My mum said my house is a pigsty!

[FrostyThirties0]

😂 She was joking, she really is lovely and so helpful and I know it’s an exaggeration as we have such a busy house but I’m always on the go, so things do pile up. It came as we were all laughing about house standards.

I’m not at all offended and I know she loves us all to bits but can’t help feel there’s no smoke without fire!

What can I do? I’d like to start a clear out in the new year. I have dc ranging from 14 to 7 and a husband. None of us are naturally tidy but with a bit of direction (lists) we are reasonable. It’s just life gets in the way!

Also I’m a childminder so lots of additional mess is purely mine from working and it does cause a lot of extra stuff. This plus Christmas coming and a small house is really scaring me!

I thought we were keeping on top of it but a short notice visit this morning that sent us all in to a panic and my mum’s comment, I’m beginning to think otherwise.

Please help.

If you really do care enough to want to change it (lots of people are fine with mess - my best friends are) maybe ask your mum to help you?

I am naturally tidy and organised and my house stays that way by:

1. Everything has a place and it goes to that place - no stops along the way. So stuff goes in the sink or dishwasher. rubbish in the bin. books on the shelf. library books in their basket. food is put away. I don't leave piles of stuff on the table or countertops. There is a junk drawer for random stuff and a basket next to the computer for house/family admin stuff.

1. Declutter as much as possible. Don't keep things you don't use just in case

1. Have the kids help out - they are all of an age that can help

1. Before I go to bed, I make sure the kitchen is clean (not necessarily cleaned by me), the floor is swept, the breakfast things are out and ready. When I leave the house in the morning the beds are made (not by me), laundry in the basket, stuff in the dishwasher.

1. I don't iron so clothes don't wait in a pile of laundry - they go straight back into people's wardrobes. The biggest mess in our kitchen growing up was the pile of ironing.

1. Clean as you go. This should be true for everyone. Whoever is cooking puts stuff in the sink or dishwasher not on the table when done, puts the food away in the fridge or cupboard, wipes up as they go etc.

I think it’s the decluttering I need to get on with. I seem to do most of the other things and yet it still looks ropey! The kids’ beds probably don’t get made either, I don’t have a need to go in their rooms so not sure!

I fact the floors have needed mopping all weekend so I going to do it now.

All done and didn’t take as long as I thought.