This month I have not been very good with my goals. I have got side tracked by cleaning the flat. I will carry on any goals that I have not done from this month to next month.

• Look through the information that I got about children's behaviour and makes some notes with the most relevant tips on it.
• I have not done this.

• Clear my desk and the area around it of clutter.
• I have cleared my desk and cleared a lot of the clutter from around my desk. It is not as good as I could have done but much better than before.

• Sort through the books and DVD's and get them organized. Also see if there are any that I can get rid of.
• I have sorted through the DVD’s. Sadly the charity shop where I would have taken them has closed so I need to find a new place to take them. I have not yet organized the DVD’s that we will be keeping.

• Start planning out a healthier diet.
• I have not done this. I have been including healthier food in that I know about but I have not found anything new that I can cook.

• Keep working on the short story.
• I have done this but I have not done much at all.

• Get to bed at a decent time from Sunday - Thursday nights.
• I have been getting much better with this. It was put out when I started cleaning as I was working on the clearing out until late at night. I am just going to keep mindful of the time and make sure that I will switching the lights off by the latest of twelve.

Hopefully next month will go a lot better.

Operation clean flat - Day Fourteen

My energy levels are returning and my motivation to clean is as well.

I think one of the things that was really frustrating me was that during the time when I was not feeling good and not getting the motivation to clean my partner continued to do nothing. I am sure that if I would have asked him he would have helped more but I do not like asking him to do things and I would also love for him to be able to do things without being asked. He was able to maintain a clean(ish) home before I moved in so he could do it while we are all here.

It is frustrating to be the person who does all of the cleaning up. My partner clears up after the younglings at the end of the day and he will do the dishes. That is at least something. I just wish he would help a little bit more while I am trying to clear the mountain of clutter that we have accumulated.

I did better today. I did the recycle run Now that we do not have much space in the bucket due to it not being put out last week we have to be really careful. There was so much stuff to get rid of that I had to do two recycle runs. But at least it has been done and the recycle corner is looking so much cleaner.

I cleared the sides by the cooker as well as the cooker. They are looking much cleaner. I think I will wash the floor tomorrow.

I have not made the plan for the week yet but I know what I will be doing tomorrow. In the morning after I have done the shopping I will just spend some time on the Internet.

In the afternoon I will clean the kitchen and the hall. In the evening I will spend some time on our bedroom clearing the stuff from the floor.

Operation clean flat - Day Thirteen

Today went a lot better. I feel like I have got some more energy back.

I did some work in the living room and the kitchen.

I think tomorrow I will completely clean the kitchen out.

I think I will just have a quick clean up before I go to bed. I will again try and remember to write out a plan tonight as well.

Operation clean flat - Day Twelve

Again another day when I have not got much done. Today I again felt so tired that I have not had the energy to do anything.

Strangely enough though like last night I did have a return to me in the evening. Even though I am tired I am able to get something done before crashing. Tonight I had a good clear up around the living room.

Last night I managed to clear the clothes and get the work done in the kitchen that I wanted.

I think that if I can clear the living room and make it look decent and a little work in the kitchen then that will be good enough. I will see if I can get working on a plan for next week. I definitely need more structure to my clean up operation otherwise it is just going to fizzle out before I have finished it.

Operation clean flat - Day Eleven

Well today has been just as bad as yesterday. I did not get the chance to put the bucket in time so I will have to make it last another fortnight. I feel that I will be able to do it but I will have to be really careful.

I sadly felt really fed up today so I had absolutely no energy to do anything.

Thankfully by the end of the day this began to lift and I managed to get the shoe section and hall cleared.

Tomorrow I am going write out a plan of action next week. As the days are progressing I really need to do this to know what I need to do next and to keep the motivation going as well.

I think today will not have been wasted if I can just fold the clothes in the fireplace and get some of the sides cleared in the kitchen.

May the cleaning force be with me.

Operation clean flat - Day Ten

I had high hopes for what I was going to do today.

This was sadly thrown out of the window as I was not feeling very well.

Ah well better luck tomorrow.

I did manage to clear a lot of stuff from the floor of our bedroom last night. If I am able to I will see if I can clear some more of the stuff away and get our bedroom clean. Hopefully I will be feeling much better then.

Operation clean flat - End of day Nine

I have been working on the living room today. I cleaned the back of the computers and I cleared the fire place.

I also made good progress in the kitchen clearing the sides again. It is scary just how quickly the kitchen gets cluttered.

I think that is going to be the main challenge from now on. Now that the days are racking up I will have to find a way of combining the decluttering/clear out and the daily cleaning.

I think I will have to invest some time tonight. I will go through to the bedroom earlier than normal and clear out some things before I go to bed.

It will not be long before I truly will be like the woman in this picture:

I really need to make sure that I get to bed at a reasonable time tonight. I have not been too late recently, but I have not been getting off to sleep very well so I have not been getting a good sleep. I think I will try meditating to help me sleep. I have not been very good with meditating recently but it is not like I have forgotten how to do it.

