Help keep me motivated!

[JTA Mom]

I need to deep clean the entire house. I've done bits and pieces, but since I'm the only one tasked with housekeeping , I give up too easily. A big reason is that everyone else here is a clutter bug. Tons of stuff, not enough room. And I just want to take my tired, nauseated first trimester self and hide under the blankets. That's not an option. I need you guys to hold me to this! And if you yourself need somewhere to put your own housekeeping challenges, feel free to join!

So, I am paring the 'useless' stuff out. It's taking over, it makes it harder to clean and well, it can get unsanitary. I mean a huge pile of paper that keeps growing holds on to dust at the very least. Goodness forbid it gets a bit damp somewhere!

I've cut out the entire place into 14 zones. No personal bedrooms, all common areas. Well, okay, dh and my bedroom is in there. No, there aren't 14 rooms, but to get myself started, I've tried to break things down into the smallest chunks possible.

I'm down one zone: Today I finished the entire kitchen. Tidied things in the cupboards, put away things on the counters that could be put away (I use certain appliances and spices too much to put them away), cleaned out the ENTIRE fridge. Yep, scrubbed that sucker! There was a stale icky smell to it that would make my morning sickness even worse whenever anyone opened it (thanks, super-sensitive pregnancy nose!). Found quite a bit of expired stuff, science experiments in baggies and containers. There was even a bit of mold at the very bottom back of the fridge. My sponge lost parts of itself in the fight, but it valiantly went on and conquered it!

Tomorrow: Either the entire dining area (boxes of crud all around it) OR the bathroom. I'd rather do the bathroom, so that should tell you how bad the dining area is! But, if I do the dinning area, the house will look TONS better, since it's an open design. I mean, with the sparkly kitchen, the house already looks better! Decisions, decisions....

Still trying to figure out what 'treat' I should get for finishing everything. Any suggestions?

Ami

[JamieCatheryn]

Wow, you're doing great! I keep trying to tackle stuff but by the time I do anything the surface layer of junk needs picking up again. I know what you mean that you're the only one who works on it, 4 against 1 I'm losing the battle myself. When you finish you should get something you'd love for the house, either functional or just decor, maybe something to prevent clutter in the future like shelves or something.

[JTA Mom]

Originally Posted by JamieCatheryn

Wow, you're doing great! I keep trying to tackle stuff but by the time I do anything the surface layer of junk needs picking up again. I know what you mean that you're the only one who works on it, 4 against 1 I'm losing the battle myself. When you finish you should get something you'd love for the house, either functional or just decor, maybe something to prevent clutter in the future like shelves or something.

Thanks! I like the idea of getting something that makes the house easier to keep clean. I really, really want a swiffer wet jet. I find that there's just not enough water on those wet swiffer pads and I hate walking around with a spray bottle AND mop. I've kept from getting one because I already have a 'functioning' swiffer, but I think after cleaning all of this I deserve one!

And why does it have to be everyone against one? I keep thinking that just a bit more effort from everyone else would make this house look nice all the time. I wish there was some way to really get that across and get them to pick up after themselves.

I'm also brainstorming a mail sorting/storage solution. It seems mail is a HUGE culprit in building up and up and up!

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Zone 3: Kitchen Table Area: DONE!!! Tons of expired coupons, old magazines and miscellaneous toys (thanks ds! lol). Time wise, I'm doing this pretty fast. Yesterday was 2 zones, cupboards & fridge and rest of the kitchen. So far, it's taken me 4-5 hours each day to deep clean, sort, and organize these areas. I guess they weren't as dirty as I thought, just really, really messy and ugly looking. Ds is enjoying the new 'free' space. He's under the table, running around bouncing his ball. See, I'm not the only one who enjoys a nice clean place!

I've packed two small boxes of books away. And I have a big old box to donate.

Tomorrow and Sunday will be sorting through ALL our clothes, putting away ds's too small stuff, getting rid of dh's holey undies and chucking some of my old, worn out but just can't let go clothes.


There's one area I'm worried about though--my pre-ds2 clothes. They are about 4 sizes too small. And I was getting there before becoming pregnant this time around. They are 3 years old. Should I just donate them all? Keep them in case I'm more disciplined this time around and start losing weight during this baby's first year?

They are in really good condition too. If I get rid of all of them, I'll have opened up an entire under the bed storage box. But, they are cute. Ack!

Ami

[mkksmom]

I need to do this too. I have a 4 almost 5 month old and it's slow-going. I like your zone idea. I have the paper issue. I just don't feel like sorting, and I hate sitting there with the paper shredder.

I would keep what you love and get rid of the rest of the pre-preg clothes. I am hanging on to 1 dress, 1 pr jeans, 1 pr khaki's, 1 pr black pants and a few tops from my pre-preg wardrobe. I am almost there, but not quite.

