House cleaning

[Housechallenge]

I have decided to give my self a challenge. That during the school holidays. I have to make my house spotless. That includes every drawer/shelf and cupboard.. things like labeling charges. Finishing of bits that I keep meaning to. Everything in easy reach everything in its true home and not just Dumped in random places.

I want to know where stuff is rather that know its somewhere.

I want to make it so that if I was showing someone round i would feel good doing it.

I have already started in the kitchen I started that at 2.15 . Im not going to rush everything though . Im going to do it in a relaxed manor and keep it positive

I'm impressed by you all.

I loathe cleaning. If I had any disposable income at all I'd spend it on a cleaner, or I'd swap catering for cleaning and cooking for someone if they would clean for me.

I keep getting to the 'burn it to the ground' mentality, doing a quick blitz so it's almost tolerable and then hating it again.

When I organised my kitchen, I put the cupboard foodstuffs into small plastic baskets. So for example, all types of pasta are in one basket so if I'm making pasta I just pull out the basket and select the one I want, rather than rummaging around. It looks much neater and makes it easier to keep the cupboards clean as you just need to take out the baskets to give the shelves a wipe.

I then did that with the fridge also with some clear plastic containers. Again makes it much easier to keep clean and to find what you're looking for.

I love organising. I'm having a bit of a declutter too as I want to free up some space. I have a big unit in the living room with cupboards and drawers that I'm working on this weekend.

I woke up at 10.30am ffs that's the latest I have slept in for years.

Yesterday was a wasted day. I did basically nothing. But I had to get the kids out.

I don't know why but when I have tidy up days I feel like i need to be home for the full day and night I can't go out for a couple of hours . Then come back and start house stuff. It completely throws my mind set .

Dd wanted me to baby sit today. But i said no because I need to get stuff done.

Anyway hoping to sort under my stairs today.

I’m the same all or nothing. That’s a good lie in and you needed it. I’m off work and my plan is to declutter currently on sofa under blanket.

I have put my paster in see through containers. I have some spices and sauce mixes in plastic baskets. I only have a couple though just on the heigh corner cupboard i cant reach it very well so I can just pull the baskets out. Oh and I have an open front type bssket in the bottom cupboard for kids snacks /sweets.

I tried baskets for the full cupboards a while back but it didn't work for me i couldn't see what I had and it wss to much faffing for me and the kids

Oh I have a big unit like that to. But im going to do my living room last

My main aims today is shelving unit in kitchen . And clean fridge . And do under the stairs. Probably do under the stairs first to free up space.

OP I don't know if something like this would work for the cooker gaps? Never tried them myself, there are different sizes, materials etc amzn.eu/d/1blDUz7

Yeah im just sitting on my fat butt thinking about what I need to do. Im just waiting for some energy to kick in.

They look fantastic. .you cooker is not level with the worktop though 😭. Do cookers have adjustable feet? If so I could ask ds to help me.

I have been a bit of a dick thoigh . I bought dark glass chopping boards thst can go on top of the cooker. But my work top is a light colour doesnt even match ffs .

Right need to actually get off my fat butt. I have been scrolling TT and MN and messaging the kids ffs.

Gonna put a bit of music on. And get started 👍

Yes indeed. We have done about 2/3 of the kitchen today. She got excited going to b and m but has had enough now 😄. I always have fantasies about doing it all in one day but I think it will be a bit at a time. We are away for a couple of days tomorrow then will have a couple of days out but I think we should have plenty of time to get it all done

Yes definitely its good to take time out from it. Or end up wity burn out. Done that many times. Enjoy some fun days . Its like real life sims 😅

I don't know if should keep the kids school reports or not

And do I keep social services conference papers for GS it was in 2021

You can always take a photo of each and put them in a folder on your phone.

It will get lost within my phone shit. I decided to have a box of keep stuff. Only allowed 1 box though should be plenty.

I am very untidy and have a few kids so always rushing around, I have learnt different ways to help myself over the years. The first was not to tell myself that when I am less busy my house will be tidy!
The things I do to help myself are little but realistic, I store plastic food containers with the lid on, yes you can't fit as much in but accepting that when I empty the dishwasher i am never going to lift out the smaller ones to set them back in the bigger ones, I would organise them nested smallest to biggest when they got iut of control but it was unrealistic to keep them like that. This way you always have the lid.
I would go from room to room deep cleaning and decluttering endlessly only to find the first room was wrecked by the time I had got round. Now I do a room and before I start another I go back to the room I have done the day before and make it perfect again before starting the next even though it feels crazy walking past the stair piles and endless shoes to tidy a room that is 'done'. It may just be putting a couple of things away or straightening cushions or a quick dust round but this way I have learned to recognise the little things instead of seeing it as tidy until it wasn't! Eventually you get round all the rooms and build a good habit of keeping it tidy and just have to clean! I don't fold tea towels, they just get chucked jn the drawer but bath towels that are stacked in the airing cupboard get folded with the rolled edge forward so the kids can clearly get one, not 2 by mistake and then chuck the other back in.
After my evening shower I wipe round with the hand towel while it's steamed up and chuck it in the wash.
I buy cheap white bath towels so I can run a hot white wash every few days. Keeps the washing machine clean and whites always washed.
Realistic expectations and goals

