How to organise my time once dc back at school to get the house and my life sorted out ?!

[Getorganised]

Over the summer the house has got more cluttered / messier than ever. Dc go back to school tomorrow and I’m trying to plan how I spend each day to actually get it sorted out.

I usually find myself lacking energy and sleeping for 2-3 hours each day and really want to somehow stop that or cut it down (I have my own health issues plus dc have SEN and don’t sleep well).

I think in reality the de cluttering will take the most time - every room is awful and I have so much paperwork. I think that alone will take me up till half term !

I was thinking of doing the following :

1. Have an extra (strong) coffee each morning when back from drop off (rather than go back to bed) OR go back to bed but set an alarm for 1 hour later .

2. Do 2 hours of decluttering and just aim to fill one bag per day (carrier bag or black bag I won’t pressure myself just aim for 1 bag a day)

After half term set about deep cleaning to the same schedule ?

Has anyone tackled a really decluttered house ? I just can’t find things I need and it makes me so stressed . I have ASD and ADHD so organising seems difficult due to ADHD but the ASD part of me needs it to be organised!

Also wondering is it worth getting a cleaner now to keep on top of the other stuff if I’m going to be focusing on decluttering? If anyone has one how many hours a week how do you work it out ? We have a 3 bed with 2 reception rooms 2 bathrooms and conservatory

I would focus on your decluttering technique. If your house is very cluttered as you say, then 2 hours work/energy should result in more than one bag of rubbish. Otherwise you'll burn out far sooner than the house is sorted.

I would always add in half hour of cleaning and maintaining the areas you have completed. Otherwise by the time you have finished, the first rooms will be awful again.

I’m quite slow at things so just thought one bag is achievable otherwise I think I’ll feel demoralised? I have ME as well so I need to pace anything I do which is why I was wondering if I need a cleaner at the same time but not sure

Even more reason to be more productive. I don't mean work faster or harder. But be more decisive and brutal with what you decide to keep. Watch some Stacey Solomon's Sort your life out shows.

I'd do the tidy first, and schedule in a possible nap later, by the time it comes round you might or might not need it.

Usually I start by putting on a load of washing. My cycle takes 1 hour which I use as a timer and try to tidy until it's done, then hang out the cloths is the last thing I do. Sometimes I get more or less done then I'd planned, but I stop either way. Knowing its a limited amount of time helps me actually start, so at least something gets done.

I have struggled like you OP & what I would do is, do the drop off then come back & have a breakfast/hot drink then start in one room, in a corner & have an exit strategy too for the items. So I had a bag for rubbish, bag for charity shop & a basket for things from
other rooms & I dropped the charity shop items off every day.

it may be worth starting in the bedrooms first so you have storage for the things that need to come from downstairs.

Take it a day at a time & I used to save the nap for the afternoon around 1:30 so it was short & then I went to pick children up.

Op, I did this. I got a cleaner and started to get rid of a bag a day of stuff and eventually got rid of over a thousand bags. That includes old furniture and computers my exh was hoarding so the house wasn’t as bad as that sounds!

I’ve almost finished now. There are loads of experts on making habits and decluttering so I listen to podcasts while I do a bit each day.

I started by getting rid of big items that made an immediate impact - in my case it was a jumperoo and big toddler toys and I cleared surfaces so that I felt the difference immediately.

i think it helps to do it gradually as you start to develop habits. Be prepared for ‘tidy up Tetris’ where you tidy something into a drawer but end up moving the contents of that drawer somewhere else. It can feel like slow progress but you’re learning what you own and thinking about how you’ll eventually organise things

The housekeeping section has lots of accountability threads, I’m on one, so join us if you would like.

1. strong coffee and get cracking
2. pop on the radio to keep you company
3. choose one room at a time and an area in that room and make your way around
4. I’d aim for 2 hours rather than filling bags.
5. then if tired have your nap
6. absolutely get a cleaner for a couple of hours a week a) it’ll help you ‘tidy for the cleaner‘ before they arrive as they can clean clutter, b) help you keep the tidied areas clean. GOOD LUCK!

