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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

New Start November - in which the Friendly Fledglings Flutter and Fly!

451 replies

Cagliostro · 01/11/2016 02:06

Hi all!

Welcome to a brand new month in which we (in a very casual way) follow the FlyLady method to try and banish CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome), and to declutter in order to remove an excess of STUFF (Something That Undermines Family Fun).

A daily BabyStep, plus missions, daily focuses and weekly zones break our time into manageable chunks - all helped by lots of supportive chat and a Naughty Corner stocked with goodies.

All welcome!

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 08/11/2016 08:17

Morning everyone. Today's got off to an inauspicious start when I missed a diversion sign and ended up stuck on a closed road in the middle of nowhere. I'm currently at the vets dropping off one of the guinea pigs for a dental. One ta da before 830am-I think that's a personal record. I'm trying to get done really dull admin done after meeting a friend for coffee.

Today's list...
Ta da
Guinea pig to vet
Unload dishwasher

To do
Go to the post box with a huge pile of letters
Washing-one load
Pick up parcel from depot
Let bank know I'm away
Pick up Guinea pig
Change address on something

Will check in later...

Afreshstartplease · 08/11/2016 09:38

Morning all. Had a couple of days off the thread. Have still been doing bits though, went through all the older dcs toys and put them all back where they actually belong, threw tat from their room away, sorted some bits for younger DC. Just need to do their clothes now and then their room is good until Christmas hits!
Also sorted 3 charity bags of coats / shoes and bedding!

Today's Ta Das

2 packed lunches made
3 DC up fed dressed
2 DC taken to school
Dryer on
Washer on
Sink filled

Cagliostro · 08/11/2016 13:08

Oops sorry that mission didn't link properly! Fail 😳😳

OP posts:
Cagliostro · 08/11/2016 13:09

flylady.net/c/sp.php#missions

OP posts:
foxessocks · 08/11/2016 14:43

Hi all! Just wrote a long post and lost it!

Ta das
Toddler group
unloaded loaded dishwasher
hung up washing
folded washing
emptied bins

Yesterday I managed to do under the sink in the kitchen which was basically throwing away a couple of old sponges and doing a quick wipe over. I decluttered the junk drawer in the kitchen but it was pretty unsuccessful as I only chucked out two random objects and moved a hair tie upstairs!! The rest went back in the drawer...oops, oh well it was something I guess! I also finally did my last couple of thank you cards, only one left because I was waiting to find out the full name of somebody my parents know who very kindly keeps knitting things for my children!

To do
Mop bathroom floor
Last thank you card
Laundry and ironing
Finish cleaning kitchen
Hoover upstairs bedrooms

Oh and yesterday I did my first bit of exercise since having my ds 9 weeks ago...it was only ten minutes of a pilates DVD but my aim is to do ten minutes every day and then go up to 20 minutes every day once I get used to it again. Let's see if I can get into the habit of doing it! I find fly lady really useful for getting into habits, if you keep doing something enough times it sticks!

foxessocks · 08/11/2016 14:44

Oh also to do

Clear one shelf as per fly lady!
5 or 10 minutes decluttering in kitchen

Greymalkin · 08/11/2016 17:21

< waves hello to NewChick and PurpleDaisies >

Greymalkin · 08/11/2016 18:59

Hi everyone, this post comes with a warning – I am going to go on a MEGA whinge, please feel free to ignore, I’m not looking for lots of ‘there, there’ and fuss, I just want to off load and this thread is much safer than starting a new one in Talk.

Life is crap sometimes.

Literally crap sometimes. DS is soooo resistant to potty training, he will be 4 in a few weeks and is the only one left in his nursery class still in nappies. I am fed up of constantly changing nappies and I’m starting to get concerned there might be a problem.
And DCat1 is a fastidious little bastard who if he decrees the litter tray is not up to required standards, will stand next to it instead of in it to do his business. Nine times out of ten his aim is crap, typical boy, so it goes all over the floor. Yet more grot for me to clean up.

I had to collect DS at lunchtime today from nursery as they said he had a temperature. They gave him calpol and asked me to collect him, so I have lost half a days pay and paid for a full day at nursery. Poor DS is now really miserable and burning up, so tomorrow will be no nursery and no work.

Every night DH calls home from his hotel in tears because he is so lonely working away from home and afraid for our future and our money situation. He says I am doing so much to support him but I feel useless. I don’t know what to say sometimes. And DS misses his Daddy so much, is always asking for him and I have to deal with all the parenting stuff by myself. DH would love to be home to share it, but he just can’t right now.

I am so pissed about having to give up my university course. I spent years scrimping and saving for the fees. Hours and hours selling stuff on eBay and Facebook and the fucking taxman is going to take it all as we need it to pay HMRC.

And our house move? The people that are buying it from us promised they did not have to sell their current house in order to buy ours. It turns out they lied all along and the whole chain is now dependent on them selling their house. Everyone is so far into the legal and financial processes, it doesn’t make sense to drop them, we just have to lump it. Highly unlikely that we will be in before Christmas.

And we have to apply for schools for DS, so I’m having to do all the visits by myself as DH is away all week (more unpaid time off work for me). But I can’t actually get the application in until our bastard buyers pull their fingers out re the move as the County Council will not accept the application until we have exchanged contracts and our new home address is confirmed.

The house is a mess. I am not a ‘show home’ kind of person, cleaning and tidying is not the focus of my life, but I do like an orderly home. Even when shit happens, if I feel calm and organised in my home, I feel like I can deal with outside stuff. I am struggling to parent on my own, work in a job I don’t want but have to do and keep on top of running the house.

So I am fucking off to the naughty corner with a tub of Ben & Jerry’s and several ‘naice’ whiskies, I don’t do gin, sorry MN!

