One House/Garden Home Improvement a Day Challenge

[BloodiedGhouloshes]

Does anyone want to join?

I seem to get bogged down in the day to day grind of keeping the house running and never have time to do the stuff I want to do.

I have so many projects I want to get done... from small (washing curtains!) to large- renovating the kitchen/conservatory and the back garden into a patio.

I thought if I made it an imperative to do something each day, by the time one year is up this place will be transformed.

My place... mid-terrace Victorian. 3 Dcs. 3 dogs 2 cats. Total chaos.

Today I:

1. bought from the local charity shop 5 little cut glass tiny vases of varying heights and put roses in them and bundled them together 'artfully' on the mantelpiece.

1. strung fairy lights up our bannister.

Okay- it's two things. :)

Tomorrow I plan to repot some plants before winter.

Anyone want to join the 365 day challenge?

I'm sorry.

I fell off the wagon. It didn't take long.

I shall climb back on and do a long list of jobs this weekend to make up for my complete lack of jobs all week.

I have made some heat reflective pannels to put behind the radiators. Hope it makes a difference. It is warm, but hopefully I'll have to turn down the heating. Got draft excluders by the doors. Changed to winter bedding and duvets. :)

What you do, Wellies, is bleedin' everything, from the sound of it.
Don't allow yourself to feel diminished. Instead, think of how children, business, elderly relative et al would manage without you.
You may not have a specific job title and description but that doesn't mean you're not engaged in meaningful work.

Littlered, the thing about wagons is you can get back on them.
They're usually moving quite slowly anyway, if my experience is anything to go by.

"but what is it you do all day?"
Wellies obviously you do loads.
But that leads me to wonder about the obsession with being busy/ productive. We should be happy to sometimes not be busy. Maybe we all should be less busy and stop messing about wearing ourselves out.
I think ppl only genuinely believe it's reasonable to ask that question if you're not really obviously earning money.
If you paid someone to take care of your DCs and/ or keep house (that's even without the admin work you do) nobody would think of asking that person what they did all day. Pisses me right off tbh. It's just another oppressive tool by the patriarchal/ capitalist system IMO.

I didn't manage to do anything on Thursday. But I did manage to empty another box of stuff that had piled up yesterday. Not sure if I'll manage to do anything today as we're out all day.

Sorry, I did have a bit of a rant.

I am not sure I will be doing much today either. Feel very tired, a bit low, so even re-arranging vases might be the best I can do!

I like the idea that wagons move slowly.

Amanda I agree with you also. I have felt like my time is no longer valued because the work I do is ostensibly unpaid. Also, I find that like so many women we are being squeezed between the generations- caring for elderly family members and young children. There is a lot I want to say, but my head is filled with cold and is feeling muddled. :)

Right the wood store boxes have arrived and so today is construction day. I will have two big loads of kindling neatly in nice new storage boxes by the end of the day.

The log splitters I ordered didn't arrive though.

I am also organising and labeling the enormous bowl of keys sitting in the utility room and am going to order a peg board to hang them on. I am fed up of searching for keys.

Hello all!

Littleredsquirrel - don't apologise for falling off the wagon. It's fine. It's little steps. At least that is how I'm looking at it. I'm very much a "I have to do it all and do it now but I have no idea where to start so I won't" type so even just thinking that I can do ONE thing no matter how small is liberating. And if there are days I don't even get one thing done - that's fine too. I'm still plodding along.

Wellies - sounds like you do much more than me!

Anyway - yesterday I did my normal Friday tidy through the house for the cleaner to be able to clean. Then I went to Sainsburys. No idea where the rest of the day went! And I added to the clutter by buying some glass serving dishes - two lovely star shaped ones and a glass cake stand and a white rectangular serving plate which I will use for my advent candles. Need to find somewhere to out them now!

This morning I sorted out DS's wardrobe while he was at school. I now need to do some shopping! He has grown out of so much. He is 12 and at that awkward age where he is mega fussy. And also hates shopping. Not a great combination!

I also cleared off the top of a unit in his room which had some bits of crap and old pencils etc. Hoping to get him to help me sort a bit more later or tomorrow.

