Bought an old house and scared of how i'll cope!!!

[Little miss pink]

Hi everyone

Is anyone else scared of how they are going to cope with all the domestic duties etc once the baby arrives....

We are in the middle of moving and i am going from a new house:

(This if your interested: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-15568181.rsp?pa_n=1&tr_t=buy )


to a really old house (1900)... well it old to me anyway :

http://212.50.188.108/cgi-win/vebra.cgi?details1?src=agent&PropertyCode=1235004/WESTE/10452/4

and although i love the house we are buying, as its a really 'family home' feeling house and its in a lovely area (where me and oh grew up) and the schools are fab etc etc . I'm now starting to freak out!!

It need a bit of updating and decoration in areas on top of the nursery needing to be done which i'm stressing about... and...

I'm a bit of a Monica when it comes to cleaning and i'm hoping the baby forces me to chill out a bit. But i'm worried i just won't be able to cope with all the washing and the ironing, feeds looking after bubs, cooking tea, AND clean and maintain an OLD bigger house........ I'm scared it all gets on top of me and i that i start to feel like i'm a failer cos i cannot do it all and start to get depressed.....

we're not even in yet and last night i was laid in bed thinking ... OMG

- the skirting bourts all need glossing
- the picture rails in everyroom will collect dust
- the white doors will show every mark
- there's so many wall lights to clean....
- the windows are so big how will i reach them....
- I don't even what to think about the carpets
- the list goes on and on

i just imagine people calling and me looking warn out and the house in a state and everyone thinking "mmmm she just cannot cope with all"

I know it probably sounds pathetic to a lot of you but is anyone else having this "how will i cope" freak outs like me or am i the only one...



LMP x

 

[Sherlock]

I'd take the older house any day It looks lovely. Based on those pics I don't think you really have much to worry about. It looks really uptogether and clean already.

TBH I've only ever lived in older houses and never found them a problem to keep clean. I think you are worrying needlessly tbh. Yes there might be a bit more to keep clean, but you will cope. You will probably get more relaxed once LO is here. I'm a great believer in a bit of household dust and dirt as you cannot keep a house sterile and spotless no matter how hard you try, at least not once you have children. Children develop immunity to things so don't worry.

Cripes our house would probably give you nightmares if you saw it. Nooks and crannies, loads of beams, cobwebs haging off them, mud in the porch and goodness knows what else

To try to help your list of worries

- the skirting bourts all need glossing -

Not a major job, just a bit fiddly. And once done will look great. Or you could strip them back to the original wood and stain them or leave them natural.

- the picture rails in everyroom will collect dust -

You mean you have the rails round the entire room in a long strip? If so, again not a biggie. Just have a feather duster and swipe them over every now and again. Damp dust them on occasion if you must.

- the white doors will show every mark -

Isn't that the same in any house with white doors? And just because some doors are not white does not mean they are not marked Just you cannot see it so well. So try to relax. If you get washable paint on them they will be easy to clean off. Besides, little hands get everywhere and nowhere will be spotless once you have a LO running round.

- there's so many wall lights to clean....

But how often are you planning on cleaning them? I'd do mine once or twice a year. Dust them over once a month maybe but other than that, don't make work for yourself

- the windows are so big how will i reach them....

Stepladder Inside you only really have to worry about the bits people reach and touch. Once the top parts are clean you can leave those be a while longer and do them less often. I actually don't think your new (old) house windows are so big and will let in way more light than your present house.

- I don't even what to think about the carpets -

hire a carpet cleaning machine for a weekend and clean them all before you move in and put furniture on them. Sorted. If you are planning on replacing them then do so before moving in, or once in and you decide on decor etc. Or lift the carpets and if you have old floorboards, strip them, stain them and use them with rugs

Good luck

 

[Strangeness]

We've moved to an older house (1915) and to be honest I love it! It's so much lighter and airer than new houses and so many little features that you just don't get anymore! It's not a huge house but when you've been living in one bedroom with 3 people for 2 years it seems huge The baby stuff you'll cope just fine with hun, it comes naturally and you tend to just get it done without even thinking. Once your routine kicks in it becomes second nature. For the frist few weeks I wouldn't even worry about it! You'll get there in your own time. As for dusting, I really wouldn't worry yourself with that too much and like sherlock said a feather duster will take away any surface dust.

Enjoy your new house hun, it's so beautiful! I'll swap with you if you want

 

[abcd1234]

I'm sure when you start nesting and preparing for baby youll get that house looking perfect as you want it!!

