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?

I cannot do much till the weekend but on my list :

To Do:

Recycle - some clothes (DD) either to Charity Shop if good enough or to recycle

Helped DS clean and declutter his room which means lots of paper to recycling and a couple of things to Charity Shop.

I have some electricals to recycle (I'll need to check I think Currys still takes them)

Some kitchenware to Charity Shop .

We took down the Christmas decorations and they're waiting to go back in the attic , along with the Christmas cushions, handtowels and my Christmas Jumpers

DH fixed the carpet shampooer ( hopefully) so I'll try cleaning the hall carpet

I need to replace some bowls and side plates which are chipped ( bought them in Sainsbury a few years back so hopefully they still have them )

Need to book my dentist appointment

That'll do for now I reckon .

Oh Lordy, my little spare bedroom has become a dumping ground, I need to sort that out

My only comment is that an hour is a big ongoing commitment - I would commit to 20-30 minutes a day and anything else is a bonus!

So did I. Had to climb in a cupboard on my knees.

Fab idea, we cleared the top of the fridge this evening, mostly out of date chocolate and badly chewed dog toys!!!

Tackled the ironing mountain today! And packed up a final return I forgot yesterday.

Tomorrow is landfill day, which happens every three weeks. So I've filled two bags with crap that can't be recycled or reused and dumped them in the bin. I've cleared a couple of the junk shelves and ditched some of those 'I'll keep it just in case' things.
Tomorrow I'm going to tackle the bathroom cupboards and drawers and see what I can throw away. Maybe I'll even be able to ditch one of the sets of drawers 🤞

• One more coat of paint on the kids’ room.
• Bit of prep on the utility.
• DH took 3 bags to the charity shop.
• Ordered some nice new oven gloves that were needed, since I burned a hole in the last ones (whoops)!

Great idea. Decs are down with the last bag packed today. Uneaten treats are in a bag to go to DGS and DGD joint party at the weekend. I have finally been brave enough to phone my bank travel insurance and go through DH's list of ailments and great news, it covers us which means I got a refund of £158 from our old policy.
Back to work tomorrow but an inset day-I need to get back on my diet. Having lost almost 2 stones in the 8 weeks prior to New Year, I was feeling good then seeing pics of myself reminded me that I have another 7 stones to lose.
Job for tomorrow-pack a healthy lunch and pay off holiday that is happening in just over 5 weeks.

Got rid of lots of recycling and broken electronics at the local recycling.

Batteries for broken torch (finally)

Dishwasher on early tonight and to be emptied before bed so the morning looks better 😊

Well done everyone!

I’ll join. Shitty jobs to do up the wazoo here.

I did move on some excess drink and food received for Christmas today to happy recipients, so not exactly a shitty job from my list but it felt like a very small little start to Project Decluttering.

Following with interest. My crappy job for the month is to sort some burocracy. Can’t be done in a day I’m afraid

I’ve been doing this for about 4 years. Not really shitty jobs but clearing out. So one drawer/shelf/cupboard etc every weekday (not school holidays) or spring clean job (ie cleaning top of kitchen cabinets or cleaning a radiator (we have those old school ones which have lots of nooks and crannies).

it really works.

because I’m now 4 years down (and it takes a full year to do the whole house top to bottom), it is now so much easier and quicker because I’ve already made a lot of the hard decisions so a lot of the time it’s just emptying a cupboard, cleaning and putting back.

i know to save to easy jobs (like the cutlery drawer) fir a busy day and a bigger job fir a quieter day.

I am very, very strict with myself.

it really works, so keep going people!!

I've sewn up the holes in my Frankensocks for about the eighth time. I've also reorganised the giant stack of cat food boxes in the conservatory and freed up some floor space there. I've successfully organised an Amazon return but need to find a big enough box for the faulty hoover.

Tomorrow morning I plan to walk into the town centre and do all the banking-related odd-jobs; buy the biggest refill bag of Kontrol Krystals I can find at Robert Dyas; and then pick up a packet of diarrhoea treatment capsules for my housebound neighbour.

Sorry but I think supermarket is normal job so you need to also do a shitty job!!!

do you cutlery drawer-easy and quick!

Joining!
We took our decorations down today. Dusting and putting back the usual ornaments will happen tomorrow.
Something I’ve been doing recently which is helping is having an A4 spiral notebook that I carry around the house quite a lot - I write in it things I don’t want to forget, to do lists etc. Its serving me in a different way to the notebook that lives with me week to view diary.

I'm in! Today I sorted out 4 huge bags for charity/tip/recycling - books, toys, games and clothes. Tomorrow, mould situation in bathroom...

My SJ today was clearing out the shelf that holds our oils and vinegars. I washed all the bottles and put the manky lids through the dishwasher then put the box they live in through the dishwasher. Took 5 mins, but another job done!

@Tryonemoretime stuff like that doesn't really help me. I think it's because I'm never happy with where anything goes. In my previous flat, there was a lot of logic and things made sense. My current place is very strangely designed. So I'm not happy with where anything is and there's no space for anything really!

@Iwishicouldflyhigh do you mean clean the cutlery drawer? That just goes onto normal cleaning. It's clean.

I'm still on top of cleaning because I have a horror of anything not being clean. It's tidying and organisation that's a problem.

I should probably say, whenever I whine about this to anyone who comes over, they look around and say "what's wrong with it?"

I think I have a mismatch in my head about what's realistic, you know in terms of how the flat can look. But getting it to look nice does not necessarily lead to the most practical outcome.

before anyone says to get rid of things, I cannot get rid of any more things. I have lost count of the things I've got rid of that I really didn't want to get rid of. It's so sad.

I know I'm late to the thread, but may I join? This is a great idea! These are big crappy jobs, but I need to:
-sort/declutter attic
-sort/declutter summerhouse
-sort/declutter shed
-paint rooms in house
I'll start chipping away at them on my days off, I think.

Smaller crappy job:
-fix DD's old bike and sell it
-make sure the bike she will use is up to scratch (should be!).

@Fgfgfg thanks for the inspiration - I’ve sorted out the family’s bathroom cabinet of unused/gifted and actual useful products. Lots not been used in years and no one was sure what belonged to who! Just me and youngest left at home now from a household of 4 and we’ve ignored this for 6 years now. Gone through and got rid of a carrier bag of out of date stuff, unwanted items and the bits and bobs that had bits missing. I’m looking at my bedside box but will tackle tomorrow.

I'm married to a hoarder. It really doesn't help when I'm trying to declutter. Anyone want a couple of dozen plastic take away plastic boxes he cleaned out of the kitchen cupboard and has left on the kitchen window sill for two months. Ditto a couple of dozen glass GU containers.

Holiday docs all on the app now , so nothing needs printing ( which panics me , as I’m over 60 and want travel docs in a poly pocket )
Bathroom gleaming
Recycling and food bin put out nice and early as we have a steep drive and didn’t want to be struggling back up if icy ( see above over 60 comment )

I think the shitty jobs are those jobs that won't really affect anyone if they're not done but the home looks or feels better when they are. So laundry/grocery shopping/kitchen cleaning/cooking is essential but say cleaning a window, a bit of dusting, returning a parcel or library book or touching up a bit of paint isn't. Which is why they get left (for me anyway).

My shitty job for tomorrow is to take out the Christmas flowers and clean out the vase they are in (before they all go mouldy) quick one as I am working all day. I have another to add to my done list for today after my shower I cleaned out the toothbrush holder pot, it was very much overdue 🤢 .