[JTA Mom]

Originally Posted by mkksmom

I would keep what you love and get rid of the rest of the pre-preg clothes. I am hanging on to 1 dress, 1 pr jeans, 1 pr khaki's, 1 pr black pants and a few tops from my pre-preg wardrobe. I am almost there, but not quite.

I think I'll do that! It's less intimidating than getting rid of all of it, kwim? I just don't know if I can part with it yet, since my super frugal side is screaming that those clothes are in nice condition and when I get back into that size, free for the taking.

So yesterday wasn't too good. I got through most of the clothes in the drawers. I sorted through ds's stuff and my stuff, but dh still has to go through his. He has sooooooo many clothes but only wears like 20% of them! I have a full drawer of pants for him, plus a bunch more, yet he cycles through the same 3 pairs. Just get rid of the ones he's never wearing is all I ask. I couldn't get to the bins under the bed without lifting the bed, and I'm not going to do that right now. Dh gets that job.

I did manage to reorganize the closet today. Got rid of some stuff, played tetris with the rest and.....the doors close! And everything is easily reachable!!! :jo

I've got one load of laundry to sort so I can finish sorting ds's too small clothes and space save the entire thing. Technically I should go back through all 5 space bags and sort them by size (ds wore bigger bottoms than tops at one point, now it's vice versa!), but it's just too daunting right now. Hopefully, when the third trimester nesting urges hit, I'll go through them.

How are you guys doing?

Ami

[JTA Mom]

Took Monday off to help my mom sort through some things. She still needs a lot more help, so I'll be going there every few days. Hopefully it won't put a crimp in 'the plan'.

Today I cleared out the entryway and cleared out the computer desk. Both look lovely.

A lot of it was just sorting through things and putting them in their proper places. It's so hard to just drop stuff in their 'locations' though. So far I've gotten the front of the house done. The rest looks like a tornado hit it. And I've forced myself to just place those objects in those messy areas and leave. When I get to that area, I can organize it. So hard to do, but it keeps me on track. Otherwise I'd be doing half-cleaning jobs all over the place, get discouraged by the lack of 'progress' and give up.

As it is, I feel like my cleaning this time is much more productive. The kitchen and dining area are still sparkly a week later. I think the less cluttered an area is, the easier it is to keep clean. It also seems to make everyone else keep things up. I mean, a nice clear counter with a jar of jam on it just feels wrong.

Today's my younger sis' birthday, so I will head over there soon. I also need to study for a Chemistry midterm. And tomorrow is midterm day and helping my mom some more.

This Thursday and Friday will be the far side of the living room, where boxes of books, ds' cloth diapers, and my crafts all hang out. Wish me luck!

Ami

[mkksmom]

Wow! You're doing great. I ended up inviting the neighbor's kid over for a play date to give me some motivation, so I got everything downstairs looking half-way decent. It was so nice for a day or so. Then the baby had me up more than usual for 2 nights and things fell apart again. That seems to be my problem. I think I might try your plan, though. I get stuff almost done and then they fall apart. Breaking it into zones might help. I am trying to decide if I want to pack up a room and then act like I am just moving in and only unpack what I need or love. I need to do something to feel inspired to keep going. It's so much harder when I'm exhausted. I have a 5.5 year-old, so I know how temporary this phase is and that is what keeps me afloat.

[JTA Mom]

Originally Posted by mkksmom

I am trying to decide if I want to pack up a room and then act like I am just moving in and only unpack what I need or love. I need to do something to feel inspired to keep going. It's so much harder when I'm exhausted. I have a 5.5 year-old, so I know how temporary this phase is and that is what keeps me afloat.

I've heard of that idea and loved it. Dh though, being the packrat he is, wouldn't go for it. There are clothes I've boxed up right before ds2 was born. They are still in boxes. He's 2.5. And dh still refuses to part with them.

Today I finished the diaper/craft area. I am soooooooo tired. And there were a bunch of big booty spiders! At first I freaked out a bit, thinking they were black widows, but they didn't have the hourglass on them. Still smushed/sucked them up with the vacuum cleaner.

I even gave a way a bunch of knitting needles and yarn. I only kept the ones I wanted and needed. I also gave away a bunch of crochet needles, since I also have a 'complete' package of them somewhere.

We are finding tons of stuff we'd 'lost' over time though. Especially dh. Found 3 very dear things of his that got him all excited. Of course, I kept repeating that this is why we need to get rid of stuff we don't want/care about--so we can find the stuff we do want! Hopefully it sinks in.

