Mamas that are "Messies" Support Thread

Just found this thread!....really need to work on this area of life,

am praying that we all achieve what we long for..



edited....just went into boys room, they've trashed it again!!! after we tidied up this morning......first time I've been able to actually motivate myself to do it for ages as well....

I feel so hopeless and tired about getting our tiny house sorted out...

I've just started reading this thread and really LOVE it. I'll have to come back later and finish reading all the posts.

I'd actually avoided coming to this (homekeeping) section of GCM 'cause I thought it'd interfere with my enjoyment of my computer-time; I knew I'd feel bad sitting on my butt, thinking of all I should be doing. But today I just happened to click on it -- and was thrilled to find this "Messies" thread right on top.

My daily housework priorities are: keeping up with dishes and laundry. That's it. Laundry's important when you use cloth diapers. Everything else gets done sporadically as me or someone else gets the urge. Sometimes -- often -- the kitchen floor looks like it hasn't been cleaned in weeks because it hasn't. Clutter piles up, it did that even when I was single so you can imagine what it's like with me times four.

I used to dream of having hardwood floors -- now we have them in our living room and dining room, and I'm realizing they look yucky if you don't clean them about every day. So a lot of the time they look yucky. But my oldest is now taking an interest in sweeping and mopping the wood floors, so that helps.

I feel a little guilty when I read your comments about how you're really "working" at keeping the house clean -- because I'm really not. I heard that the flylady promises you can keep up with your house in just 2 hours a day -- something like that? Well, two hours seems like way too much time for me! I'd have to give up blogging or reading or sleeping/resting whenever my girls are asleep -- or not have as much time to hang out and play with the girls -- if I did two hours.

Of course, whenever I get an urge to do housework the girls usually join me and we have a ball. I just need to get the urge more often.

[klpmommy]

I just discovered this! I *need* this!!!!! I will be back to read more........

But this definately sums up how I feel

I'd actually avoided coming to this (homekeeping) section of GCM 'cause I thought it'd interfere with my enjoyment of my computer-time; I knew I'd feel bad sitting on my butt, thinking of all I should be doing. But today I just happened to click on it -- and was thrilled to find this "Messies" thread right on top.

I just found this thread and I definitely qualify! I saw pics of others kitchens and was sad because I'd like to show mine off, but it's buried in school work, mail, dirty dishes, and who knows what! I used to be able to catch up, but since hs'ing and adding our last dd, and dh deployed, things are out of control! It makes me feel much better knowing I'm not the only "messy" around here.

Any suggestions on getting organized? My biggest thing is keeping bills organized, kitchen clean, and laundry...

[Benjaminswife]

My daily housework priorities are: keeping up with dishes and laundry. That's it. Laundry's important when you use cloth diapers. Everything else gets done sporadically as me or someone else gets the urge. Sometimes -- often -- the kitchen floor looks like it hasn't been cleaned in weeks because it hasn't. Clutter piles up, it did that even when I was single so you can imagine what it's like with me times four.

I can totally relate. I think starting to CD has kept me on top of the laundry. I started doing this though. Every morning I make my bed and take the stuff in the dryer and put it on there. Then all the laundry I do during the day I put on my bed. Then I make myself put it away, a little at a time all day long.

I also make sure I am caught up on the dishes. My kitchen is so small that if the dishes aren't done it is just really really bad looking.

I also try to make myself sweep every day and I use a swifter every other day. Then I try to give it all a good cleaning about once a week.

One other tip I thought of. I will set my screen saver to start in X amount of time. Then I know I can't get back online until that screen saver pops up

Clutter is my biggest problem. It really is a big challenge for me.

Benjaminswife, what do the letters CD stand for?

[momaich]

Any suggestions on getting organized? My biggest thing is keeping bills organized, kitchen clean, and laundry...

As far as organizing bills, do you mean filing them or paying them? I try to pay my bills as soon as they come in so I don't forget. I do also have a special drawer just for bills so that if I'm in a hurry, I can safely stash them and refind them again easily. I also keep my stamps and return address labels nearby and always put them back as soon as I use them. Other people I guess use automatic deduction for bills. About the kitchen, I'm no real help there. I hate doing dishes, but I do try to keep the dishwasher going. I even run it when it's not full if the next load won't be able to fit entirely. And I run it daily, usually twice. I try to focus on the dishes. I don't have the desire to do much work truthfully, so my counters are usually crumby and my stove usually has dried on food stuck on it, but I usually have clean dishes! Laundry, I try to do at least 1 load a day. I have a lots of baskets to keep clean clothes in too. I just know that someday I'll have the will power to do things "right" ie always have clean stove and counters, always fold and put clothes away asap, but I don't right now and these are my shortcuts. I also try to fold or semi fold laundry as it comes out of the dryer into a basket. I do not fold skivvies, kitchen wash cloths (which we use for "paper towels") or mate socks.

[RealLifeMama]

Originally Posted by momaich

If I had the answers, I wouldn't be here!
I am glad this thread has helped you feel accepted.

Bill/mail/paper clutter is my worst enemy!

I am currently buried in clean laundry. Benjaminsmom, I am glad that CD'ing helped you (cloth diapering) I am scared to start because I am afraid I will fail. My mom was here 3 weeks ago and washed every piece of laundry in our house, and I have three baskets from her that are still sitting around! Then my own.
I am trying to do one load a day, get at least DH's put away.
Then I am trying to do the dishes daily, and sweep at least once a day in the kitchen, and wipe the kitchen counters down.
In all honesty, these were my same main daily goals before the baby was born, so I guess I am doing OK. Actually, having the baby takes away the "I have all day" syndrome, because it is more like "baby is happy for 10 minutes! Quick!!! Do the laundry!!!!"
And of course, I am being a hermit, not going anywhere, and not wasting time on things like, oh, getting dressed in real clothes and brushing my hair and stuff.

Oh, yeah -- cloth diapering definitely motivates me to keep up with laundry!

Yes, buried in clean laundry is very much a reality - I can throw stuff in a machine, but folding and putting away - that's another story. if the clean basket is full and the dryer is full of clean clothes, I'm stuck until the clean is put away. Drives me crazy.

I wish I had my washer and dryer on the main floor instead of in my cold, dirty, nasty basement that requires shoes and socks for ds so if he wants to go down with me it's a project.

[klpmommy]

I just read this page & I feel so much "better". Right now I have two laundry baskets full of clean laundry & the dryer is full. DS pooped in his pants yesterday so I had to wash his pants & undies, but then I left them to air dry rather than folding a load of laundry. (At least I planned ahead & only washed those two items rather than a whole load)

Right now my only goal is my kitchen- since I cleaned it for the picture thread I am trying so hard to keep it that way- keep the counters wiped down, keep up with the dishes & keep the clutter confined to one counter/area. I am trying to keep up with the floor better than usual. Right now I am on day 4 of a clean kitchen & feeling really good about it. Until dh came home & I said something about how clean it was and his response was "the dogs spilled out their dog food." But it does feel good to have a clean kitchen right now.

In the past I have tried to do too much & as a result I have always given up. So right now I have a small goal.

I think small goals are key. They are what keep me sane. I like to call it Selective Blindness.

[klpmommy]

Selective Blindness

I like that!

I also call laziness being Energy Efficient.

[klpmommy]

I also call laziness being Energy Efficient.

Leah, you are my kind of person!!!! I am surrounded by cleanies IRL and they just don't get it.