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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

SUMMER HOLIDAYS HOUSE BLITZ!

184 replies

fuzzpig · 18/07/2014 11:04

Excuse me for shouting in the title :o

My house is utterly, completely hideous. As in, can't see the floor in the bedroom, no clear surfaces, can't find anything, falling over stuff hideous.

I've never been house proud but it's spiralled further and further as my mental health got worse, and then in 2011 my physical health followed :(

Apart from when I have flare ups of my condition(s) I have just about got used to keeping on top of the two biggest things, washing up and laundry. I am doing those now since DH started FT work a few months ago (he was unemployed due to being injured for a long time and is really struggling to adjust now). He does this on weekends and does the tidying up stuff but TBH it's like trying to bail out the Titanic with an egg cup. POINTLESS.

I seriously, really and truly can't handle this anymore. The mess is making me more ill and I'm totally disgusted that my DCs have to live with it. I just want to cry. Or burn it all (but then I panic at the thought of throwing stuff away).

Anyway. DCs are on summer holidays as of next Friday. I will hopefully be recovered from current virus as I REALLY need to tackle this. But I need to be careful as doing too much will make me more ill. I keep making the mistake of doing too much and then by the time I've gone to work as well, I've messed up the entire week because I've pushed my physical limit too far. I only work 12 hours but it's a very fine, precarious line.

I need some buddies for mutual support and motivation. HELP.

OP posts:
Mumof3xox · 26/07/2014 07:43

Dust makes me sneeze

It's awful

I did a thread on here a while back after having deep cleaned out bedroom and I had so much dust up my nose and couldn't get it out. It was awful!

Mumof3xox · 27/07/2014 06:51

Happy Sunday!

So yesterday I managed to -
Clean the cooker
Clear all the kitchen sides and table of junk
Wash kids bedding
Put away all dry washing

Today -
More washing
Sweep stairs
Hoover up & down
Sweep & mop kitchen
Sweep & mop bathroom
Hopefully attack the garden

fuzzpig · 27/07/2014 07:14

We'll done mum!

I'm SO glad it's Sunday. DH's only full day off this week Hmm (was the same last week... It's getting ridiculous)

I am the only one awake so not getting on with stuff yet. DH is planning to take the DCs out later so I'll hopefully get more done then.

Plan:
Bathroom
Laundry
Piano music
Everyday drawer
Videos
Wrapping paper drawer

OP posts:
Mumof3xox · 27/07/2014 07:28

Well first load of washing is in the dryer, I might put second load on the line but tbh it looks like rain

Last nights pots put away

Dc all up fed and dressed

Last nights washing folded to be put away

fuzzpig · 28/07/2014 08:52

Achieved sod all yesterday apart from a bit of laundry Blush

Horrendous weather again so will be stuck indoors until work (leave at 2). Just looking at the storm is making me sleepy!

OP posts:
fuzzpig · 28/07/2014 08:54

Really must do stuff today though. I always end up being lazy on Sundays. It's usually DH's only full day off so I tend to shut down and leave everything to him! Blush He took the DCs out and I just lazed on the sofa!

OP posts:
fuzzpig · 28/07/2014 09:29

Washing hung out (indoors obviously Hmm damn rain!) and two little drawers cleaned out - these are going to be the electronics drawer and the everyday drawer.

OP posts:
Ohhelpohnoitsa · 28/07/2014 21:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mumof3xox · 28/07/2014 21:25

What's an everyday draw?

I've been at work today
Got kids to bed and watched some tv and nodded off so now I feel rough

Must move arse

fuzzpig · 28/07/2014 21:37

Our everyday drawer is going to have all the random things that don't really fit into a category (so don't have a space in their own right) but need to be accessible every day. These things didn't really have a place before - stuff like tangle spray/brush and our family diary, they'd just be left wherever we happened to use them and there would always be a panic the next day when we couldn't find them in the mess! So now they all go in the drawer.

OP posts:
Mumof3xox · 28/07/2014 21:38

That's a good idea

I need a new drawer so I can make one

elQuintoConyo · 29/07/2014 00:17

Oooh, may I join in? You have all already inspired me to, finally, take 5 binbags worth of clothes to the charity shop - 4 of those bags were baby things I didn't bawl, honest guv'nor

I live in a small house, I don't have room for all of that!

I do have a lot of crafty stuff that I don't have time to use anymore. Big things, like A1 sized foam, glitter, sticky crap, funky pipecleaners, I can keep for when DS is older as I'm sure I'd just end up buying them again! Other things like tje half-finishrd bracelet... kepp another six months, if I don't finish it, then I'll reuse the beads and chuck the chain. Or recycle it into a gift for someone - that's sure to.make me finish it!

