Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

#4 - Hoarding, Sorting, Organising, Friendship, Understanding. All On One Thread.

997 replies

Solo · 30/03/2019 23:56

Are you a hoarder? Are you in a mess, untidy, disorganised? A bit lazy with housework? Are you are ill and not coping with the housework? Are you totally overwhelmed? Are you are emotionally attached to items for whatever reason and can't let them go? Are you unable to just ask someone in for a cuppa at a moments notice or do dread the meter reader asking for access?
Do you find yourself nodding whilst reading any of this? If you have a combination of any or all of these things or something completely different, please come and join us. There is no judging. We have something in common here and we have a common goal. We share our ideas and we share our disappointments no matter how big and our celebrations no matter how small. We cheer one another along and drag the drowners from the depths of despair.

Join us; we don't bite! Welcome to thread number 4.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
Original poster
Solo · 24/04/2019 23:03

How did you do Ruby with your clear up?

Hi, PD (sorry, I tend to shorten names, I hope you don't mind!) welcome Thanks. I'm the same; I don't go to bed at a reasonable hour either and have been telling myself that if I were to go to bed early, get up earlier than I do, I could do an hour or two in the house before I leave for work. Good luck tomorrow getting started :)

Welcome BfG Thanks. Get stuck in and stick with us :)

Kitty that's brilliant! I can't sell stuff, sadly. I once offered over 28lbs in weight of baby/toddler girl clothing on the other, more cheesy parenting site for £25 and not one taker!
Anyway, I have cleared, cleaned and tidied a very small area of my kitchen. I like it! I want to do more! :) Go me!!

OP posts:
RubySlippers77 · 24/04/2019 23:04

Great news about your sales Kitty. We're about to sell a pram too although I think DP has forgotten some of the bits Hmm hoping that that will make enough to pay for our next holiday, or at least the majority of the cost.

Did you find anyone to offer your craft stash to - any local groups? If nothing else maybe offer it on Freegle? I love craft stuff but it can be quite 'niche' to find bits and pieces as it's hard to know what to search for on Facebook/ ebay.

My mum is a terrible hoarder and shortly to move house. Unfortunately she is also a champion procrastinator and has done precisely zero decluttering so far! I think she's going to have an enormous panic once the time for actually moving comes.....

House is slightly better but still needs a really good deep clean! My list is:

  • clean disgusting bathroom upstairs
  • vacuum upstairs
  • clean even more disgusting utility room downstairs
  • steam mop entrance hall tiles
  • dust living room and change sofa covers
  • clean kitchen worktops & cooker top
  • steam clean kitchen floor

And after that I need to finish tidying the loft (probably a 2 hour job) and re-pot stuff in the garden (another 2 - 3 hours). I will probably have things just about straight by the summer hols!

Original poster
Solo · 24/04/2019 23:14

My mum is too Ruby and my Dad was, and my brother is...see a pattern here? I used to be really tidy :( I don't know what happened apart from my health and my kids...
It's good you have a list. My list would be too overwhelming to write and worse to read back.

Right, I'm off to bed. Night!

OP posts:
RubySlippers77 · 26/04/2019 12:02

Oh gosh, my DF is a terrible hoarder too, I have no chance! Shock

To be fair my DB and I have learned the hard way that it's not nice to have a messy/ cluttered house that you don't want to bring people to visit. Sometimes it got so bad that we literally only had one space to sit in in the living room, they would have piled stuff everywhere, including the sofa and any chairs they could find. I am nowhere near that bad, thank goodness! as all my clutter is hidden in the loft

Updated list:

  • clean disgusting bathroom upstairs DONE
  • vacuum upstairs DONE
  • clean even more disgusting utility room downstairs DONE
  • steam mop entrance hall tiles
  • dust living room and change sofa covers
  • clean kitchen worktops & cooker top
  • steam clean kitchen floor

Need to add on dusting upstairs though. Aarrgghhh. DP loves wooden blinds, I hate them, for precisely this reason!

Original poster
Solo · 27/04/2019 00:50

Yes, wooden Venetian blinds...mine is awful in the kitchen!

OP posts:
RubySlippers77 · 28/04/2019 21:20

Hmmm, not much update on my list Sad virtually nothing done with the DC around this weekend. Tried to make a start on the garden, DS1 had a meltdown. Tried to clean up in the kitchen, DS1 had a meltdown. Tried to do some cooking, they fought like cat and dog. Pass the Gin to help me forget my still filthy house....

Cagliostro · 01/05/2019 13:57

Wow, lots of newbies!
@snazzypants19 I’ve recently realised I likely have ADHD too (inattentive type). I was diagnosed with autism a few years ago and that’s definitely correct but I still felt it didn’t explain everything I struggle with. I’ve been given a self referral form, but guess what, the forms are somewhere half filled in in my living room... Hmm

I have CFS/ME and fibromyalgia too, and POTS.

I’ve been watching Consumed on Netflix and it’s mega uncomfortable viewing! Worth watching though and deals with the issues far better than Kondo.

BookshopSally · 03/05/2019 12:05

What is your budget? Dyson are currently selling the discontinued V6 for £199

Original poster
Solo · 03/05/2019 23:46

Wrong thread BookshopSally?

OP posts:
Original poster
Solo · 10/05/2019 20:36

No movement?

OP posts:
Cagliostro · 10/05/2019 20:47

Nope none here. Well, we have rearranged a few bits to make home ed a bit more organised, but no decluttering!

