One shitty job a day - mission to get all the crappy tasks done this year

[Shittyyear2025]

I'm an eternal untidy person. I don't see my own clutter. I've tried HARD to find a routine that I can get engaged in, signed up for COUNTLESS get yourself organised apps.

I saw a video yesterday about getting one shitty job a day done. I think I can manage one shitty job a day. So far I cleaned the lounge carpet (over yesterday and today, bad back and heavy furniture) and I've painted a door that's been off it's hinges and propped up against my hall wall for maybe a year.

I reckon one shitty job a day (or for an hour towards it say, after work, longer crap jobs can be done at the weekend) I can do. I can finally finish decorating the kitchen. I can finally finish painting the landing/stairs/hall after the ceiling collapsed in Autumn 2024, I can sort out the front garden one job at a time (hell, I can even get rid of the ironing mountain and charity shop everything I no longer wear for an hour a day).

Anyone want to join me? Or any tips for starting AND STICKING WITH domestic routines?

More sewing for me yesterday - get a large single button that fell off a coat in the winter stitched back on. The coat has been sat out since around Feb, it's now ready to be stored away for the spring/summer and be brought back out...relatively shortly 😀

(I've found I enjoyed the sewing so much I'm thinking of taking it up as a hobby. No idea what's happening to me 😀)

My One Unpleasant Job A Day will have to be something different today though as that's all the needlework done for now...

Also more stuff sold on eBay and Vinted (and I've managed 20 mins on the now clear treadmill every day, not a lot but better than nothing.) Cleaned the kitchen bins (yuk.) I can definitely see a difference in the house now and it's so pleasing.

Yesterday's One Unpleasant Job A Day was cleaning another kitchen drawer, so not too unpleasant at all. It's what my grandmother would have called an 'odds and sods' drawer! All clean and tidy now.

Stuck 2 more of the items that have been sat on my office floor on eBay/Vinted. Only 5 items left in that pile now...

I'm keeping up to the regular domestic admin, it's just the extras (like applying for DS' Disabled Person's Railcard) that I really need to get sorted but just keep putting on the To Be Done On The Twelfth of Never List.

Daft as it may sound I've also done some good thinking recently. I've been wondering about moving things around in the house and worked out what could go where, what could then be moved to go in its place, what is im/practical, why X or Y system would/wouldn't work, what needs replacing etc. It's the sort of stuff that just swirls in my head, and about which I never seem to come to any strategic answers, so it's actually good to have finally worked through it and devised a plan.

The weather has turned here and isn't going to be as good for a few days, much as I have adored the summer I'm almost pleased that I won't have an excuse to go sit in the garden. Hopefully this will mean a few days of consistent achievements before DD and I go away (when it should be good weather again!)

We finally started a job in the garden but greatly underestimated how much bark we needed so its half finished.

DH is simultaneously cleaning in the hall before papering and assembled DS new bed .

We ( DS ,DD and I) all went out shopping / to the gym )

DH is watching rubbish on TV now . (To rest his poor back)
The hall is a s-l-o-w process

So the CofD was cleared, cds and dvds moved in. 5 loads of books to chazza.(oxfam turned me away on the last run) Two more tip runs. Now we have to move stuff out of the bookcses, move them into the dining room fill them up then start stripping the walls. BUT we are getting rid of a huge 60s sideboard table and chairs. I agree with the sideboard as its ugly as fuck, but the table... On ebay and retro resellers the sideboard goes for over 500, but we haven't got time to deal with that. For reasons(dh being a pig headed twat is one) my idea of calling a charity isnt being listened to. But we are miles ahead of last time I posted.

Spent a while with my DS going through some shredding (papers) this young man does not believe in throwing things out .
I am not the tidiest person on earth but I experienced my Mum and her untidy hoarding which got worse to the point of endangerment .
I am quite saddened that DS seems to be exhibiting these traits because it's a bloody awful way to live .
I hated it as a kid because the house was so untidy , couldn;t have friends over . Any requests to "Can Mary come over on Friday" was met with " You;ll have to tidy up" Then the accusations of "You only help tidy when you want something" and being accused of throwing things out . Tidying the kitchen/cooking somehow became 'my job'

Then when she became more infirm the house got more cluttered . I used to go up and help my Dad and we'd recycle things . But it was a battle to get her to part with stuff .

My DS had papers under his bed we went through , and desk drawers . He has a three drawer unit if music sheets .( Didn't touch those today)
I know people think "shut the door on his mess" but I'm going to find Lord Lucan and Shergar in there !

I've got tons to do before DD and I go away, so there hasn't been as much pushing on round here, though I did clear and tidy the airing cupboard yesterday and I've cleaned the cutlery drawer just now. Still trying to stick to the 20 mins daily cleaning and clearing/One Unpleasant Job a Day (OUJAD) 😀

Am determined that the autumn/winter will be one long blitz!

