The Organised Mum Method

[IcanDorisIwillDoris]

Does anyone fancy joining me in following the organised mum method?

Back to work tomorrow after the summer off (work term time only) and need to get on top of a house work routine after struggling this last year or so to stay on top of things.

I suffer with anxiety and can easily get lost in my mood without structure and I like what I saw on the website. Will probably tweek the method as I go but it's a good structured plan to kick things off.

I work odd hours around the kids being at school but have a clear hour each day to dedicate to this. Plus I am sick of losing my weekends to playing catch up when I could be doing nicer things with the kids!!

Four of us in a 4 bed semi which is clean, just full of stuff that comes with having kids. It can get pretty messy!

Have done the odd bit of decluttering over the summer which has made a bit of a difference!

Looking forward to having a house that doesn't embarrass me on the odd occasion a guest arrives unannounced

My shark hoover came today, it’s amazing! Even after hoovering with the Dyson yesterday it picks up so much.

Ilovealexa, I quite often have to miss days because of work. The same room will come around next week.

I finally did the bedroom yesterday without napping. Go me.

Hallway done, my favourite day.

Had a bit of a week off last week as house being decorated but actually meant a lot of decluttering. Kept to level 1 jobs though and this week I have to say my day off which is usually spent doing loads of cleaning was about an hour including all bedding, washing and a bathroom focus - ended up having to go to the gym as ran out of things to do - such a change from before when house felt like insurmountable bomb sire

little I have a dyson animal and it's 3 years old. It's absolutely awful. I have a shark steam cleaner for the kitchen and bathroom and it's seemingly good quality, although time will tell.

I came home last night, went to cuddle with the DC, had dinner and did the daily hit list. Folding yesterday's laundry took forever.

I've really jumped into this properly now, finished my Level 1s and the kitchen 30 mins this morning. I just find it incredible how filthy the floor gets even with sweeping it daily. The mop bucket water is black with filth

Bathroom Friday focus tomorrow but they're in such good shape from the daily Level 1 clean, I think I'm going to concentrate on decluttering - somehow we always end up with the most random things on the bathroom shelves and then it's hard to clean because there are a million little bits and bobs to move around. Then a mop, a spray of viakal and that should be it.

Place marking to read thread later

I’m with you on today’s level three @Xiaoxiong my bathroom is clean so I’m going to de clutter the two bathroom cupboards. I know we have a selection of half bottle conditioners that we might use one day, streaky fake tan sprays etc. Also the airing cupboard is a chuck it in and hope for the best cupboard

Did nothing over the weekend but Level 1 jobs, yesterday I dusted the living room and sorted a few piles of clutter and today changed sheets!

I need to get faster at sheet changing, it takes me nearly 30 mins just to do the beds and then there's not much time for actual cleaning. Upside is that our bedroom was still in good shape from the recent master bedroom Friday focus so I guess I didn't need to do that much anyway.

Our bedroom is a pigsty! I need to just start it! It’s full of presents to be wrapped.

I am on my second rotation of Friday jobs, so so have been following OMM for around 12 weeks now. Our house has never been more organised and tidy, which makes me feel more in control of things. I do adapt it slightly. Like a pp, but there is no way I could change three beds and clean three bedrooms in 30 mins, and so DH changes the sheets on Saturdays.
My week is as follows:
Every day: Beds made, kitchen hoovered, bathroom sinks and toilets cleaned.
Monday: sitting room, inc floor mopped.
Tuesday: Bedrooms, bathroom floors mopped, bins emptied and towels changed.
Wednesday: Baths cleaned, hall and stairs Inc mopping
Thur: kitchen
Fri: Friday focus
Sat: change beds, and utility room and one random chore (sort a cupboard etc)
Sun: Ironing, and admin and clean downstairs floors

I did a 25min blitz of my wardrobe and cleared about 75% of DHs clothes. I now have room! He had stuff in there from over 15 years ago that he hasn't worn in over 10 years.

cathf - you’re making me feel exhausted! I’m had a cleaner since we got married 25 years ago and haven’t ever done any of these jobs. Whilst DT’s were growing up and with two full on full time careers, we wouldn’t have time and now DT’s are both at Uni, I’ve got out of the habit and very spoilt by an excellent cleaner. I admire your organisational skills.

