The Organised Mum Method

[SylvanasWindrunner]

Is anyone doing this/just started?

We just started this week and oh my goodness, our house is clean! Someone could turn up unexpectedly and I could let them in and not die of shame!

Even toddler DD came downstairs today and said 'Oh, it's clean here!'

I downloaded the app off the back of this thread and haven’t done a day since I got it!

Need to get my bum in gear. The system just works!

Thirty minutes a day (and some) does feel like a lot when you’re not used to doing cleaning every day like me but then you’re also not having to do the inevitable massive tidy and clean every few weeks either so you break even.

I amended the app to make Wednesday bathroom day. And Thursday kitchen and utility (not built yet!). Please can someone remind me what Wednesday was originally? Was it halls?

@HemanOrSheRa sounds sensible I will give it a try thanks a lot

@Indecisivelurcher

I amended the app to make Wednesday bathroom day. And Thursday kitchen and utility (not built yet!). Please can someone remind me what Wednesday was originally? Was it halls?

Yes, hall and stairs!

I saw someone say something blindingly obvious (but not to me or DP it seems!) a week or so ago which was in essence 'if you like a nice clean house you do actually have to clean it' and I've repeated that to my DP in a very wise way

It's hall day for me but I think I'll be pushing it till tomorrow as both our baby and toddler were up a lot in the night. I like the level 1 jobs because I feel like if I can get those things done it's still an achievement!

@DollyPartBaked

I saw someone say something blindingly obvious (but not to me or DP it seems!) a week or so ago which was in essence 'if you like a nice clean house you do actually have to clean it' and I've repeated that to my DP in a very wise way

Yes that's always been the part we struggle with too! Doesn't seem fair you can have it clean one day and the next day you need to do it again, really. Bad design.

Hope you can get some rest today! DD was up at the crack of dawn today too and we had a long conversation about whether the Gro Clock was showing the sun or not (reader, it was not). So long in fact that the sun then came up during it and she leapt out of bed with a very smug 'See, the sun is up'.

Anyway, got laundry on, made the beds, just done a quick hoover of downstairs and about to do a v quick round with the spray mop. Got a friend and her baby coming round this morning so it's nice not to have to have a frantic hour of shoving everything out of sight and cleaning a path for her to walk through so she doesn't think we live in a hovel (although she's super lovely so she would never think that!). I also did some of the hall stuff but forgot it's hall focus week so I got sidetracked trying to clean our hideously grubby bannisters for a bit till I remembered. Sacked that off quick!

Level one up to date for now, level 2 (kitchen and back lobby) complete. I'm a sweaty mess but the kitchen looks gorgeous. The Method glass cleaner did a lovely job on the tiles behind the range.

I think I might have my rooms tweaked onto the right arrangement of days for me - it'll soon be time to laminate the list and stick it on the side of the fridge.

I'm not sticking to 15 and 30 minutes per day, I have to do what's on the list, no matter how long it takes (or doesn't take!). I wouldn't feel I'd finished it properly otherwise.

Totally detailed here today by

1. the builders actually cracking on, have had to fully vacate our back extension at short notice so everything is now piled in the kitchen. I cleaned the downstairs loo and basin at 6am, they've just smashed the basin up with a hammer 😩
2. the discovery of a flea on ddog meaning I have dropped everything to run to the vets for treatment then nuke the house and wash all of ds's bedding, as ddog had gone there to hide from the builders! Will have to see how I wash ddogs bed too, which has never been done... Not sure how I'm going to get my work done today, its blinking chaos.

Derailed!!! Even

@Indecisivelurcher

Totally detailed here today by 1) the builders actually cracking on, have had to fully vacate our back extension at short notice so everything is now piled in the kitchen. I cleaned the downstairs loo and basin at 6am, they've just smashed the basin up with a hammer 😩 2) the discovery of a flea on ddog meaning I have dropped everything to run to the vets for treatment then nuke the house and wash all of ds's bedding, as ddog had gone there to hide from the builders! Will have to see how I wash ddogs bed too, which has never been done... Not sure how I'm going to get my work done today, its blinking chaos.

Oh no!

We got an extension and garage conversion at the end of last year, and it was due to start on a certain date. Then one Friday our architect was like 'Right so they will be here 8am on Monday' which was about three weeks early and the garage was full to the brim with crap. We had to work like mad over the weekend and had no childcare so toddler DD was just wandering around our death trap of a garage while we frantically chucked stuff into the car for tip runs.

I still have to hoover stairs and upstairs landing but that's a job for DH when he finishes work. I think everything else is done! 🥳 My parents are coming to visit on Friday and all I'll need to do is put bedding on their bed, so that's a nice change from the usual frantic half day cleaning before they arrive!

That's the most thorough derailing I could possibly imagine! My condolences. Maybe don't try and get anything done, other than surviving the day?

I ordered the Method glass cleaner and shower stuff and some of the handwashes as I got the foaming berry one a couple of weeks ago and it's really nice, so figured I'd get some for the other sinks too.

I'm hiding in the living room while DD plays with cars loudly in the other playroom. Just feel like I need some quiet and space, but no doubt she will come looking for me soon!