That should say the cleaner can’t clean clutter!

The book 'how to keep house while drowning' is really helpful!

I like listening to audio books while I clean/tidy. I get much more done as I listen to the end of the chapter and actually clean for longer! I tend to put wireless headphones on so I can move around the house easily.

I would choose strong coffee over an extra hour of sleep personally, I find going back to bed makes me groggy and unmotivated, although once in a while I'll go back to bed till around midday to catch up a bit on sleep.

I'm seconding a PPs suggestion of "how to keep house while drowning" and would like to add Dana K Whites blog and podcast "A slob comes clean". I listen to the podcast while I do chores. She also has books out which are good but the blog/ podcast are a good place to start.

I'd also suggest giving yourself a rest day once a week when the kids are in school, just to do whatever makes you relax- netflix, craft, read, walk round the shops, whatever. So you don't burn out on the house stuff.

There are different ways you can tackle the decluttering depending on what would work for you.
If your house is really cluttered, maybe just the first day, walk around the whole house and you'll probably be able to fill one carrier easily and maybe more from just what you can see.
Whilst going round, maybe decide which rooms are a priority and start to make a list.

Personally I would break it down into specific areas so that it doesn't feel too overwhelming eg bedside table, individual shelves or drawers. These you may be able to do in 20-30 minutes each and tick them off.

There are no rules with this - if you do say a bedroom area, when you make your coffee, do just one drawer in the kitchen. It really doesn't need to be done in order.

Don't take all of your clothes out of the wardrobes at once! This creates a big mess and totally overwhelming - just look through the rails and shelves and remove stuff.

When you first start to declutter, there's plenty of low hanging fruit - stuff that you can get rid of easily. That creates a bit more space and easier to see what is left. Then the next time you look at that space, you'll notice that there are a few other bits that can go and so on.

I have recently decluttered wardrobe of work clothes for example. The first day I got rid of 2 jackets. A week later, I had another look and another 2 went.

Do not try to do it perfectly the first time as it's hard and demoralising. I have found that if you get rid of some stuff the space makes it easier to see other stuff that can go.

Also you need to decide where you are going to put stuff for a charity shop run. It depends on the size/layout of your house. If you can walk to a charity shop easily like I can, maybe make that part of your new routine as the exercise is good. But don't make it a misery by trying to carry too much.
Or stick stuff straight into your boot in bags if u need to use a car.

Remember that the perfect is the enemy of the good - don't aim for perfection the first time round.

Good luck.

Have you got a friend who you can be accountable to? If you know someone who also needs to declutter it's even better. I did this last year with a friend; we sent each other a voice note at the end of each day to confirm what we had managed that day and set the next day's target. We were both working as well, so some days our target was very low (such as just 1 kitchen drawer) but it kept us on track and we made a good amount of progress over time.

If you can afford a cleaner, I would definitely do that. It frees up your time to allow for more decluttering, keeps the areas you've already completed in a good condition (making it more likely to stay free of crap), and forces a minimum level of tidiness as they can't clean if you have tidied a bit first.

I find I mustn't sit down/take a break until I've done whatever task I've set, even if it is to 'quickly' do an admin job I've suddenly remembered. It is incredibly hard to get up and restarted. As a result, I find my most productive periods of an 'at home' day are straight after the school runs ie starting at 9am and 4pm.

I'd start after the school run.

Start in the room you spend the most time, Living room? Go clockwise around the room.

Bin/ donate or move to proper place everything.

15mins working your socks off, 5 mins rest.

Good tunes, strong coffee and off you go on a house disco.

After an hour have a break of 20mins and get back to it. I'd have a nap after lunch, before school pickup. Easier to rest fully when you've achieved something.

Continue that room every morning until finished and move on to next room.

Some will be worse than others and take weeks but you will have cleared so much. It's quite addictive after a while.