I ignored bedroom day this week

I did do all level 1 jobs though.

Cath I like your tweaks! I don't think I could do so much mopping though, it's my most hated job

Level 1 jobs done today, entry way and stairs hoovered and random bits tidied away. I did a mountain of admin in the rest of the time, booked vet, dentist, optician, asthma clinic, flu jabs, all for the first week after term ends to get it all out of the way.

Now having a coffee to recover from all the productivity

Xia, I HATE HATE Hate mopping, but I hence spreading it out over the week!
To the pp who said it sounds exhausting - it's really not. I spend no more than 45 mins a day, so I so it's hardly hardship. Yes it's easier having a cleaner but I had one for years and my house was never as clean as it is now. I think it's the Friday focus that makes the plan work. A cleaner - certainly the ones I have had in the past anyway - would never get round to polishing the bathroom tiles, deep cleaning a bedroom window Inc shutters and frames, deep cleaning the kitchen bin and sorting out the CD drawers and the tangle of wires in the sitting room, which is how I have spent my last four Friday 30 mins.

cath do you use an old school bucket or do you have a swishy steam mop? Maybe it's the filling of the bucket and lugging it around that gets me down...Anyway I will have to mop tomorrow anyway, since it's Thursday.

I agree with you about the difference between this method with a Friday focus, and what a cleaner does. We have had a cleaner for years and actually still have a cleaner once a week because we are in the notice period with the agency but I really stepped up my adherence to the method anyway and the difference is incredible. The cleaners leave the kitchen, bathrooms, floors clean when they leave on a Monday but to be honest the next day they're all a mess again and Level 1 has to be done (and laundry has to be done no matter what).

I can also declutter and sort through random piles of crap, whereas the cleaners move the piles around but don't get rid of them for me. They also don't have time to clear out cupboards, wardrobes, or deep clean unless I specifically tell them to instead of another job. Since I started this method the house is cleaner, but especially tidier than it ever has been (which then means it's easier to keep clean...etc etc)

Up until this week, so I had a mop and bucket, so but I am giving the Method floor cleaner and microfibre mop a go at the moment. I have TBH, the jury is out on the Method cleaner. I had assumed that it would work like eg Flash, but I diluted in a bucket, but it turns out you just spray it directly on the the floor. The so it's twice the price of Flash for half as much, as I that is not diluted. I reckon a bottle of traditional cleaner would last me about four months and would cost about £2. Method is £4 and I can't see it lasting any more than a month. Plus is it dries a lot quicker but I think that's the mop, so I'll not the cleaner.
Agree with you about the clutterbusting - I also have a little suite of jobs as you go - for instance, giving the washing machine drawer a quick wipe every time I use it so the gunk does not build up.

Still loving this method!

Once you’ve been doing it a while the place is so clean that in your daily half hour you might manage to tackle a drawer or hoover under the sofa cushions.

The Friday focus is what makes it though as you get a full half an hour extra to do stuff like decluttering and wiping skirting boards etc.

I am a fan!!

The vileda spray mop is good if you don’t want to carry a bucket @Xiaoxiong . I have the spinning mop thing, it’s amazing.

Ok that Vileda spray mop looks perfect!! At the moment I'm on my hands and knees with spray and a sponge, or the full-on mop and bucket. But goodness, did the floors need it - the water was filthy yet again after today's kitchen half hour. I don't know how they get so filthy so quickly, it's dispiriting sometimes!

What's the spinning mop thing though? Sounds exciting!

It spins to wring out the mop properly. It just makes it so much easier (and fun, even the dc have been mopping).

This morning I washed the floor in the playroom with vinegar. It stank for hours and now the room finally smells normal. Potty training is wearing thin....

Santa look what you made me do

@Xiaoxiong sorry! Have you used it yet?

I’m struggling at the moment. I’m working nights and find I’m only awake enough on my days off at around 2am. I don’t want to wake everyone up. Dh has been trying but he’s trying to be quiet because I’m asleep during the day.

No haven't used it yet. But I have played with the foot pedal!! the bucket seems quite good as well and I think it's fun enough to get me over the misery of having to mop the kitchen floor tomorrow.