We have precious little furniture (downstairs one large, low cupboard and one 4x4 Expedit, oh and an under-stairs cupboard. That is it!) DS hs mo furmiture of jis own - not even a bed Blush

So, we went to Ikea and bought some bits... just need a good day and 1/2 to put it all together! Then I can put my stuff away and not be tripping over shit all day!

We need: office/sewing room tidied and stuff binned/charity shopped (I started with the five binbags, although I think I have more). Put the old Expedit in there, jam pack it full of document folders, sewing bits, Christmas boxes, chuck the shite computer table, moving the dining table in, construct new dining table downstairs, construct new Expedit (or Chillax, or whatever it's now called), put pretty minimal things on, some fancy-looking books. DS has got the bottom 3 rows row with slidey-out boxes for his toys, it works pretty well.

Also have to put up our pictures - they've been precariously balanced gathering dust since we moved in two years ago Shock

I find doing things in bite-sized chunks helps. I will empty a drawer/shelf onto dining table, then just sort through that lot. I'm rather a hoarder of boxes and plastic tubs which is actually handy for: batteries (always fully stocked for DS toys), string - my god, do we get through string!- sellotapes, glues (pritt, super, fabric, ceramic etc), lightbulbs (and labelled: upstairs landing/bathroom/red lamp etc).

Where do you usually charge your phones? We use the kitchen, so I have a pretty.box on the counter with all thr cables in. The cables are neatly wound with a hair bobble and have a label -cut up post it note with sellotape! - saying what/whose it is: DH mobile, ElQ mp3, camera cable, camcorder etc (= we're old school!). I got that tip off an MNer Smile

We have all our CDs in.a couple of biggish books, with one small pretty - obvs! - box containing the inlay cards (can't chuck them, DH is a music nerd). We had a really pleasant afternoon sorting them out and listening to the odd CD we hadn't heard for ages. Very relaxing.

I long, long, long to be an organised person - and from.the outside it looks like I am. But the amout of work it takes me to get up off my ass and stop making Christmas decorations in July cos that's more fun All my friends have houses full.of stuff, rooms that groan when you visit because they've stuffed everything in there, and dust bunnies, so I don't judge or feel judged.

huge post, sorry! TFB for me.

I hope you can see some leaves and bluebells and Bambis in your woods soon, OP, rather than not 'seeing the wood for the trees' Smile

threeislovely · 29/07/2014 15:09

Great thread! I have to do something about my house this summer - I feel like I'm nearly regaining control! So far this week I have sorted the kitchen, the utility, the lounge and the hall -finding cupboards beneath the junk! I really need to get on top of the bedrooms and the roof -this summer will be the one where I finally clear the junk I have been hoarding for ten years!!
So my list for today:
Clean two outside chairs ready for staining
Put the washing away upstairs
Organise the new photos and put on display
Tidy DD's room
Make a list of new storage to be acquired
Hoover downstairs

Off to see how many of these I can delegate to 'bored' children!

fuzzpig · 29/07/2014 15:47

Welcome elQuinto and three! :)

I haven't done anything today. I am SOOOO tired. Struggling to keep awake! Went to the park for some fresh air but it didn't wake me up at all. So much for feeling refreshed for work tomorrow. Bah.

OP posts:
threeislovely · 29/07/2014 18:35

Thanks Fuzzpig - nothing like posting a list to make you motivated!
Clean two outside chairs ready for staining
Put the washing away upstairs
Organise the new photos and put on display
Tidy DD's room
Make a list of new storage to be acquired
Hoover downstairs

DS1 completely came into his own and helped like a star. Conned DS2 and DD into the great new game that is restoring the outside furniture!

Even managed to completely gut our room and sort out three piles of books to get rid of and store the winter wetsuits. A total result and will allow me to feel guiltless about the next couple of days finishing a pile of work and sneaking for lazy coffee and reading time in a coffee shop ON MY OWN! whilst the kids are at holiday club! Grin

Preciousbane · 29/07/2014 21:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

elQuintoConyo · 29/07/2014 23:34

Technically, U'm not on holiday and neither is DH. DS is 2.7 and still goes to nursery 9-1 everyday. It's knackering!

