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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

help me my house is a night mare

30 replies

stewart2000 · 21/09/2008 08:31

dont know where to start i havent been feeling well recently very down.

my house is awful, washing everywhere toys dishes, just cant get on top of it.

OP posts:
TheGoddessBlossom · 21/09/2008 08:38

pick a level and decide to achieve something, you will feel better. Start in your room, put clean clothes away, washing on the landing, make your bed, dust and hoover, take all cups and glasses downstairs.

There one clean room!

Do bathrooms next, and just clear as you go. Does this sound acheivable?

Sorry you have been feeling down...

AbbaFan · 21/09/2008 08:38

I know how you feel - totally overwhelming isn't it.

I would try doing a room at a time, and don't worry if you don't do it all today.

Have you got children that could help a bit, in exchange for a treat?

LoveMyGirls · 21/09/2008 08:42

You could do 15 mins in each room until its all done or play a game where you walk around the house for 15mins and never leave a room empty handed.

Put some music on and dance your way around picking up all the rubbish?

Original poster
stewart2000 · 21/09/2008 08:43

kids r 5 and 3 one which has autism there rooms r kept tidy just the rest r awful, going to start with kitchen.snug area now.

thanks both for kind comments

OP posts:
LoveMyGirls · 21/09/2008 08:45

The thought of doing it is always much worse than just doing it.

I always tidied the kitchen while the kettle boils so I can have a cuppa and feel guilt free.

Clean the bathroom while dd2 is in the bath or sit and fold washing on the landing with the door open.

FourArms · 21/09/2008 08:58

Get all washing together and sort into piles. Every time the load finishes, reload and start the machine before hanging the wet stuff. If it's a sunny day where you are, get all your airers etc outside as well as using the line.

undercovercat · 21/09/2008 09:00

Piles.
Pile of rubbish
Pile to be sorted.
Pile to be washed.
Pile to go upstairs.
Piles to go downstairs.
Pile to go to charity shop.
Pile to be recycled.

Music on, kids doing their room.

Original poster
stewart2000 · 21/09/2008 09:01

well just gathered all dishes ready to wash and loaded and reloaded washer and dryer.

i think i would need an hour or two each room just to de clutter then more to clean i am going to stick the music on and get going kitchen for now and sort clothes

OP posts:
Nbg · 21/09/2008 09:04

Get a box and throw everything in it that should live upstairs.
Then you can either take it all up and put it away, which doesnt take that long at all, or just take bits up when you go to the loo etc.

AbbaFan · 21/09/2008 09:06

Keep us updated and we can spur you on all day

Janni · 21/09/2008 09:07

Prioritise.

Think 'hygiene' first, so dishes, toilets.

Then think 'need clothes for the week' - a bit of laundry.

Then 'need to be able to walk about and not fall over stuff' - make a track through the mess.

After that, get bin bags and chuck out/recyle whatever you can. Be ruthless.

Later, you need systems for storage. You need to train other family members to keep to your systems and you need to be ruthless about the stuff that comes into the house.

Good luck x

bellabelly · 21/09/2008 09:20

Make a list - so satisfying to tick things off as you do them. Do it on the computer so you can use it as your weekly list. I made one recently as flat had become a total tip and it has made SUCH a difference.

Original poster
stewart2000 · 21/09/2008 09:40

dishes done

washing on one load in dryer

kitchen bin to be emptied - still to do

pick up all toys

clean kitchen floor

will do this and come bk thanks very much for support guys

OP posts:
giraffescantdancethetango · 21/09/2008 10:45

Hows it going? Your allowed a tea break and a biccie if you do well

Original poster
stewart2000 · 21/09/2008 11:21

going well other half is doing living room, roped him in

kitchen so far all dishes done bin emptied, 3/4 washes on

sorted ironing and non ironing and taken upstairs plonkd on bed to sort

so glad i started makes u feel so much better

going to get some bacon on and a cuppa

thanks

OP posts:
giraffescantdancethetango · 21/09/2008 11:24

well done

I post on here lots about what housework I have done, somehow it helps, and it helps reading what other people have done to get inspired to have a nice clean home.

Original poster
stewart2000 · 21/09/2008 13:09

thanks

u start to feel so much better when u can see it taking shape cant u

i have just cleaned patio windows and hoovered and washed the snug carpet, need to clean all round the computer and hoover crumbs up

do the lunch dishes i wish i had a dishwasher have no room for one mind u

living room is done thank god hubby did it, great help think he must have known that i was down about it all

OP posts:
slayerette · 21/09/2008 13:32

You sound as if you are doing an amazing job! I used to hate housework and so on but realised one day what a fantastic feeling is is when you feel that you're in charge of your house and not the other way round, iyswim! Now I just keep doing little bits all the time and it works. For instance last night it took dh and I ten minutes to have a tidy round last thing - so nice to get up to a house ready for the day. Once you've made this huge effort, just have little jobs for each day and it'll never seem so overwhelming again.

FrockHorror · 21/09/2008 13:37

Janni, I love that advice!

Have tackled the "hygiene" stuff and the "clothes for the week" stuff and now onto the "avoiding tripping over stuff and breaking my neck" .

Stewart, how's it going now?

I'm in the same boat as you, but not through illness, just laziness . I decided yesterday to have a day of doing nothing and the place now looks like I have done nothing for a month. My folks took the DC out this morning and in that time, I did 3 loads of washing, including school uniform and hung it out, cleaned (and I mean cleaned) the bathroom, have also stripped and washed DD's bedding.

The DC are home now and as you can see, I'm getting a whole bunch of nothing done.

giraffescantdancethetango · 21/09/2008 13:38

Your doing fab

Majeika · 21/09/2008 13:43

the other thing to do is put the timer on for 20 mins and see what you can do in 20 mins!

becomes quite fun......

Original poster
stewart2000 · 21/09/2008 13:50

thanks for all the comments getting there slowly but surely will concentrate om downstairs b4 upstairs as that can be done tomorrow when daughter is at school.

going to tackle small jobs all wk am part time work so good week this week.

off for a shower somehow u feel u can do more when ur showered and made up a bit

thanks for all good support and advixe

cheered me up

x

OP posts:
Original poster
stewart2000 · 21/09/2008 16:27

my downstairs now looks like a different house off to clean some more windows

tomorrow my list will be upstairs and then i am going to tackle the back garden on wednesday

OP posts:
AbbaFan · 21/09/2008 18:54

Good for you, I bet you feel so much better now.

You can have a well earned rest and a glass of wine tonight

Janni · 21/09/2008 19:40

Well done Stewart. My advice comes from bitter experience