Will I ever be an energetic and organised housewife/mum?

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I've been at home now for nearly three years, I have a ds 2yrs 10mths and a dd 12mths. The house is always a cluttered mess, I never get around to ironing. When I do have to time to do these jobs around house I'm so tired I'd rather sit with book or tv and now laptop.

When will I stop complaing about mess and constant list of chores and just get on with it? How do you make a lazy disordanised person become motivated and organised?!

This is my job now house work and chid care. I wouldn't be anywhere else but feel like I'm not doing the best job I could.Help!

I feel like this too - I do work 2 days a week, but am at home the rest of the time and just can't seem to get organised.

So much to do, but I just never get on top of it (except laundry. i am a bit obsessive about laundry)

I have been at home 4 years and still cannot manage to get on top of it all. The best approach is to not let it annoy you.

I often wonder whether if I were to declutter then it would all fall into place...its just finding the time to go through all the rubbish I have hoarded!

I don't think the mess means you're not doing a good job. You are just prioritising childcare over housework

I doubt it!! My eldest is nearly 15 and our house is untidy, there are 2 overflowing baskets of ironing (I currently iron in the morning what we all need for that day..shocking I know), and there are piles of post/papers/magazines all over the place...

BUT the kids are happy, well fed and relaxed. They love being at home and so does everyone else...we have a constant stream of visitors!!

I'm a big believer that you're either a tidy person or you're not. Don't fight yourself!! And don't buy into the crap that cleanliness is next to godliness...a bit of dirt does wonders for their immune system ;-)That said I'm a bit obsessed with a clean bathroom and kitchen worktops....

If the mess is making you unhappy that's different...maybe do one room at a time and give yourself 30 minute bursts of activity followed by a break for a cuppa/glittering with the kids/whatever...?

Yes I'll get there eventually, its the dh that really can'y understand what is so hard about keeping a house clean and tidy while caring for 2 small children. He finds it more stressful and disheartening than I do. He's out working his ass of so we can have a nice life and I feel like I'm not holding up my side of the bargin. Yes the children are well fed and happy and I'm proud of that but that's not all I'm supposed to be good at.

oh and I'm still 2 stone over weight and look horrendous.

But beating myself up all day won't help. Only got this lap top two days ago and have speant all morning on it. I'm just out shower and kids not dressed. Oops! Better get on with day.
Thanks for posts. Will check in again later.

I feel very much the same. Mine are just 3, and 15mo, and most days I am too tired to do more than the minimum, eg vacuum/keep kitchen hygenic/do laundry.

Ironing, dusting, proper tidying up, putting the clean clothes away all queue up badly. But I find it is really difficult to vacuum/clean bathroom etc with DCs this age as they are too keen to 'help' DS wants to hold onto the dyson all the time its on, or unplugs it and laughs

I can't take clean clothes upstairs because I've always got a child in my arms

I work 3 days, DH does nights (and no housework) and it is tricky. But we eat well and have clean clothes, just don't cope with unexpected visitors. (Spray Pledge in the air and put vacuum in middle of room - Oh I was just about to clear up, Honest Guv)

much the same here, work 30 hours, but shifts so am home a lot in the week. I have joined fledgling flyers thread on here and it has helped me to organise, little things like, get uniforms etc ready night before,i now make sure i am up and dressed early so that basic jobs around the house are done by about 10. 15 minutes each day spent on decluttering,. Make sure you get out each day so that you are not going round in circles in a house that will prob never be really tidy. Make time for yourself each day, even 20 min with a coffee and book.
and dont forget that interesting people never live in tidy houses!

DH and I once had a HUGE row about the house (we have 4 DC and he does nothing around the house ever) being in a state, which ended with him sacking me from being a housewife! I did nothing for 5 days apart from whatever was essential for the children to be healthy and happy, and those 5 days showed how much I usually do! No, nothing is ever spotless, as I do prioritise children first, but the natural state of the universe is chaos, and without putting a lot of bloody hard work in it becomes that way again very quickly.

A few practical tips though:

start training your 2 year old to help you now; they can clear their plate from the table and things at this age.

Try to make going on the laptop a reward, mid-morning, after a 20-30 min blitz on the house.

In some ways I think its hardest before the eldest is at schools, as it gives you a very natural routine once they start reception. Try to find some kind of routine for you that works.

This was me a few years ago, I have been a sahm for 5 years now. My Dc's are nearly 7 and 4.

I would have said that before ds2 was 2 1/2 my home looked like a bomb had hit it daily, it really got me down and I hated it all.

I started my version of Flylady, I know it isn't for everyone but 15 minute bursts of decluttering did wonders.

Once surfaces were clear then I could actually clean them. Also I sorted out storage for toys, paperwork etc and that helped immensely. I also worked out a laundry system that meant if I did 2 loads a day one of them was an easy to sort load like towels or bedding.

I bought both a short handled and long handled ostrich feather duster and I could then dust a bedroom in 2 minutes and that included the tops of the wardrobes with the long handled one. I also used it to do the skirting boards, no bending down for me

If most surfaces are clear then dusting is a doddle. Clothes sorting (socks, pants, sleepwear) was done whilst listening to the radio and I did it on my son's bed because it forced me to put it away as soon as I had done it.

I would clean the bathroom whilst the children are in the bath, so toilet and sink, windowsill etc and when they were done and out of the bath I could just wipe down the bath bit.

I have just moved house, everyone who viewed my last house commented on my anal sorted house, and now I am in chaos again. Arrghhhhh. I've only been in 8 days but it is awful.