Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Boring pre-Christmas tasks support

  • 28-08-2016 11:43am
    #1
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 12,909 Mod ✭✭✭✭iguana


    I have a lot of household stuff that I want to get done this year before Christmas time begins (Ideally most of it before S's birthday in mid-November). I want to re organise and redecorate most of the rooms in my house before decorating for Christmas at the end of November. I also want to sort some stuff in my garden, especially the front and have nice winter plants in the planters and the house spruced up before the holidays.

    The problem is that it's kind of boring and feels the opposite of festive. I know from comments on the other thread that I'm not the only one who has this boring housework that they like to do before Christmas. So (while I procrastinate here ahead of starting on my kitchen) I thought that maybe we could set up a bit of a support group to motivate and cheer each other up as we get stuck in. Then come Christmas time we can all really enjoy the festive decorating without having to do a panicked spruce up first.


«13456

Comments

  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 24,646 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    My house needs a deep clean before I can even think about Christmas. Skirting boards, the oven, the Windows you know all the stuff you normally avoid cleaning on a weekly basis haha.


  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 24,646 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    Oh and another pre Christmas task is I have to lose weight before the mad party season begins.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,512 ✭✭✭baby and crumble


    We've a mountain of little jobs to do in the house. Been moved in about 15 months now and still trying to get all the rooms done. Hoping to have a spare room with a bed ready so some family can come stay with us. Quite a lot to do tbh. :o


  • Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 12,909 Mod ✭✭✭✭iguana


    Yeah, exactly that kind of boring job that needs to/should be be done for Christmas but that we all put on the back burner because it never feels essential and we'd rather do something else. If we start now, setting small goals and doing jobs one at a time we can inspire each other to get it done. I'm taking a late lunch break mid-way through my kitchen cupboards and can report that my cleaning attempt has been rewarded. I have found a Christmas plate that I haven't seen since moving in here. Yay!

    I also found a gross bag of onions that were all shrivelled and soft and I have no idea who bought them as I don't like onions.:confused:


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,131 ✭✭✭RentDayBlues


    I really need to touch up the paint around the main living areas but putting it off until the kids are back to montessori, but house needs to be pristine before decorations go up.

    I can never understand putting up beautiful decorations when the house is a mess.

    Also have to find a home for the displaced objects that make way for the trees.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 14,240 ✭✭✭✭leahyl


    Aaaw, you guys! I love this thread! I actually think the whole "preparing" and "getting ready" is quite christmassy! I really like the house to be cleaned from top to bottom before Christmas.


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 27,501 Mod ✭✭✭✭Posy


    I am getting new flooring put down in the sitting room and a new sink for the downstairs loo this autumn, before the Christmas season is upon us. :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,737 ✭✭✭Glitzgirl


    I LOVE this thread ! My inner organisation /ocd freak is screaming at me "yea somewhere to talk about cleaning and organising and jobs before christmas ". When I try it with other non boardsies they look at me like I'm crazy !

    We do a total clean and re organisation here before halloween every year and November is just a matter of staying on top of little jobs.

    I have a planner dedicated to all the little annoying jobs and what week they are to be done ! I've started a bit earlier than normal as I'm away the first week of December and I'm hoping we get our first foster placement before christmas so time to do a big overhaul ! I started today and began decluttering the kitchen presses and pantry and made up my stock pile list for shopping. Very productive day !


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,358 ✭✭✭washiskin


    I have so much to do I don't know where to start.....so I painted my garden chairs:rolleyes:


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,737 ✭✭✭Glitzgirl


    Loughc wrote: »
    Oh and another pre Christmas task is I have to lose weight before the mad party season begins.

    I hear ya :p Im off on a girls mini Christmas trip and have a halloween party so really want to up my game to be in better shape for Christmas. Really I should prioritise this job as it always seems to get ahem pushed to the bottom of the list :D


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 1,737 ✭✭✭Glitzgirl


    How did everyone get on with their jobs today? I didn't make any progress myself. Kids back to school this week so that is taking up all my time at the minute :p full stream ahead for next week though !


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,131 ✭✭✭RentDayBlues


    I got a few small diy jobs done today, stuff that I've been putting off. Not so much in prep for christmas but more so because once they're done I can get started on the other ones


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,737 ✭✭✭Glitzgirl


    I got a few small diy jobs done today, stuff that I've been putting off. Not so much in prep for christmas but more so because once they're done I can get started on the other ones

    I always find its the little small errands and jobs I keep Puttin off that keep popping up again. U know all those take 5 minutes kinda jobs ? Once they are all done ill be flying along!
    Keep going RentDayBlues you'll be flying along and organised and ahead of yourself in no time ! :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 25,005 ✭✭✭✭Toto Wolfcastle


    Used this thread as my motivation and started clearing the computer room. It's full of rubbish that we don't need. I cleared the desk completely so it's looking better already. I find that at Christmas I focus on making sure the kitchen and sitting room are looking great and forget about the other rooms but it really makes a difference when the house is clutter free.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,737 ✭✭✭Glitzgirl


    Boys school uniforms ready , books labeled and bags packed for tomorrow so I decided while they were in watching a film to start on the job I really hate ... cleaning the skirting boards :p once you start one you have to do the doors and then it's just an endless task ! Will start painting them next week while they are in school ! I hate white skirting boards so will be checking in for some motivation ... Fml :p


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,240 ✭✭✭✭leahyl


    Glitzgirl wrote: »
    Boys school uniforms ready , books labeled and bags packed for tomorrow so I decided while they were in watching a film to start on the job I really hate ... cleaning the skirting boards :p once you start one you have to do the doors and then it's just an endless task ! Will start painting them next week while they are in school ! I hate white skirting boards so will be checking in for some motivation ... Fml :p

    Glitzgirl, you're a howl! A domestic goddess! ;-)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,737 ✭✭✭Glitzgirl


    . I find that at Christmas I focus on making sure the kitchen and sitting room are looking great and forget about the other rooms but it really makes a difference when the house is clutter free.

