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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

kondo'd, fly lady'd, still crap at it!

34 replies

sassandfaff · 06/05/2015 14:13

I did kondo before christmas- bloody brilliant. 8 trips to the charity shop and 9 trips to the tip.

I've since been through the house again, with a little more ruthlessness. 2 more trips to the charity shop and one more tip run.

Don't get me wrong, the house is much better. I can realistically tidy and clean from top to bottom now in less than a day. (Would have took a week before)

But it's still untidy most days. Grrr.

I have been looking at fly lady, but it seems more for people who have clutter and need to get to grips with starting a routine to get on top of it.

I can get on top of it, I just can't seem to stay on top of it!

I have a daft mentality that I need some help/tips to shake.

I'm terrible at putting away. I'm forever putting down; to do later. That in itself is probably fixable, but I have this efficiency mentality (although I am better than I was).

Dp is always tidying to make it look nicer. By that I mean, putting things neat in piles or pushing it in corners etc. But to me that would just mean I would be doing work twice. I wouldn't walk into a room and think I'll just make it look nicer. I would think, for example, living room -right, all the toys need putting back where they belong, the various clothes need picking up, hoover needs going on.

Another example, the kitchen. He will pile the dishes neat and wipe up crumbs with a wet wipe. I wouldn't do anything until I'm ready to load the dishwasher, wash what is left over, put away all the various packets, tins, juice bottles, etc take out the re-cycling, the bin and wipe the tops down with disinfectant, sweep the floor.

Ie, I want it done properly, but as he points out, this makes me do it less because I'm overwhelmed with what needs doing. And he is right.

This is not a dig or complaint at dp. I'm just using what he does as an example to explain my way of thinking.

Another example would be that I only wash up if there is a big pile of dishes, as doing it when there are a few things just makes me think I'm doing 3 times instead of once. Hmm

I'm not sure I've explained very well Confused but I think I need some sort of system that makes you stay on top of things and gets me thinking differently, without assuming you haven't done things for months/years.

I should point out that there are 6 of us in this house, including 4 children, so I can literally turn round and the room I just left is already a tip, but my biggest job is without doubt the washing/drying/ironing and putting clothes away.

Any tips welcome. Grin

OP posts:
Notso · 12/05/2015 19:50

It's crap isn't it sass I'd get a cleaner but I don't think I can keep it tidy enough for someone to actually clean Blush

I get so overwhelmed by what needs doing I end up not doing anything.

sassandfaff · 12/05/2015 19:54

That was/is me.

Have you read the kondo book? It does really help.

OP posts:
sassandfaff · 12/05/2015 19:55

. Kondo

OP posts:
Notso · 12/05/2015 20:01

I started reading it but to be honest I got a bit Hmm at thanking my purse for doing it's job and left it.
Maybe I should go back to it. Did you follow it religiously?
How did you manage with de cluttering toys? That is a big issue here as everything seems to get played with. Also my two littlest share a titchy bedroom. It's fine for one DC but then we had surprise DC4 and nowhere to put him. I am cramming the stuff of two DC into the room of one.

sassandfaff · 12/05/2015 20:15

I just laughed at her quirkiness, and just took from it what I needed.

I have been through the dcs toys twice. The first time I got rid of anything that was too young, or broken/pieces missing.

The 2nd time I got rid of broken/pieces missing and also duplicates. I think they had about 9 spiderman action figures! Numerous xylophones, teddy bears, cars and tea sets etc.

The idea is the less they have, the more it has a place to live in. If they had something meaningful or unusual then I would keep it, but 12 different kinds of teddy bear was just not justified. Grin

Her idea is that if you don't love it (sparks joy) or it isn't practical and you haven't used it/worn it or looked at it for years, then what are you keeping it for?

OP posts:
Notso · 12/05/2015 21:43

This is where my doing it right gene steps in. I find it hard to stray from the rules. That's why flylady didn't really help me. Getting dressed as soon as I got up didn't work for me so I started every 'fly' day feeling like I'd failed.

I really struggle with stuffed animals. We have a 'big dog' it's gigantic. My late Grandpa bought it for DD when she was 2, she is 15 next week.
Twice I have plucked up the courage to get rid of it and put in the carboot to go to the charity shop and twice DH has returned with him sitting triumphantly in the front seat saying he looked too sad to get rid of.
They don't spark love just guilt at not loving their furry little faces!

I applied the not loving theory to my wardrobe though and got rid of loads. I am hoping after this bootcamp I will be able to refill it.

sassandfaff · 13/05/2015 11:43

notso could you perhaps come up with your own way? A bit like the one I posted above.

I think the best way to get rid of toys is to think of the message in toy story. Toys that are kept on shelves, in boxes and attics could be being played with by new children. The toys would be happier with that. Grin

You could apply that logic to everything in your house. Kitchen implements could be used by someone else, clothes could be enjoyed and worn etc etc.

OP posts:
sassandfaff · 13/05/2015 11:43

I think I just got in touch with my woo side. Grin

OP posts:
Notso · 13/05/2015 14:52

Grin the only woo I'm in touch with comes in a glass and has another woo after it!

Today has been quite productive though despite a hideous shopping trip with a 3 &4 year olds having a fist fight over some donuts and the three year old attempting to poo on a potty he had taken from the shelf Hmm

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