I would actually take a different approach and factor in a nap each day. Otherwise, you risk running yourself down and then you'll be back at square one, or possibly further back than that! You have ME and a child with SEN so be kind to yourself and accept that, whilst it might not be what you want to be doing with your day, it is what you need to be doing.
This week, I would go around each room and list what needs dojng. I did this yesterday and really broke it down to manageable chunks so that I get the dopamine hit of achieving something. So, rather than "sort out kitchen cupboards" I have "sort out Tupperware", "sort out baking tins", "sort out baking ingredients", "sort out utility cupboard" etc.
Think about what you need to cheat too. Normally, I don't like using those Dettol wipe type things due to the environmental impact but I also know that having one of those to immediately hand rather than, once I've emptied a cupboard, having to go to the sink and get a cloth, possibly fill a bowl of water and carry it over etc is just too many additional tasks and decisions and opportunities for distraction which could mean that the contents of the cupboard ends up spread across the floor for a week than neatly back in the cupboard.
I'd also say don't focus on one room but decide on the top task in each room. That way, I think you'll see more progress over a week or so than if you end up with one half done room and the rest in chaos.

I find if I sit down after drop off that's it I'm done for. I'll be sat there all day.
Get the coffee going and pick a corner, cupboard, shelf etc.
Have a nap an hour or so before you need to get ready for pick up, this means you'll be motivated to get up post nap and you'll have had a productive morning. You may also find you have a bit more energy through the afternoon too if it helps with your health conditions.

The next day you can do less tidying and a longer nap if you feel you need it, or more depending how you feel.

If you can afford a cleaner, always get a cleaner. They are incredible and means you can focus on clutter and they can focus on clean.

I would set an alarm for however long you feel comfortable with- 1 or 2 hours, pop in an audiobook, podcast or some music, choose one room at a time, get some bin bags and get cracking. When the timer is up, it’s time to have a nap. If you feel re-energised following the nap, perhaps set to work again in the same room if you didn’t complete it.

You have to be totally ruthless when decluttering and get rid of everything that doesn’t serve a purpose.

I love this idea (using washing cycle as a timer). I'll be trying this!

Or would you declutter by category. Say, today find and gather all coats in the house, donate or pass anything too big/too small/not needed, etc. Then another day tackle, say books, the next day board games, etc

And each day get a bin bag and walk through each room and remove general rubbish, recycling anything you can.

Also bring donations to charity shop same day or every few days while decluttering.

I start after drop off. I have a cup of tea and set the timer for 15 minster sit down, then I set it for 30-45 mins before I have a break. I'd nap after lunch. Tidy one area yhen aim to keep it clear everyday as you move on to the next.

Start in the smallest room.

I think choosing one room is key as in the past I’ve tried and failed as I pick a room, then go to get something and start on a drawer then get bored and go and empty the bins and spray the bathroom cleaner on the bath then leave if for a bit and before I know it I’ve started 15 jobs and then don’t finish any !!!!

I would do much shorter bursts. 2 hours will exhaust you. You could just do half a bag of rubbish a day, find a home for something or clear a surface.

Say you have too many mugs and some of them don't have a home, get rid of all the ones you are not using each week and then find a home for the others, then maintain them going back where they belong.

Also don't overwhelm yourself. Start with say a surface that you then keep clear after.

I am in a similar position (Autism related sleep problems in DS, me always tired and sleep deprived, huge amount of clutter). I began my current decluttering project in the Spring and I am seeing and experiencing a difference.

What is helping me

1. realising I have tendencies/habits which can lead to hoarding (a tough thing to admit and fortunately not yet to the point of a 'hoarded house'). This audiobook helped me understand why I was finding hard to deal with stuff and how to do it.

https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Buried-in-Treasures-Audiobook/B09TD3RVHJ

2. MN decluttering threads which told me about

3. Dana K White YouTube, books and audiobooks. No mess decluttering and how to begin getting a cleaning routine off the ground (and she's fun).

When I'm too tired to declutter I listen to the audiobooks and keep my focus going.

If you are like me you will find the preparation step saves time and energy in the long run.

Good luck!

Declutter first, you could raise some cash this way to pay for a deep clean if that would help at all? It will also make you feel much more in control of the situation. Watch the Stacey Solomon show for inspiration!