Just noticed we're nearly full on this thread - I'm happy to start another OUJAD thread when this one closes, keep the momentum going 🙂

I cleaned all my skirting boards with a large dog they do get dirty! Next job to tackle is the ironing which has been sitting waiting patiently for me

My eyes went straight to “I cleaned all my skirting boards with a large dog …” and I thought “how useful” 🤣

Yes, that's how I read it too!

I am looking after my DM atm, and because she's just on the verge of not being able to look after herself, I have been doing a LOT of shitty jobs, mostly involving rotting food.

🤣🤣could give it a try !

I considered trying the cat (she being the source of most of the dirt on the skirting). She said no

I have spent 20 minutes tidying the garage. I need to spend a couple of hours washing out used plant pots, which were mostly what was making the garage untidy, but not when it's this warm. Also, I've got no rubber gloves at the moment.

I sorted all the bedding and towels today which wasn't a shitty job as such, but it does all look much tidier and isn't all just shoved in now.

I bought a couple of white cotton bath sheets , I had 2 and some bath towels but my son always seemed to poach the bigger bath sheets .
When I'm back from holiday I might put the bath towels aside ( for emergency use) and put the 4 bath sheets out for use .
My DH has his own ones , he doesn't like the white towels .
Mine go on wall mounted storage , hand towels in a basket or shelf above the door .

I've got new bedding to go on , washed and dried but I dyed my hair yesterday so I might wait till tomorrow

The ongoing saga of clearing out the dining room so we can move the stuff out of the lounge continues. So after unsuccessfully trying to offload our mid century g plan sideboard table and chairs, we bit the bullet and paid a local company to take them. Bitter as I know they take it to auction. But gone now. Ripped up the horrible carpet, stripped the walls emptied the bookcase (now all in the lounge but is going back.) Then we do one bookcase at a time, empty move fill. Then strip the walls. Then damp proof, decorate and new carpet. Then everything goes back.(there will be a serious cull of stuff) Then new flooring and furniture in dining room.My internal timetable is a book case a day so 5 or 6 days. Stripping similar. I want to be done by mid Sept.

OH that's a task and a half. Friend has been trying to sell her neighbours G plan dining room suite locally absolutely no takers.

Books I need to clear out the book case again. Did it ten years ago when we moved. Despite reading kindle books, it's swelled again horribly somehow 🙈

We just have to plod on.

Feeling smug because I have just updated a few details to my house insurance. I loathe dealing with insurance companies, and it's done for another year.

I've sorted out my autumn/winter clothes and put away my summer ones and I was being quite smug about it all until the family bathroom shower packed up!

Honestly this is the house that keeps giving. All I wanted was to get another 6 months out of it until it's ripped out completely but no. Luckily we have a shower room (without a door so that's marvellous) but I could still do without more expense. It's like one step backwards all the time.

How we are all doing going into autumn?

I'm so proud of myself today. had a day off so managed to sort out 2 built in store rooms. I've cleared one out completely, put hanging rails in and made it into a dedicated space for coats, jackets, blazers and thicker cardigans.

I've sorted the other one, put in sheving units and created a pantry. Also made space for kids toys and books. loads of odds and ends in there but everything is sorted and organised. And most importantly I actually know what's in there!

have packed bags for the charity shop and lots of stuff will thrown away. Have taken a vow of minimalism and promised myself I won't buy anything that's not necessary.

So I had a shit year so far and despite starting a seemingly successful thread for everyone else, need to restart my own one shit job a day mission.

Today is sorting out the fridge. Wish me luck.

I completely ceased thinking about it during the heatwaves. Now autumnal weather has arrived I need to go through wardrobes. There's clothes I haven't worn for many years so probably shan't again.

Dumped a load of soft toys I'd been saving in the loft of doom and gloom. They were mouldy, manky and the heads fell off a gorilla and rabbit! Found a couple of decent vintage toys to list on eBay. Packed up some bric a brac and clothes for charity, I divide donations between the hospice charity that cared for my mum and a children's charity with Anglo doorstep collections. My wardrobe desperately needs a declutter and the fridge defrosting. Got a quote for repointing the gable end walls in the loft & just need to find someone to remove the old grotty insulation.

I've made quite a bit of slow but steady progress since this thread started - thanks @Shittyyear2025
I'm keeping a list of everything I've cleared, cleaned or decluttered and it feels good to know it's been done. I'm forced to do things much slower than usual but I started clearing a huge double wardrobe that we store life admin, books and work stuff in. I managed 2 shelves yesterday, got the last 2 to do today before lunch 😬 Must crack on!