What five things do I need to do each day without fail, I'm talking right back to basics

[TrinityTrinityTrinity]

I'm trying to force myself to shower every other day which isn't working at the mo but I am showerin more than I was so it is working to an extent iyswim

next is five things that I can do every single day around the house, force myself to do and it will become habit

right now the house upstairs is drowning in clothes

the dishes need doing and I feel like I never get a chance to breathe and I'm trying to stop drinking

just to give you some background is all

'm drowning in everything so I'm talking really really basic, acheivable five things

Ive lost sight of normal

so what do you think

real basic

Hello - I would echo what others have said about starting at a basic level - it must be acheievable for you otherwise it will contribute to pulling you down.

I would:
put 1 load of washing on

hang out that 1 load to dry

fold and put away that 1 load at the end of the day

Wash up all dirty pots at he end of the day

wipe down kichen surfaces

by doing these on a daily basis it will really contribute to the visible tidyness of the place which hopefully will make it able for you to add on one more thing each week

Good luck

fly lady says to walk about and collect 27 things in to a carrier bag to chuck out...i try to do this...clear up rubbish first..if there are any wrappers/wet wipes/empty cartons etc...chuck them, then second, the crap broken toys get it...mcdonalds toys, odd bits, abandoned bits etc... it clears up quite well. do it for 10 mins on a whiz around the house then traet yourself to 10 mins on mn.

wet wipes are bloody brilliant for cleaning. if you need to dust, do a quick wipe over as you pass with a wet wipe...will keep things looking brighter until you do a proper huge clean...

remember, you are allowed to be feeling shit...be kind to yourself, and be very proud that you're keeping on. x

shower and dress every morning,
1 load of washing
hang 1 load to dry
wash up every evening
quick tidy every eve

once you start to get on top of things, try walking to local shop each day to buy that days dinner, even if its a loaf and a tin of beans. i hope things get better for you x

1.wash dishes
2.clean surfaces/dust
3.hoover (or at least sweep)
4.tidy away stuff left out on the floor/toys/books...etc(have some easy systems for this - places you can just chuck things and it hides them away ).
5.Make beds

If you shower and brush your teeth as the first thing that you do when you wake up, before anything else (unless you exercise first thing in the morning - in which case, shower after that of course), it gives you soooo much more energy and motivation. You're refreshed, clean and ready for a new day. Makes all the difference

Oh, if you have dc that are old enough to do stuff, I'd have them do the tidying bit and make a vinegar and water mix for a spray bottle that they can clean some surfaces with (so nontoxic or littles).

1. plan dinner - get something out of freezer if necessary because whatever happens you and the DC's have got to eat.

2)Put some washing on

3)Hoover

4)Wipe kitchen surfaces

5)Learn to delegate!

this is how i start my day.

1. i get up before the dcs and shower. i really value that time where i am not yet answering any childrens demands. it is very much ME time.

2. we have a good solid breakfast to set us up for the day. i am ready for the world once i have catered to my basic needs of being clean and fed.

3. once breakfast is over i wash the dishes. soemtimes i am lazy the nigt before so tehre can be quite alot to do but i dont like leaving the house, knowing i have to come back and do it.

4. hang out the washing, and i leave the door open to show me that the job is done (also to air out the machine)

5. get outside and get some fresh air and gentle excerise. this is easy for me as i can walk ds1 to school but even if that is too far, just take a wander up the street or into the local shop to have a chat with whoever is there. i find when i walk with my head up and a smile on, more people talk and it makes me feel sooo much better.

My personal list (FWIW):

1. Make bed
2. Clean kitchen surfaces
3. Wash up
4. Tidy living room (I don't care about the rest fo the house)
5. Cook dinner and plan food for next day/work out if any shopping is needed.

I should add that I am lucky enough to have a cleaner in for 4 hours once a fortnight, so I only need to keep the house looking reasonable between times and DH handles all the laundry which really helps.
Then these five things are sufficient to keep the place from getting on my nerves. Ideally I'd do the washing up in the evening, but I rarely have the energy after dinner so it usually gets down first thing in the morning...

Oh yes, plan dinner and laundry! Forgot those.
And make breakfast and pack lunch for dc.

