Please help me sort my house out!

[elprup]

My house is an absolute mess. The kitchen sink is full of dirty pans, the cupboards have loads of sauces/tins etc that are years out of date, the surfaces are dirty, the oven is filthy and the fridge is in serious need of organisation.

The dining room and lounge are covered in dust and the floors are filthy. There are piles of crap everywhere (I even have Christmas wrapping paper from last year stuffed in a corner!) The bathroom fixtures are covered in limescale marks and the sink is dirty. The bedrooms have become the unofficial storage areas for all the junk that I don't know what to do with.

I have family coming round on Saturday and the house is a tip - I'm so embarrassed. I'm working during the week so no idea how I'm going to get it in a decent state before they arrive.

Of course, I've just finished work and am sitting on Mumsnet when I could be making a start. I'm just so tired.

A cleaner's not an option due to budget constraints unfortunately.

What can I do?!

Can you set a timer and do 15 minutes . You will be surprised how much you get done .

Thanks for the tips @feelinghelplesstoday - I will get the white vinegar out! I didn’t realise there was a TOMM app - I will download. It seems like a great (and realistic) routine. I guess I’m essentially doing bootcamp now, so that should get me off to a strong start.

Having a clean and tidy house is so good for my mental health as well.

Timer, 20 mins per room then move on. Every two rooms stop for 20 mins with a cuppa then get going again. Lots of bin bags, hot water and washing up liquid is all you need to start. Good luck

Well done @elprup!!
Good work 😁

I’ve just started TOMM to try and get into a routine before I go back to work after maternity. It does take slightly longer than 30 mins in my opinion for some of the tasks but I’m liking the structured approach so far!

TOMM also have a messy bootcamp (think it’s that) - it’s on the website and tells you what to do if your house needs a big deep clean before starting the daily TOMM

Is the TOMM app really worth it? Is it different than what’s on website

Call a professional, yes it might cost, but see it as necessary.

I definitely don’t have the cash to call a professional unfortunately so will have to sort it myself. I ran out of motivation yesterday and only managed half the dining room. I must get back on it today as my guests are arriving at 6!

Op you dont need a professional, look how much you have achieved! You got this

I feel the same. My house is untidy. So much to do but I’m lying on the couch with the cat and my iPad and wondering how anyone has the energy required to sort the house. My children haven’t even had lunch today.

@MrsNotNice - not worth it imo. It’s very basic and is is a bit glitchy a lot of the time for me. It’s useful to be able to tick the to-do-list off not worth £5

Hows it going op?

How did it go OP?

We don't have family round at the moment for exactly this reason. When I moved in with my partner, his house was an absolute tip (long story, but he'd suffered with depression) and I said I would help him tidy it all up, provided he put the effort in to keep it tidy. He agreed. From there, we decided to take one room at a time. Firstly the bathroom as I felt that was important. That's still gleaming two years later. Then we did the kitchen, but decided to rip it out and start again. It took ages, but it's done now, and absolutely beautiful.

We want to do the living room next, and while it has been tidied, it desperately needs decorating, so that's where we are. Just need to wait to release some money from an investment then we're good to go.

So - we have told family what we're doing, and have said that we won't be having visitors until the whole of the house is done (i.e. tidy and decorated with new carpets). It's not difficult really as it's easy enough for us to go to them, and we can always treat them to a meal out somewhere if it's our go.

I would suggest you doing the same - taking one room at a time, perhaps give yourself a week for each one, and just tackle a little bit each day. Then, once it's done, set one day a week to clean the whole house - which should usually be a hoover throughout, and cleaning the kitchen and bathroom. Also set a day of the week to do your washing, and a time of evening to make sure all of your dishes are done.

Consistency is key, I find, and if you set yourself plans like this, it really does help :).

Ahhh I'm so sorry, I didn't read the full thread. But I do think my advice is still useful! I really hope the visit went okay!

Thanks for asking! I managed to get the lounge, kitchen and bathroom looking positively show home like, and the dining room was fine (low lighting was my friend! ). I just closed off the bedrooms and conservatory so nobody was any the wiser.

I’ve been away but am back this weekend, and am planning to blitz the rest of the house over the coming weeks.

I really need to declutter too!

@SunshineAngel it’s really helpful, thanks - I’m only halfway through and want to make this a lifelong change. I don’t want to end up in this panic situation again.