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Post by yearning4order on May 3, 2010 13:29:08 GMT -5
Hi All, I need help from those of you who are past the initial de-squalor and are either in maintenance or nearly in maintenance.
I'm not purely in maintenance--but the house has been 90% desqualored. Key areas like, under daughter's bed, doing another time through in my office and the garage could use another once over.
But the common areas, although not flawless are more than clean enough for company to come over. My bedroom floor has been clear for *months*. Papers and such come and go on the table, but it's mostly ok.
The last 2 weeks my biggest struggle has been the reappearance of the sun and profound enjoyment of my hobbies. In fact, I would rather be making art or walking in the sun than doing laundry or dishes. The house is holding steady, although scuffy around the edges.
When I was doing initial de-squalor all last year, I didn't have as active of a life--in fact my cleaning of the house coincided with me giving up addictive online game playing (God willing, will be a year in June!!!!!!) and I began the slow and steady work of cleaning the house. But I hadn't yet rebuilt a social life, or re-kindled my enjoyment of physical activity yet.
Now I have these things going on, and I'm really struggling to balance it all. That part of me that loves to throw myself into a hobby or activity that I like is struggling to balance that with my other responsibilities.
The house is ok, but not quite together--good enough that we had a sleep over this weekend, and I had no hesitation with my daughter inviting a friend over. I would not hesitate to have a friend see my bedroom.
How are you all managing this? Any of you artsy & craftsy folks who can share how you manage all of this, including time?
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Post by dtesposito on May 3, 2010 15:32:58 GMT -5
Hi yearning4order--I'm afraid that I don't have much good advice for you on this subject, other than that if you set up routines that become second nature, it's easier to follow them when you start doing other things. It's what I'm counting on to help me, because I'm in a similar situation as far as having lots of time now. I've been (way) "underemployed" for a while now, working only very part time hours, and that means I have a LOT of time to spend on cleaning now. I will only be able to do this until maybe mid-summer, when I'll have to try my best to get a job--possibly not full time, but at least 3/4 time.
The good thing is that I know it's more than the additional time that is helping me, I was completely unemployed for about 6 months during which time I did practically nothing--so having the time does not necessarily translate into progress--you have to have the motivation as well. Now that I have that, and am nearing maintenance on some of my rooms, I'm hoping that I'll be able to at least maintain when I'm busier.
If you set up some strict routines, maybe you'll be able to stick to them and do them first each day--and then you'll know you have the rest of the day for other things. Good luck!
Diane
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Post by zen on May 3, 2010 15:48:54 GMT -5
Yearning, I am a full-time grad student, work part time, and have teenagers and pets and a Beloved - I can so relate. I have had success when I make myself a simple list of the three most important things I need to get done each day - sometimes they are related to my studies, art practice, family - and if it's lucky - the house . Kinda like the bad version of flylady ha-ha. Surprisingly the house stays pretty under control this way - not in shape for a House Beautiful photo shoot by any stretch - but little, different chores being attended to on an ongoing basis. I still have decluttering to do as well, I have some persistent areas that I always seem to struggle with - I plan to really get at these once I finish my thesis and present it. then watch out clutter - I will have more free time!
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Post by lorrainemondo on May 3, 2010 17:47:39 GMT -5
Yearning4, I know what you mean! I have a microscopic, yet critically acclaimed, line of greeting cards. What a mess is made designing my cards on top of the ordinary housework crap!!
But I sure like it when my place is looking fine. I de-squalored, finally, last summer and am in OK maintenance.
But a full time job, a desire to lie around on the couch reading, a greeting card business and two destructive lovebirds means that unless I spend WAY MORE TIME THAN I WANT TO cleaning, the maintaining goes out the door.
So, I focus on how much I love non-squalor and suck it up and clean. MY KITCHEN TIMER IS INDISPENSABLE!
Lorraine
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Post by Meme on May 3, 2010 18:11:45 GMT -5
It is a struggle to maintain as I was in a habit of not maintaining before - but it is easier now that I have less things in my life-------it is also easier now that I have habits that are healthy- such as keeping track of things and putting them in place and doing the dailies daily ---just keep on keeping on and treat your hobbies as hobbies so that they do not overtake your cleaning time-- hugs Meme
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Post by StuffNoMore on May 3, 2010 18:27:37 GMT -5
I'm just starting to find myself in the same dilemma having all my living space in zero degree. I found what I have to do is use a reward system for myself. If I get ABC done then I can spend time in the yard when it's completed or I can go to the Pit Bull Rescue and walk the fur kids. If I don't do it that way I'm afraid I'll let what I have done to get to maintenance slide back to become a problem again.
SNM
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Post by yearning4order on May 3, 2010 20:37:19 GMT -5
Oh man very challenging--and Meme I think you hit it on the head: I love my hobbies so much that I want to do them all the time. I have a question--what are your dailies?
Thanks all--I felt horrible posting this as I know it sounds like whining. The truth of the matter is that part of the problem has always been how to deal with my life when things are improved? And typically I just mess it all up again. I'd rather not do that this time. My daughter likes having friends over spontaneously. I like not being afraid to answer the door.
