Post-school hols house is a tip :-( Where do I start?

[CoffeeChocolateWine]

Every room is depressingly messy. I feel so despondent about it I don’t know where to start. Struggling with depression at the moment too so please be kind. I wish I had the motivation to just attack it but I look at it and feel overwhelmed. I hate mess but I’m not naturally a tidy person...have to work really hard to keep on top of things. My husband is the same. My children are really untidy and leave their stuff everywhere. We’ve really let it slide over the hols. Anyone else need to tidy up their entire house and have some words of encouragement for me? I have a 10 month old to contend with too!

Thanks. 10 and 6. I’ll let the 10 month old off! The older ones are back at school today. They enjoy helping with things like cleaning the bathroom sink and using the toilet brush but usually manage to make a mess in the process!

I always find making a list helps. Go through room by room and note what needs doing. I find it very satisfying (I'm sad though) crossing things off as they get done.

Ok so far I have got 2 loads of washing on the line, cleaned the bathroom, en suite and downstairs loo and made all the beds. It’s a start but aside from the bathrooms I’ve done ‘bits’ in each room rather than focusing on one room so nothing looks LOADS better! Baby is sleeping now so going to make the most of it!

This is my house too! I'm about to make a big coffee and go for it with a black bag and the hoover. Washed and dried loads of stuff yesterday but now it's all sitting in piles waiting for my children to out it away. Every floor is grubby or bitty. And DS2 has left toys and piles of drawings/hama bead creations/bits of cardboard models/books/Easter egg foil everywhere! You've motivated me to get started as I was putting it off repeatedly.

How’s it going @Roomba? I think I’m running out of steam but it’s definitely looking better than it did this morning. More washing on the line and the kitchen has been cleaned. Been going through a few cupboards too so spent a while in the kitchen. Lounge and bedrooms to tackle later/tomorrow.

Made some more progress today...go me! Lounge and 2-and-a-half bedrooms done and decluttered. One-and-a-half bedrooms to go and a fish tank to clean All looks so much better. —Not going to get stressed by the fact that my kids have just emptied all their Lego onto the nice clear lounge floor—

Strikethrough fail!

You’ve done loads! I was just going to reply saying I always do the toilets/bathrooms first as they are small rooms and it feels like a big bit of progress when they’re freshly done. But you’re way beyond that now

Thank you! I’m feeling pretty pleased with myself It makes such a difference. I seem to have done nothing but clean and tidy for 2 days. And my little girl has been such a poppet...just happily pottering in the same room as me while I get on with it. To be honest if I’m in the mood and the right frame of mind which I have been for the past couple of days, I’m a good ‘blitzer’. My problem is keeping it this way because if I have even a day of not doing anything it just seems to descend into chaos again. Or if one person in my family dares to leave their crap somewhere, I think “what’s the point?” and get all despondent again. I had a day off from washing today and my basket is back to overflowing...it’s never ending.