How do we tackle my sister and brother in law's hovel of a house

[howtohelpher]

My DS and her husband live in what can only be described as a tip.

They have 1 DD(2) and another due in a matter of weeks.

Their house is disgusting, not just untidy but smelly and dirty and something desperately needs to be done before new baby arrives and their house is opened up to health care professionals.

As a family we have tried to help them - My parents do the garden, sorted a shed. Helped them get in touch with contractors to get essential jobs done.

We've hinted at needing to get sorted, offered to help with cleaning/ sorting jobs.

It is so bad I can no longer bear to go round.

We are so worried that Midwife and Health Visitor will come in and think they aren't coping (they aren't) and will report them to Social Services.
Their DC is loved to bits and they have time for everybody and will help out at the drop of a hat.

We think that my sister would rather be anywhere but home and spend time at mine or my parents house just to get out.

This problem has been going on for a while and I have posted before under a different name. We did some of the suggested things. Helping with storage and
I even spent every morning during 1 week they were away cleaning the house as many rooms as was possible.

As a family (my DB, my parents and DP) we just need to do something. It is not an acceptable or safe environment to bring up 2 DC's. My Mum has had to let in contractors recently and she said she is so ashamed, she has been in tears over it.
None of us want to go round anymore.

My DM & DF came round last night to say that my DF was going to go round and grasp the nettle, and wanted to know we had their support.
My DF would get straight to the point. But I said a few weeks before birth it might not be the best approach to tell them in no uncertain terms that it's unacceptable and they need to sort themselves out.

So I have volunteered to do it using a more caring approach - i.e. we are worried that the MW & HV will think they are not coping, and the we are worried they are not coping and that we all desperate want to help. I won't accept excuses (of which there have been many) I will say it has to be done and we are going to help so that they are sorted and can keep it sorted in the future. If it isn't kept up I will send my Dad in, in 6 months time.

What do you think Mumsnetters?

I hope they do change I'd be very worried. I had a friend like this, strangely enough he ended up a social worker

She has until Sunday to make serious progress.
I had a word Thursday.
I said did she need anything doing because I was starting to get worried as baby due in the next month.
She said they were doing it at the weekend. (although I'm sure it will take longer).
I said that if she didn't and was to be taken into hospital we would come and sort it out anyway.

My head is not in the sand. I just do not want to upset a heavily pregnant woman. I

They have made some progress and I took my DN for a few hours. Will do the same next week.

On Sunday I will get my Dad to come with me and we will tackle her together.

Thanks for your replies. WantAnOrange it may come to that - reporting to SS. But we need to give her a helping hand first and make her realise she has to book up her ideas.

Do you/they know able freecycle/freegle? My DP and I have a tendancy to hang on to stuff "in case it comes in useful", but knowing it's going to someone who can use it now, rather than it just sitting in our loft makes it much much easier to get rid of, plus, no organising trips to the tip or charity shop, you leave it on the doorstep and your choosen recipient collects it.

It's really easy with old toys and clothes, you just post "X bags of toys for 3 yo girl" or "x bags off size 16 clothes". No big descriptions, no taking photos, nothing taxing or time consuming. And a warm feeling that someone else is please to get your stuff!

Good luck I hope they do get their act together.

Great idea Seabright and yes they may feel better knowing it's getting used.

Yes, it works for us. You somehow can't really justify hanging on to stuff you don't really want anymore and can't really use anymore (but is too good to go to the tip) if you know someone on Freecycle wants it and can use it right now

Thank you I will mention free cycle.

I have had a heart to heart with my BIL today. And hopefully we will get it sorted.

Not 'hopefully' we are getting it sorted.

How did the chat with bil go?

You sound very caring&thoughtful by the way!

It went so much better than expected.
I said I have come to help you, either doing bits of cleaning and tidying or looking after DN. whilst he sorted stuff and ran to the tip.
I said I don't want to interfere, but I am worried about things.
He said I want you to interfere. As he has tried to broach the subject and my DS has been putting it off. And any broaching of the subject ends in argument. Which he doesn't want at 7pm when he gets home from work
.
He admits that it is a joint problem, and that they are both overwhelmed by the mess. They didn't know where to start. And they only have one day a week together to sort it out or go out as a family.

His Mum was there and brought up lots of what we have said as a family and what has been said on here.

He was at first grateful, then overcome with emotion, apologetic and at the end a little bit embarrassed.

My Dad is tackling my DSis later when she arrives back from work.

they are so lucky to have you because some HV might really make a problem for them with SS. Tell them that!! It is serious.

DP's family are like that cause of his hoarder brother. It is at the point that they dont allow anyone in yet believe it is because everyone else is a snob not that they literally cannot move from piles of trash. And I mean trash its all other people cast offs. It has become normal and accepted. (not by me) Please get help before it reaches this level. Eg: the response of "it IS tidy" when in reality it only piled up neatly rather than chucked. Nothing is thrown out even when broken or dirty. Really hope you can help get it sorted op.

You sound like a very caring person.

I think it might be an idea to have a family meeting with all close family invited, maybe to a pub or somewhere neutral. And then really really discuss the situation. Take turns to say your thoughts without interruptions so everyone can be heard, even if painful.

Try and get to the root of the issues they are having - depression, OCD, hoarding, him, her, lack of knowledge, lack of routine etc etc

And then come up with a plan. Get the house sorted by the birth has to be the first solution. Then how about a chart of chores to be done daily? He said he wants you to interfere, so how about if you take turns to drop in at agreed times to tackle any early signs of reoccurrence, so it can be kept on top of?

Emphasise the one family day they have together and focus on the fact this should be spent out of the house or just having fun together at home, not sorting and cleaning.

Family support is something services look at, so it is nice that they have you guys to help them get out of their hole. What they need to make sure is that they aren't just being helpless and letting you sort it, because that's very co-dependent, they need to be working towards the outcome too. Obviously being heavily pregnant and only getting that one day is a hindrance, but introduce them to a system of housework, perhaps like FLYlady, which they can use to keep on top of things without it seeming insurmountable. So help now, but provide tools for them to help themselves too.

Sometimes people do need help, it's not a bad thing to admit that, but make sure that it's the right kind, otherwise you'll find yourselves re-visiting the problem. It's very easy to become dependant on support, and if these are fully functioning adults then you need to avoid that or you'll constantly be rescuing them.

It's sounding promising. Seems to be your dsis that's the main hoarder? She may have blinkers on and not 'see' it properly?

A good friend of mine is the same, dp can't even go in her house he waits outside to pick me up or goes in for the briefest time. Her poor dp hates the clutter. She says it's clean but it isn't really. Lots of cobwebs and dust. It's unbelievably cluttered. She has bi polar a symptom of which makes her buy stuff all the time. Plus she works at home and all her equipment and materials are in there too.
One day she caught dp talking to me about it and went ape. Told him to fuck off if he didn't like it! He looked mortified. He has one tiny office for his work and it's so tidy. I don't go very often now as saw another side to her that day and was one I didn't like.

i was going to suggest making up a weekly/daily chore list so they dont get overwhelmed and things get on top if them again... but i see someone has suggested that already

they are very lucky to have you and everyone else around them to help out. i really hope things work out for them... their children will benefit so much from a clean (and happy) home

How's it going OP?