So, has anyone tiled a floor before? Any tips on what to avoid doing? I'm armed with only the Wickes DIY leaflet # 37 (How To Fix Ceramic Wall and Floor Tiles) and my wits. I'm in big trouble.

Today, I have mostly been sanding the skirting. All of it, throughout the house. It's a mad rush to prep and paint everything at floor level before the new carpet is fitted. I'm taking it as a challenge, which I think is healthier than the only option left to me otherwise: freak out. I can sand away, daydreaming of a future without dust and cobwebs and purple paintwork.

I also discovered that someone has stolen my green bin. Clearly a very environmentally conscious class of criminal in my new neighbourhood; this amuses me to the extent that I almost don't mind paying 20 quid for another one...

Lastly, I calculated the amount of TOIL and annual leave I need to take before the end of my leave year in February. It means I'm pretty much off work until February (so at least we can assume the tiling will get done at some point).

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. The House is now mine, and there's so much to do that when I got there this morning, I just sort of stood around not knowing where to begin. Cleaning would be a great start, but I think the previous owner managed to damage the plumbing when they took the washing machine away, so if I open the stopcock, water comes gushing out behind the sink! Luckily I have a friendly neighbourhood Dad to help out, or I'd be out of pocket already.

No electricity either, at first, until I realised that they'd turned everything off at the main isolator switch.

I'm seriously thinking of sending myself on a basic DIY and home maintentance course; I'm not awful at it*, but there's so much I now realise I don't know. Technically, between them my colleagues at work between them cover everything: we've got ex-professional decorators, a roofer, kitchen fitters... But I'd hate to become reliant on them, and ultimately it's my responsibility to sort things out.

Order of events for tomorrow: sort out water supply. Then cleaning can actually commence; I'm going to have to blitz the whole house, before attacking the walls and ceilings (turquoise ceilings! whyyyyyyy?!) with white emulsion so I can walk from room to room without getting a headache from the strobing effect.

Changing Rooms has a lot to answer for :)

*ETA: Actually, I probably am. I'm like the Arthur Weasley of DIY. Ever so keen, but also a bit of a liability. If I'm honest ;)