Sorry for the ramble - I am so impressed that you can do this, & good luck - our house is very clean all over, but full of 'stuff', so can look like a jumble sale sometimes, mostly clothes.
I have a kind of mindset that once something is gone you cannot get it back - (not food, or 'general knick-knacks- if that's how you spell it...).
I think it resulted from coming home as a child to find that our dad had given away most of our childhood books and toys, original vinyl records (all could be worth a fortune now, lol) & even our beloved rocking horse - so I find it hard to let things go.
I made a promise to myself that I will get rid of at least one full black bin bag of unused 'stuff' per week this year, especially old clothes / paper work - I even still have my old school books, baby clothes etc. - no use to anyone except myself for the brief memories when / if I look at them. So far this summer, I have got rid of just a few full bags - better than nothing I suppose. Hopefully I will get there in the end - I would love to have a clear house, space, and kind of be able to have that lovely feeling in the house when it is clear & free from (what other people would call) junk. (Did think of renting a storage room, but that would just mean expense for just moving stuff around that is never even looked at). I think the idea of taking photos of things is good, but still find it hard - not the cleaning, as the house itself is clean, but the never being able to get things back once they are gone.
Just for the record, I have given my kids full permission to just chuck out anything they don't want once we are 'gone'......(but I don't want to leave that choice to them). I think I need help......🤔😂
You have inspired me to do more, so thank you XX 🌹(PS I even have my OWN school reports, lol).

Im.selling my house, so need to.be extremely ruthless. Not found anywhere to.buy yet so as im.staying with a friend I'm getting rid of most stuff- feels good. Good luck all.

Ah its sad that your dad done that. I guess maybe he thought it was the right thing to do at the time. Doesn't make it any better for you though and obviously meant so much to you.

Yeah storage would mean your paying out money but mot actually seeing the things. Maybe photos would work for you. Or maybe you could choose 1 or 2 items for each memory. I have decided to have 1 box for memory things . And it can't go over to be honest im not very sentimental. Party from the memory things for my dad i have his old radio , his watch and wallet. I have his ashes to but that probably doesnt come under memory things 🤣

My house used to be really bad . It was in a really bad and I was ashamed. Its been much better for several months now . I do have set backs now and then. But I figured if I declutter and store things in a much better way I will probably find it easy to keep tidy and not slip back.

Im sure you will get there and reach a happy medium.💐

Ah good luck with glad it feels good to get sorted. I should tell myself im selling 🤣

Oh thank you for just acknowledging this - Dad is still here, 92 now, and yes, still 'with it' so I can tell him off!.... he saw it as a 'clear out; - I saw / see it as losing beloved memories, books & toys (eg Mary Mouse / the Magic Faraway Tree books etc and Sindy in her skating outfit) and oh, all the records - original Beatles 45s in original covers lol - but he did buy my house for me so I suppose I cannot be too cross!. But way back then, as a child, no discussion & no choice.

Difference is that I won't get rid of my sons toys / books etc myself - if and when he wants to make that his choice its up to him (except for all the original Star Wars stuff, lol....auction, ha) . (he can chuck all my old stuff out, I wont be here so I wont know).I suppose a happy medium would be, as you suggest, to keep a couple of things from each 'era' - eg first school uniform, first birthday card from him (well, mine was via my sister, from him, lol - it said 'I luff u Dire Mumy, lol, with a picture he drew of me resembling a cross between a crocodile and a friendly pink elephant, lol') - but yes, a box for each 'era; could work. I may eventually have a spare room again! xx🌹Thank you for understanding xx

Ah its lovely you still have your dad. Sounds like he thought he was doing the right thing.irs fantastic he bought you a hiuse. Thats a massive thing.

We dont have any collectors/original type things. My kids are not really attached to anything. Toy wise apart from their skates/bike/scooter.

I haven't done anything today at all. I must get back into it tomorrow. Kids will need to tidy their rooms as well.

I have been to the tip sorry recycling centre I feel very grown up 😂😂