Hi slattern and comrade.
Slattern, I really sympathise. I have been trying to get my act together for about 5 years, and I am still not a reformed slattern. My inability to organise causes a lot of tensions between me and my partner too. Also we live in a really small house so there isn't space for a room of horror.
The best time tidy-house wise in my life was when we lived abroad temporarily in an even smaller flat, but with hardly any stuff. I was on maternity leave at the time, and so was not working, was not involved in any save our school campaigns or volunteering. I was not doing any part time courses, and did not have any demands from extended family.
It was get up, have breakfast, go shopping, play in the park, go home, make a big lunch, go back to the park, play all afternoon, eat leftovers, and clean the flat once the kids were in bed. Sooooooo simple.
I think it is so hard to establish a routine when you are already juggling so many different timetables and unexpected demands. And keeping on top of things does require a routine as well as the individual habits.
Comrade, wow, your lifestyle is going to change a lot!
How old are your kids? Will you need to find new schools for them yet or are they still wee?
I really hope the next few days go well for you, and that you find your new, smaller house with less stuff, easier to manage. A new start can be really helpful,in setting up routines etc.
By the way. Do either of you wear a watch? I am comsidering waering one, as i think that it might help me with time management. I have a few clocks in the house, but they are all slightly different, and I recently looked at the computer screen to check the time when I started to do my dd's hair, and saw it was 5pm, great I've loads of time. Once I was nearly done (she has a zillion plaits ATM) I popped upstairs and saw it was 6.50! omg! Nearly bedtime already!
I am determined to be on time since September. We had a terrible punctuality record at school last year. (not helped by the fact that our school was closed down, and their new school is much further away).
P.s. comrade, I hope you are getting some sleep! Safe journey. When do you arrive?