HappyGrace Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 This is the first time I've tried it since starting homeschooling (dc are 8 and 4) and it is so much harder! Today I got a drawer done. Yes, one drawer. (However, it was a large paperwork drawer, took an hour, and did involve more sorting than, say, a sock drawer would.) I'm really motivated to get this done, but I'm the type that has always just plowed through (and it still took me about 3 weeks of solid 6 hours of cleaning per day.) Of course, the kids and schoolwork have to be the priority, I realize. They are helpful with it-older dd washed walls and doors yesterday! But there's only so much they can do. So I'm hoping to clean from 3-5 each day until it's done. It's just taking SO long! And I'm exhausted with adding it ON to everything else there is to do in a day! And our house isn't bad at all to start with, so it's not like I'm cleaning filth. It's not a small house, but not huge either. I am a thorough cleaner though, so I don't do things just slapdash. (Although perfection is no longer on my radar with cleaning!) When I'm done, I'm definitely starting Motivated Moms to spread the work out more so I don't have to do a deep cleaning like this again! I'm just getting frustrated to not be able to plow through, and having to take baby steps to get it done. How do you all do this? I definitely want to be done before the warm weather starts, so maybe a couple months of 2 hours/day or less? That would be including the horribly messy garage, etc., and inside all cupboards-a very thorough cleaning/decluttering. How long would something like this take other people? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendra Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 It takes me weeks, sometimes months. Then when I'm through, I have to start all over again, kind of like painting the Golden Gate Bridge. :p I was raised to deal with stuff as you see it, so that's helpful. Decluttering tends to be an ongoing process, so there are usually bags for the thrift store just waiting to be filled. We have seven children, and by the time some of the clothing goes through all the boys or all the girls, it isn't worth passing along other than to be thrifted. One thing I've found helpful is to tackle a room per week. Write on your calendar which room you'll tackle each Saturday. Tackling means dusting baseboards, cleaning out closets and under beds, touching up paint, etc. Some rooms take longer than others, of course, and those you'll want to assign two weeks to. Then when you only get a drawer done as you did today, it's ok-- you've still got a week or two to get to the rest of the tasks in that room. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennifersLost Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 How about assign yourself a room a day in addition to the normal washing dishes, etc. So, Monday is kitchen/dining room day. Get your kids started on their work, set your timer for an hour or so and clean. Do the basics first - straighten up, wash cabinet doors, etc. Then start in on decluttering and get done what you can. When your time is up, it's up! Move on with your day. The next day tackle the next room. Set it up so you rotate your way through the house during the course of a week. Each time you go back to a room pick up where you left off decluttering. That way it doesn't overwhelm you. We have a cleanup day where 5 - 6 of us, depending on if dh is around or not, break up all the jobs in the house and go at it for about two hours. My boys are big, so a lot can happen in a short time. By the end of it the house is "clean enough" and I can do my daily things for the rest of the week. With a thorough clean once a week de-cluttering is just a now and then job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaid Dad Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 It took us a couple of years (yes, years) to get really decluttered. It wasn't that we were slacking off on the project, it was just that we'd get to what we thought was a good place and then find we wanted to let go of more stuff. But the worst of it was over in maybe six months. That included some furniture, books (lots of books!), papers, clothing, and a whole lot of stuff I'd inherited from my mom. Week after week we would fill our trunk with bags to take to local charities. It seemed like it would never end. But one day, it did. Now we keep a bag or box in our closet and throw things in to give away. When the bag is full, we take it to the appropriate charity. Fear not! You'll get there. And good for you for taking this on. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyable Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I agree. Years. With 5 kids under 11 it seems to get dirty/cluttered faster than I can shovel it out, and I work on it whenever I can. I'm thinking backhoe next time, LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 So far about 27 years. Sigh. I'm with you on that one Patty! Including the sigh.:cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cin Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 If I ever get it done, I'll let you know :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I do it continually. I find things that just "don't fit anymore", and I put them in my car. I don't pile them up in the house. I put them directly into my car, then drop them off at the local thrift shop on my next errand day. I don't do garage sales, so I don't pile things up anywhere. I get them out, and they're gone, and I never think of them again. More specialized things, I might Freecycle. But, I never keep anything for more than a few days. That said, it's an ongoing process. It never ends. There still seems to be more stuff coming in than going out. I can't even imagine ever being "finished". Don't be discouraged. Just do what you can comfortably do each day (even 5-10 minutes). Flylady would call them Baby Steps. Speaking of Flylady, have you read her tips on decluttering? She even has schedules and game plans. http://www.flylady.net Anyway, don't get discouraged. Just keep plugging away. As your kids get older, you'll find more and more stuff piling up. That's just a natural by-product of family life. Don't sweat it. Just throw stuff away, and give stuff away, and sell some good stuff. You'll be able to breathe soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jail warden Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I too find this a continual process. My dh is an only child and MIL loves to give gifts. Therefore we are continually trying to deal with it. My dh is also a packrat, so it can be very hard.:( I have found that as I get a room organized I am very careful about buying new things because that means I must find a place for it. Although this is continual it does get better. There's light at the end of the tunnel.