Oooft. I am DONE! Level 1's and 2 took me just less than an hour. I was going to do the main bedroom today (rolled over from yesterday) but I'll do it tomorrow - nice easy job. It looks ok because I did it last Friday, I'm doing the kitchen on Friday instead of tomorrow and I can't be arsed anyway!

Arggggh nooooooo FLEAS Indecisivelurcher 😱. They've been dreadful this summer. I take it the builders weren't supposed to be smashing your basin?! Idiots!

I'm not very eco friendly with cleaning stuff. I use Spanish cleaning products. They are really efficient and smell lovely. Plus Method and Ecover were bought out by SC Johnson. I used to use Method (the laundry liquids are lovely) but I'm unsure of the eco credentials now. Anyway, sat down with a cuppa now pondering over what to have for dinner.

I don't so much use Method for their eco credentials so much as the delicious smells, to be honest! Their almond wood polish was the gateway scent, now I have to try them all.

Sitting room day here. I'm looking forward to it being all nice for the evening. I'm not going to bother washing the throws and cushion covers, I did them quite recently (and took the opportunity to replace a mangled cushion pad that was not so much a pad as a pile of unrelated lumps). I will hoover the cat tree though; it's delightfully coated in cat hair. And I'll remember to dust the top of the wall hanging and its rail. I REALLY WILL. For the first time ever.

My favourite Dyson head for hoovering the rug is acting up; the spinny bit isn't spinning. I haven't found exactly the right screwdriver to open it up and investigate, so I might tackle that today. I wish they wouldn't use star head screws.

Yes the smells here for me too! I also have some linen fresh Zoflora I use for some bits as I like that smell too and it seems quite versatile.

Kitchen day here. I got a head start as there was room in the dishwasher last night so I put the oven trays etc in. And then DD was up early again so instead of bargaining and trying to eke out 15 mins more in bed I got up and got a lot of the kitchen stuff done and some laundry on! Then I gave her to DH and went back to bed

Oh I'm glad it's not just me who uses products because they smell nice . Back to back Zoom/Teams meetings for me from 11am until 3pm. Boo! Might put a load of laundry on in a break though. Get that out if the way.

I made a cleaning schedule in my bullet journal today! Time to get on it!

Level 1 and 2 all done (nearly) yesterday.
I’ve got hardwood floors in my hall, so it’s a whole production to mop them, so I’m leaving that till Friday.

Kitchen day will be a challenge as it’s a massive tip. Hopefully the little and often method can bring it into line.

I went into the kitchen earlier to empty the dishwasher, opened it, and realised I'd already done it.

That has never happened before.

I looked at this ages ago and loved the idea. But was to overwhelmed by how bad the house had got (due to health reasons, plus feeling overwhelmed at where to start and so the cycle got worse).

I started the decluttering stage a while ago, but have added an extra level to it. I live in a really old cottage so dust/cobwebs/etc an be a nightmare. Plus, hadn’t been painted in ages so, no matter how “clean” I got an area it still looked grubby and untidy. So, I’ve been VERY slowly getting an area thoroughly clean and then decorating it. It’s long-winded and I can only do a small amount each day, but it’s already making a huge difference. The areas I’ve done feel clean and fresh which is lovely. It’s going to take me well into the new year, but I’m already feeling optimistic at then starting the weekly method properly rather than it still being a bit ad hoc due to stuff being shunted around for decorating.

With regards to bathrooms being part of daily level 1 jobs, I remember seeing something which used the days of the week as a reminder, along the lines of:

Monday - Mirrors
Tuesday - Toilets
Wednesday - Wet Stuff (sink bowl, shower etc)
Thursday - Taps
Friday - Floor

One product, which I’ve found great for the inside of the shower, is Method Shower Cleaner. I just spray and leave it - it helps prevent any residue build up and saves on scrubbing.

And, if anyone is planning on updating their bathroom at any point, I’d highly recommend full height splash back panels on the shower walls, rather than tiles. The absence of loads of grout to try and keep clean has been one of the best things I’ve had done in my place!

I can relate to the grubbiness remaining after cleaning! Our whole house has badly needed repainting since we moved in, the walls and woodwork look scruffy and stained no matter how much I clean. Realistically we're not going to start it till January at this stage though. Thank goodness for low light levels in winter

I did level two, sat down to MN for a bit and realised I'd forgotten to dust the sodding wall hanging. I knew I would!

We bought some white gloss paint a while ago to repaint the worn bits of bannister, etc. It is still in the Amazon box in which it came Is painting over dirt a viable solution? Asking for a friend ... feels like the skirting boards will never look clean.

DH has somehow ended up with 4 weeks of holiday still to take and has been making noises about taking a week off just to do some (long overdue) house stuff, so we shall see!

All done here except the fridge, which DH can do once he finishes work (cos I looked inside and something has spilled and I cba dealing with).

@Furries Ooh thanks for that bathroom list. I always feel a bit at sea with it so just end up cleaning the toilet three days in a row.

Not a very on it day, am feeling tired and miserable, think might need to start taking iron tablets again. Haven't done enough work. House is a bit of a tip. Not sure whether to do much in the kitchen really, I think the wall is being taken down next week as part of building works. I might focus on keeping the bathroom and living room decent. Currently covered in Lego and dinosaurs.