I used to have the state of the house as the reason why I couldn't go out--but now it's not the problem!
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Post by success19 on May 3, 2010 21:57:53 GMT -5
Gosh from the title I was wondering if it was about me.
Lets face it there is nothing fun about cleaning - unless your Bree Vandercamp.
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Post by howardsgirlfriend on May 4, 2010 2:35:21 GMT -5
I understand! This is my busiest time of year for hobbies, so I'll have to plan ahead to keep from drowning in chaos.
Last year at this time, I'd just emptied my storage locker, so we had piles of cr*p in the living room for many weeks, and I felt so discouraged. Took me awhile to realize that I was looking at that pile from the wrong angle: I hadn't "fallen off the wagon"--I'd taken a big leap forward, that just looked bad for awhile.
How wonderful that you're bringing hobbies back into your life--that's a step forward, too! It will take some experimenting to figure out how to rebalance your time; that's OK. Don't be too hard on yourself; as long as it's "good enough," enjoy!
Do make it easy to put your craft supplies away--whatever works for you. I keep a shelf in the laundry room for my beads, so I don't have to leave them out. You might not put them away every time, but as long as you can do it easily, you'll be OK.
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Post by anonymoose on May 5, 2010 12:38:05 GMT -5
I felt horrible posting this as I know it sounds like whining. Not whining at all!! I have no valuable advice - I've never gotten it clean enough to maintain - but thank you for asking the question. It's a legitimate topic that's good for all of us to hear answers to. Just how the heck do other people keep everything done and still have a life?
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Post by Script on May 5, 2010 12:44:29 GMT -5
Just how the heck do other people keep everything done and still have a life? What I have learned about BALANCE: *put stuff away NOW: especially clothes and shopping *turn on the dishwasher DAILY *take every imaginable shortcut [example: I do not own any clothes that need ironing] *do not let yourself get too far behind with laundry *keep an ongoing give-away bag *swish & swipe bathroom daily [just swiping the sink with a dry cloth makes a HUGE difference] *spend some time on office work WEEKLY *open mail standing over recycle bin I love my hobbies and retirement pursuits too. My house is not perfect, but I never want to go back to my 'bad old days'.....
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Post by yearning4order on May 9, 2010 0:15:55 GMT -5
Thanks everyone, and Script thank you for this.
Man, end of the week is here annnnnd I crafted up a storm, have nice things ready for my mom for mother's day, but sheesh the dishes are dirty.
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Post by razy on May 9, 2010 1:26:39 GMT -5
Hi Y4O
Yay for doing crafty things!
Now go do your dishes...
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Post by howardsgirlfriend on May 9, 2010 12:37:14 GMT -5
Hey, Y4O--months ago you posted about how to display your saucers. Wht did you end up doing with them?
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seraphina
New Member
Joined: July 2009
Posts: 34
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Post by seraphina on May 10, 2010 9:39:48 GMT -5
Hey yearning;first of all:Congrats on your success!!!
Second, unfortunately there is no easy answer to this. What worked for me was reading that it takes 21 days for something to become a habit. So I worked my butt off at making everything a habit for a month. The little things add up. Script, I think it was, mentioned most of what I do in her post but I'll post mine anyway.
*The swish and swipe~I do it with Clorox wipes, and do the toilet with the brush, but I never have to actually clean my bathroom *I have a swiffer vac and swiffer mop for the tiled/linoleum areas~quick, fast, in and out and bam!!!!nice shiny clean floors all the time (no, I don't work for the company) *I also use the Swiffer 360 duster thingie everyday on things like my tv/comp and electronics that gather dust daily *I vaccuum everyday~I do not know your situation but I have two dogs who are in and out all day playing in the beautiful red GA clay, an 11 yo active DD, and a hubby who wears combat boots who can't seem to get it through their heads that shoes come off AS SOON AS YOU COME IN THE *** DOOR(sorry, bit of an issue there, but you'd think the bar stools and helpful shoe baskets I've placed at all 3 doors would be a hint)....back on topic, this might not be you *Keep an empty sink and run the dishwasher as soon as it's done/unload it asap *I don't do the no iron thing and I make my DD do her own laundry so I can't help there...but I only iron stuff the night before if we're actually going to wear it...and we don't really have that much to iron *remove,fold and put away clothes as soon as dryer is done *pick a non busy day of the week/end and dust everything in the house/windex, whatever, at the same time *make your bed every morning:there's something inspiring about a room with a made bed...I don't know maybe it's just me, but that's where I fold clothes, and I just love looking at my nice clean bedroom. It soothes and motivates me.
That's bout all I got. Good luck to you in your daily struggle to balance your new found success with your wish to be physical/do your hobbies. Allow yourself a little chance to do a happy happy/joy joy dance though, because you have earned the chance. And of course, remember that nothing is undoable. If your maintenance slips, tomorrow is always another day to start anew. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't clean every single day and I play hooky quite a lot. The joy of maintenance is:no on notices!!(unless you're my mother in law)
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