lone parents housework / keep fit / healthy eating thread

[meglet]

We can only do the best we can. No point in going on housework threads if you're a working LP who never has a break from the kids. Or if you're a SAHM LP with small kids who can't get to the gym.

So, a thread for us to start the New Year with good intentions and to juggle it around everything else we have to do .

• I banned Minecraft today and tomorrow after some shocking behaviour (kicking each other in the supermarket) the dc's had a burst of enthusiasm, dysoning and tidying up to get back in my good books.

• I have managed to get out for a few runs over Xmas. We stayed with my mum for a couple of days so I went out then.

Here's to a positive start to 2015.

I've signed up for the January cure...not entirely sure what to expect but it starts tomorrow! Anyone else doing it?

My problem is I've been good at de cluttering but I've just been moving it from the house to the garage

I'm going to start doing a bag a day that has to go in the rubbish and maybe look at doing a car boot sale to deck utter the garage

Meglet, that might be a good idea. It can't be too hard to do a bag a day?
Chestnut, what's the January cure?
I feel like I have far too any issues that I haven't a clue where to start so I don't. So that's why I'm attempting to make my home my haven.

I googled the January cure and signed up but I was bad and looked at the previous years! I've just moved into my home and so much needs done.

I love love love the idea of a landing strip. As in a shoe box, coat hangers and a place for important mail/junk/keys/wallet when you come in the door. I actually have a closet but it's at the end of the hall, not the front and the kids just chuck everything in it. I am forever sorting it out.

The January cure is an unknown to be honest! I understand its done type of one month house tidy plan but time will tell!

I've also reserved a nutribullet to collect at argos tomorrow as there is 20% off; I plan to have a green juice every morning

I had a look at the Kondoe thread earlier as a couple of you had mentioned it and blimy there must be something in it as I've just finished 4 hours of decluttering and clearing things out for charity/ recycling! Not bad going for New Years Day, let's just hope I can continue when back at work, school routine ETC..

Aha I have found my thread!!

I need to fine away of doing some exercise and not eating crap all the time!! Have one dd 8yo and work 3 days a week, don't get a break other than when she is at school and I am not at work!!

Plan is to try and walk more, not get up too late so have to drive dd to school. Also to try and go swimming once a week.

Healthy eating wise, I would like to loose about half a stone and plan to do this by being much stricter about not buying any rubbish!! I think I need to write a list of healthy foods and snacks I like (am quite picky) and make sure I meal plan at least some of the time.

Made a start on decluttering today, cleared out my kitchen cupboards and anything that wasn't used in 2014 is going to the charity shop!!

In my organised phase I wrote out the meals I cook and then used to ask the kids to choose from that list for the week ahead. When I did it, it worked well. And no food wasted. But alas I've lost the motivation now, esp when I see a ready meal for £1.67 and think I can't cook for cheaper!

Muggle that kondo thread is addictive! It's changing my soul. It's cathartic to she'd all the stuff that doesn't give joy. It's mirroring my personal life I guess in shedding my ex dh.

Kondo thread?

Yeah this one.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/good_housekeeping/2265323-Kondoing-this-and-kondoing-that-thread-4-for-Marie-Kondos-lifechanging-magic-with-tidying-All-welcome?

Wow mugglelady 4hours is impressive

I'm going to have a look on that thread now and hopeful get some inspiration

I agree Rummi - I agree there is something "therapeutic" about clearing out all rubbish and clutter

I'm v pleased with what I managed to get through yesterday Farovertherainbow..but it's easy to do when the kids aren't around! Trying my best to keep focused for next week!

I am joining.

I spray snow on my windows at Christmas so cannot avoid doing them.

I have 3 areas that need doing..My house isn't that bad Except my bedroom. IT is the dumping ground where everything ends up..IT needs sorting out.

Paperwork needs sorting out

My weight and exercise.

I started the diet yesterday and did 30 mins on my Wii yeaterday. I have been working today but joined in with the hopping for sleeping bunnies, anything to keep moving.