Sonnet has listed the same 5 things I would. If everyone has clean clothes in their drawers, and if my kitchen is tidy and usable, I feel so much better about everything else being a bit messy.

If you have a house like mine where most of upstairs ends up downstairs and vice versa over the course of the day, try to get into the habit of taking one thing back up (e.g. child's toy) and bringing one thing back down (e.g. used tea cup) every single time you nip upstairs to the loo or to get something or to take laundry up etc. Then the chaos never gets overwhelming.

DCs no matter how small can be involved. My DS (2.2) loves water at the moment, so I get him to wash up the non-breakables like cups, bowls and spoons while I do some kitchen tidying! Means he has a fun activity and contributes to the house too, at the same time as me managing to get a bit of tidying done.

I love these threads. I'm fascinated to know how other people plan their week and how often things get done (not in a judgy way, at all, it's just a snapshot into lives).

Also, Trinity, every time you have a housework thread and I come all on bossy and expert-sounding, it shames me into getting up and doing some of mine. I just looked up to realise neither I or my husband had touched the kitchen since dinner, and there were toys all over. Now they're both done and the nappies are in front of the fire. So, thanks!

Also think about what time of day might work best for you to do your jobs. Some people like to do stuff as it arises, or get it over with in the morning. I find I actually am most efficient around the house at bedtime as I want to go to bed feeling like I got things straight and that I can come down in the morning to reasonable order, so that is usually when laundry goes on and kitchen surfaces get cleaned etc. and I surprise myself with how quickly I can do it when faced with prospect of crawling into bed once done

I am finding the basics a bit of a struggle too at the moment. Things that have helped me are:

If you don't feel able to have a shower, at least stand at sink and wash face and under arms. Get some dry shampoo (batiste) and use that if your hair looks awful. After a while you start to realise a shower would take just as long, but this seems less daunting, and you don't need as many towels. You still need to shower every few days but this helps you feel more presentable in between.

Do a little bit of something if you feel the whole task is too daunting. So don't think "Oh god I have ALL this washing up to do" just think "Okay, I'm going to reduce this washing up pile." and do one or two sinkfuls of the stuff nearest the sink, or think "Right we will need 3 plates, 2 saucepans, 6 forks, etc for today" and just wash those up, then if the water is still clear do whatever else is to hand.

Are you eating? I don't remember to eat when I'm feeling down so I have got loads of ready meals and other easy food like frozen veg, waffles, fish fingers etc in the freezer so I don't have to think about it. They tend to be quite bland too so I can just eat it without thinking about it. The other thing that helps is to buy food I really really like and actually want to eat. DS gets fish fingers/chicken nuggets and frozen veg most nights but that's ok, because at least I know he will eat it.

Get a big calendar on the wall and write reminders to yourself like which day the bins go out, recycling, etc.

Type yourself a big list of these 5 daily essential tasks, put some clip art of a big cup of tea or slice of cake or whatever you want as a "reward" at the end and print it out and put it in a plastic sleeve thing,(or laminate if you know someone with a laminator) stick this up next to the calendar. You can then tick off/cross through when you have done all the jobs, using a whiteboard pen. You can do similar for children if they are old enough.

You are doing fab and it's a really good thing that you are posting for support

Now I need to get off my arse and follow my own advice!

Also I am shameless about getting my toddler to help. At 18 months she helps:

bring in the firewood (one log at a time, obviously).
unload the dishwasher (once I've removed sharp knives) and load some of the easier items. It's also her job to turn it on and woe betide anyone who forgets and does it themselves.
tidy away her toys.
generally fetches and carries.

I do realise she will grow out of the desire to be helpful, and she's not brilliant at all her tasks, but I figure it can't hurt to start getting her into the habit of Family Housework.

How about one room a day? Just shut yourself in there and dont stop until its done.

That way you can actually SEE a result rather than skimming the surface all over the house and not really acheiving much?

Where do you live, I am drooling at the prospect of kim & aggeying for you!

YY tortoise. DS (20m) puts washing in the machine for me, and tries to hang it up (I have to straighten it out), sits on the counter and passes me the washing up (usually I get soaked but it's only water so I just hang the clothes up to dry and wear them again the next day. Also keep a towel on the floor by the sink when he is "helping") also he has a go with a little dustbuster hoover.