Now, I have a question: How do you get a packrat to part with some of his stuff? I don't want/need him to get rid of all of it, but it's getting seriously out of hand here. Dh already has 5 boxes of his old toys that he says ds will want to pay with when he gets a bit older. Ds has no use for them--lots of aunties, grandparents and great-grandparents means he gets lots of toys. And we won't even talk about all the issues of magazines he saves. And never ever reads. Since I'm the only one cleaning I feel like I'm the only one 'punished' for having all this stuff.

Ami

[JTA Mom]

The living room is DONE!!!!

So far, the entryway, the kitchen, the dining area, the living room and the diaper area are spic & span.

And I am EXHAUSTED.

I want to lounge around eating grapes for the next month. And have a maid come in to do the rest of the house. A personal massage therapist named Sven would be nice too. Or Fernando. Well, since this is my fantasy, I want both.

I still have to finish the hallway which now, in comparison, looks HORRENDOUS. And the bathroom. And our bedroom. And then, next on my list will be the back yard. Which really just needs some trimming and sweeping, nothing major.

But I'm soooooo tired. I want to take a break, but I can't. One, my mom needs my help right now (possibly moving early March), so I'll be cleaning no matter what. And two, I'm afraid that if I take a break, I won't get back. I may have to make smaller chunks. 4-5hrs of deep cleaning every day/every other day is getting a bit much. It also doesn't help that for the first time, the cleaned parts look REALLY good. Which makes the bad parts look even worse. Right now I'm sitting in the dining room, and can see into the kitchen and down the hallway. The kitchen is so nice and neat and clean. The hallway, on the other hand, is filled with overflowing laundry baskets and bags of stuff that needs to be put away.

Ami

[mkksmom]

I understand what you mean. When I get on a roll like that, I want to continue. However, I don't want to burn out either. I still haven't gotten very far. My LO has been keeping me up at night, and I am just barely keeping up with dishes and keeping it half-way presentable. I really need less stuff. Less kids stuff especially.

[JTA Mom]

Originally Posted by mkksmom

I understand what you mean. When I get on a roll like that, I want to continue. However, I don't want to burn out either. I still haven't gotten very far. My LO has been keeping me up at night, and I am just barely keeping up with dishes and keeping it half-way presentable. I really need less stuff. Less kids stuff especially.

I hope both of you get some much needed sleep soon!

I finished the hallway and bathroom. The only thing left is our bedroom. And I will hold off on doing that.

I am soooooo tired. I think I need to listen to my body and just step back and take a breather. It's too much all at once. At least the entire 'open to the public' part of the house is presentable. The bedroom though....

It's amazing how many half empty/empty things there were in every part of the house. The bathroom itself was 2 garbage bags full of empty products/expired stuff. It looks so open now.

Dh doesn't really appreciate the 'new' look though. He's still not picking up stuff and putting it away. And it feels like he doesn't do much, if anything at all. These past couple weeks of work have really gotten to me. I mean, on top of it all, I'm going to school and doing 90% of the childcare and helping my mom pack. Meanwhile, dh gets snippy when I give him a pile of his stuff to sort through. Mind you, it's already picked through, so a) it's only his, and b) I even give him the boxes/bags for sorting. All he has to do is sit and sort--keep vs give away. Is that really so hard????

I think I'll leave the bedroom until next week. 5 days of rest should be enough, right?

Ami

[mkksmom]

Hey, you did great! The baby actually gave me a 5 hour stretch of sleep last night, and I managed to make a dent in my kitchen and made a little progress in the family room too. Still not great, but I am thinking I'll schedule another playdate to motivate me. I hope my LO cooperates with the sleep so I can think straight and get it done.

Have you managed to keep up with what you've already cleaned while taking a break?

[JTA Mom]

Originally Posted by mkksmom

Have you managed to keep up with what you've already cleaned while taking a break?

Actually, yes I have. I think it's because I did a really intense decluttering at the same time. There's just not that much stuff left to get in the way. It's also easier to 'see' the misplaced items on clear counters and tables, kwim?

Before, I wouldn't notice the hairbrush under the pile of old mail. Now it stands out like crazy.

The only thing that keeps exploding is ds' toys. But he likes to take them out of their baskets and strew them all over the living room. But I don't worry too much about that. I mean, if everything else is neat, anyone I invite in should understand I have a toddler in the house.

And I'm glad you got a nice stretch of sleep! It's so hard to do much of anything while sleep deprived. Maybe just take it one tiny section at a time? Like just focus on decluttering a cupboard/dresser. Something that, at most will take 1hr. Over time, it will add up to a big change. I've divided my bedroom into 4 sections. And it's a tiny bedroom. The sidecarred crib and full size bed take up the majority of it. But it's easier on me to do that than tackle the entire room.

Ami