Everytime I empty a box I get, "ooooooh! Whassat? For DSname? Es mio" etc from small person. Today he's been wearing two bracelets (from 2000, they were 'holiday beads' I bought from a market in Spain when at Bil's wedding!), some random felt leftovers in funny shapes destined for the bin - lots of fun had with them, now scattered around three different rooms Hmm Two.hairclips in the shape of bunny ears; Nana's flipflops that we keep at ours for her visits; small.bag of marbles I got in a Christmas cracker a few years ago, I was keeping them until DS is old enough to have them as a stocking filler - WTF?

Must. Be. Ruthless.

Today, I did:
One big nappy box of aforementioned crap.
Tidied a couple of shelves (open, not with doors) in the kitchen.
Put on a wash and hung it in the garden.
Oh, I also organised a box of weird bits for the dump: broken watch, broken lightbulb, broken shoes etc, all ready to go on Saturday.

Tomorrow is change the beds, quick and easy as it's too hot for duvets Grin, sweep and mop if DS has an early nap.

I'm tired just thinking about it!

How's everyone else getting on?

Glastogirl · 29/07/2014 23:38

I tackled the little girls room today! Still need to go through their drawers and sort out clothes we don't want anymore but everything is in the drawers! Just got to Hoover he carpet in the morning and it's done.
I took before and after pictures as I find it spurs me on. Anyone else do the same? :)

fuzzpig · 30/07/2014 07:39

I think I might take some photos actually, good idea. Not posting them here though Blush

I'm feeling ill again, it's kind of to be expected as I've been gradually reducing my medication for a while under doctor's supervision and now I've actually stopped it. That plus the leftovers of the virus I had a couple of weeks ago is making me feel like shit.

So not sure how much I will achieve today as it'll be hard enough getting through work. On the plus side though, the everyday drawer has proved popular :o and I've pretty much caught up with laundry now.

OP posts:
PeoniesforMissAnnersley · 30/07/2014 08:25

I'm away from home at a summer school so can't actually do anything around the house. Reading all your progress is keeping me inspired to tackle it anew when I get home though!

One thing I have noticed is that 3.5 days in, living out of a medium suitcase with a really limited wardrobe - I haven't missed anything. The summer school lasts 2 full weeks and if I don't miss anything the whole time then that will be a real motivation to clear more out when I get home.

A problem I have is that I wear suits and other very formal workwear and I work 6 days a week in termtime, so I need quite a lot of changes for that, which take up a lot of room. I also supervise sport at school and have a whole drawer full of school branded sports wear, none of which fits as it's all men's sizing and I am a very tiny 5ft2 woman, but which I am required to have and wear anyway.

It feels a bit pointless clearing out all my own stuff when I have to have so much work wear. I'm wondering if I could somehow leave my sports gear in work, although I've never seen a locker room anywhere...

shitatusernames · 30/07/2014 15:18

Can I join please? I'm also on another thread but this will also join in this one.

Ds1 18, Ds2 8, DD1 6 and Dd2 4 weeks.

Ds2 and Dd2 share a bedroom, baby in with us until eldest moves out, so lots of decluttering upstairs needed, I did do the kids room at 8 months pregnant but looking at it now you wouldn't think I had, I've cleared my wardrobe so tomorrow I'll be getting rid of the 2 black bags full, I've hung Dd2's clothes up in the little cupboard in our room, I've got so much to do before I go back work in November, I'm a cleaner for the Nhs would you believe ha ha, one tip which I do at home is to clean your skirting boards with your mop when mopping floors.

threeislovely · 30/07/2014 22:20

Sounds like everyone has had a good day. Sympathise with the workwear issue Peonies - I have a similar issue! I opened the wardrobe door and shut it again in despair today! Think I need to be completely ruthless and find a way of storing suits more efficiently.

On the plus side, I did lots of work today, which should free up the next few weeks for sorting stuff. I have a little bit more to do tomorrow and then should be free for a few weeks.

Also managed to get a new unit for the lounge today to sort stuff into. Umming and ahhing about conservatory furniture - took the table out and put it in the kitchen which works really well. Only issue is now that the conservatory has no real definition - think I need a wicker sofa and chairs..... Might need to sell some junk to raise funds!

cerealqueen · 30/07/2014 23:19

Great thread!
I would second the little at a time. I bag up small bag of clutter to the bin or clothes or to clothes bank which I pass every day. It doesn't feel like much and takes no time but mentally and space wise, I am maknig good progress!

Little and often....

shitatusernames · 31/07/2014 07:19

Must try and get a load of washing on today, I seem to have baby sick on everything ha, get rid of black bags to the clothes bank, I have books to sort out then that'll be another little corner in my room done.

Ohhelpohnoitsa · 31/07/2014 19:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.