    Toto this is such a pet peeve of mine ! My mam is a notorious out of sight out of mind type cleaner. I have often gone over and she has asked me in a panic to go and help her move the bundles of stuff she just threw into the good sitring room, into the utility as guests are on their way over ! Clearly I dont fall under the catagory of an important guest as I don't get the "good " biscuits either lol :D

    The whole house gets a good going over here so She thinks I'm the crazy one lol :p


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,737 ✭✭✭Glitzgirl


    leahyl wrote: »
    Glitzgirl, you're a howl! A domestic goddess! ;-)

    Hahah thank god your not here to see my sitting room leahyl or you'd have to rethink that ! Am currently wiping sand ingrained foot prints off the wall while singing spider pig from the Simpson. Apparently the movie wasnt interesting enough for my toddler who decided to make a sand and water sludge to stomp in in the garden :) but thanks for the compliment leahyl ;) ill make sure to remind Mr glitz how good he's got it :D haha


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,046 ✭✭✭kitten_k


    I live with my friend and her 3 year old daughter. We had a good clear out of her toys to make way for Santa, she was very good about giving her old stuff to the charity shop - she keeps telling everyone she had to give all her toys away!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,737 ✭✭✭Glitzgirl


    kitten_k wrote: »
    I live with my friend and her 3 year old daughter. We had a good clear out of her toys to make way for Santa, she was very good about giving her old stuff to the charity shop - she keeps telling everyone she had to give all her toys away!

    Oh the dreaded toy clear out ! That's on my hit list for November :p ah she sounds very sweet.it's great to see children being able to give away their old toys. although I can imagine the awkwardness of that in a conversation saying mammy made me give my toys away. Out of the mouth of babes :p:)


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 89 ✭✭Hufflepuff


    I'm on 2 weeks leave from Monday so plan on blitzing the house both inside and out and then just keep on top of things. Then I can enjoy December for a change instead of rushing trying to get everything done.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,737 ✭✭✭Glitzgirl


    Hufflepuff wrote: »
    I'm on 2 weeks leave from Monday so plan on blitzing the house both inside and out and then just keep on top of things. Then I can enjoy December for a change instead of rushing trying to get everything done.

    Best of luck with the big clean ! It will pay off come December when you can just sit back and relax !


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,512 ✭✭✭baby and crumble


    Well Mrs Crumble (HAH!) bought a groupon deal for attic flooring so it's going down this Friday (YAY!) so we can start clearing stuff out of the spare rooms into the attic. Once that's done we can think about decorating. We have a sofabed we've snagged from a friend who was chucking it so that'll be good enough for vistors! :P

    Have a mountain of those little fecky jobs to do aswell. We've a door for our under stairs that needs to go up, a skirting board to go down in the sitting room (behind the sofa, so easy to ignore it!), some shelves to go up in the kitchen which will help with organisation of the pantry, which will help with Christmas food planning...

    So much to do! :eek::eek:


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,737 ✭✭✭Glitzgirl


    No more nails will be your new bestie so baby and crumble! Aren't you planning a wedding too ? You'll be super busy !! I love attic flooring makes everything so much more accessible and easier !


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,512 ✭✭✭baby and crumble


    Yep, wedding next year! Ah it'll be grand, it's job that'll take about 1 day if we do them all in one go and then we can concentrate on bigger things!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,737 ✭✭✭Glitzgirl


    Yep, wedding next year! Ah it'll be grand, it's job that'll take about 1 day if we do them all in one go and then we can concentrate on bigger things!!

    It's always the little 5 minute jobs that I keep putting off I find ! No excuses now that kiddies are back to school do ! So exciting to be planning a wedding too ! Best of luck with it and the list of jobs im sure you will fly through it !


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,457 ✭✭✭livedadream


    CHRISTMAS CAKE PRODUCTION!!! need to start in the next two weeks..... drraaain


  • Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 12,909 Mod ✭✭✭✭iguana


    Got my kitchen cupboards sorted this week and then everything else got put on the back burner thanks to a clogged up drain! :(
    S is starting playschool on Friday, so I'm pretty much all focussed on that for the next few days.


  • Registered Users Posts: 25,005 ✭✭✭✭Toto Wolfcastle


    Do you know what's a pain in the ass? Defrosting the freezer. Ours has been neglected so the top of it got so icy that stuff started freezing in the fridge. :D (I like slushy Pepsi Max though so I'm okay with it!) We ended up buying a cheap hair dryer to speed up the task. (Haven't owned one since I was a teenager.) We had to borrow a cool box to keep everything frozen but of course we have more frozen stuff than room in the box so I've spent 3 days defrosting it for a couple of hours so that the food doesn't defrost. It's definitely a necessary pre-Christmas task though.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 1,737 ✭✭✭Glitzgirl


    Awh toto that's such a pain but look like you said at least it will be done now and you won't have to worry about it again before christmas :)


Advertisement