I also need to print a list off of what this months goals are. What with getting caught up with the cleaning, I have been lapse with the goals. Thankfully at least I have not left it too late.

Operation clean flat - End of day Eight

Wow one week has passed already. I am pleased with the progress but I really need to keep up the good work and set a goal for when I finish the flat.

Today I discovered why some days I am not able to get much done.

In the morning I had to go out to the shops, by the time I got back there was not much time at all to get anything done before I went to collect the twins.

I managed to get washing sorted when I got back but before too I had to go out to collect my eldest.

I did not get much chance to get much done when I got back and of course by the evening I am now feeling rather tired as I did not get a good sleep last night.

Better luck tomorrow (at least I know how the slow days happen, I just need to hope that these days only happen once or twice a week as these days contribute to me not keeping on top of the housework)

Operation clean flat - End of day Seven

Today is a day of rest.

I had a lovely lie in and that was when I decided to have a day off from the mass clean up. I think I needed a day off. I will have the energy that I need tomorrow.

I have kept up my usual day to day cleaning though (that is important in the kitchen as that gets messy very quickly)

In the evening however I did sort through some of the bags of stuff that need sorting through while I watched Avatar.

Operation clean flat - End of day Six

Today was not just working on the bedroom, keeping on top of the work that I have already done but washing like a mad womna day.

Thankfully there was not much needed to be done in the living room and I know that I can really get to grips with it on Monday when the twins and my eldest are at school and nursery.

While I did not completely clean the bedroom I made a really good start. I picked all of the clothes off the floor and in the evening when I was watching TV I folded them up. I also  I will put them away before I go to bed. I will be able to do so without disturbing the younglings. Watching Avatar has been very good for me getting jobs done.

There was so much washing to be done that it will take several days of intense washing to get on top of things. Today there was one load drying on the radiators, I washed another load and once that was washed I was able to get that on the radiators once the other clothes were drying. There is now another load in the machine waiting to get washed and the washing basket is still full (with about two more washloads in)

Every time I start making a dent with the washing then yet more comes along. The laundry is truly like the house work - a never ending job.

Ooh and I have just noticed that the side above the fire needs clearing again. Thankfully there are only a couple of bits there, but that is how it always starts out.

Operation clean flat - End of day Five

Today was just a maintain the work that I have already done day.

I did manage to sort through some more of the clothes that were on the bedroom flooor. But I did not do that much.

I did discover a damp part in our bedroom. I took off the damp wallpaper and I washed down the wall and the back of a cupboard with Anti-Bacterial spray. We really are going to have to move this year. I am going to start looking for private let places while phoning up to pester the housing association.

Operation clean flat - End of day Four

Today has not been such a busy day. I did not get a great sleep last night so I was very tired today.

I did managed to sort through the twins night ware and put aside stuff that they have grown out of, stuff that smelt musty so needs to be washed and paired up pyjamas so that it will be easier to find.

I also started picking up any clothes that are on our bedroom floor. The bedroom will be a big job but the best time to tackle that will be at the weekend when I will have less interruptions,

I also managed to clear the kitchen floor. There was not too much stuff but I want the kitchen floor to be completely clear of stuff so it will be easier to keep clean.

Unfortunately what with one of my favorite animated shows being shown on the TV and cleaning getting to bed at a good time as come into conflict. The show finishes next week and even though I will no doubt will be cleaning like a woman possessed I will be able to get to bed at a better time again.

I am feeling really good about how the flat looking though.. I feel like something is also changing in me as I am doing this. I think that is how I am managing to keep motivated. It is always the same feeling when I actually get things done rather than just put them off.

I need to find a way to tap into this so that I can stop myself from putting off things that should not be put off.

Operation clean flat - End of day Three

Last night I managed to clear the fire place and the side that is above it. It is looking really good now.

I did not get the chance to do much work in the kitchen, but I did do a lot of work in the living room. I cleared my partners desk and I cleared a lot of stuff away from my desk. I also cleaned the des (it was very dirty)

I am really pleased with what I have managed to do so far. I am really beginning to see the improvement.

I told the twins today that they have got to start helping me keep the flat clean. I asked them if they like seeing the home clean, thankfully they said yes. I then told them that they need to help me keep it clean.

The one thing that is bugging me is the lack of appreciation from my partner. He has not mentioned my work at all, he did not even thank me for cleaning his desk. I am not feeling that happy about that.
He is not helping me either at all. Ah well I will just have to show myself the appreciation instead. I will have to give myself another reward at the end (the first reward will just be seeing the clean and uncluttered flat)

Tonights task while watching Avatar will be clearing one of the piles from the book case next to my desk.

Operation clean flat - End of day Two

I did not get as much done today as I did yesterday but I did not expect to do so. I really tired myself out yesterday.

I still managed to get some things done so I am happy. Any progress is good.

I was able to clear more things from around my desk area. It looks so much better and I can move my chair around with no problems.

I also cleared more things from the kitchen side in the kitchen. There is not much stuff left on the one side but I would like it to be completely clutter free.

