Crisis point - turning the tide of house neglect - anyone welcome

[andsmile]

Hello returning to MN after a long break.

I've just finished my OU degree and need to get my house in order - its bad so very bad....broadly I need to:

Declutter
Laundry
Clean
Organise
Gardening
Garage
Cook proper meals again

So todays list:

Laundry 1
Laundry 2
Laundry 3
Laundry 4
Laundry 5
Fold clean clothes pile on table
Remove clutter pile by lounge radiator.
Clean Toilet
Clean Bathroom
Empty hoover/hoover
Cook proper meal

I know what you mean! Just having a break before getting back to revising.

Tackle the things which make most visible difference first. Get the washing machine on and clean the bathroom. Run the Hoover round to make things look better. Outsource the ironing if you have a lot of it - worth every penny to get it out of the way and not have to spend hours doing it yourself.

Declutter room by room starting with the rooms you use the most - a tidy living room and kitchen would make the most difference in our house. As you declutter deal with taking stuff to the tip and charity shop straight away. Don't pile it up: ship it out. Clean the room you have decluttered from top to bottom. It will spur you on for the rest of it.

Clean the fridge and freezer and chuck out anything you won't use or past its best. Do you have a slow cooker? Cook something simple and tasty without lots of faffing about just to get you started. Double the quantities and freeze half for a quick meal another day. Buy some frozen veg to go with quick and easy things to cook - no prep, highly nutritious and quick to do in the microwave.

Gardening - can be never ending. Do it in phases. Mow the lawn one evening. Weed a bed the next evening. Be strict and tackle one doable area at a time.

I think the key is manageable chunks which make a difference when completed.

And congratulations and fingers crossed for your results!

That's a long list for one day!

Put less on the list and you have more chance of a triumphant "I've done my work for today" feeling.

But good luck. I have much to do house-wise too. Some recent small triumphs have stayed good - a de-clutter of both kids rooms. Both took pretty much 1 day (lazy weekend day-length) each.

De-clutter of attic room has already taken 2 days and is nowhere near done. This stuff takes time. Especially when it involves trips (eg to charity shop/ dump/ proper food shopping!)

Oh wowfudge so you know where I'm coming from! I have my brain back! You are right about the downstairs rooms making most impact. I want my DH to see what I have done, he has put up with soo much.

However since posting just over an hour ago I have tidied my DD's room and got 4 bags of rubbish out of it, spent stickers, colouring books, McD's toys, old crayons. 1 bag of clothes for the charity. She will be very pleased when she sees I've done it and I found Eilsa's shoes!

Laundry 1 (done and hung outside)
Laundry 2 (in washing)
Laundry 3
Laundry 4
Laundry 5
Fold clean clothes pile on table
Remove clutter pile by lounge radiator. (some)
Clean Toilet
Clean Bathroom
Empty hoover/hoover
Cook proper meal

Eva thanks for the does of realism there! I've already got side tracked to DD's room.

I'm not a morning person so I will probably working on these into early evening.

That wasn't a side-track it was an achievement. Now you need to write it on the list and tick it off!!

My DS liked it when I de-cluttered his room too - he said "Wow my room's had an upgrade!" way too much time on computer games

LOL at upgrade I can relate, unfortunately

Yay me I've been to the tip:

4 bags of rubbish
2 carriers of clothes in charity bin
2 foamy pillow things that I've never really liked.

Laundry 1 (done and hung outside)
Laundry 2 (done and hung outside)
Laundry 3 (in on long 60 degree cycle for DD's bedding)
Laundry 4
Laundry 5
Fold clean clothes pile on table NEXT!
Remove clutter pile by lounge radiator. (some)
Clean Toilet
Clean Bathroom
Empty hoover/hoover
Cook proper meal - Beef strips are marinating good god I thought ahead AND executed it.

End of day pat on the back:

4 bags of rubbish
2 carriers of clothes in charity bin
2 foamy pillow things that I've never really liked.