My biggest problem isn't time. I do have time as normally DS goes to bed between 7 and 7.30 but by the time he is bed I am shattered and just pick at food and achieve nothing

rummikub yes, I like nabbing reduced ready meals too, I walk home through town after work and sometimes the early reductions have been done. No preparation or washing up. With luck we should be moving house this year and I ope to get a big / chest freezer so I have space to batch cook and store meals.

I am happy to report that my 15 min bathroom windowsill clean went well. Bathroom shelf tomorrow.

starlight I struggle to achieve much now my dc's go to bed around 8pm. As my mum used to say "I can't hear myself think!!". I know where she's coming from now [b

muggle it feels to me like clearing my home clears my head. And there's an awful lot of junk in my head! Some dark dark corners!

meglet they're hard to resist. Especially after work I can shove in oven, shower and dinners ready

I have been away and come back to chaos.

However, I have done my five minutes: cleaning the worst of the black mould off the part of the kitchen window that is not hidden by jungle tomato plants.

I am off to do some more and then I will catch up on the thread.

Oo I'm in!

I'm currently kondoing (an amazing tidying book I borrowed from the library there's also a thread on mn about it) before I go back to work on the 5th.

I will be aiming for twice a week at the gym, luckily I have a regular babysitter for one of the days and im paying for after school club for dc so I can fit in another.

I need need need to cut my food bill by half and stop treating the dc to days out to pay for a proper holiday this year, plus I want a bikini body!

I'm planning on having dc as school dinners so we can have jacket potato sort of dinners. I'm fed up of washing up and cooking and house work in general tbh. This year I am back on it with getting the kids to do chores and pick up after themselves for pocket money.

I'm also buying myself fresh flowers every week to cheer myself up and make my flat nicer.

Well, I've had a good day on the eating front: resisted the left over pizza and got myself a nutribullet to start having a daily green juice from tomorrow.

The first January cure came through too; for the weekend a thorough clean of all the floors in the house (is move furniture, not just go around ) and buy a bunch of flowers. So far, so achievable!

tomorrow's job will include stripping dd's bed and washing all the bedding and toys as ds tipped the contents of the rubbish bin in her bed. she is having a treat and camping in the living room.

I love Kondo-ing. Have got rid of loads last year and finally learned that drawers are meant to be full of carefully folded clothes. I genuinely thought they were designed for just stuffing a load of mess in randomly. Such is the legacy of growing up with incredibly messy parents.

Did lots on the flat last year, too - painted mouldy ceilings, repainted peeling windowpanes. A combination of always having had a DIY-savvy boyfriend / husband plus living in rentals meant that I never felt DIY was "my job" somehow, which led to this place falling into disarray after I became a single mum when my kids were 1 and 3. But now it's looking better and I'm even contemplating removing some of the carpets and putting down self-adhesive tile flooring (probably cork, to go with the mid-century vibe I'm going for in this place).

Just wish I had more time. I have to focus on earning money this year, and if I'm working on that I can't do DIY, and if I'm doing DIY I can't do decluttering. Why aren't there three of me?

sounds like you are achieving a lot warm leather.

today is the day to do some stuff here... the first most important jopb is chilling and recovering from the hectic holidays and organiising christmas with my mum and accomodating ex's visits.

Fried, it's great when you can get the kids involved with chores. You've just reminded me that I had been doing that early last year and have stopped. I'll get back on that again now!

We're having a mega-lazy day here - kids on ipad / TV, me cooking. The children's father is coming to see them tonight (for the first time since mid-Dec) so I'm going to have to straighten up first though. :(

I so need to join this thread !

I want to get my house in order, dd and I have had nothing but illness the last 6 weeks or so so the house has turned into a bit of a tip.

I want to start treating myself more. I never buy myself anything unless theres holes in things . I'm going out next friday and I havent a clue what to buy to wear, I honestly have no Idea, im 25 and I dont know how to buy myself clothes !

I also want to take dd on her first holiday abroad, probably going to go on our own as none of my friends are up for it. Im a bit nervous of the idea though.

Oh I have treated myself to a new hoover and pan set see thats the way ive been treating myself ! I wonder if I could wear the pans and a bin bag Lady GaGa style