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncmomo3 Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I'm constantly throwing things out; I don't keep anything (sometimes with regret-lol). I can get it done in one serious afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIN Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 My motto for the year is: Organized and Simplified. :) I'm planning on taking the entire year to throughly go through our entire house and declutter, simplify, beautify and organize. I'm guessing that it will be an ongoing process after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mx5 Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I'm just getting frustrated to not be able to plow through, and having to take baby steps to get it done. How do you all do this? I definitely want to be done before the warm weather starts, so maybe a couple months of 2 hours/day or less? That would be including the horribly messy garage, etc., and inside all cupboards-a very thorough cleaning/decluttering. How long would something like this take other people? Remember that vacuum cleaner commercial a few years back? "Life is messy - clean it up" Life is messy. All the time. You may want to get into the habit of being a "thrower" if you're not already. Think "hotel". Pare down everything... furniture, belongings, etc. I just removed a few things from our family room - a ficus tree and a small side table, and the room looks GREAT. Also, it is good to have reasonable expectations for this stage of life. Your kids are home with you all day, so wherever they are, there will be messes. You have responsibilities at home (laundry, cooking, grocery shopping, teaching, researching curriculum, being a wife, mother etc.) and these things don't stop. When you feel the walls closing in on you, take a step back and take stock of the things in your life that bring you joy. For instance, when I find dirty socks on the floor, instead of blowing a gasket I thank God that I have the person to whom the socks belong to love on for this brief season of life. Perspective is everything. Also, I second looking into Flylady.net You will find some great time saving and sanity saving ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Tell you what. I'll let you know if I ever finish one. ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam "SFSOM" in TN Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 So far about 27 years. Sigh. Yeah. I was about to post 23 years.:eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue G in PA Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Seems like every day I'm decluttering some area or room and cleaning another. Once I get one area done, the next day it is as if I never started! Sigh. If anyone figures out how to do this please let me know as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BamaTanya Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I never, ever, ever get finished. Sigh. Ask Lady Katherine -- she's a decluttering queen. She used to have some great tips at her website. Anyone know the link? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoniMoni Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 :oLast spring we had a de-cluttering check-in everyday on the old boards. Most of the posters had specific goals or deadlines. I'm still working.... I don't think I'll ever be finished but I dare not tell myself.:o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted January 25, 2008 Author Share Posted January 25, 2008 I was thinking, what kind of person am I, spending so much time at this project? I was feeling guilty taking the time away from other worthwhile things to get this done. The last couple years I've just been spot cleaning/decluttering when I can, never getting to these deep cleanings like I used to be able to do before kids or when they were little before formal homeschooling. It does feel so good to get in there and do this. I've never pared back *stuff* as much as this time either-I am ruthless with the garbage/charity bags in hand! Plaid Dad's blog has good decluttering tips, by the way (thank you, Drew.) My problem is not that I don't know what to do, it's just finding the time and energy to do it! I was also relieved to know that it is taking other people months to do a good job at it rather than weeks. Frustrating for those of us who would like to power through it though! Thanks for the encouragement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Katherine Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 It can takes weeks or even months, depending on how bad the problem is. When I was homeschooling, I always did it the week that the kids were at summer camp, and I never really finished in that amount of time. Now that they are in school, I've been working on it since September. It's really an ongoing process. Don't expect to "finish" -- just keep plugging away at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Readsalot Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I probably took a while for this situation to happen and it will take a commitment to clean it up. I strive for deep cleaning and then trying to keep it that way but it never seems to work out. The main thing I try to keep at a minimum is clutter. This way when I need to deep clean the surface junk is not in the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 will make this an ongoing job. I take the time to "do it right". One closet, one bathroom cabinet, etc and I don't just rearrange. Toss, donate, compile, sort, put in right spot, clean, label, and THEN come back in a day, and a week, and look it over so your mind can now know where everything is. I don't like hunting and hunting for something in the place where I kept it in 1999, and I really don't like buying something new because I've forgotten I didn't pitch the half empty bottle of, say, Milk of Magnesia, but only put it very far back under the sink because I only need it once every 3 years. Hubby is the packrat. He is being trained to accept NOOOOOOOOOO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 It's an ongoing project. I have somewhat of a schedule where I will deep clean my entire house during Lent. I pray while I do it and use it as a Lenten Devotion. When I deep clean/declutter, I spend a day on a closet or 2 kitchen cabinets. That way, the list is do-able and I don't give up. Give yourself time. Write up a schedule that you can stick with. Then, keep it that way! (That's the real challenge!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shell in SC Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Don't know. . .haven't done one yet. . .hee, hee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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