How are you?

cherrytree63 · 11/05/2019 08:29

Nothing much to add, I've managed not to make any more mess so I suppose that's an improvement!
After I'd got into the swing of things for my Easter visitors I was actually disappointed thst I had to stop to entertain and was looking forward to resuming when they'd gone.
But then I was tired/fibro flare/painful arthritis, told myself I'd have a day off from sorting and it's turned into weeks!
I need to get a desk to have a better paperwork storage system, at the moment it's in plastic boxes in my sideboard, but it's awkward to get them out so everything since I've sorted it has been thrown into boxes waiting to be filed.
The other thing I need to address is my clothes, despite so many bags going to the charity shop I still have too many, the majority are put away, but I'm now in the habit of keeping up with my laundry, not putting it away, and just wearing the clothes off the rack all the time (which probably proves I've still got too many clothes).
I've got masses of storage in my bedroom, and still don't have enough room for my linen, I got a chest of drawers for my spare room with the intention of putting it all in there but it's already crammed full of towels and my bed sets are homeless!
Today I'm off to M & S and TKMax to try to find some extra deep sheets and I'm going to allow myself a new pair of jeans (Christmas and Easter are lingering around my midriff ) and maybe 2 tops.
How is everyone else getting on?

Original poster
Solo · 11/05/2019 18:14

I've had an ME flare too. If I can just go to work and function, I'm okay but, I just can't do much else. I've not been this bad for a long time and I don't like it.

The only thing I'm up to date on it my weekly washing but, like you cherry I'm rack to wear. I also can't get into my jeans. Have a wedding (evening) reception in June and dreading the usual what the hell will I be able to get in to wear.

Cag you sound like you are doing the most important bit.

OP posts:
Cagliostro · 12/05/2019 17:09

Not sure really, I feel like we are still living in chaos! Just slightly more spacious chaos since the move.

I am trying to gradually impose more order on the house though. In particular the daily routine type stuff. My executive function is all but non existent, and DH while practical doesn’t have much either I think (I’m not entirely convinced by his assertion that he’s neurotypical :o) so it’s a real struggle.

Yesterday I wrote a little morning routine (and laminated it!) that must be completed before they can have TV - it’s mostly off during the school day, as we are taking a more structured approach to home ed now, but we have decided to relax the rules a bit so they can watch an episode of something after breakfast IF they are ready to get on with the day.

I’ll then follow up with a lunchtime routine and another for evening. Just checklists to make sure we do things like keep the table clear.

Also meal planning for lunches as well as dinners because the food waste and the amount we spend on takeaways etc in this house is embarrassing.

Sorry about the flare ups. Thanks

I’m feeling confused about my own condition lately (and contemplative since it’s ME/fibro awareness day today) - I have actually started being able to exercise a little, swimming and stuff, and cope fairly well with it. Yay! And yet if I go out for the day, it renders me useless and in pain. So I can exercise, but I can’t live a normal life. WTF.

PocketFluff · 14/05/2019 08:01

Can I join! We have so much "stuff" and I hate it, but find it so hard to get rid of. I get emotionally attached to things, or think they may come in handy. I find it especially hard to get rid of things that people give to us, especially to my children but we are drowning in toys!

When I manage to do things I feel so positive but most of the time it feels overwhelming. I second watching Consumed on Netflix: very motivating!

IncyWincyGrownUp · 14/05/2019 10:17

Checking in after a long absence. Currently filling a ‘bag 2 school’ bag. I’ve decided I can do one per day until the cut off date and it will be very good for me, and even better for my bedroom!

Original poster
Solo · 15/05/2019 18:25

You are in the right place, Pocket so, welcome Flowers and welcome back Incy :)

OP posts:
IncyWincyGrownUp · 15/05/2019 19:39

I managed to fill 2.5 bags before life went to hell in a handcart. Breathing today, more at the weekend. Maybe a skip too!

RubySlippers77 · 15/05/2019 23:35

I've had two weeks of DS1 being ill and everything went horrifically wrong. Today the DTs went to MIL and FIl for a few hours and I finally made a start on the tidying. Hooray!

Still to do:

  • finish tidying loft
  • dust bedroom
  • clean entrance hall
  • clean utility room
  • tidy kitchen
  • clean kitchen floor

And once that's been done it will probably be time to start all over again....!

RubySlippers77 · 15/05/2019 23:36

I've had two weeks of DS1 being ill and everything went horrifically wrong. Today the DTs went to MIL and FIl for a few hours and I finally made a start on the tidying. Hooray!

Still to do:

  • finish tidying loft
  • dust bedroom
  • clean entrance hall
  • clean utility room
  • tidy kitchen
  • clean kitchen floor

And once that's been done it will probably be time to start all over again....!

RubySlippers77 · 16/05/2019 11:49

Update:

  • finish tidying loft - boxes ordered
  • dust bedroom
  • clean entrance hall DONE
  • clean utility room DONE
  • tidy kitchen
  • clean kitchen floor

Getting there. Very slowly, though!

Cagliostro · 16/05/2019 18:22

Hi pocket and incy :)

Trying to get some sorting done while DH is away (he does all the general tidying really because I am useless so I wanted to surprise him) getting the kids to contribute but mental health is majorly low at the moment so it’s a struggle. I have chucked some stuff away though and put some others away.

IncyWincyGrownUp · 21/05/2019 11:54

I took five bags of stuff out of the house today. Five! All to be recycled in some way or another too which is even more satisfying.

I’m having a coffee now, and will have another go at the weekend.

IncyWincyGrownUp · 21/05/2019 23:22

I collected some more recycling bags. Determined to get rid of more stuff over whit week.

cherrytree63 · 22/05/2019 08:58

I've not done anything except put my laundry away. It's something I dreaded doing, trying to find space for it, but I'd forgotten that I'd been quite ruthless in my last sort out and there was room for it all (and an empty drawer!) so that was a nice surprise.
I definitely still have too many clothes though!
Bought some paint for a couple of projects which I'm trying to motivate myself into starting.
Other than that nothing's happening.