I'm so overwhelmed, where do i start?

Question

my husbands in-laws are coming into town in 2 days & our house is a wreck! i sent my husband & kids away for a road trip & overnight stay at a hotel so i could get all the housework done un-interrupted. everything that could be a mess... is, and i just don't know where/how to get started. (i know, i know, start by getting off the computer...)

help me get motivated!!!! please!

Answer 1

Pick a room and start in one corner and work through it.

Answer 2

put on some music and then do one room at a time.

Answer 3

OMG.. bless your heart.. its hard to keep the house perfect with kids plus a husband. i have 2 kids 4years and 2 months and right now i'm looking around the family room there is toys on the table a change of clothes on the couch baby swing in middle of floor and a box of diapers by the couch lol i should be up now cleaning but its so rare for me to get quite time just to sit so instead here i am typing away. you should have let your hubby stay home with the kiddies and you should have checked into a hotel and not go back home until the in-laws left. lol j/k be nice though. my sister in law works 2 jobs has a husband and 4 kids and her house is perfect all the time. good luck

Answer 4

start at your smallest project, otherwise its over-whelming!

Answer 5

i was in the same position a few weeks ago..sent them off as well.. i started with the room they will see first and worked from there.. made sure toilet and bathroom was clean; and once i start cleaning i just keep going so it was that easy; as motivation if you clean the whole house its great excercise etc and just rememebr if you have children your house may never be clean clean if you get what i mean...if you just vaccuum and mop and clean the main things first you can clean up the kids mess afterwards they will understand.. there are also heaps of cl,eaning websites on the net so while ur on here u may as well check them out

cheers

Answer 6

Just do it one room at a time! It's the only way to get started...even start with the easiest room. That will get you motivated. :)

Answer 7

Like someone else said, don't get too detailed! If you let yourself get distracted with the little projects (organizing the photo album, for example) you'll never finish!

It is going to look great in no time! The faster you get started (and get done) the more time you'll have to take a hot bath and relax before the chaos hits!

Good luck!  

Answer 8

Start in the kitchen.  That's the one that will stink.  Then clean the toilets really good.  Make your husband do the mopping and dusting.  Make the kids pick up their stuff.  Not right for you to do it all.  

Answer 9

grab some coffee first.   Get a bag for trash and hang it in your first room, get a box or another bag for random things you have no idea where to put...you can go through it later and find a place for your things that make the house a mess!  GL!!!

Answer 10

You did the first thing right.  Gotta send everyone away.  Also a few on the comp to cool down is a great second.  Next what works for me is to not think of everything that has to be done.  I set one goal at a time.  I turn on some music, never any good tv, it only makes me end up sitting down to watch it.. oops.  Also let yourself have a drink after completing some of your little goals.  Just go from room to room and do one thing at a time.  When you got some good music on, and just keep going you will be surprised at how fast it gets done.  :)  good luck, and I just had to do the same thing with family visiting.  he he it was the first time they had been down here since my son was only 5 days old.  He has taken over our apartment.  First thing out of their mouth was, um you need a bigger apartment, lol.  Good luck :)

Answer 11

Good Luck!!!!

First start in the kids room, knock that out. Then the living room kitchen, and bathrooms. leave your bedroom for last......there is no reason your in laws should be in your bedroom.

Just my 2 cents

Again, good luck

Answer 12

I hate cleaning!!! I always start in the easiest room (be it bathrooms, our son's room, or the guest room)...then I move on to whatever room will be seen the most by guests (normally our living room)...I always leave the kitchen last because I dread it (handwashing dishes, cleaning the floor, sweeping up dog hair, scrubbing mud off the floor (from 3 dogs)...ick!!!! I always always put on my favorite cds, turn off the computer, and turn off the cell phone...I clean an hour or so and then give myself a break then get back to cleaning....all else fails....call up your husband and say.."did my 1/2, your turn!!" Best of luck!!

Answer 13

Some quick cleaning shortcuts I have read about or even used in desperation... some may require a bit of follow up, but at least you will feel more prepared for inlaws.

Get a laundry basket - put in all the accumulated mail/papers and put it in a closet for later sorting.

Toys go into plastic storage tubs and stacked in closets

Laundry and wash goes into the laundry area - and the door gets closed.

Get another laundry basket - go into a room and pick up all the items to be put away - then walk room to room and put them in place or in storage tub in closet.  Repeat process...

