quick tips needed to sort out my house

[ariane5]

Whole house is a mess again. The combination of 4 dcs (all disabled and ds2 is the clingiest moaniest baby at the moment who SCREAMS each time I try to do anything) has meant its a total tip.

I have about an hour later where if dh can entertain ds2 I can get some housework done.

I need a list of what to to that will make the most difference. The house is full of clutter/toys/clothes that need to be put away/etc and its a complete muddle.

Where do I start? I cannot bear to wake up to this mess again.

the UnFuckYourHabitat website is very inspiring and has a great article on Emergency Cleaning which might be a good place to start.

For long term change of habits you might want to consider throwing lots of stuff away - then there is less to clean. Come & join us on the mimimalilst thread here

Clutter is def the problem in my house. Over the past month 15 bin bags have gone to the charity shop and we are still drowning in clutter. Its that bad

I hate every day as I can never find what I need or even clean clothes to wear as the piles need putting away/ironing etc.
I just need to have a quick tidy/clean tonight (the jobs that will make the most impact and make it look tidier) and then keep on with the de cluttering.

I just don't know where to start anymore. The house makes me feel like I'm suffocating I hate it when its this untidy.

It's really hard to tidy clutter. If you have too much stuff you have too much stuff. There is only one cure really which is to get rid of stuff and make sure all you have left has a home.

its sounds as though you have lots on your plate with 4 young DC. Is your DH involved with housework too?

I agree it is very easy to get overwhelmed - but things can change. Start with some emergency cleaning, you'll sleep better tonight. Then make some small attainable goals. And check in with us on the Minimalist thread - we are all people making the same changes in our lives and homes.

Dh does help but works quite long hours so we find it all completely overwhelming.

Had a look at the emergency cleaning-sounds like I need to do it!

I'm amazed how much we have got rid of lately and how it has made no difference I am disgusted at myself for keeping so much rubbish !

Keep it no more - throw that rubbish out!! Little by little it will be gone.
Over a month I must have thrown out 20 bin bags of rubbish plus 25 large bags for charity shop - out of one bed flat!!
It looks much better now.

I wish I had taken BEFORE and AFTER photos. Why don't you do that?

I think I will take photos-dd1+2s bedroom is particularly horrendous but we have a cabin bed with storage underneath coming for dd1 so have to get the room de cluttered and cleaned properly.

I'm starting with the kitchen so hopefully once that's cleared I will feel motivated!

Also, stop ironing - just sucks up time you need to do other things. Get on top of the laundry by seriously reducing the amount of clothes you have and ensure that it all fits in the wardrobes, etc easily. I moved to one laundry basket so that it can't pile up with out me noticing and it is contained in one area. I do 1-2 loads a day and don't wash items that aren't dirty, but put back in wardrobes. Fold and put away straight out of the tumble drier. I found the laundry was taking over my life with 2, so imagine it is worse with 4! Kitchen is a good place to start as most of us have so much unnecessary kitchen stuff. Get rid of duplicates and items you don't use. Also get rid of items that are a PITA to clean unless you really, really need them. Good luck!

YY re stop ironing! Seriously this will make a huge difference. And moving forward have less clothes.

I don't have a dryer, but I hang everything well and shirts/dresses etc on hangers (which go straight into wardrobe when they are dry so win-win).

I can't remember the last time I ironed anything, though DD2 is just the right size now for a silk dress outgrown by DD1's (special occasion dress) and that really does need an iron. (I will give to exP to iron as he irons his shirts.)

Having space between the stuff (in kitchen, in wardrobes, in drawers etc) for the first time in my life ever, is the greatest gift I've ever given myself.

I'm now 45!!!
I grew up with a hoarder who hated housework. It was always NORMAL to be to have as much stuff as possible with every space filled. At the age of 45 I'm re-educating myself

Agree about not ironing, I don't iron, I wash clothes in a small quick load every day, however much there is, then tumble dry then put them away, saves clothes lying round and its never a big job. I also do the dishwasher in small loads often, so never have dishes lying around.

Try to de clutter, if you haven't used it for the last year are you ever going to use it again, chuck it out, whatever it is.

"I'm amazed how much we have got rid of lately and how it has made no difference I am disgusted at myself for keeping so much rubbish !"

This really stuck out to me, it's definitely means as you already know you have far too much stuff and not enough space which can only lead to chaos. I completely agree with the others about stopping the ironing for now while you're in an 'emergency' situation. Keep up with the basics and then really focus on getting rid. Declutter,declutter,declutter. Also you need to stop stuff from entering house. THIS IS VITAL. With four DC, that must mean a lot of birthdays and Christmas stuff? It will only make the piles of stuff bigger so that needs to be addressed as a whole family. Don't know ages of DC, but if any of them are old enough it would be worth a talk about cutting back.

OP, come over and join us on our thread, we can help motivate you to make a life change.

Today 5 bin bags went to charity shop and another 2 were filled with rubbish. It really does make no diff though its amazing yet disheartening.

Put a lot of clean washing away today and hoovered. Dcs all unwell so it was tough but despite the house still looking a tip I at least know I actually did something today.

Hoping tomorrow to continue sorting things out but its getting hard had pangs of should I /shouldnt I get rid of dd1 old toy dressing table and ds2 snowsuit that he barely wore. Its stupid I know but I am too sentimental about things. I got rid of them but it was hard!

How much of a routine are you in with your washing?

I have found that washing most days, hanging the clothes straight onto hangers to dry revolutionsed the laundary situation. Mind you I don't iron...

Do you have a friend/relative who can come over and drink tea and chat while you clean? I do this with my mum and it really helps me to get stuff done, I keep going the whole time we have 'booked' and she is unsentimental about my clutter ("Thing, you are never going to use that. It doesn't even work")

Wendy one to two loads a day for TWO of you? Where the heck is it all coming from. I don't do that much and there are five of us!

There is no routine as such with the washing more that the washing machine is always on, we have 2 airers, use the dryer for towels/bedding and there are constantly piles of clean stuff waiting to be folded/put away.

Washing is one of the main problems. I can't geton top of it.try to but too many appts so not in much or I start sorting it then one of dcs need something and it gets left.

Honestly dry cothes onto hangers - in the wet weather we hang them on the curtain rail from there sorting and putting away is so much quicker and easier. I also find having a clothing cull helps, they don't need that many clothes when you wash so frequently.

I also make my dc help sort socks and pants out into piles - could yours do that? As far as socks go each child has 15 identical pairs all different from each other, makes life much easier!

Good idea about socks-we currently have a bag of odd socks and dh keeps saying all dcs should have all the same so we know immediately whose they are and can pair them easily!

glad to help it does make life much easier!

I know you have a big mess to tidy by the sounds of things but I keep on top of the house by just thinking about the tidying in little lots of 10 minutes or so. You know 10 mins gets the washing out of the dryer, folded, ready to go away, a quick Hoover can be done in 10 mins, dishes cleared away etc. you know if I spend 10 mins extra in the morning, at tea time , before bed I keep on top of the jobs. Can you do that once your house is a bit tidier.