Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

The Organised Mum Method

542 replies

SylvanasWindrunner · 02/09/2021 10:30

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!' Blush Grin

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
dinosaurtin · 28/09/2021 22:45

I am remembering why I love TOMM so much. Now all I have to do is stick to it Blush. 11hrs at work but I still managed to come home and finish off the L1 jobs that DH and I had started in the am and then I cracked on and did 30mins in our bedroom - I changed the rooms around long ago to suit us more. It is so nice to feel a little in control!

FlipFlops4Me · 29/09/2021 08:04

@DollyPartBaked

Congrats *@FlipFlops4Me* - how long did it take you? I might be inspired!

Has a good day today - cleaned 2 x DCs room almost within 30 minutes. I think when I have the hoover out I'm now going to do the upstairs hallway as well so that's done ahead of tomorrow's hall way.

Our room remains the room of doom which is slowly being decluttered and did not get hoovered today - baby steps though

It took just over a month from start to finish. I decluttered:

68 bin bags full (paid for council collection in two lots)
12 wheelie bins full
3 large estate car loads to charity shop (with the back seat dropped down)
3 large sets of bookshelves (charity shop)
1 large kitchen table and 2 chairs (neighbour)
3 bedside lockers (neighbour)
1 merchant's chest with 9 drawers (neighbour)
2 dolls houses (charity shop)
2 vacuum cleaners (broken)

And each room as it was decluttered was thoroughly cleaned. All that's left is carpet cleaning and I have arranged for loft clearance at the end of November.

But the house is soooo easy to keep clean now - I can't believe the difference in just how quick it is to dust/polish, tidy etc And anyone could call round and I'd be OK with it. In fact my MIL came totaly unexpectedly on Saturday and the place looked great (I think she was pissed off about that ....)

DollyPartBaked · 29/09/2021 08:56

Haha about your MIL! That's so impressive @FlipFlops4Me - did you follow and system for deciding what to get rid of? I'm so guilty of sending everything into the loft or buying extra storage! Our house is a small terrace so not lots of storage.

In fact just put a load of summer stuff in the loft that I haven't even worn this summer and will no doubt come back down next June Grin - such a waste of time!!

FlipFlops4Me · 29/09/2021 09:40

I started in one corner of the kitchen and worked my way round it. If I use it, I kept it. If I really, really liked it then I kept it. I ditched absolutely everything else. Everything.

In the sitting room I got rid of everything that was "decor" but that had no real meaning. Some bookshelves went because I went through the books keeping only the reference books I'd use, and the paper fiction books that have real genuine meaning. (I use a kindle for day to day books).

Then I did the utility - my DIL and I emptied it and I took down the shelving. Then we put in some nice garage racking and I put back just what I actually use. Junked all the rest - even if it wasn't empty, and even if it had been expensive in its day.

Moved to the bathroom, then our bedroom - all clothes that didn't fit, all clothes I didn't like, or were very worn out got chucked. I kept three bedding sets, two full sets of towels. Everything else went. Computer/junk room - emptied and put back precisely what was going to be used. The rest got binned. Spare room - most of the contents went, and I am slowly putting a proper spare bedroom together (It was a general dumping ground).

I followed Joshua Becker's advice and he has changed my life. (He's on Youtube). Now my house is just what I have wanted it to be for ages.

Indecisivelurcher · 29/09/2021 11:55

Wow @FlipFlops4Me that's amazing! We are not very cluttered here with the exception of clothes. I keep too many ill fitting or crap looking items on environmental grounds because they're not worn enough to get rid of, and I don't have a better replacement.

The other big issue is instead of getting rid of things we've been putting them up into the loft, which is now absolutely rammed and the thought of sorting it is despair inducing... I'm really scared of heights so try to avoid the loft at all costs! I've suggested to dh we (well mostly he !) could employ a TOMM tactic and spend 30 mins at a time just doing one bit at a time, sort into keep, sell, scrap, then see that action through. Same way laundry isn't done until it's away. Does this make sense?! Got any better ideas?! I know we've got a jumperoo up there somewhere, my youngest is 4 and started school... And a sofa bed.

DollyPartBaked · 29/09/2021 12:36

@Indecisivelurcher I've had a similar conversation with my DH. It's also so disorganised up there and when we do need something from it it takes about 30 minutes hunting around!

I don't see this house as a 'forever' home so I've ending up storing things like shoe racks, coffee tables, a bin(!) in case we need them if we move.

Saving the level 1 jobs till this evening I think!

FlipFlops4Me · 29/09/2021 13:35

I have booked loft clearance (I shopped around and prices really varied). I am scared of heights and so is my adult DS. And DIL. My DH was loft man but can't since his stroke. Once the men have emptied and closed the hatch it won't be used again. The men say they will show me the stuff as they bring it down and I can say "Keep" or "Trash". I can't think of much to keep except DS & DILs Christmas deccies.

After that though - the house will be well and truly done!

Original poster
SylvanasWindrunner · 29/09/2021 14:08

That's brilliant!

We are doing the opposite in a way - getting our loft boarded so we can properly use it for storage as there's not much space there at the moment and I want to properly organise it.

You've done amazing! We've been doing some decluttering but still have quite a lot to go. The issue is that we have so much baby stuff taking up room but we haven't decided if we are going to have another yet, so we are just hanging on to it all!

