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.

well done on the black hole of calcutta under bed tidying.

I cleaned the sink and washed up, but got more to do as people will keep needing to eat.
one load of washing was done.
swept the hall floor, including sorting out under the chair which gets quite messy.
lots of lego was sorted and I am sewing reflective patches to ds's coat as he will not wear a hi vis jacket. put him in it and he has an instant meltdown.

I am putting a mark on ds's school jumpers too as two have gone missing.

I hear this a lot of school clothes going missing. I wonder how parents can not know it is not their childs jumper. My DS has however previously come home in one wrong shoe after PE.

well done black you've done loads!
your swim and sauna sound lovely mink

I am a bit peeved as he lost a plimsol too which has turned up. thatwas no great loss as he had grown out of them and is goingback to school to be donated to some other person.

DAY 8 - CLEAR OUT THE SPACE UNDER A SINK! This is one of the toughest but most rewarding challenges. Drag everything out from under any one sink in your home – kitchen, bathroom, laundry – you choose. Discard any old, never-used, damaged or not-wanted items. Gather like things together. Consider using a plastic tote for cleaning products and a spare baking tray or similar for keeping other items together and off the floor of the cupboard. Consider hanging a tension rod for squirt bottle storage too. Show that space who's boss!

i have cleared and cleaned under the bathroom basin, took over half an hour to clean up those pesky ledges at the back out of sight and clean out the bins properly (one has been returned to the correct room now) wash down the pedestal and the floor underneath, unblock the sink and clean the basin out afterwards.

a job for later is collect the recycling out of the bathroom. I used up those last bits of antibac spray in a couple of bottles and the last of the loo cleaner. we have amassive bathroom so it gets used to dump diy stuff too.

right:
washing up/ surfaces wiped
cleaned under bathroom basin
shopping... (topping up as the sodding hotpoint fridge is not working again and shopping has to be done a lot more often now)
bits and bobs tidied here and there: approx 10 minutes

black you're doing brilliantly! I looked at the space under my sink and closed the door again.

I've been tied up today. I had to do some of my NVQ work at home because we've been too busy to chip away at it in the office. I did pluck my eyebrows, wax under my arms and get to a gym class though. And four loads of washing, wanted to get ahead before it chucks it down all week.

four loads of washing is brilliant.

Am so impressed that you've 'done' under the sink. Mine is a scarey place....

Wiped the kitchen cupboards down Sunday and shines the s/steel things. Looks nice on the outside, but the insides need doing.

Am now a week into healthy eating. Fingers crosses will start no icing soon. Am not going to weigh myself til 1/2 and will see how I do.

Can I join despite being late to the party as usual ?

I work full time and am a single mum who could do with losing weight and sorting stuff following a messy split last year.

So far this year I've ordered a new sofa, coming Thursday, and have half decorated the living room.. Encouragement and a boot up the bottom required for the rest of the house and to stop me eating nothing but cake

I am still eating up christmas food. so the healthy eating is taking a back burner at the moment. have done about 6 thousand steps though, which is not too bad for me today. not sure what the librarians thouh t of me prowling round the library while the children read though. i need to find ways to increase the number of steps I do without too much effort. I am happy to walk for a reason but getting fed up of trying to find reasons to walk. i do try and dance round the kitchen though ot increase my exercise.

Any room for a latecomer?

I'm a newly LP I guess, H & I spilt in Oct& going through the divorce process at the moment. I have one dd who is 4 & work 3 days a week. Majorly need to get on the getting fit/ eating better bandwagon. Since H left I have been better about the house though, finally sorting through the years of clutter we seemed to amass as well as trying to keep on top of the housework. Sometimes finding it hard as ive had the opportunity to do some overtime work from home recently & it's def worth my while financially but struggle to fit it in with everything else.

everyone is welcome...

I have had a really good day.... Achieved very little over weekend though we had a very nice time..

Today off work so continuing to follow diet. I went swimming and swam 40 lengths and have sorted out masses of paperwork...

Under the kitchen sink is on my list too.

three carrier bags of baby/toddler toys are outside the front door to go to charity.... off to go organise some more.

update: I need to update to get some motivation to keep going.
1 load of washing in the machine.
I have been picking up and throwing out but it is difficult to quantify what Ihave done. but:
bag of rubbish collected.
bag of recycling collected.
I am going to aim for one foot square of floor space cleared.

quite frankly it is reducing me to tears and depression there is too much to do with not enough time to do it in.

You are doing fantastic Blackeyed susan...

Progress is progress sometimes it doesn't look much but imagine if you did nothing...

I made homemade pea and ham soup for lunch was delicious..

does not take much imagining... the evidence is right there before my eyes!

it is improving, but still terrible.

Hi there

Blackeyedsusan every bit you do helps, each item you throw away makes a difference- you can't clear a square foot or a room without throwing away or dealing with one/two/five/any other number of objects. And once we have done it it will be easier to keep on top of! Now I just need to take my own advice.

Planning to tidy house tomorrow& we have been treated to a break away by my parents so need to get packing which always takes longer than you think it will. Oooh but I really want todo under the sink

One thing I have completed tidy though is the statement of support for decree nisi & asking ex to disclose documents to support the financial picture he's painting.

I am in awe of the paperwork tidyness.

good luck with the packing!

breakfast eating and then I am going to start. humph.

well today I have purchased travel sized toilettries for feb holiday and had my first weigh in...6 Lbs in 5 days....So very pleased with that...

congratulations that is great star!

well done starlight!

Well done starlight! I too have lost 6lbs this week but it's because I've been poorly, so no doubt it'll go straight back on when I start eating properly!

New sofa being delivered in the next few minutes- have managed to decorate the living room (with brother's help) and clean the kitchen from top to bottom.

Still have cupboards to clear all over the house... Dreading even starting that job.

Starlight well done! Are you following anything particular?

Paddling you might be able to get your council to pick up the wardrobe or if it is still in good condition then the British heart foundation/ other local furniture charities usually collect

I'm packing for hols& wishing I had bought mini toiletries. Dd not is short of clothes

Erm little done housework wise other than that today. Just having a cuppa right now