where do i start

[jesstheworstmum]

i just need to get this all out. i need to know where to start.
im a single mum and im in a mess. especially in my house
so much so that when i had to have a paramedic in my house recently they reported me to social services cos my house is a tip :(((
social services just wrote me a letter telling me to get family to help but i dont have any family local
i had a poor upbringing and i just feel like i dont know how to run a house
this morning my son was late for school cos i hadnt dried his clothes in time and i had no dishes clean etc
i know im awful
but where do i start
can anyone help ?

because you need to keep on top of it. Its harder for you at the moment but when you're sorted it'll be much easier. Just think of it now that you're putting in a bit extra each day. so if you can do 45 mins a day that will be less when you're sorted. x

jess, it slips back partly because of your attitude to it (I know this because I had to change my attitude before it got easier.) I used to think 'Oh, here we go again, what's the point, it all gets so messy again all the time.' But now I think 'it'll only take 5 mins to clear the table and lay it for dinner, or to tidy the stuff cluttering the hall. If everything you do is in 2-5 minute chunks, you start to feel fine about doing it. If you know that in 5 mins, your house will look miles better, you feel great. It starts to be a positive thing not a slog.

You can turn it into a game - stick on the kettle and see how much difference you can make to the look of a room before it boils (stick a wash load on, hang up coats and tidy shoes etc.)

And you took your DC out today - that's really important. If you were following flylady, she says Saturday is a day for fun with the family so think of yourself as on schedule!

Thanks everyone
I've got a horrible
Cold but I have to really make myself get up in a few hours and sort this place out. Sunday is really
My only
Day to do stuff so i need to get some shit done !

Hi Jess, sorry you're feeling poorly. I hope you feel better soon.
Why don't you give yourself a bit if a break today and instead of going at it all guns blazing, do your daily important jobs, like the washing up, bleaching the loo and making sure DSs uniform is ready for the morning and whatever else he needs for school this week.
Then give yourself 15 minutes in either the worst or best room. Whether that's going round it with a black sack and binning loads or having a general pick up and put away session. At least you'll have done something. If its the worst room, you'll have made a dent, if its the least messy room it'll look loads better after 15 minutes. And try the working round the room clockwise thing, I find it really works for me.

Good luck!

Jess I have a horrible cold today too and am having to lie down in between bursts of energy.

I need to
Put wash on
Wash up from breakfast
Help dd with craft project for school tomorrow
Listen to ds read
Dry load of washing
Put another load on
Lunch
Dry second load
Put both loads away
Cook dinner
Wash up and tidy round before bed.

What do you need to do?

(Ive just had a shower and am lying down again a bit dizzy so actually need to start by putting some clothes on.)

I need to get a couple if loads of washing done minimum
Do the mountain of dishes
Tidy around
And I guess I could get away with just that :/

How are you getting on?
1st load is drying
2nd load washing
School work is done
We've had lunch and I have tidied after
I have hoovered downstairs
Kids are tidying their room

Its lovely and sunny here today so feel guilty for using the dryer instead of hanging it out but I need it done with zero effort today

Well done you freakoid :) good job!
I've washed some of the dishes lol and started to hang the first wash ! Laaaaaaaame !

It's a start. That's the main thing. Once you cross something off it motivates you to get the next thing done

Good morning Jess, hope you are feeling good today.

I have posted my list on the spring thread which has continued on from the Autumn slattern thread. I hope to do some damage to the mess today. My DC's are at school and child care so I am on my own.

I intend to embrace the 15 minute blitz then take a break approach.

Hi Jess, how are you today? x

Thanks so much for checking in with me guys
Wasn't home much yesterday so didn't get much done but just got home put a load of washing on and put most the dry dishes away:)
Will attack something else after my dairy lea on toast :)

Mmmmmmm, dairylea on toast, that plus pickled onion monster munch got me through my finals.

You are sounding more positive Jess. Every bit, no matter how small, helps.

Jess, good luck and keep it up. I decided to tackle my house this week, I took so much out to clear it looked like a hurricane had hit! But I will get there and so will you!

Well done Raspberry! it always looks awful when you first start, doesn't it! but so much better when its done.
Well done Jess for getting stuck in when you got home. Are you any closer to doing a tip run?

No progress on the tip run in all honesty
Full
Of cold and sinusitis this week so just trying to keep up with rubbish dishes and washing really

Fair enough Jess, at least you're doing something! Hope you feel better soon.

Thanks so much good jam :))

How are things, Jess? Are you feeling any better?

First day of the hols here. Uniforms washed, just need to dry them...

Just have a few days when I try an try then it all gets bad again :( I don't know if its cos I've got too much stuff or what but its just too damn hard to keep on top of

Hi Jess.

Don't lose heart, you'll get there. Are there any of DSs toys he doesn't play with anymore? maybe you can go through them when he's at school or in bed so you can throw or charity shop them. Same goes for his clothes (and yours!)

What room would you most like to get sorted?

Agree with good jam, not that I would know how...

I was always told I was untidy, guess what I became! No one ever thought to tell me how to be tidy. MN has really filled that gap!

Hi guys, you can just call me Jam if it's easier.

I just wanted to say that I am by no means a naturally tidy person. Our house gets messy and I have to work to keep it tidy. It is not a show home by any stretch of the imagination. but it is clean and homely and that's how I like it.

My philosophy is that it's OK if a few toys are on the floor as long as the floor has been hoovered (which I do once a week)

I used to live in a flat and i only did the washing up when i needed to and i used to hoard all sorts of crap. One day I'd just had enough. I started slowly. Doing the washing up and cleaning the kitchen every day made a huge difference. it made me want to get the other rooms looking as nice. So i got a bin bag for rubbish and a box for the charity shop and i cleared out the spare room. it probably took a couple of weeks because there were days i would look at it and my heart would sink with the amount i had to do. But it got done, sometimes just in 5 minute bursts, sometimes in 30 minutes. But i ended up with an empty spare room which i then painted with some cheap magnolia paint to brighten it up. It made a difference to my thinking, just doing that one small room. So it can be done.

Jess, that's why I've asked you which room you want to do the most. We might be able to help you and even doing one room, or half a room, or a quarter of a room, could give you the motivation to carry on when you see the difference you could make. Failing that, I might have to drive to you with my Black Bin Bag of Doom!

Chin up Jess, you can do it. X