I think that if I can manage to clear the fire out and clear the side over the fire then that would be great.

Operation clean flat - End of day One

Day one has gone well.

I sadly cannot spend all day on it uninterupted but I managed to make good progress.

I sorted through the clothes, folded them up and put them away.

I cleared the hall of clutter (I want the hall to be completely clutter free)

I cleaned the kitchen.

I feel good to be making progress. Hopefully I will be able to keep up the good work tomorrow.

Operation clean flat

There is a saying that the more cluttered your home the more cluttered your mind.

My mind is very cluttered at the moment and this has to stop. So like a woman possessed I must be to clear out the clutter and regain some order.

So far today I have picked up the majority of the clothes that were dumped in the four corners of the flat and I have put them away.

The next thing will be the hall. It need to be cleared of clutter.

I wish that I was able to maintain the flat without having to clean like a woman possessed. Maybe this time I will be able to do it.

May the cleaning force be with me.

Time to spend some time

With my partner tonight.

though we should be doing this more often and not just waiting for Valentines day.

Things have been difficult between us for a while and while it has not been bad all of the time we do not spend enough quality time together and we never do anything together as a couple. I do worry that if this carries on it will drive us apart permanently. It is so easy to fall into a trap of not doing things together and spending all night on the computer instead of talking to each other.

It is not only knowing how to get out of this habit but actually getting out of it that will prove the challenge. I think what we will have to do is set a night where we spend the night with each other. Just one night a week to start with and see how it goes from there.

At least we will be having a nice night together tonight. now to work out what we will be doing with out time together. I know that we wil be making valentines cards for each other. I think watching a movie together will also be nice. I think we can get something to eat as well. It does not have to be fancy but just as long as it will be just the two of us.

Cleaning my desk area

I have got the chance to clean my desk today. My partner has taken the younglings to his mum and dad's house today.

This has meant that my desk area is free for me to clean. I have still got some work to do but it is much cleaner. My desk area has not been looked after, not just by me but everyone in the household. There was so much junk here.

It is looking so much cleaner now (even though I still have not finished yet) but I know that being at my computer will feel so much nicer.

I think a pat on my back is deserved.

I have started using my Wii again recently. I was inspired by what my friend could get out of it by going online. I got a wireless connector so I am now online. I have been able to download some more channels. I have actually had a lot of fun on it and it has been good to get use out of it. I was feeling bad as it was not getting used and I was beginning to think that it was a waste of money, but now I am using it often I feel like it is no longer going to waste.

Adding another goal

I have decided to add another goal this month.

I have not been getting to bed at a decent time for a while and I think that is one of the reasons why I have been getting short tempered with the younglings and why I have been too tired to meditate and do my yoga as well.

I am going to start setting myself a time when I go to bed from tomorrow. Regardless of whether or not \i need to do things on the Internet I will switch the computer off at 10.30 (I know tonight has gone past it but I have just thought of it) this will give me chance to get ready for bed for 11. I will then be able to read for a bit before crashing.

This should then give me a good sleep. I think if I consistently get good sleeps then I will be able to deal with the odd night when I do not have a good sleep much better. It is getting ridiculous at the moment. I was really snippy with the younglings today, so I have to do something about it before it really does begin to affect the younglings. There will also come a point when not only will they not be so willing to forgive my outbursts but they will respond to my outbursts with ones of their own.

I think I have

All of the DVD's that I can get rid of for now. There is a pretty decent pile of them now and I will be able to take them to the charity shop next week. The strange thing is that even though I have got rid of a big pile of DVD's it does not look like much has gone at all.

I think I will get my partner to look through some tomorrow and see if there are any that he would like to get rid of as well.

I did a good thing today. I washed down the walls in my bedroom. There has been bad damp in the flat and while the problem has been hopefully fixed now there is still some damp hanging around. I managed to get some of the worst spots of damp washed off. I have managed to keep on top of the problem by just washing down the walls with anti-bacterial spray. Hopefully that will make the air quality in our bedroom much better. I think I will also let in some fresh air as well to help.

Sorting through the DVD's

I have been looking through the DVD's and I have managed to find a few that I can give away to the local charity shop. There are a few more that I am not sure about at the moment. I think what I will do with those is put them aside and see how I feel about them in a months time.

I really could do with getting rid of more but I really am not sure I will be able to get rid of that many more. They all seem to be ones that I would like to watch or do watch from time to time.

At least I have been able to get rid of some. I have asked my partner to have a look through them as well to see if there are any that he would like to get rid of.

I just need to sort them out into order now.

February Goals

These are my goals for February:

1. Look through the information that I got about children's behaviour and makes some notes with the most relevant tips on it.
2. Clear my desk and the area around it of clutter.
3. Sort through the books and DVD's and get them organized. Also see if there are any that I can get rid of.
4. Start planning out a healthier diet.
5. Keep working on the short story.
6. Get to bed at a decent time from Sunday - Thursday nights.