bighips
New Member
Joined: October 2017
Posts: 14 
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Post by bighips on Oct 30, 2017 1:42:59 GMT -5
Yesterday we found a rat in the house. A real rat. So disgusting😩. He was under our oven. I don't even know how he got on because we had all the cracks sealed last year. Luckily the kitchen is a level 1 and clean enough that we were easily able to set a trap and catch him. But my room is so messy I can't even hardly get out of it. There's a pathway carved out of the mess. I feel so pathetic, and stressed. My parents are coming to the house Friday and Saturday. I doubt they will come inside, as were doing outside work, but there's always that chance that they will and I'm dying over the possibility. I am new here still and don't really understand the thread categories. I am going to come here and comment my progress throughout the week if that's ok.
Kitchen: 1
Front room: 1.5
Bathroom: 4
Bedroom: 4 without bodily fluids
Guest bedroom: 2
Outdoor area: 2
Bathroom: 3
Garage: 4
Car: 4 without bodily fluids
Hoping to change everything this week. These are the degrees of squalor. Thanks.
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Post by Nael_C on Oct 30, 2017 3:29:47 GMT -5
Hello! I can understand how it feels like a huge task to take right now. But it can be done, you have already got your
kitchen on a level 1 and your front room an a 1.5! Could you work in the bathroom, just an idea, as when people enter the house, like your parents this time, they will probably come in for the bathroom. So, you can assess what the priorities are there, take some garbage bags and fill them with the trash and get them out? Does the bathroom utilities work properly in case someone wants to use it?
I wish you the best for a productive week to a cleaner house!
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Post by hollyhock on Oct 30, 2017 3:51:25 GMT -5
Welcome, and wishing you luck as you move ahead. I agree with Nael_C re the possibility of family needing to use the washroom while helping with the yard. Sometimes it's also the best place to start since it's the smallest room. Congrats on a 1 level kitchen. Also, how much is just garbage? If a lot is, that too will make a big impact, so just start bagging up the obvious garbage, and get it out. Do you have regular garbage pick-up, or do you have to take it somewhere? |
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Post by Nael_C on Oct 30, 2017 5:12:46 GMT -5
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Post by bub on Oct 30, 2017 7:46:28 GMT -5
Hugs- finding a rat must have been horrifying! Depending on where you are it could just be one that was looking for a warm place to spend winter.
I agree with the bathroom clean-up just in case. Can you shut doors to the bedrooms? Just start with the priority areas.
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Post by mynicehome on Oct 30, 2017 8:07:52 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum bighips! You're not alone, even with your worst rooms. It can all be brought back to levels you are comfortable with in time. It takes some effort to be sure, but pacing yourself and assessing things realistically go a long way with the motivation and goals.
Agree with the others about working in the bathroom for now. If you have two, just focus on the guest bathroom and bring that right up to snuff in case your parents need to use it. They likely will, to wash up after the outside work at least. Have a few clean mugs ready to bring out hot coffee so they don't flag  !
My bedroom was a clutter magnet for a long time but I slowly went through everything. Get rid of the "low-hanging fruit" -- that's anything that requires very little emotional or physical effort to rid the room/house of. Trash and donatables are ripe low-hanging fruit that you'll be pleasantly surprised will make quite a difference quickly.
Good luck Hips! You've come to the right place. Keep us posted.
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Post by joyinvirginia on Oct 30, 2017 9:30:41 GMT -5
Welcome!
Good for you that your kitchen is in good shape!
If your parents are coming, they might need to use the bathroom, so you might want to spend some time picking up in there.
I'm a big fan of stash and dash crisis cleaning, that is you stash things in boxes or bags then dash to hide them in closets, car trunk, wherever. Last night I pulled out two boxes stashed in my bedroom, then stuff in then is from 2009! Into the trash and recycle it all goes... now. I could have tossed it in 2009, oh well.
I know you will get some great ideas here!
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Post by def6 on Oct 30, 2017 10:10:34 GMT -5
Hello BH,
It's easy to get disgusted over a rat in the house, but it helps to remember that the animal is just getting in to seek shelter from the cold and eat.
That being said I think you would feel more confident if you took some time cleaning the areas that your family might see such as the entryway, the room where they might sit down, the bathroom that they might have to use and the kitchen. Everything else can be closed off for now. Could you take 1 day and focus on the front room and then each day take on another room. You can do it!
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bighips
New Member
Joined: October 2017
Posts: 14
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Post by bighips on Oct 30, 2017 10:48:30 GMT -5
Yes I probably don't know the levels well. I thought my bathroom was a level 4 because there are some diapers in there. Bodily fluids in the diapers. I have 3 babies. All the bathroom appliances are useable. I will go do that now!!! Thank you everyone for the support!