Dust with a quick swipe, then vacuum

Bathroom - clean the tub and toilet well, then use a multi purpose cleaner for a quick swipe sinks and counters.  If floors need a quick cleaning put some water in the sink, two inches or so and add some pine sol.  Put an old bath towel int eh water and soak it up.  Then lay towel out on floor and walk around the room, sliding the towel under your feet.  Make sure the mirrors are clean.

Kitchen - throw away half eaten packages of food and clear off counters.  wipe down counters with pine sol and then spray down with windex - makes them really look clean.  Use dirtied towels after windex treatment to wipe down the fridge, stove, etc.  

A good cleaning help - music!  Get some good tunes going as you work - that always  helps me.

Good luck!  Happy cleaning - hope this helps...

Answer 14

turn on music, that always works to bet me motivated (alanis morrisette works for me) :)

and start with the kitchen. For me that is the easiest thing ti start, and make a list. That way you don't have it all running around in your head and trying to remember what you need to do. But start in the kitchen. Where everything has a place to go. Then move on from there. But don't think about the next task, just concentrate on the one you are working on, and then when your done with that cross it off the list and go to the next one.

Good luck.  

Answer 15

get off the computer turn on some music and clean, clean baby clean...

Have a few drinks and dance and clean

Answer 16

it may not be fun, but think about how relieved you'll feel when it's all done! the best thing to do is to just get started and work through it so you'll have a home to be proud of when your in laws get there :D you can do it!

Answer 17

Start up the coffee pot, turn on some music that makes you get moving and save the worst for last.

I know how you feel, I'm moving and started packing this morning, my baby went with her daddy and I got soooo much more done than I thought I would. Good Luck

Answer 18

So, in what way is it a wreck?  Is it toys everywhere, clothes, dishes....?  Perhaps you have a problem with storage?  I would suggest this, start with laundry/clothes, (thats the part I hate the most!)  Have 2 garbage bags handy, one for garbage of course, and one for Goodwill.  Here is the thing:  if you touch it you have to do something with it!!  This might work for you also, set the stove timer for say, 20 minutes.  Then, rush around and try to do as MUCh as you can in that amount of time.  Do you have a friend who would mind coming over to help, maybe you could babysit for her next weekend or something..?  (I love to clean other peoples houses, not mine! :)) I hope I helped, good luck and have fun!  Oh, and also, dont forget, cleaning house is a good workout too!!

Answer 19

Make a list of the things to be done. And then do one at a time. When you are on one room/project DO NOT start the next until it is done. Then take a break and start on the next room/project. Don't even think of the other rooms/projects until the first one on the list is done. Then cross that one off and move on. Hope this helps.

Answer 20

caffeine and loud music!!!!!

Answer 21

It's going to take a miracle. Just stay up all night I guess, no excuses clean it up! ,

Answer 22

I always find it best to start off with some good tunes. Having music on that u love will make it seem like its not so tedious. Or...even a movie that you love(I usually put on old Friends episodes for background noise)...

Finally...just work on one room at a time. Start with the living room or a large area like that and once you see how much better it looks, u will feel more motivated...and thus, cleaning may not seem as bad

I am the worst...I hate cleaning.  

Answer 23

Get some relatives over to help you!!!! it would be the best thing to do since you will get help and learn to do teamwork

Answer 24

Ok, put your radio on and go into the bathroom.  If your like me that is always the last place I want to do, so make it you first.  Start with the mirror work down to the sink and then the shower/tub and then the toilet.  Do the floor and walk out

Take on the kitchen next.  Do the dishes, clear the counters off completely. Put everything on the table wipe them down and then start replacing things that go back on the counter only.  Wipe the appliances down and then do the floor.  Move onto the bedrooms, strip the beds dust and vacuum, if there is alot of stuff allover the place in the bedrooms than strip bed first and put everything on the bed, clean the furniture and then start sorting through stuff on the bed getting rid of everything that doesn't belong when that is done, make your bed.  Move onto other rooms using  the same procedure  You will be done in no time.  Good Luck!

Answer 25

I always start by turing all the lights on in my house.  As I finish a room I turn the light off.  I don't know why this works for me, but I feel like I accomplished something when I get to turn a light off.

Answer 26

Put on some loud music and get to crackin"

Gather up all the garbage first, bag it all all and save that for your hubby to take care of when he gets back. After you have thrown away all the clutter, it wont be so bad. Then go one room at a time, stay focused on that room till its done. Dont get too detailed on the cleaning. tonight is for straightening things up and finding homes for all the loose c**p laying around. Now when he gets back you can take turns watching the kids while the other CLEANS the rooms in detail.

Spend just a half an hour to an hour a night takking care of your house and you wont need to do it again.