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es · 08/11/2016 19:22

Oh Grey, I was going to come and whinge about our boiler packing up, but you have so much more on your plate. That is shitty behaviour by your buyers, absolutely appalling Flowers.

Stilllivinginazoo · 08/11/2016 19:28
Greymalkin · 08/11/2016 19:31

Whinge away WhoKnows, misery loves company!

Newchick · 08/11/2016 21:01

Thanks for welcome Grey especially when you have so much on your plate. That all sounds ultra-crappy (literally) and I hope you get some light at the end of the tunnel soon.

My ta das today:
Shined sink
Swept kitchen floor
2 mins hot spots
15 mins sweeping back yard
Emptied all bins and waste paper baskets, cleaned kitchen bin
Laundry dried and put away
Weekly grocery shop done

Cagliostro · 08/11/2016 22:12

Just popping on with links as we have an early start tomorrow

Baby step 9 decluttering

Mission for Wednesday shine your sink? Even though according to baby steps you should be doing it anyway?!

Wednesday's focus is anti-procrastination. Valuable one for me as I have SOOOOO much to do...

OP posts:
WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es · 08/11/2016 22:15

Well in that case I will whinge. The boiler died on Sunday, just as the cold weather started. It's over 20 years old and not really worth repairing so we need to get quotes for a new one. Luckily we have an immersion heater and a woodburner so we aren't suffering with the cold too much but it's a lot of hassle and expense we could do without. Oh and the house circuit board trips every time we use the iron so that needs repairing/replacing too (I dropped it the other day, must have knocked something loose inside).

So, Flying has taken a bit of a back sest this week. Off to read the thread properly in an attempt to re-motivate myself.

PurpleDaisies · 08/11/2016 22:56

I've had a moderately productive day, hampered a bit by a mid afternoon energy crash and emergency nap.

Ta da's
Emptied all the bins
Bought new bed linen
Posted cards
Collected guinea pig
Cooked tea and loaded dishwasher
One load of washing

Quite a few bits I didn't manage but tomorrow is another day.

greymalkin our sellers lied and said they would rent when we were ready to move and then didn't so I can totally understand your frustration. We had to split our sale and purchase so as not to lose our buyers and spend a few weeks in holiday cottages. It was worth it in the end-we really love the new house but it's so stressful being dependent of other people to do the right thing and only getting half truths from estate agents. I really hope everything comes together for you. Sending whisky your way.

Sorry about your boiler whoknows. That's rotten. Hope you can get it sorted without too much hassle.

Stilllivinginazoo · 09/11/2016 09:16

whoknows in my opinion your fusebox is telling you to abolish ironing((slattern alert))

Babblehag · 09/11/2016 10:21

Hey all sorry I've been absent, my mental health appears to be improving so I've spent less time procrastinating and more time working/doing things with kids and cooking, although I have been out of the house a lot more so flying hasn't happened, I think I'll spend the day crisis cleaning. Just to get back on track. I also need to do Avon run after school so I'm going to be done late tonight.

PurpleDaisies · 09/11/2016 11:23

Morning! I stayed up watching the election results so I'm not sure how much flying will be happening today.
Ta da's
Sorted out massive pile of rubbish
Put the dishwasher on

To do (much of yesterday's!)
Pick up letter
Contact council tax people
Book few holiday bits
Clean bathroom
Mini food shop
Fill in and post car registration address form
Sort out baking cupboard

TooStressyForMyOwnGood · 09/11/2016 17:21

Hi all, Grey that is all really shit Flowers.

Foxes, I'm on an exercise thread on here too (Octoberthon). It's actually quite motivating to post what I've done.

Ta da:-
Some paper decluttering
Studying
Laundry
Exercise

To do:-
Snack for DDs
Bath time
Bedtime
Deal with curtain pole which is falling off wall Angry
DD1 gymnastics practise and thank you notes
Before bed routine
More laundry

Babblehag · 09/11/2016 21:09

Well today has gone to utter poop, didn't get round to doing anything I wanted to, but did spend 3 hours round a mates helping her to order £300 of Avon!! just a bit crazy!! the night is fairly young and the kitchen is a mess so I'm off to attack it with flash.

Newchick · 09/11/2016 21:15

trying to limit myself to worrying about things I CAN control today...

Ta das:

Shined sink
Swept kitchen floor
2 mins hot spots
15 mins sweeping leaves in back yard
15 mins dusting in sitting room (TV unit, hadn't been done since I don't know when)
2 loads laundry on, all dry laundry put away

foxessocks · 09/11/2016 21:58

Ive had a really busy day we've had lots of visitors and been out shopping too. Managed to lose my car in a multi storey car park for quite some time too Hmm

Toostressy that sounds good I'll check that thread out!

Ta das
Washing on
Washing put away
Washing hung up
Dinner cooked and cake made for visitors
Dishwasher emptied and loaded
Quick tidy up everywhere
Parcel collected (anti procrastination!)

Hope everyone is ok!

Babblehag · 09/11/2016 23:11

I am cleaning my oven! I dont actually remember the last time i cleaned it Blush half of the kitchen is sparkely too. feeling rather accomplished. just need to do the other half now....i have a feeling i will be having some RBOC laying around in the morning.

Cagliostro · 09/11/2016 23:17

Sorry folks got a bit behind on the thread.

Baby step 10: a useful one about the power of 15 minutes

Mission in the kitchen: decluttering those counters can't imagine what she means... Blush

It's Thursday, so Errand Day. Go do stuff!

OP posts:
CotswoldStrife · 09/11/2016 23:40

Grey, that's a lot to deal with - go easy on yourself.

I am a little over-scheduled at the moment, hopefully it will ease off next week. Our schedule does not have much wriggle room so when stuff gets sprung on us, it's a little stressful. Entirely my own fault for over-filling, though!