My house is stressing me out. I need to declutter or something. I can't keep up, and the mess is slowly wearing me down. Or driving me nuts. One of the two.
Since the weather is gorgeous this time of year, the boys and I have been spending a ton of time outdoors. Where there is a ton of work to do too! Seriously, it's never ending. I cannot catch up. I have to leave the house to find a little peace and quiet. What is up with this guilt?
Ugh. I hate that I'm posting this whiny drivel, but I do so with a purpose. Do you all have a secret? Is there some way to stay ahead or am I destined to live in a messy house with a backyard full of weeds? My inquiring mind is anxious to know. In the meantime, I'm going to go stick my head in the sink.
After that I think I'll cook some beans. Have I mentioned my love of beans?
2 hours ago
34 thoughts:
Green bean?! Yum, my fave.
It sounds like you have young kids. When my kids were young, I had one room in my house that was the "clean room", the room they weren't allowed to go in. Usually we had a rec/play room so no toys were allowed in the living room. They don't need run of the whole house. Just having one clean room and usually quiet, since the kids couldn't play there, helped keep me sane. It was okay, then,emotionally and mentally, if the rest of the house was a disaster.
I wish I had an answer for you, I struggle with this too. Something that helps me is making a small list of what I want to accomplish house wise that day. And I mean small. Then at least I know I am getting something done when I cross it off. Also I have specific days to do certain chores then when that is done I don't worry about it anymore, because I know next week I'll be cleaning it again. And I try to remind myself that this time will pass and soon my kids will be grown and gone and I will wish I still had little handprints to wipe off of every surface. I never have a totally clean sparkling house, but I'm ok with that as long as I feel like I'm accomplishing something.
I'm afraid I don't have much help for the kids or the house because I'm a college student. But, I am an agriculture college student. So, as far as the yard goes, try to choose plants that are self reliant and can take care of themselves. Also, grass will "de-weed" itself if it is healthy and thick, the weeds don't have a chance to grow. :) Hope this helped a little.
Yeah. Unless you can afford a staff (sad to say that I can't), it's a perpetual state of being . . .
sf
Ugh... I feel your pain. I can't stay ahead. It's like this mountain of clutter and expectations that is my house wanting to swallow me alive. So... no answers... just empathy. Le sigh.
I don't have a good remedy, but I have a plan...When I sell a story, I'm getting a housekeeper. I will be able to justify it with, I'll be able to write more if I have to clean less. :)
I totally feel for you. My big problem is that I have a hard time writing if my house is a mess. Last night I washed my floors before sitting down and opening up the document. Procrastinate much?
I don't really have a secret, but I try to clean something every day, just so I'm not doing the whole house in one day. It works okay. I also give a ton of stuff away. If we don't use it, haven't worn it all season, don't need it, etc., it's in the pile. It drives my husband (the hoarder) crazy.
Well, I totally suck at time management, so I am the wrong person to ask, but my husband would probably say "Always do at least two things at once." If you are folding laundry, you can also be talking on the phone to your critique partner about your latest manuscript. if you are watching your kids in the bath, you can bring in a laptop and visit and comment on blogs.
I am no help in the clean house department. I am the clutter queen...and lots of laundry to do lady. :)
Enjoy the beautiful weather! I'm not so patiently waiting for spring!
Oh my gosh. I am uber organized and GREAT at time management.
However, (I had you there for a second, huh?) I have been HORRIBLE lately. Writing, blogging, and reading, not to mention, cleaning, cooking, teaching, and just dealing with the kids is putting me WAY over my head.
My house is a disaster, and I really don't deal well with that. I feel so much better and more peaceful when my stuff is all where it needs to be.
I'd even rather throw things out than hold on to them and clutter up my space...
That being said, I have no answer for you. I wish I had all of the little rodents and birds from the fairy tales come and do my dirty work. :)
I LOVE beans--black beans are my favorite...well, and lentils. I love those, too, both of them with rice. And red beans. Those are nice, too. Also with rice. Cannellini beans are also...I'll just stop there.
By the way, I have resorted to paying my thirteen year old to clean my kitchen. The rest of the house is a disaster, but as long as my kitchen is clean and my bed is made, I am happy. I think it's all about working with what you have and learning to be satisfied with the rest ;) Good luck! If you find the secret, please do be sure to post it!!
Wow. I think you are reading my mind. This is exactly how I feel. I'm so overwhelmed by my house that I don't know where to start, so I don't start at all. It's not like my house is dirty, it's just so full of stuff and the stuff is everywhere!
I don't have kids, yet somehow the house gets cluttered very often. (It doesn't help that I'm a recovering pack rat). If it's not dog hair all over the couch (and in my food), it's a stack of magazines and junk mail.