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Post by hannah on Oct 30, 2017 11:28:35 GMT -5
When I was a little girl, we lived on the edge of the housing addition and there were corn fields across the street. My mom is an immaculate housekeeper, and we still always got a few mice in the house in the fall---they were looking for something to eat and a warm home for the winter. I'm sure the rat freaked you out, but it wasn't necessarily a result of anything that you have done or not done.
Have you read enough here to find the BDG (Bad Domestic Goddess) method? Basically, you pick up a few items to put away, throw away, or recycle every time you go into a room. For example, one time when you have to use the bathroom, you could take a trash bag in there and pick up the diapers. The next time, you could put away any stray shampoo bottles, deodorant, etc. It may seem like a huge task when you look at the room as a whole, but if you focus on one type of item at a time and divide it into easily doable tasks, it does become less overwhelming. If you think about how many times you go into the bathroom in a day. . .
Personally, hanging out on this board has made me realize getting my house into real shape and keeping it that way is a two-step process: I need to get rid of the junk, and I also need to establish habits that are going to get my house clean and keep it that way. (Washing dishes as I dirty them, tossing junk mail into the recycle bin as I bring it in the house, putting the clean clothes away every time I do a load of laundry instead of leaving it lay in the dryer or a clothes basket, etc.)
Anyhoo, welcome! We're glad to have you.
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bighips
New Member
Joined: October 2017
Posts: 14
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Post by bighips on Oct 30, 2017 12:25:38 GMT -5
When I was a little girl, we lived on the edge of the housing addition and there were corn fields across the street. My mom is an immaculate housekeeper, and we still always got a few mice in the house in the fall---they were looking for something to eat and a warm home for the winter. I'm sure the rat freaked you out, but it wasn't necessarily a result of anything that you have done or not done. Have you read enough here to find the BDG (Bad Domestic Goddess) method? Basically, you pick up a few items to put away, throw away, or recycle every time you go into a room. For example, one time when you have to use the bathroom, you could take a trash bag in there and pick up the diapers. The next time, you could put away any stray shampoo bottles, deodorant, etc. It may seem like a huge task when you look at the room as a whole, but if you focus on one type of item at a time and divide it into easily doable tasks, it does become less overwhelming. If you think about how many times you go into the bathroom in a day. . . Personally, hanging out on this board has made me realize getting my house into real shape and keeping it that way is a two-step process: I need to get rid of the junk, and I also need to establish habits that are going to get my house clean and keep it that way. (Washing dishes as I dirty them, tossing junk mail into the recycle bin as I bring it in the house, putting the clean clothes away every time I do a load of laundry instead of leaving it lay in the dryer or a clothes basket, etc.) Anyhoo, welcome! We're glad to have you. The habits is where I struggle. I'll get the house spotless and it falls back to its old ways shortly after. Or I fall back to my old ways haha. I don't know how to establish good habits. Actually I was doing well earlier this year and had a weekly chore chart and was able to complete it but then I had my son and he stayed in the nicu for a bit and my life fell apart. And now my baby won't let me put him down for a second. He's 9 months and the size of a newborn and can't crawl yet so I have to hold him while I clean. So it makes things difficult. At the end of the day when my kids are asleep, the last thing I want to do is clean. I'm Tired and ***. I shouldn't keep making excuses. I just need to figure myself out. I have done 2 loads of laundry though 1/4 of my bedroom Bathroom Have dishes soaking |
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bighips
New Member
Joined: October 2017
Posts: 14
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Post by bighips on Oct 30, 2017 12:30:07 GMT -5
Read the link about the levels and still not understanding. The only room I have in the house that I can't get in all corners is the bedroom. All the other rooms are fine to get in, but it's more than just clutter on surfaces. If that makes sense. No rotting foods in the kitchen, no diapers anywhere besides the bathroom. Although that's clean so now no diapers. And we don't have animals.
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Post by hannah on Oct 30, 2017 20:04:20 GMT -5
Can you wear your son in a Baby Bjorn or one of those fabric tie things? I know it's not the same thing, but when my Yorkie was a puppy, I got a used Bjorn from a woman I worked with and carried her with me all the time when I was home. (I had to line it with a towel so she didn't fall out of a leg opening.) She would get very quiet and still in there, and I would peek in at her, and she would be curled in a ball and sleeping.
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Post by Di on Oct 30, 2017 20:10:11 GMT -5
I "wore" all three of my kids--back when it was unheard of. I don't think I could have functioned without baby carriers.
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Post by def6 on Oct 30, 2017 21:08:08 GMT -5
You've got three babies...No wonder your family is trying to help you . You can't do much more . My heart goes out to you but I know those little ones give 10 times more than they take.
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