OP posts:
Indecisivelurcher · 30/09/2021 10:45

It's kitchen day today and tomorrow's Friday focus is garden and outside space. I can't do either due to building works. Would anyone like to nominate me a one off job to do instead 🤔 Something I'd others never think to clean 🤔🤔

Original poster
SylvanasWindrunner · 30/09/2021 11:43

Oh that's a good idea! Any cupboards you can sort? Grouting in bathroom? Clear out some clothes? Down the back of radiators?

OP posts:
Indecisivelurcher · 30/09/2021 14:08

I don't think I can face clothes, but I might do the medicine cupboard of doom! First priority will be cleaning up the builders dust, which takes a good 30 minutes every night.

GemmaRuby · 30/09/2021 21:40

I’m about to embark on TOMM for the first time, just been reading through the thread for inspiration!

I know tomorrow is meant to be garden but it’s forecast for rain. Instead I’m going to clear the pile of letters/keys/batteries/miscellaneous junk from the living room so I can start properly with a clean(ish) slate next week.

dinosaurtin · 30/09/2021 21:42

Wow ‘flipflops’ that sounds amazing. I’m going to take some inspiration from you. I have done all my level 1s today. I don’t do level 2 on Thursday as it is the end of my working week and I’m usually knackered plus the children want all my attention. Having got back on with TOMM for only a few days I’m remembering how much easier I find the house when I do it. I’m easily persuaded to do a few quick extra tidy or declutter jobs as I see things as I realise how short a time they can take.

Original poster
SylvanasWindrunner · 30/09/2021 21:43

Welcome!

Yes, I was just looking at that. Our garden is a disaster so I'm not sure 30 mins is enough for anything meaningful ... and if it's wet I think I'll find something else to do. DD is ill so will be at home with me instead of nursery so I might not get much chance anyway!

OP posts:
Indecisivelurcher · 01/10/2021 07:02

If anyone can face the garden in the rain then it's the perfect time to plant bulbs for spring and move any plants. I can't get into mine at the moment, expecting it to be trashed out there as it's currently overtaken by the builders.

Original poster
SylvanasWindrunner · 04/10/2021 11:50

Happy Monday! Week 1 of TOMM starts again today!

OP posts:
DespairingHomeowner · 04/10/2021 12:14

Hello @SylvanasWindrunner - yes, & starting in earnest for me having boot camped the house :)

Kitchen today for me in my ‘adapted’ plan - will do this evening, have already cleaned out the fridge yesterday, & Eufy is helping a lot re floors. I just discovered there is a ‘max power’ setting for carpets so letting him run around upstairs while I get lunch. One revelation of TOMM is how quick different tasks really are - eg have just vacummed stairs, took about 5 mins if that - which encourages me not to put it off

LouLou198 · 04/10/2021 12:19

I have only just recently discovered it, I'm half way through the book and did my first week last week. So simple but the results have been amazing!!

Indecisivelurcher · 04/10/2021 12:53

G'day! Still trying to TOMM here amongst the building works, even though it's a not exactly ideal! Ended up doing living room day yesterday because dust had gotten underneath everything. And 4 loads of washing to catch up now the machines plumbed in.

Indecisivelurcher · 04/10/2021 13:10

Feeling a bit fed up tbh, nothing seems clean still, dust just gets everywhere. The kids toys are taking over the living room even though I put them away every day, because they are a bit little to play in their rooms yet. The extension isn't properly sealed yet so it's also freezing. The builders haven't even showed up today. Trying to view it as TOMM is about managing the chaos for now and putting good habits in place for the future. And looking forward to it all being sorted for Christmas.

Original poster
SylvanasWindrunner · 04/10/2021 13:45

The dust with building work is insane. It gets everywhere. We are still finding little bits now and our work finished in January! Just power through and think how amazing it will be when it's finished.

OP posts:
Furries · 04/10/2021 17:51

I’m STILL decorating, so haven’t started TOMM properly yet. But I check in on this thread every day, as you lot are motivating me to get through decorating the house so that I’ll have a fresh start for TOMM.

dinosaurtin · 04/10/2021 18:25

Building dust is awful! For me it’s more about the little and often, and after a short while I’m pleased with the results.

I do hall, landing and stairs on a Monday. All jobs completed and I’ve sorted through the coat rack, DH has 11 of them hanging up! All some sort of technical / waterproof type thing. We do not live near a mountain range Shock

Redcrayons · 04/10/2021 19:03

Level 1 and 2 all done (well it will be when I clean the toilet in a minute)
I cheated a bit as I had people round in Sunday so cleaned up on Saturday night so there wasn’t much to do.

Missed bedrooms last week, so will have to do 45 minutes this week.

Building work is the pits. I could smell the dust for months afterwards. Even clothes in wardrobes in rooms that weren’t being touched were dusty.

Keep the faith, it will be worth it in the end.

freezerdinners · 04/10/2021 19:43

Level 1 done.... I have to say it's a revelation to do a daily wash - means it's so much easier to complete it rather than leaving it in a giant heap never putting it away.

Level 2 almost.... It's kitchen day for me and I think the builders took our broom! Do I can't sweep the floor, and can't hoover as a few people I'll in the house and noise sensitive. I'll finish that off tomorrow.

I definitely saw tomm as helping me prevent utter chaos during building work rather than actually managing cleanliness!