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Original poster

Support group for those trying to get their house sorted

282 replies

CatwantsaTidyHome · 03/02/2013 05:32

Hi all, I know it's a crap title! I'm just fed up of living in an unorganized mess!

Tried to do Flylady but got sick of it, I need a less rigid way of sorting my house as and when the mood takes me. Grin
I have paperwork chaos, tons of washing to get through and I find the washing up tedious! --so it tends to pile up--
Add to the mix 2 children and an untidy husband and I think you get the picture.

Anyone else living in Chaos want to join?
I won't get on here often but will try my best, Hoping there are others like me so we can support each other in trying to get sorted! Smile

OP posts:
Yamyoid · 03/02/2013 06:14

You sound just like me! I tell myself that spending time with my dcs is more important than a tidy house but I still don't seem to have much time with them, and it's hard to ignore the mess.
My house is currently pretty tidy because I had visitors on Friday and Saturday but it was such hard work! Dd is 9 months and doesn't entertain herself so housework is difficult.
I much prefer going to friends houses and finding a bit of a mess, makes me feel normal.

Yamyoid · 03/02/2013 06:16

What's flylady?

Original poster
CatwantsaTidyHome · 03/02/2013 06:27

www.flylady.net/ I have linked it. it is a website. I had been trying to do it for over a year but just found that I would get so far along each month and then I would give up. So I have decided to try a different more relaxed route.
Some of her ideas are good but I just couldn't stick with doing certain jobs on certain days etc. I would rather just do things as and when I feel up to doing them. Wink

So far today I have had some breakfast, --played on MNet and sorted a small amount of paperwork into the bin--
I have decided to try and keep all passwords for different websites in one note book as I did have random bits of paper lying around.

OP posts:
poachedeggs · 03/02/2013 06:43

I think doing things as and when I feel like it is the reason my house is a bombsite. I never feel like it!

A friend of mine throws out ten things every week. She says it doesn't matter if it's a piece junk mail or a sofa, it all counts! Her house is all always tidy.

Today I will finish the laundry, put away the box of random homeless Christmas gifts, and shove a hoover round.

WhispersOfWickedness · 03/02/2013 07:12

Ooo, I'll join, I can't keep up with the flylady threads! My main problem isn't a lack of time, I'm just really lazy and use the fact that I have two small DC as an excuse not to do much when I'm here on my own with them during the day Blush The youngest is 17 months, so I really should be able to just get on with it but I have such a lack of motivation Sad
The house is not looking too bad at the moment but it doesn't take much for it to unravel Sad I vaguely follow flylady but like to ignore her a lot too Blush one thing that has helped me though is the evening routine of sorting the kitchen after dinner and a similar one after breakfast while the DC are still eating.
Not sure what I'm going to get done today yet!

WhispersOfWickedness · 03/02/2013 07:14

Oh, and I haven't done anything yet today, I'm still in bed Grin It's my turn for a lie in, so naturally, I can't sleep Hmm

chubbymomie2012 · 03/02/2013 07:17

just joined flylady. thanks for the tip..

WannabeWilloughby · 03/02/2013 07:20

Whispers...you just described my actual life!! ha.

My issue is the washing, it goes like this....dirty clothes in basket, dirty clothes get washed and dried, clean clothes get folded and put on stairs to be taken up to wardrobes, clean clothes don't actually make it to the wardrobe, rather just sit on the stairs til needed whereupon I may iron them if absolutely necessary!

We also need space....desperately!! This became especially obvious in December...DS1 turned 3 and then a week later we had Christmas....we had toys EVEYWHERE!!! It was crazy!

Will have a look at flylady though, might inspire me??! Nahhh probs not x

poachedeggs · 03/02/2013 07:45

Wannabe I have the solution for your clothes on the stairs problem. Don't put them there, it's a fire hazard. Instead lay them in piles on your bed. Voila, no sleep until they're put away!

Now,in exchange for that pearl of wisdom, tell me the secret to getting the dry clothes folded please! It's the DC's clothes I hate most, all those tiddly pairs of socks and awkward elasticated waistbands. Ugh!

ThenWeTakeBerlin · 03/02/2013 08:02

Can I join please?

I've been naturally untidy my whole life. I'm becoming interested in minimalism, thinking if I have less stuff, it's literally harder to make a mess? Am I deluded?

I've got stuff lying around all over the place and no motivation to deal with it Hmm

chubbymomie2012 · 03/02/2013 08:32

Was happily sitting here feeling very smug that washing is up to date and i have some Cif so was about to go out and shine my sink a la Flylady, when, from upstairs i hear my dd2 being sick, run up to discover the entire bed covered in vomit. now feeling guilty that my first thought was "bloody hell more washing" rather than oh bless poor lamb is ill! on further inspection said vomit is up walls and furniture also. Dh is snoring in bed I WISH I WAS A MAN!!!!!!

WannabeWilloughby · 03/02/2013 10:03

Ha poachedeggs, good idea! Also, if I left clothes on bed and slept on top it would solve my ironing problem! This is genius, why did I not think of this earlier!!