Laundry 1 (done and hung outside)
Laundry 2 (done and hung outside)
Laundry 3 (done, hung outside and back on bed)
Machine Service Wash
Laundry 4 (in now)
Laundry 5 (on flor waiting)
Fold clean clothes pile on table NEXT! (most)
Remove clutter pile by lounge radiator. (done)
Clean Toilet - bleached
Clean Bathroom -bleached
Empty hoover/hoover (done) - ordered new one, be here tomorrow.
Cook proper meal - (done)

Woohoo - did a proper bedtime routine, one was asleep by 820, the other in bed reading.

Time for a pat on the back for you. Feet up and a nice drink.

That's fantastic and smile. Can I join you? I have no real reason for my house being bad, but I really need to get on top of it.

My day off tomorrow. My list is:

Hang out laundry from overnight
Laundry x2

Tidy surfaces in kitchen
Clean kitchen
Keep lounge floor clear throughout the day

Dig up roots on patch of soil
Rake soil and lay grass seed

Build IKEA toy kitchen
Make birthday cake for DD
Wrap presents for DD
Buy last minute present for DD!!

I'll join!

Just back off holiday so currently clearing the washing backlog but then I need to declutter clean and redecorate before the arrival of DC4

thanks wowfudge (btw your username is makng me anticipate my yearly fudge fest when on holiday in cornwall - the best fudge IMO)

mumysparkle hello and welcome yes do come in Gotta say - good luck with the ikea toy kitchen! I confess I have a table and four chairs, and a storage unit from ikea that have been sitting about for over a year (DH is useless at DIY, I accept this he works hard elsewhere).

afreshstartplease hello we will be laundry legends soon enough eh?I plan to decorate the whole house, (its not very big) except DS's room. I didnt put it up there as I thought people will just think it all sounds crazy. But I intend to before mid Autumn, unless I get a job that I'm applying for (side story)

It's good to know Im not the only one embarking on major overhauls. I know there are other threads but some of them lists seems micro efficiency styleeee - I just need to see my carpet again in some places.

Today - Henry hoover and vax steam mop are arriving - this is going to revoltionise my cleaning

Laundry 1 (in nearly finished)
Laundry 2 - wash winter coats for storage
Laundry 3 (boil wash bedding)
Laundry 4 (boil was towels) - I'm gonna leave it there as these two last loads will take most of the day.

Fold/hang put any clean clothes away - huge job

Clean the bathroom
Clean the toilet.

Best go wake kids up. Bye for now

argh sorry for typos

You must be exhausted after yesterday's efforts!

My goodness Mummysparkle another one with a huge to-do list

Well done and good luck to all

Joining in - I've just finished a year of full time OU (2 x 60 credits - never again!) and I'm determined to have the house in better order for when I start back in October. Last summer I went straight from the end of the module into full time work for most of the summer so I feel like I never really got properly on top of things and I've spent a lot of this year stressed and frustrated because the house is a tip and I was trying to juggle uni and work and it just seemed impossible to get stuff done. My tidying strategy was basically to chuck everything in a box and stick it out of the way (ie my room) and I really want to get out of that habit, not least because it's reached the point that I can barely move in there.

Yesterday I spent a good two hours in my room hoovering and cleaning, but now I have a huge pile of boxes that need sorted through. I also have piles of ironing - I'm on top of the actual washing but the ironing/putting away is where I fall down. Also have vague goals at being better at homework organisation as I was so focused on my own deadlines that I forgot about when the kids had stuff due, and also a healthier, more varied diet for us all. We shall see!

