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monica
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| Posted: Oct 26 2007 at 4:14am | IP Logged
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first of all, i have a cleaning schedule and when life is normal, then i follow it and things stay relatively clean. but this week has been extraordinarily crazy. we were literally gone for 14 hours straight yesterday for drs appts, i was in the hospital with a friend having a baby a few days before that and tonight a friend who is going out of town is coming to dinner. my children are young 4 and 1, so most of the cleaning is on me. what do you do when you are off schedule and everywhere you look there are messes, dishes, piles of laundry, dirty floors, things piled on the stairs to go upstairs. how do you prioritize, where do you start? um, probably getting off the computer and getting to work is a good beginning, huh? 
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monica
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| Posted: Oct 26 2007 at 4:15am | IP Logged
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also, let me add that my 1.5 yo just got 3 vaccines and seems only comforted by nursing . this somewhat inhibits my ability to clean up. 
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juststartn
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| Posted: Oct 26 2007 at 9:22am | IP Logged
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Do you have a dishwasher, or is everything done by hand?
First--throw a load of clothes into the washer. Then, throw a load of dishes either into the sink to soak, or into the dishwasher to get washed. Have the four yr old run things to the trash cans while you are nursing (well, move from room to room as the day progresses). Give four yr old an old mismatched sock, and have them dust everything at their level and below. In between nursing sessions, flip the laundry, and unload the dishes. Grab some trash and take it out. Have four yr old fold dishtowels and washcloths.
Have four yr old pick up toys, and put those in basket (or where-ever it is that they belong at your house). Feed dc lunch and then naps (hopefully) for them. Then, a quick vacuuming. Toss more laundry/dishes where they need to be going as needed. Sweep kitchen floor and run a mop over it if you have time (if not, a spot cleaning may be all you have to do).
When in the bathroom, wipe it down, change the towels if needed, etc.
HTH
Rachel (who would be happy to help, if I weren't somewhere else!)
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: Oct 26 2007 at 10:32am | IP Logged
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monica wrote:
| what do you do when you are off schedule and everywhere you look there are messes, dishes, piles of laundry, dirty floors, things piled on the stairs to go upstairs. |
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I tend to scream a lot.
But, I wouldn't recommend that as it isn't all that productive and makes you feel worse afterwards.
I've been in a rut and can't seem to catch up from being out of town a few weeks ago followed by sickies, and finally, my husband started cleaning the kitchen, which, has helped ENORMOUSLY. I didn't even ask him too (though, I was upset over my own failings as a housekeeper).
If dh can't help, I try to prioritize. So, I get up early, and tackle the bathroom as a part of my getting ready. Preparing meals means I do extra simple meals and take my prep time as time to tackle dishes. I name a number of loads of laundry to have washed and put away before bed no matter what. I also like to line dry, and my 3 year old likes to hang laundry, too. So, we do those things together outside (weather permitting) which makes me feel less like an ogre and the boys get outside to play.
Once I can walk without tripping, I figure that I can spend a week on my schedule taking a little extra time to allow for all the extra dust that accumulated. So, its a week of maintenance and then an extra week of the schedule (inflated a bit) to get back on track.
That's great in theory, but with the clingy children from sickies, it took my dh just doing dishes to help me get back on track.
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Oct 26 2007 at 10:57am | IP Logged
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the best thing for me when I feel overwhelmed is to pick a corner.. any corner will do but it you can move through your house from one end to the other one end is a nice place.. and you stand with your back to the rest of the room and only a small section of the corner.. and then you pick up that corner.. you don't get overwhelmed by all there is to do because you only are seeing a small section.. and then you have a "base" to work from.. so you can step into your clean corner.. and pick a direction and start enlarging your corner.. and it's not near so overwhelming.
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LisaR
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| Posted: Oct 26 2007 at 11:00am | IP Logged
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clean all the sinks in your home, empty all the trash baskets in the home, and get cracking on the laundry!! 
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shartlesville
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| Posted: Oct 26 2007 at 11:04am | IP Logged
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I HIGHLY recommend FlyLady! You can do ANYTHING 15 minutes at a time.
FlyLady's Website is a little busy and has TONS of information. Read just the first screen or so until you see "Flying Lessons." Start with that and follow the instructions!! Don't skip ahead to day two while you are on day one even if you finish early. The whole point is to take baby steps. 
Once you get past the flying lessons, then you can safely venture through more of the info on the website. You don't want to dive right in and overwhelm yourself or waste away the day reading everything on the site - baby steps - a little at a time.
Good luck, let us know if it works out for you.
Blessings,
Krisann
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Sarah
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| Posted: Oct 26 2007 at 12:21pm | IP Logged
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1. Clear the kitchen counter and load as many dishes as you can. Leave the others in one side of the sink with the intention of coming back for a second load.
2. Wipe the counter & kitchen table.
3. Get 2 or 3 laundry baskets. Run through the house throwing stuff in them. If its absolute chaos start by picking up all things made of fabric, then all book, then all toys. Don't get sidetracked by trying to perfectly put them away. Just get them in baskets/hampers/ etc.