If you're already a clean person you'll prob have no problems keeping it nice and tidy. I personally didnt bother before but now have an obsession, im worried when shes here i wotn care anymore and her stuff will gether up not getting cleaned lol

 

[Rosie1]

aw hun

Try not to worry too much, i am in the same situation. Our house is a COMPLETE refurbishment project. We have already gutted it and had the electrics rewired, new kitchen and bathroom fitted, and now we have the rest to do. Whole house needs replastering, decorating, carpeting, doors, furnishing, attic convertsion redoing, nursery to be rebuilt (one wall is just not right!) and thoroughly cleaning (for the millionth time!)

I know its daunting but i'm sure you'll get there, and the way i am looking at it, baby will stay wherever you put him / her, so its not like you have the worry yet of LO running about where they shouldn't, so as long as you have say the nursery, your room and a room downstairs in a suitable condition, it will be fine.

I can understand why you are panicking, i get days like that too, but try not to stress about it too much, and call in all the favours you can and get people round to help sort it out!

Beautiful house by the way!

x

 

[Little miss pink]

Thanks Ladies

I must be having a stress week. i was stressing the other day about reading that all baby clothes have to be washed and ironed ready for bubs arrival and i just don't seem to have any energy at the moment and the thought of that task alone made me feel really down. I wish you could buy motivation as this being tired all the time is no fun!!

Hopefully i'll buck up soon i just don't want everything to get on top of me and spoil this precious time....

LMP x

 

[abcd1234]

you'll get the motivation!! I'm still very very tired all day, but somehow i find time to ahve hour long baths and wash everything possible, im putting off washing baby stuff yet as i'll just have to do it again nearer the time. I cant wait though!!

 

[debecca]

You'll be fine hun

We rent part of a castle which is VERY old and we couldn't move in for a month because it was in such a state. We've just redecorated every room one by one so as not to overface ourselves and now I think we finally have everything as we like it - but it's taken over 2 years as we both work full-time too!

The only thing you will need to be careful of is that the house is SAFE for your baby. We've had to make modifications, such as carpeting over the bare floorboards in the lounge, to this end.

Good luck - your new house looks lovely

 

[bhe101]

I love your new house!! Its exaclty the sort of thing I would have went for!!
Dont worry about the cleaning and decorating, I am the worst when it comes to stuff like that but I manage so I'm sure you'l be just fine!!

 

[xJodieLoux]

The 'old' house is gorgeous. I'm not a fan of new houses because they lack character. I'm sure you will cope hun, don't worry about that. If not you could always have kim and aggy come round to sort it out

 

[ASD123456]

Thanks Ladies

I must be having a stress week. i was stressing the other day about reading that all baby clothes have to be washed and ironed ready for bubs arrival and i just don't seem to have any energy at the moment and the thought of that task alone made me feel really down. I wish you could buy motivation as this being tired all the time is no fun!!

Hopefully i'll buck up soon i just don't want everything to get on top of me and spoil this precious time....

LMP x

I'm feeling like this at the monet too. Everything seems like one massive mission- I started panicing yesterday because we don't have enough hanging rails in our wardrobe for mine and OH clothes. Today I am worrying about all the baby stuff I have left to buy- time seems to be slipping away and I'm doing nothing about it- arghhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Alex xxx

 

[Mildly]

I love your new place, it looks fantastic

It may seem a lot of work at the moment but as the others have said it'll become second nature after a while. Also you get the lovely large windows and plenty of light to compensate any extra housework

 

[Lindsay]

Hun the house is gorgeous

I'm sure that you will cope absolutley fine as the others have said you will just work with it, it will be so worth it in the end

Xxx

 

[lauramumof2]

the house you are moving too is stunning. Im not a fan of new builds and just think nothing can beat an older house with its older features. The kitchen is lovely, not unlike my own.

I found the house work tricky at first but as with everything else, you get into a routine and it soon falls into place.

You have picked a stunning house,

 

[Little miss pink]

Thanks Ladies

and thanks for all your lovely comments about my soon to be home! Its strange how your priorities change when you become pregnant suddenly location, schools and having a 'family feel' home become priority over having the perfect pad.

I guess i'm just scared that everything gets on top of me and i get depressed (suffered from it in the past) but my mum says i'll just have to learn to let go with the cleaning a bit and stop being so sterile and shout up for help when i need it instead of trying to cope. So like every other mother before me i'll just have to find a way to cope i guess!!

Praying it'll all just happen and fall into place.....

Thanks again for all your advice and support

LMP x