My list for today:

Some time consuming phone calls I've been putting off - DONE and I feel good because I got actual results from them
At least 2 chunks of 45 minutes ironing (I do it while watching TV so 45 minutes tend to be the episode lengths)
Clean bathroom
Tidy kitchen - run the dishwasher this morning, DS1 can empty this after school and then run again after tea
2 boxes from my room sorted
Sort the Lego that's languishing in the living room back into its boxes - aiming for maybe a third of what's there and will do this after school with the smaller two as it's their stuff
1 load of washing tonight after kids in bed so that I get their uniforms

Dinner is bolognese sauce from the freezer so that's easy

I'm then working for three days so my main aim is to maintain the work so far

quick post -

2 hours to school run - eeekk.

My third wash is in
I've played with my new Henry (wow) that got delivered earlier
I've done all the easy bits on Job application form (first one on a long time)

Folding clothes NOW!!!

Good work andsmile I always like a good list to motivate me. I normally post my lists on the new cleaning thread on the housekeeping section.

Afternoon,

Today i have:

• made the beds
• washed the dishes
• cleaned fridge
• cleaned hob
• cleaned microwave
• bleached kitchen sink
• dettol'd kitchen tops
• hoovered and mopped kitchen floor
• hoovered the lounge and downstairs

Shuffling in. I have a cleaner (I know, I know) but the clutter is unbearable. I've been hiding in the fly lady thread and decluttering since January. It's now, just now, starting to look impressive. Finally. :)
To do:
Books to oxfam book point
Bag up stuff for charity shop
Put 4 items on sell it pages
Clear out no longer required boxes from loft and tip

Sorry should say a very long way to go though :)

Sounds like you're doing well. Here's my update:

Hang out laundry from overnight - done
Laundry x2 - only one load done

Tidy surfaces in kitchen
Clean kitchen
Keep lounge floor clear throughout the day

Dig up roots on patch of soil
Rake soil and lay grass seed

Build IKEA toy kitchen - next on the list
Make birthday cake for DD - bought one
Wrap presents for DD
Buy last minute present for DD!! - got lots!

Next up:
Tidy playroom
Build toy kitchen
Tackle kitchen
Wrap presents

Oh, but we did:
Build 12ft trampoline
Tidy garden
Finish building the playhouse

Morning all - oh sunny should we be cleaning on a day like this? meh

Hello FreyaMikaelson oh you sooo know where I am comming from re OU study, it takes over! For me it got emotional enough at times, but then in the back of my mind the guilt also creeps as I can see everything that was not getting done. - the laundry has a life of it's own doesnt it?

celeste83 thanks for popping on - I used to be on baby fly threads years back...Oh what a list - to be able to clean, the outcome of tidiness!

ratbag shuffle away - you know I shall get a cleaner if I get the job I am applying for...but as Im going about the place in my mind Im thinking a cleaner would not be able to clean in here, and i think they'd charge more for a initial clean to get on top of things...and Oh Id have to move this that and the other. Ive had cleaners in the past I have mixed thoughts about them, I think Id only have another if they were personally recommended by someone I knew. I have a tone of stuff about the house an garage that I cant justify just passing off to charity really..I must list some stuff Ive put off doing this for ages ebay hassels. Eg I have bugaboo chameleon I could get good money for probably £150.

mummysparkle - Oh wow, you steeming ahead, busy busy busy - trampolines.... a trampoline! Did you build the kitchen? Ihave nightmares about the one I built my DD one xmas..hardly played with too boot!

Well todays list

Meet friend for coffee - I've not seen anyone for weeks, re revision.
Hoover stairs/landing/kitchen
Mop Kitchen
Asda - to get laundry tablets

Lunch out done
Hoovered landing and stairs done
Asda done

It can just too hot to clean.

I'm just in from work and knackered but need to plod on

First I need sort dcs tea then -

Pots
Dry washing to right room
Dry washing away
Atleast two loads of washing to wash and dry
Clear and clean table
Clean lunch boxes
Clear and clean worktops
Quick tidy in living room

Update

Pots
Dry washing to right room
Dry washing away started but not finished as massive job
Atleast two loads of washing to wash and dry
Clear and clean table
Clean lunch boxes
Clear and clean worktops
Quick tidy in living room