house work hell

[hunnybun1981]

every room in my house is a tip, full of washing have problems drying it at the minute with no dryer

i feel depressed with it all and i dont know what to do

put the washing in a bag and take it to a laundrette! Just getting one load done will clear some space for you to see whats next.

DO the sitting/living room first. Make one room a nice place to be, so you can at least ignore the rest for a few minutes. Then do a room at a time, an hour a go.

Sympathise. I think it's worth rushing around for half hour making things look slightly better even if you haven't really organise anything properly, or put things in right place. If necessary make a big pile of clothes and another pile of toys. Don't even sort yet, until you feel you can see what the room might look like if it were tidier. Same with worktop in kitchen, kitchen table -just clear things to one side and wipe clean then you will feel better. THEN, over next few days approach the sorting putting away gingerly little by little. Sometimes I just stuff things in cupboards so that the kitchen /bedroom is at least superficially tidy, rather than choosing that moment to fold clothes perfectly or alphabetize my spices. Then I go back later when I do have a 15 min slot for that particular task.

I would start in the rooms that get used the most. Do one room at a time and try not to get distracted by other rooms. Declutter, declutter, declutter. Find a home for everything. I feel the same if my home is a tip I feel really down

Have you moved into my house.

I am determine to get it sorted by next week, but ths week is a bit of a write off (dd1 5th birthday party for family last sunday, her birthday today then i have dad funeral on thursday and then a party for dd1 freinds next sat.)

I'm hoping to keep on top of the washing this week then next week i am going to do a list of jobs to be done and then broken down into jobs to be done each day.

And not mumsnet until i have done them.

Oh i will also be 36wks pg next week.

I'm not into "FLYing" at all - (hennce I have the slatterns thread )

however when my house has descended into absolute chaos I do find her crisis cleaning an absolute godsend.

It's concentrates more on doing a little bit in each room rather than trying to do each room in one mammoth task and when I do it I find I zip through and get it looking half respectable really easily.

Get all the washing thats needs doing together, sort it into loads and put into bags, hide it all in a cupboard, do 2 loads a day to catch up, hang on clothes hangers to dry.

My house is pretty grim at the moment, too. Kitchen and living room passable but bedrooms are like jumble sales, and we have two spare room stuffed with junk at the minute. I have zero energy to tackle it all right now, but will try to do a mini tidy up tomorrow - maybe do our bedroom and put the washing away. Grrr. I bloody hate housework.

my house was like that until about 3 weeks ago. the first decision i made was that nothing went into wash until it was really ready for it, bit harder with little one as he paints and plays out at creche but most things got way with at least two days wear. towels we use until they start getting smelly and we only use one each per shower/bath. that should give you a few days break to get started on what you already have. grab all the washing into one room, and fold it into each persons separate piles. then give it to them to put away. if kids are too young then you do it and iron nothing. if they want it ironed to wear then it can be ironed then. i found that once the washing was out of the way, i had a clearer view of what needed done in each room. start in one room and lift everything off floor and surfaces that doesnt belong there. then decide what needs to be in that room and what needs to be elsewhere. everything you dont want there, set in another room. you can deal with them when you have finished the room youre working on. dont be a martyr to it, if you feel like a break, take one, but remember to go back to it when youve rested. also, turn the tv, internet, phone all off. stick the radio on and get going. is there anyone could take children for a day to let you get a good start? good luck. you'll get there, persevere.

and be prepared to nag everyone into tidying up after themselves. they'll thank you when the house is beautiful.

One room at a time, but before you tackle the first, systematically go around each room moving stuff into the room its meant to be in. Then, one room at a time.

Take the whole lot of washing to the launderette for a service wash. Might cost a bit more but while it is there you can tackle the house, you have one day to break the back of it. Offset the cost of the service wash against what you pay washing/drying at home.

Check out the ends of the Sales, you might get some baskets/boxes to sling toys and crap in.

If you need a dryer or to get rid of stuff, try Freecycle. Someone wants your stuff and will come and get it.

thanks everyone for the kind words and advice

lizzie mum - sincere sympathy about your dad take care of yourself x

my eldest is at special needs school in morning but my youngest is about but she is a wee doll and not really much problem.

i find it hard to get motivation.

i dont think i could afford to get all my washing done, but if i washed it how much would it be to get it dryed? at least if i got it all done in one go then that would be it .

breaghsmum, yes i did start doing that with towels etc and i find it easier as it is hard to get towels dry without dryer.

tomorrow is another day and i am going to try and get at least a good bit down downstairs