DH is planning on watching the rugby this afternoon so not sure what if anything I will do then. Might just do some washing and online shopping and finish my book.

This afternoon I spent two hours on the garden project. This part of it is digging over a large area to put 6 raised vegetable beds in.
I've been digging it over then forking out the nettle and couch grass and dock for a couple of weeks. Today OH did the digging part and discovered why I have stopped working out in the gym. Sweat was dripping off him.
I'm a bit knackered myself.

At one point I waxed lyrical about the joys of gardening, fresh air, bird song, autumn trees, the pleasure of hard physical labour. He looked at me as if I was insane.

I got the same response from one of my sons when I rhapsodised about the joy of gardening to him.

I live surrounded by dolts.

that sounds great NameoftheRose. I love gardening. Our gardens both look like builders yards atm ... I want to get the front garden at least cleared by Christmas & have big plans for next year (sure dh will be impressed ).

16/365 - did the final sand of the table & waxed it ... it looks lovely, just the legs to paint now. Had a sort out of the tool shed & started building some pantry shelving - it will hopefully be finished tomorrow & ready to paint next week.

I must do the bathroom tomorrow.

Our garden has builder's yard elements, but mostly looks like a large field.

Had a bitty day / shopping / tidying / catching up day
But we
Looked at some bedside tables In a pine / oak furniture place

Went to buy an everyday jumper for me ( why can't I find one )

Wanted to sweep the patio , but it was damp and drizzly . Hopefully tomorrow

Wellies you sound like you are doing a lot, please good easy on yourself, you're doing a fab job!

It's been a bit of a here, there and everywhere day today. Have arranged for the glass in a photo fame to be replaced, it's not a standard size so it's a custom job, and for some dresses to be sold (my sister is going to eBay them for a share of the profits).

Forgot to mention yesterday that I have started the ball rolling on replacing our French doors, first quote yesterday although it seemed very high so need to look at some other companies.

Pleasssseeeee motivate me

Today I need to sort the dcs toys to clear out before Xmas

Mumof3, can you break it down into smaller tasks? Instead of thinking "I've got to sort out all the toys" in a panicky way (I could be projecting here), instead think "I 'll sort out DC1's toys first, then move onto DC2's toys.
Or, I'll sort out the toys in the toy box first, then move onto the toys in the cupboard.
You know what I mean, break it down into manageable parts.

Morning everyone. I am going to do regular chores today only as the house looks like a tip and we have friends coming for dinner. So, clearing and cleaning. Making space on the kitchen table so we can eat. A load of washing. Making roast lamb and cauli cheese. That is about all I can cope with. Have promised myself that at 4 I am pouring a glass opf mulled wine. Co-op do a nice pre-,made one.

Mumof3xx sometimes when I am totally overwhelmed I set my oven timer for 10 minutes and say that I will do something until the oven goes off. Amazing how much you can achieve in 10 minutes and how it lifts your mood too!

Thanks Secret. I needed to hear that.

Dc 1&2 share a bedroom and toys! There is no dc1 toys and dc2 toys. They are only a year apart so share the vast majority.
Dc3 is 7m and doesn't need her toys sorting as she has very few
I had a sudden burst of being motivated but have directed it at clean and tidying my bedroom instead lol

I will break it up when I get there though!

Be prepared for childish cries of "That's my very, very favourite toy" as you try to get rid of something no child has touched or even thought about for a couple of years

"I can't sleep without my very,very favourite toy! Wail".

Dc1 appears to be under the impression that the more we get rid of the more Santa will bring

Sounds like you're having a lazy day, Wellies.

Encourage that idea, for today. Somehow make child forget that idea ever existed by 25th December.

That's to mumof3 BTW

Tale of woe continues - my mum isn't well now - she has hypothyroidism which isn't at all controlled atm. Bloody hell.

17/365 - replaced a rotten deck board & dh replaced a collapsed airbrick. Painted a couple storage crates & put a picture up for dd2. Didn't do the bathroom but did masses of laundry... I hate housework :(