4. Vacuum or sweep that the main area once that stuff is in baskets.
5. Throw in a load of laundry. If there's stuff in the dryer, put it in a laundry bag or basket to fold later-stopping to fold might make you loose momentum. Don't dump it in a place that will allow it to grow further out of control.
6. Empty dishwasher and reload
7. Then as time allows empty those baskets in little spurts. If you are starting to feel tired, sit down and fold laundry & put it away immediately so your kids won't jump in it and throw it everywhere (at least, mine do that  ).
At least that's a start.
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: Oct 26 2007 at 1:45pm | IP Logged
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I do something a little similar to Sarah when things get out of control clutter wise. Right now I have three overstuffed laundry baskets sitting on the landing. They are full of
summer clothes
clothes to be made into rags
various things destined for the Sally Ann
bits of paper garbage and such
miscellaneous tool stuff
extra sheets and pillowcases
Sound like quite a jumble eh? But now I have a nice clean walk in closet, the kids drawers are in the right season (and now, for the first time in weeks, I may have kids not in shorts and t-shirts when they should be in jeans and socks), and there is a lot less clutter. Basically I just put all the miscellanious into the baskets and when I get a chance I will sort it out.
But I have no babies now (  ), although when I did I still think I followed this plan to get all the stuff away then did a quick vacuuming, wiped counters, sinks, and a quick spray and wipe of toilet (I have three boys). And for me, the laundry mountain needs daily servicing!!
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stefoodie
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| Posted: Oct 26 2007 at 2:02pm | IP Logged
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I don't follow FlyLady to the letter but yes, that 15-minute timer helps a lot! Do everything you can in one room for 15 minutes, break for 15 minutes, do another room for 15 minutes, take another break. It's AMAZING what you can accomplish in two hours.
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: Oct 26 2007 at 2:35pm | IP Logged
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I Put load of laundry in.
Then, Go around with big laundry baskets and gather everything that is out of place into the baskets. When dh got home, we work on putting everything back. Now dc are a bit older so they can do it.
Vaccuum/sweep obvious areas.
Start in the kitchen, as that is where i will find myself the most
Anything else is frosting.
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Suzanne in ID
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Erin
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Considering you have a friend coming to dinner I would concentrate on the kitchen, dining room and loungeroom. Close the doors to the other rooms and tackle them tomorrow. As the baby wants constant nursing they may have to be done sketchily at that.
Hope things settle done this week.
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snowbabiesmom
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The best advice someone gave me was to start a load of laundry right when you go to make your coffee. By the time you feed the dc breakfast and drink a cup it is ready for the dryer. Start another load. Keeping up with the laundry is tops.... While coffee is brewing empty the dishwasher. Load as you eat or drink throughout the day. I always try to keep the kitchen counter "presentable" I know it was already mentioned, but each time you go in the bathroom, do a quick wipe down of the sink or toilet. Sometimes I spray the shower after I get out b/c it is already wet in the shower.
Just my 2cents
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monica
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| Posted: Oct 29 2007 at 7:40am | IP Logged
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wow, that was all great advice. things are a bit better now, and this week i am not scheduling any away from home activities so i can give the mess my entire attention. i also started a list so i can cross things off. for some reason that helps me mentally feel like i am making progress.
thanks
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Kristie 4
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| Posted: Oct 29 2007 at 7:27pm | IP Logged
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Glad to know things have calmed down.
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Anne
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| Posted: Oct 29 2007 at 10:07pm | IP Logged
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I have enjoyed this thread!!!!!!
I do not feel so alone anymore. I truely want a clean organized home all of the time not just before company comes. We know not the day or time the Lord will come by for tea. I do not want him to reach for the cream and old baby bibs fall on top of him from the cabinet above I just need to find that balance. Fly lady has her own zone. I need to find my own. Many of your responses here have helped. I'd like to see this continue with many ideas to help each other. For example My children are older and know how to clean. I am not being desciplined enough to make them keep it clean. How do you all handle this?
I am stuck in the do as I say bit not do as I do. My room is a mess. Now with all of my rambeling I know what to do first tomorrow. My bedroom. What about the bigger mess I make cleaning what about math language arts read alouds and the harvest party 
Time management this sounds familiar. Any similarities to the lives of others is purely accidential. But any and all comments are accepted 
Thanks for reading my ramble ramble on
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Cay Gibson
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| Posted: Oct 29 2007 at 10:12pm | IP Logged
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Where to start?
Goodness! how about my house?
I'm serious...
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Barbara C.
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| Posted: Oct 30 2007 at 7:56am | IP Logged
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I'm a big list person. And if it is a big list of things to do I've been known to put things on there like "brush teeth", "eat lunch", or "put baby down for nap" just so that I can cross them off and feel productive.
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monica
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| Posted: Oct 30 2007 at 8:37am | IP Logged
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heee heee, me too. i thought i was the only one.
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: overwhelmed with cleaning- where to start