Oooh, mine would love a dustbuster.

Personally I would go for high-impact tasks.

Making the bed takes seconds but makes the whole room look better and like someone who's in control lives there. So does wiping down the sink every morning - you don't have to use anything other than a wet paper towel if you don't have the stuff to hand.

I would say:

1. Have shower
2. Make bed
3. Wipe bathroom sink
4. Clear floor of toys (chuck into baskets)
5. Wash dishes.

Baby steps, and be kind to yourself, you poor old thing.

They have a cheap one for £12.99 in Argos Does wet and dry as well. I have no idea how good it is but the one I got doesn't do wet spills and it cost twice as much!

V. handy though when you don't want to get the big hoover out.

Handheld vacuums at argos BTW

Re the washing, if you complete the cycle, wash, dry fold and put away. 1 load a day should be fine. Better than having it draped all over the house.

Do you have anyone around to give you a kick?

I had horrendous PND and a good friend of mine used to come round every week or so to kick me gently but firmly from room to room.

My sister is now suffering and I do this for her. I think she pretty much hates me and loves me for it in equal measures...

Cheers, Bertie, the stocktake sales are about to start here I shall keep an eye out.

FGS don't hoover every day, if you have small children it is an endless task. Save it for the days you know people are calling around.

My absolute basic daily list would be

Put on a load of washing, hang it up when it's done. Put the things from the day before in the dryer if necessary and take out and fold as soon as they are ready and put away. I only iron what us essential and put it in a basket during the week to be done once a week.

Load & unload dishwasher if you have one or else wash up.

Cook meals and tidy up & wipe down surfaces afterwards.

Empty kitchen bin

Once you feel that you can tackle a bit more I would take a look at the Martha Stewart website which has "To Do" lists for daily, weekly, monthly & seasonal tasks.

here

She is surprisingly realistic with her lists, eg the daily list is:

□ Make the Bed Tidiness begets tidiness. A crisply made bed makes the whole room seem more orderly, which makes it less likely that you?ll let other things such as clothes and papers pile up around it.
□ Manage Clutter Whenever you leave a room, take a quick look around for anything that isn?t where it should be. Pick it up and put it where it belongs. Insist that everyone in the household do the same.
□ Sort the Mail Take a few minutes to open, read, and sort mail as soon as you bring it inside. Keep a trash bin near your sorting area for junk mail. Drop other mail into one of four in-boxes: personal correspondence, bills, catalogs, and filing.
□ Clean as You Cook Instead of filling the sink with pots and dishes, wash them or put them in the dishwasher as you prepare a meal.
□ Wipe Up Spills While They?re Fresh Whether it?s tomato sauce on the cooktop or makeup on the bathroom counter, almost anything is faster and easier to remove if you attend to it immediately.
□ Sweep the Kitchen Floor Every evening, once you?ve finished washing up after dinner, sweep the floor. This will keep tough-to-clean dirt and grime from building up, which will make the weekly mopping much quicker.

See, even she doesn't advocate hoovering every day!

5 things i always do ....

1. get showered and dressed as soon as im awake (no hanging about in pj`s). 2)make bed as soon as im out of it 3)washing/laundry & fold as soon as dry (nearly no ironing then). 4)clean loo before bed.
2. go outside at least once a day. Imo number 5 is the most important , i end up with cabin fever if im stuck inside ...and if you go to someone elses house thats all showhome like , it sort of inspires you to sort your own out a bit more (iykwim?) Best tiding tip i have is too get boxes/baskets , they can be great for chucking stuff into quickly -makes tiding up take half the time.

My list would be very similar to everyone elses.

1. Quick wipe round bathroom fittings once everyone has finished their morning showers etc. Contrary to lots of people I actually don't think daily showers are necessary (unless kids have been rolling in mud etc) but everyone needs to wash underarms and nether regions every day, and brush teeth.

2. Keep kitchen counters as clear as possible. Makes a huge difference to my state of mind!

3. Wash up or load/unload the dishwasher every day.

4. Keep 2 or 3 large toyboxes in the main play area and every night before bed put everything that's on the floor away.

5. Put dirty clothes in laundry baskets and wash them whenever the basket is full.

Hope everyones' tips help Trinity