The family visit went well. The house, while still cluttered and messy, was such an improvement on last year that I didn't feel too embarrassed, and the workmen started their work a few days later.

It is quite difficult for me to have so many people coming in and out of the house, when even with people I know well it's not easy, but somehow I'm getting through it.

They are mainly working in the kitchen and the bathroom so most of my efforts are on keeping those rooms, and the stairs and hallway clear. I'm being forced to learn how to maintain these areas, rather than do crisis cleaning when it gets bad.

It's hard, and I'm working on it a lot, but I'm getting through better than I might have expected.

I need to focus on the upstairs landing today I think. It has lots of random clothes and books on the floor, and on top of a book case there are all sorts of miscellaneous things that have been there for a long time. This is one of the areas I have to clear before the work starts on the bathroom, plus if I can clear it before the family visit it will look better for them too.

So I think that's my goal for today. Slow and steady wins the race. But I'm not sure I have time for that, ironically!

Really hoping for a quick recovery!

A few days ago I had been doing some annoyingly slow tidying, and I was annoying myself with my lack of energy and action. I was sitting in a chair and all I could see was what needed doing, and all I could do was sit there and look.

I got my notebook which contains my lists, and wrote Micro Tasks as a heading.

I then wrote a list of tiny, tiny tasks that I could see needed doing. It was literally as simple as 

* pick up the pen off the floor

* tie the top of the rubbish bag

* fold that skirt

I felt better writing down exactly what needed doing, and then I felt energised and set about completing the 8 tasks on the list, which took in total about 3 minutes. I then crossed each item off with a sense of satisfaction, and my frustration with myself had completely disappeared.

With day-to-day decluttering this wouldn't work. You would spend more time writing the details than you would doing them. But when you are completely paralysed by being overwhelmed, it is a trick that is worth trying.

This is the room that varies the most! I need to get much, much better at maintaining in this room. 

Because it's used frequently, and cooking uses utensils and can be messy, the variety between clean and bad is massive.

I clearly need some kind of maintenance habits to start introducing.

DAILY: wash up all dishes and pans

clear up spills and mess

put away food

WEEKLY: wash the floor

properly clean all surfaces, which will be easier if I wipe up properly every day instead of leaving it

Then I wash them and hang them up to dry, which is also fine and under control.

But then... I'm useless!

They stay on the clothes dryer for ages. Then when I do my next wash and need to move them to dry the next lot, I pile them on the kitchen chair. Then, when I need the chair, I pile them on the stairs. The stairs piles grow and grow. I choose what clothes I want to wear from the piles!

I clearly need to get into better habits. The problems start when the clothes are dry. I always INTEND to take them straight upstairs to the bedroom when they are dry, but it never, ever happens.

Possible solutions: 

1. put them on the stairs, but make sure that every time I go up the stairs I take them into the bedroom. 

2. make sure I always choose what clothes to wear in the bedroom, then I might be more motivated to make sure my clothes are in there.

3. have a basket or container specifically for taking the clean, dry clothes upstairs. Piling them up in my arms as I currently do makes it difficult.

I've become a bit of a dehoarding expert, but not so much maintaining. I think a lot of it must be about regularity, habits, and doing a bit every day. I'm used to dealing with crisis tidying - I find it hard to get motivated to pick up the odd bit. I leave it til it's bad then sort it all out.

But with the upcoming workmen in the house I need to keep certain areas clear for the length of time they will be here, which will be about 4 weeks. This could be a good learning experience for me. Or it could lead me to a nervous breakdown!!

Areas to maintain: living room, kitchen

Areas to do a bit more work on and then maintain: hallway, stairs, landing

Areas to still dehoard: spare room, bedroom.

The combination of focuses is overwhelming and confusing me a bit, I have to admit. This is all new to me.