Any flyladies/flymen here?

[Pumpkin Becki]

Dare I admit that I get very inspired by Anthea Turner's 'Perfect Housewife' series. I even videoed a load to reinspire me when I went off the rails again - I loathe housework!!

However, since then, we've been renovating one house and building another, both of which are complete disaster zones (Anthea would have a fit!), and i just can't see the point in 'cleaning' either of them properly until the dust settles...apart from the kitchens and bathrooms of course

[Alison]

Dare I admit that I get very inspired by Anthea Turner's 'Perfect Housewife' series. I even videoed a load to reinspire me when I went off the rails again - I loathe housework!!

I find that hearing / seeing people like her much more likely to make me make more mess just because I know it would annoy her. She is one of the most irritating people on (although fortunately not very often these days) TV

[di]

Dare I admit that I get very inspired by Anthea Turner's 'Perfect Housewife' series. I even videoed a load to reinspire me when I went off the rails again - I loathe housework!!

However, since then, we've been renovating one house and building another, both of which are complete disaster zones (Anthea would have a fit!), and i just can't see the point in 'cleaning' either of them properly until the dust settles...apart from the kitchens and bathrooms of course

Like Alison,I'm not a huge fan of Anthea but I never missed an episode.Seeing those houses absolutely full of guff(sadly resembling my own)and then transformed in a matter of days.......sadly it didn't inspire me quite enough to follow suit,although I have become almost obsessive over how I fold my throws!(as she taught us to do towels)
I wasn't quite sad enough to record any of them though...so if you've got a spare copy!

[Pumpkin Becki]

,although I have become almost obsessive over how I fold my throws!(as she taught us to do towels)
I wasn't quite sad enough to record any of them though...so if you've got a spare copy!

I found her tips on folding fitted bed sheets absolutely groundbreaking. When I copy my vid onto DVD (tidier to store than videos I find ) I'll run you off a copy

[FionaH]

Theres a way to fold fitted sheets?

[di]

Theres a way to fold fitted sheets?

Oh yes!!!.....your life will feel so much the better for it!
What's laughable in my house is that chaos rules in most rooms,yet my throws and sheets look good!

[Hilary B]

We definitely have too much stuff for the house, but 'decluttering' isn't an option. I hate throwing away that which may be useable (and anything not actually broken, or only slightly broken is useable, isn't it?) but there isn't much suitable for the charity shops (which would probably be my preferred decluttering option).
Then again so much of the clutter is books that one or both of us want to read again (and again and again....).
Then there is the stuff left behind by 2 adult children, who don't even know what is here any more, but throwing it away doesn't seem to be an option (that would be one good reason for moving house, I refuse to consider moving things that are none of my business, unfortunately moving is as unlikely as them coming to sort their junk!)

[Alison]

Some years after we had all left home my dad told me and my brothers to come and remove our rubbish from the loft and anywhere else in the house we'd stashed stuff. We moaned and complained about being unwanted etc etc but came round to sort (although my brother did get oil all down the stairs which really upset my mum!). Was all going well until my grandad pointed out that they still had some of my dad's stuff in their loft and he'd been left home about 30 odd years by then. Whoops....

[jackie j]

I am trying to declutter I dont have a problem with getting rid of stuff but OH and daughter do. Last night she lost a ring somewhere in her bedroom, she started to tidy up a bit, she only has a small bedroom and apart from wardrobe and drawers, and a couple of shelves she has nowhere to put things, she has a raised bed and keeps loads of things underneath. I went in this morning after she had gone to school. OMG how many deodorants / body sprays does she need, most nearly empty, how many empty bottles of water does she need to keep, she buys one a day at school. She is now on last warning before I go in and chuck the lot.

[Jeanied]

I found her tips on folding fitted bed sheets absolutely groundbreaking. When I copy my vid onto DVD (tidier to store than videos I find ) I'll run you off a copy

Theres a way to fold fitted sheets?

Oh yes!!!.....your life will feel so much the better for it!
What's laughable in my house is that chaos rules in most rooms,yet my throws and sheets look good!

Omg - how do you fold fitted sheets? I always prided myself on a linen fold for flat ones when I had someone else to hold the other end and fold with me - nowadays I have to dangle over the bannisters and approximate. So how do you do the fitted ones? (Specially the ones with a valance attached?)

[Alison]

Omg - how do you fold fitted sheets? I always prided myself on a linen fold for flat ones when I had someone else to hold the other end and fold with me - nowadays I have to dangle over the bannisters and approximate. So how do you do the fitted ones? (Specially the ones with a valance attached?)

Buy easy care ones and it doesn't matter if they get a bit screwed up in the cupboard. Fold so they're about the same size as your duvet covers with all the elastic bits hidden in the middle and pile up in the cupboard. When needed simply stretch over bed but don't use the valance ones as they move about too much as they're not anchored properly. All this takes seconds, doesn't need an extra pair of hands and it's not worth worrying over anything else

[FionaH]

Oh yes!!!.....your life will feel so much the better for it!

No it wont, I will just have more room in the airing cupboard The airing cupboard that I can't actually get to 'cos MrH has so much flaming junk! Maybe I should send HIM the link to fly whatsit!

[binley100]

Hmmm to get to my airing cupboard I have to pick a path precariously across my eldests bedroom floor. Perhaps I'll send her the link.

[Two_Sheds]

grandad pointed out that they still had some of my dad's stuff in their loft and he'd been left home about 30 odd years by then

We had stuff in our garage from OH's brother's loft when he lived in England 20 years ago. It was a bag of WW2 carp that had been in his dad's loft until we moved and got a garage, and it somehow migrated to us. As if we don't have enough junk of our own

how many empty bottles of water does she need to keep, she buys one a day at school.

they're refillable you know Doesn't she do "the environment" at school?

OH is a b&gger for BoGoF deals at Boots. In fact our bathroom LOOKS like Boots. He has 4 cans shave gel, 9 assorted deodorants, 7 shampoos, 5 shower gels, about 20 face creams which he doesn't even use.

We're having to buy a 4th wardrobe because he keeps buying clothes. (I have a strict one-in-one-out policy (to eBay or charity) but he won't cut back. He was bored of his work jumpers, so went out and bought eight. He's now got 15 !

[SueA]

If only!
I think at this point I am going to out OH. He resents being told to put things away, so what he does is put things next to where they should be. It really winds me up

I think I married his brother Two Sheds!

I had a look at the Flylady site but it did just seem like they're trying to sell you all kinds of cleaning products etc. but if it helps people to get organised then that's fine. I'm a terrible hoarder so my house isn't especially tidy but I do agree with the idea of trying to leave everywhere tidy at night, I have to straighten the cushions, put things away, tidy papers, leave empty sink etc. before I go to bed.