-45 mins. So then you're making a dent in the task with the time that you have, rather than getting overwhelmed with shit I've got so much to do.

You can put in fun stuff for you into Google calendar as the immovable stuff that reclaim fits the other stuff around. So 2pm go for a long walk, but before that reclaim will say spend x time ticking xyz off your list.

I suspect i have adhd and honestly i use this religiously, for everything. I need to be TOLD what to do, as I can't be trusted to prioritise properly myself

I'm a single mum and I have a few rules that help.

The school shirts wash goes on Friday night and on the line first thing Saturday morning. I fold straight from the line, and into the airing cupboard so they don't need ironing.

Saturday morning I drop ds at swimming early and then do parkrun (my time 🙂) then collect ds from swimming, home for shower & ds's second breakfast. Put the 2nd load of washing on, then do food shop. So by 1pm on Saturday, a fair amount of the chores are done.

Saturday afternoon is family time, cycling or a homework project maybe.

I hoover, and clean bathrooms early on Sunday morning, then stuff I like doing, gardening, walking, washing the car, chatting to friends. I change beds on Sunday evening, alternating weeks. Life admin is done weekday evenings.

But like you, it only takes an evening with a headache or a cold, and I'm behind.

I do work, between 3 and 5 days. I always thought Id be bored if I didn't work, but of course that was before having children 🤣

The DC used to go up at 6.30 bath in bed by 7.30, now it's just later and gives me less time in the evening. By the time they're in bed I'm just done

We def have too much stuff and not enough storage.

Yes I schedule. I schedule in tasks and relaxation. I try to schedule better relaxation activities so I have something good to look back on.

In the past I've sometimes got overwhelmed, then did too little, so now I try to walk the middle path.

I read a book called Enjoy Time by Catherine Blyth which was interesting for me.

I started block scheduling this year and it’s a game changer. It’s lifted the mental load and sense of overwhelm.

I assign blocks of time to specific types of tasks - chores/ errands/admin/diy&creative

I find that I’m not thinking through the 49 things I need to do now, just which of 5-6 tasks in a particular category are most important now.

I’m also more productive because I don’ t have all day.

Obviously it can’t be set in stone but it helps massively.

I found that daily chores got in the way of things like gardening and diy because I felt I had to get that stuff done before doing projects, or fun things. The chores are still unending but now I’m getting to the other things too.

This sounds like what I'm doing at the moment. It's taking time now I've done the easy and really visible stuff, but I'm noticing a difference in our day to day life with less clutter both in ease of cleaning and feeling happier. I try to declutter one drawer/shelf/corner etc a day.
Today I have tackled one drawer of clothes: everything was taken out and tried on, then either folded and returned or put into one of 3 piles of rags, charity, sell (I only do this with items that sell easily for more than £5). I have been pretty disordered in what I've tackled when, as I tend to pick what's bugging me most on any particular day, but as long as I'm decluttering something, I figure that's fine. The 'sell' pile will be tackled in one go once I've been through all the clothes as I'm hoping it might be possible to bundle some items together, although there isn't a great deal in it yet until I get to the hanging rail .
I have also started keeping Monday mornings clear of work, although I'm SE, so appreciate it isn't this easy for everyone as a solution! I use the time to catch up on any household tidying/cleaning that we're behind on, household & DC admin (we are one of those families that seem to have several hours a week of this to do), and any work admin that's overdue such as quotes, invoices, or ordering materials for the week ahead. This time has been invaluable, and helped me to feel much more On Top, especially with the work stuff; they aren't jobs I can do when 'at work' as I'm busy wielding a hammer rather than a laptop 😁

I don't. Work full time and have kids needing lifts jn the evening etc But was thinking of a housework timetable that was about 20 mins a day to keep everything ticking over. Watching with interest...

I do somewhat but need to do more. So I always buy groceries on a Monday evening or do an online order for Tuesday if I'm knackered. I have Fridays off without kids and allocate approx 2 hours to doing jobs with a long term benefit (so not washing up and tidying), 2 hours for socialising or exercising and a couple for paperwork and 'life admin'. I'll fit the rest of the housework in the evenings and weekend.