Please help me make a plan to sort everything out tomorrow ( Sunday)

[AveAtqueVale]

I've been at work for 12+ hours every day for the last six days and collapsing when I get home as have a stinking cold. DC 5 and 2 have been at home causing utter destruction with a mixture of DH (who's been on nights and running on about 4 hours sleep a day so I'm not entirely blaming him) and his dad (who's nearly 80, so also gets a free pass) and the flat is a shit tip. Every surface is covered in clutter, there are two laundry mountains, clean and dirty, which are starting to mingle, all the beds need changing, the kitchen and bathroom need a good scrub and I'm pretty sure every toy and game we possess is in various bits around the place. I have approximately four hours tomorrow to sort it (two in the morning, when DH will be asleep and I therefore need to keep the DC relatively quiet and also can't go in our bedroom, and another couple in the afternoon when DH will be awake and around to help). I NEED to get it sorted as it's absolutely awful and I'm back at work on Monday. Though I have no work clothes washed or ironed... But I'm still feeling fairly rough and it's all so overwhelming! DC2 in particular is very clingy and I find it hard to get much done with him. Dc1 is better but is not great at amusing himself and is currently on a total screen ban.

If someone could just give me a list of jobs to do, in order, it would be so helpful. I'm terrible at deciding what to do and how to start and just know the way I'm feeling I'll faff about tomorrow getting a few things half done, and by Monday it'll all be back to square one. Help!

I would try and sort the laundry and tidy up first as this will make it seem easier to clean and less of a mess. Would also do the beds as they're relatively quick and will make you feel better to get in clean sheets.

Then prioritise bathroom & kitchen

I'd tidy up while DH is asleep then take half the rooms each when he's awake.

Can you wash and hang stuff so you can ditch the ironing?
Get a wash on
Tidy kitchen and get dishwasher on or wash up
Next wash on
Bathrooms
Stop for food
Beds and tidy up main living area
More washing
Put all clean laundry in baskets so it doesn’t get mixed up
Quick vac

Any help?

If it were me I would do:

1. Kitchen, while giving kids breakfast - get worktops as clear as poss, give everything a good wipe
2. Laundry (clean) - involve kids in sorting into per person piles, put theirs away, may need to wait to put adults' away if DH sleeping
3. Squirt cleaning stuff round bathroom sink and toilet, then get kids through bath/shower. Easier to wipe bathroom clean after it's all steamy.
4. Reward yourself and kids in some way doing something together

Then in afternoon:

1. Strip beds and get washing machine on as don't need to worry about noise
2. You put adults' clothes away
3. DH starts supporting kids to put toys away, you join in to help them finish
4. All reward yourself doing something together possibly out of the house so you don't undo your work

(Re-make beds as soon as poss afterwards to avoid sinking feeling at bedtime)

Oh and - shove the children in front of screens and get a take away.

You will need a treat for after.

Kitchen while the little ones are having breakfast then laundry. While the washing is on make a game of gathering toys.
Bedrooms when DH gets up. Then iron what you need for work. Bathroom could have a clean while you are in there showering and be ok for another day.
💐

1. Wash work clothes
2. tumble dry work clothes
3. iron work clothes

during 1 & 2 take sheets off bed, not time to air, put clean sheets on bed

get the grandfather to entertain the children a) read them stories
b) he minds a plastic crate and there's a game to run round and put toys in it really quietly like mice to surprise daddy when he wakes up

But in the longer term OP you can't live like this, it's too much. I think I'd just stay in bed TBH.

I would prioritise kitchen, bathrooms, beds. 1 Put work clothes in wash first as otherwise going to work tomorrowis difficult

2 send DC on 10 minute toy tidy up. Depends on their age if they can do this independently but if old enough, set a timer and see who can tidy away the most. Give each one a tub/basket if you have it.
3 . You do 10 minute kitchen surface tidy/wipe down.
4 Give DC breakfast and you carry on with kitchen - 10 to 15 mins. Floor clean up once they have finished.
5 can they colour while you carry on with rest of house? Set timer to make you work faster. Go round with basket putting anything that doesn't belong in. Put clean clothes away.

1. Quick attack of bathroom. 10 mins - anything is better than nothing.
2. Dry work clothes and put in children's beds (if DH awake do yours too).

Going forward, try The Organised Mum Method but share tasks with DH and DC too if you can. I also like Melissa Maker Clean My Space for inspiration too.

Good luck. It is so hard when working and poorly too. Just think abything is better than nothing and don't worry about perfection. Then go out and enjoy your afternoon!

I'd suggest the others go out for the day with your children. Make a pot odd coffee or tea. Put your music on. Treat it as exercise. Agree with starting with gathering all the laundry, sort into piles and getting that started. Then one room at a time starting with bathrooms and kitchen.

Thanks all. DH got back earlier than expected and both DC had migrated into bed with me, so he's now asleep in their room. Have stuck a dishwasher load on while feeding the kids and the kitchen is not too bad. So now going to sort laundry and get work clothes on and change our bed, then attempt to tackle the living room floor (see below for current status ). Then will reassess where we're up to.

It's awful when it feels so over whelming. But tackle one thing at a time and don't get distracted!
Don't have too high expectations for what you will get done, as it's hard with the DC about.
Is there anything that 80yr old can do? Even little jobs would help.

Maybe put away all board games with little pieces when you're done.just for the week ahead until you feel more on too of things. If really overwhelmed, get big box and out all toy bits in there for another day to sort.

Put the clean laundry away first

Room by room.

Do it in an anti clockwise circle so pick a point and start tidying from there and go back to the point on the circle if you have to move - so say you start at sink and if you have to put someone the other side of the room don't start tidying stuff there but go back to the sink.

Also set a timer 15 minutes per room!

Agree Organised Mum method, but obviously both of you. Really keeps on top of it.
It’s so hard when they are little- gets overwhelming.

Get everyone to help, today and in future so the pressure is off you. You all sound busy, oldor young in your own ways, so everyone mucks in.

Kids - both to tidy toys before dinner each evening. Adults help where needed, but less likely to get everything out over time when they realise they have to tidy.

Today get kids to pull bedding off beds and leave-in pile, 5 year old can do this, especially all pillow cases.

80 year old get to fold clean washing into piles, and dump dirty stuff in or near machines. He can also occupy kids a bit with reading or drawing.

I would sit down with dh, 80 year old and kids for a 'family meeting ' of sorts. You can say how its tricky all falling on you, and work out between you how to divide chores by capability and time. Even 2 year old can help throw toys in a box or find any dirty socks and dump near machine. Maybe introduce 5 year old to pocket money concept also.

How are you getting on?