What I like to do, is focus on one thing at a time. One weekend, I may tackle the office - recycling what I can, throwing out things, catch up on filing. Another day, I may tackle a closet. Just take it slow - problems happen when you try to clean too much at once, then everything ends up messier than it was to begin with!
I tend to do the bulk of my cleaning chores in the morning, and afternoons I like to keep the wild ones outside. LOL But...the house still gets messy and I have to keep having them clean up their stuff.
Decluttering is always good. I regularly throw stuff away.
The secret is rather simple. Write a book that everybody and their brother wants to read...make tons o' cash...then hire a nanny & gardner.
Aren't you glad you asked. :)
I'm a house cleaner and even I don't know. I only have one kid but my house is constantly a mess. Our biggest thing is people not picking up after themselves, and our townhouse being way too small. But that will change in a few weeks since we just bought a house.
I'm a house cleaner and even I don't know. I only have one kid but my house is constantly a mess. Our biggest thing is people not picking up after themselves, and our townhouse being way too small. But that will change in a few weeks since we just bought a house.
I am in the same boat as you. I can't get ahead and my mind is in the clouds constantly coming up with changes for my WIP. Yikes. Sorry, I have no advice on this.
I hate a dirty house... luckily I don't have children to run after so it makes it easier to keep my time management under control. I clean on Monday or Tuesday evenings... each evening I allow myself an hour of clean up and tv time, an hour for reading, and a few hours of writing... both blogging and the novel... it helps me clear my head when I get the time to have it work. I've only used it for the last couple of weeks but it's seemed to do wonders!
Lovin' some beans are you! That is too funny!
Umm... when you're done decluttering you house can you come do mine? Please???
I'm usually the ultimate neat freak, but lately... I haven't been able to keep up. : )
Oh well. Happy Thursday!
I have the perfect solution. Move to outside of Philadelphia as soon as you can - we've spent days on end up here buried under 50+ inches of snow. It's amazing how much organizing and writing happens when you're trapped inside. And eating...and drinking of hot chocolate...and
Maybe you're better off where you are.
p.s. thanks for visiting my blog
Me too.
You'd think with Handsome Hubby and I working full time and the girls at school and daycare all day, how messy could a house get?
And then you'd see mine and laugh.
I have no time to clean. Honestly, after work, homework, dinner, baths, bedtimes, and then half the time my own homework... I just want to snuggle with my hub, crash in front of the tv... maybe actually write a little bit... the house just doesn't fit in.
If my house wrote me a query letter, I think I would reject it.
:)
I try to have the kitchen clean and the living room picked up every evening. (But just because I say that doesn't mean it happens.) I also try to accomplish one or two "house things" every day, like clean the bathrooms or catch up on laundry.
Even with that, though, I am frequently wanting to pull my hair out.
Good luck!
I am a total clean freak. It helps that the hubby is too.
And I'm so jealous that you can go outside. We're having a warm winter in Alaska, but there's still two months of snow ahead of us. Good thing Mexico is looming in my future!
Anissa--I did think of something to do to help with your house. When we sold our last house, the realtors made me declutter. I donated tons of stuff to charity and boxed up a lot of thinks I couldn't part with. When we moved into our new house, I went through everything and gave more to charity and left some things in boxes. It is easier to dust when you have less things to move. :) I typically buy art or silver charms for souvenirs. Little to no dusting required. :)
I know exactly how you feel. I did a lot of cleaning last week when our computer wasn't working. With it being down, I couldn't blog and I couldn't write, so I cleaned. I felt good about that, and I've found that I'm much more productive this week because my house is organized. I just wish I knew how to keep it that way. It's already a mess again. Okay, I know I wasn't much help here.
All said and done, beans is healthy
Ugh. I was just thinking the same thing. I think the only answer for me is ruthless decluttering (that means you pink poodle costume!). The kids stuff is just everwhere.
Anissa, I had to read all the comments just to see if I could get some ideas too! This is a constant battle with me. I love a clean house, but I must love blogging and writing more, since that's what I spend my time doing. Doesn't go well with 3 tiny kids.
I like to get organizing ideas from flylady.net, if that helps you. Good luck!
To start with weed out those weeds.. . ..and see how that is going to make you happy (one obstacle over)
You know how I survive these moments? I let myself know that they're not forever. Right now, it might be a bit dirty and weedy but this is but a season. Someday, those concerns won't be there (there will be new ones) but for now, it's just a season. I write myself a note and put it on the fridge to remember to live today and worry less.
So live today and worry less. You have my permission. =]
If you're anything like me, I'm afraid you're destined to spend some of your FABULOUS royalty money on Merry Maids or your local equivalent cleaning service.
In other words, my house is both a pig sty AND a money pit. Not a good combo. ;D
It was okay, then,emotionally and mentally, if the rest of the house was a disaster.
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