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| The girls' favourite game is pile everything on their bed. It's just so..... fun... |
I blame the kids, I blame the house. I blame having five people squashed into a two-bedroom semi. Really, though, I should be blaming me a little bit more even if I do believe, if it was just me living here it would be a gorgeous, organised haven.
Truly, though, I could clean and tidy all day, every day and still not be there. The little mess machines in my house are so good that they keep me busy. This week, with the two big ones out of the house I had grand plans of organising, tidying, sorting. Things looked great, until they came home in a whirlwind and there was crap everywhere again.
I dream of having an organised, de-cluttered, pristine home. I dream of having a 'toy' room. It looks like they have an obscene amount of toys, but really it's just an average amount as they're squeezed in together.
I dream of having a junk room. Somewhere I can put all that "stuff", but that's never going to happen.
I'm trying to get a routine happening of getting the girls to tidy before they go to school and then again before dinner, but it's not working.
So, tell me, what are your secrets? Help me out here, as I'm feeling like a big fat failure.
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You have a baby and two busy girls, in a small house - that's not a failure. Just aim for one thing - a clean sink, a clean bathroom vanity, beds made. Achieve it, admire it - and move on. As you say, if it was just you it would be immaculate, but you wouldn't have those two gorgeous mess-makers {just pray D grows up to become a neat-freak!)
ReplyDeleteMess is demoralising and depressing at times, but some things just can't be overcome. Much love xx
I too was thinking of this being my biggest bug bear, cleaning up constantly!! I leave it until end of the day now and just do it before anyone goes to bed...husband there to help as well!
ReplyDeleteI have a 3 bedroom + a toyroom house. Which, after reading this, sounds big. But I am brutal about storage solutions.
ReplyDeleteIf you have room, an Expedit bookshelf from Ikea is fab for toys. A big toybox (just one) for the fugly big toys. A blanket ban on large toys from grandparents too. No room!
Floating shelves on all the walls in laundry, bedrooms and loungeroom for the books.
I store really large things at my mum's place (ski jackets, huge blankets we only whip out in winter). Old kids clothes.
I'm also going to get a trundle bed for the kids (with storage) so I have more places to put their clothes.
Oh, and hooks on all the doors! And a hat stand - major space saver.
Declutter ALL the time. Have a Salvos bag on the go, and put stuff that shits you to tears in it regularly.
xx
Sorry, that is so way too long. Just trying to help. xx
DeleteI blame the weather...
ReplyDeleteMy secret is not so secret. I just make sure that I stay on top of it by putting everything away at the end of the day. Throughout the day, chaos reins and I'm cool with that. Good luck, hon. Cleaning sux. x
Definitely not a fail Corrine! Keeping on top of kid mess is hard, especially with limited space.
ReplyDeleteI got sick of being the only one tidying up the toys, so I've become a tough mum, they have to tidy up before dinner, and whatever isn't packed up goes in a box and they have to earn it back. It takes four sticker to earn back their choice of item from the box. Initially I felt really mean, but now they're getting better at looking after their things and packing away and the amount of stuff in the earn back box is getting smaller.
Let me know if you find the perfect solution though, because new ideas are always great!
Are we on the same wavelength or what? I had a post in my head that I was going to entitle "Housewife Blues" after walking in the kitchen and seeing crap all over the floor for the umpteenth time! Damn dogs rolling in the mulch in the yard all afternoon is driving me to drink!
ReplyDeleteI am such a borderline OCD housekeeper and such a perfectionist thus the "Housewife Blues". First accept the fact that it is humanly impossible to keep the house in a state of perfection when you reside with other humans (and dogs as in my case!)There are things I can control and things I can't. Family room? Needs to be tidied and vaccuumed daily as that is where the family hangs out. Dining room and formal living room? After my weekly dust and vaccuum they better friggin stay perfect because we do not use them on a daily basis. Kid's rooms? Ryan is like me, she likes her room tidy but Liam? Holy smokes, that kid is going to end up on Hoarder's someday. It gives me such cardiac arrest and is a full time job in itself to the point that I had to let go and accept it is what it is. He gets clean sheets only if I can safely make my way to his bed. If not, then too bad for him.I find this as motivation for him to clean as our big dog sleeps in his bed. Even a curmudgeonly teen realizes after a bit that it's no good to smell like dog!
Now that I am going back to work, they will ALL help with the housecleaning on Sunday mornings. No way Jose that I am doing it all on my own anymore!
Give the girl's dusters and let them clean things like mirrors and any glass. Ryan loved it when she was little and it's a huge help!
Oh Corinne, I TOTALLY share your dream. At times I obsess over it actually. Just lately it has been getting me down more than ever. With all of this rain and time spent indoors, I am starting to resent our sweet little 2 bedroom terrace, for it's lack of space, lack of storage room, lack of well... rooms! I don't want to be greedy, ideally I just need one more bedroom, a playroom and an extra small bathroom. So you're not alone and I agree, it does make you feel a bit of a failure, but you're most definitely far from that Corinne :o) xo
ReplyDeleteIkea.
ReplyDelete:-)
I wish I could help.
ReplyDeleteI'm in a 3 bedroom suburban Melbourne home, & losing the battle against clutter, mess, & bordering on filth in an EPIC way.
My excuse is that night shifts make me too exhausted to clean.
When Max sleeps, I sleep.
And then husband comes home & bitches about how I have 'all the time in the world to clean, but don't'. And I resent him. Just that tiny, little bit :)
Until I've slept, & feel happy again :)
But things are going to change around here :)
No nights, & maybe if things improve financially, a cleaner :)
... one can dream! xx