As for the folding, I find it therapeutic. I enjoy the folding just hate the putting away. DS1 now assists with pairing up socks, hence my children have been known to wear odd socks. Never massively obviously odd just slightly different shades or a stripy Thomas The Tank sock with a spotty one. Ive got bigger fish to fry though than odd socks...still have Christmas decs boxed up in our bedroom waiting to go back up the loft. Smile

fuzzpig · 03/02/2013 10:13

I'll join you! :) I don't get on with flylady either.

We managed to declutter quite a lot last year but still have a long way to go.

I got ill last year and that is what made me determined to sort my house out - I realised how much harder my life is made by living in clutter.

Yamyoid · 03/02/2013 10:22

I took a basket of clean clothes upstairs and PUT THEM AWAY just now. Maybe there is hope.
I don't like the sound of flylady.
I think it would be easier if I did little and often instead of purt

Yamyoid · 03/02/2013 10:22

Oops... Putting up with it until it's a bomb site.

Yamyoid · 03/02/2013 10:25

I also have a new idea to declutter and deal with our lack of storage space - go upwards! Lots of high up shelves with storage boxes for toys/art materials/kitchen stuff. Just need to get round to it...

WhispersOfWickedness · 03/02/2013 11:01

Yam, that's what flylady is, very little and very often. It does work, I am just a bit rebellious and refuse to do bits like shine my sink very often Grin
Wanna, I have a DS who was 3 in December too! He is actually relatively useful compared to the 17mo whose main aim in life appears to be trashing anything that crosses her path Hmm
So, today I have cleaned up the basics in the kitchen, done a load of washing and put it in the drier. I'm currently lying with17mo waiting for her to go to sleep, then I need to tidy the living room. FIL (aka tidiest man in the universe) is coming round later, I love having my ILs over as it motivates me to get it done Grin

vvviola · 03/02/2013 11:23

I'm in Smile (although with time zones & stuff I'll probably be talking to myself a lot!)

I've had some success before with something called Habithacker - may try it again (when my parents leave on Friday - they've been with us for 2 months. A huge help, but totally undid the few small routines I had).

Biggest issues here are the washing (never ending) and the bloody sand getting everywhere (summer in NZ = lots of time at the beach).

Original poster
CatwantsaTidyHome · 03/02/2013 13:39

Hi everyone! Smile

I went back to bed earlier cause I got up too early. Then when I got up DD was hogging the computer so I couldn't get back on here.
Anyway have showered and dressed and put one load of washing in the machine.
Need to get lunch and sort what else I have to do today.

I agree with putting dry washing on the bed cause you have to then do something about it.

Little and often is the way to go and yes it is very much what Flylady says but I just don't like to do things on set days rebelious or certain rooms when I am told. Much rather do a bit here and there.
I do need to spend less time on the computer and watching tv though so that is a habit I need to kick.
Will try to pop in later.

OP posts:
DeathMetalMum · 03/02/2013 14:15

I think I need to join. I have dc2 due in 6 weeks so I am franitically trying to do as much as possible before hand to make things easier afterwards. I had a bit of a read of fly lady but half of the things seemed pointless to me (on the 30 day intro).

Productive ish week last week and trying to continue next week given myself a bit of a day off yesterday and today but will be back to sorting out frantically tomorrow.

WhispersOfWickedness · 03/02/2013 16:39

I think decluttering is the first important step, we have done loads of this over the last couple of years, such a relief Smile Still a long way to go though, especially since DC bring a certain amount of crap stuff with them. Why was my 3 bedroom house not perfect before they arrived?! ConfusedHmm

I can't do the putting washing on bed thing because if DH gets to bed first, he moves it all onto the floor or on top of something or something else annoying Angry

WhispersOfWickedness · 03/02/2013 22:21

I have killed the thread already Blush

Ah well, will just keep chatting to myself Grin Got quite a bit done today and DH has put some extra cupboards in our tiny kitchen diner so hopefully can get that a bit more sorted as it is bursting at the seams Grin

Original poster
CatwantsaTidyHome · 04/02/2013 05:55

Whispers You haven't killed the thread Grin I'm still here anyway! Wink

I don't always manage to get on here that often but I will try my best! Smile
-- I get distracted by facebook-- Blush or The DC hog the computer.

Anyway I only have this morning/this evening to do things at home today. So far on my list I have:
breakfast me and DC
get dressed me and DC
sort everything needed for school
school run
washing up/drying up
general tidying/decluttering/hoovering/ washing/cleaning in small amounts everywhere Hmm
deciding what's for dinner --hopefully before dinner time--
get DC ready for bed
chill out Hmm at some time today.

Good luck everyone! Smile

OP posts:
WhispersOfWickedness · 04/02/2013 07:25

That's a very comprehensive list, cat Grin

Not sure what I want to achieve today. Think the flylady zone is the kitchen, so will see how I go. Have got a load of washing on now and the dishwasher running Smile

Yamyoid · 04/02/2013 21:00

Thanks for the flylady link, I should've looked before dismissing it. Maybe I'll have a peak.
I have the same problem with the washing on the bed - Dh will chuck it on the floor or sometimes just gets in bed and ignores it. Then I end up putting it in a basket. In fact, that's exactly what will happen tonight.

So, Cat, did you get much of your list done?
My house is messy again now because I've been out all day and Dh was working late so I also need to sort out the kitchen from dinner. I'm feeding dd to sleep at the moment and really tired so don't feel like doing anything.