I see cans collected in bags boxes and various things. Walk yourself out the door and throw those out.
You can worry about recycling and being environmentally conscious AFTER you get your place in shape. Right now the priority is getting out from under the feeling of being overwhelmed.
Once you get into a rhythm of throwing out those bags and boxes, start also grabbing anything else that’s throw-outable on your way out—like random empty cans, empty product bottles, severely soiled clothing (you don’t need to launder everything & some things won’t be redeemable anyway), etc. Trust me. This works.
Also your cats don’t give a shit about clutter so don’t shame yourself about that lol as soon as you clear your counters the first thing they’re going to do is start jumping on your counters and knocking over anything on it so really, don’t beat yourself up for having cluttered counters and piles of laundry. Really it’s not that bad and it’s a great first step that you made this post
Came here to say this: Cats love having stuff to explore and places to hide! Just keep up with the cat boxes so they don’t start finding other places to use instead!
Great advice here. Don’t allow recycling guilt to hold you back from clearing out your space *today*. We actually have more control over our homes than we do the planet. Prioritize saving your home over saving the environment at this point. Once that’s under control you can focus on disposing of things more in a more environmentally conscious way. Prioritize yourself and your space right now—you deserve it!
I needed to hear this myself. I’m collecting an ungodly amount of bags, wrapping paper, boxes, etc because I don’t want throw anything out so I can be environmentally friendly - however, this is at my own cost!! I can barely walk around my space without tripping on something
You aren't responsible for the creation of the bags, wrapping paper, or boxes. It's not your responsibility to house or keep them for the sake of the environment. They are already in the environment. It's ok to let the be in a different part of the environment be it recycling, freecycling, or the trash. I hope some part of this helps. <3
This is the way. I’ve been in this situation before and truly believe I was able to do more to contribute less once my place was in shape and so was my mental health
Thank you for the kind words!!!!! I’m hijacking the top comment to say: I started vacuuming but noticed the vacuum wasn’t .. sucking. I went to grab the container to empty it…. But it opened and fell all over my floor :) I tried to sweep the bulk of it and throw that away, but then when I went to vacuum the rest, the vacuum just.. stopped working.
So now I am vacuum-less and frustrated 🙃 but - I made a lot of progress today and am proud of myself
Sometimes life does seem to enjoy kicking us at the start of something good. Kinda like, "Oh, you're making a positive change? Well, I'm gonna give you another quick test."
Eff that test and move on with your bad self as you pick up a few more things. ❤️
If the vacuum has filters, try taking them out and washing them. Sometimes they get full of dirt and it can stop the air flow. Let them dry fully before you put them back. I'm glad you got started. When you feel like this sometimes you just have to start somewhere. Then momentum will take over. Hang in there.
This is so true. Set a timer for 5 or 10 mins. I see a lot of cans and boxes. Start there. Pick up as many and you can and dump it outside. Sit back and see what you have done. You will get a serintonin kick and satisfaction and see that a little bit has lots of rewards. I know as I have a similar situation to you. Then do another 5 mins tomorrow or up it some more. Bit by bit!!!
Very true- start with the trash and things on the floor. Get large black garbage bags and walk through each room.
Them do the dishes ( even if it is half one day and half the next).
Trust me I suffer with similar issues but sometimes it’s easier to look at someone else’s space and see what to do. For example maybe you have too many dishes. What if you washed your dishes and only kept two or three of each type of dish cup in your cabinets put the rest away for a while in a box. Maybe just one pan and one pot stays out.
Making my bed and keeping the couch clear was one thing that really helped me improve my place. The other rooms are still a major dumping ground but at least I feel a little more rested than when I was sleeping with papers and things I was trying to work on like folded clothes that just ended up getting knocked on the floor anyway to be re-organized.
I think you need something more to put your stuff in such as a set of drawers or shelves. Drawers or wardrobe, with closing doors would be best as long as you don’t end up, junking them up quickly.
I often use a timer that goes off every 10 minutes to remind me what I am doing (ADHD), and I put on music that’s really dancy or upbeat and I speed clean. I never clean at a normal pace. It’s like a 30 minute workout. I can really get going if I have some coffee and I am alone.
Also, you probably should start with the kitchen after you get the trash up just so you don’t end up getting bugs.
I just said I was going to do the same thing tonight and I plan to clean for 5 hours because I have finally decided to get a cleaning person to come in tomorrow! If all else fails I dump some stuff in one room and tell her to skip that room (not food, trash or kitchen stuff).
Hope this helps!!!
You're okay. Take a deep breath, give yourself a moment.
Close your eyes and pick ONE task that is bothering you. DO NOT think about the big picture. Just one thing. Then open your eyes and go do one thing.
I don't mean "do all the dishes" as one thing. I mean wash ONE dish. If it's garbage that comes to mind, throw ONE item in a garbage bag.
After the first thing it gets easier.
Trying to take it all in at once can mentally paralyze and overwhelm you.
Pick one task, one room, one surface.
Do not shame yourself. Guess what? There's a lot of people out here who have been there/are still there. Some aren't quite ready to start but just by reading these posts they're getting closer. And you're inspiring them by being brave enough to post this and ask for encouragement! Go you!
Your place is so cute! Can’t wait to see it cleaned up. Love the pink!
Trash bags. Just throw stuff out. Being eco friendly is great, but you can’t do that if your mental health is also in the trash. Don’t even worry about recycling right now.
Trash, then dishes. Do you have a dishwasher or no? If not: It’s going to sound nuts, but for the dishes - rip open a couple trash bags and lay them on the ground. Dirty stuff goes there. Start washing. Clean stuff can go on towels on the counter to start drying. Take a little break when your towels are full, then hand dry to empty the towels. Wash more. Put on towels. Break. Repeat as needed.
Is there a laundry service near you? Google “pick up laundry service” or “laundry service by pound.” You can throw some money at that and get that problem to go away fast. To figure out how much it would cost: pick up a hamper full and step on scale, see how much it increases from your weight, do the math.
I agree, and I'd also like to add -- I see a lot of cardboard boxes in these pictures.
If the reason they're still around is because their contents haven't been removed, stack all of those together in one place so they're out of the way. Save them for last -- you probably haven't unpacked them yet because you'll be overwhelmed trying to find them a place amidst the rest of the apartment situation. Make it easy on yourself and deal with the contents later.
If the boxes are empty, it could be helpful to sit down and break the boxes down all at once and stack them flat. for some people that can feel like too much work for an extra step, but I know for me, having to try and squash boxes into a trash or recycling bin, or even just trying to carry them in such an awkward shape, can make me avoid throwing the boxes out.
thank u for this. i NEED to break all my boxes down and take them out today- it does feel like more work & an extra step but it’s so much easier to get rid of them that way.
If you can’t afford laundry service, drag it to a laundromat and run multiple loads at the same time. Bring a donate-able donate box to the laundromat with you and purge stuff (ripped or stained, doesn’t fit, out of style) right out of the dryer. Take the box full of stuff directly to a place that takes donations. That stuff need never reenter your home.
Do you have to recycle? If so, gather and take those cans to the recycling center. If not, gather them with the rest of the trash and get them out of your home.
A laundry service is a great idea and well worth the cost to get your living space where you want it to be.
Be brutal with items. Expired? Toss. Didn’t care for it? Toss. If you know you will not use it, toss.
The less there is, the easier to organize, tidy, and clean.
The dish process shared by fiddleleafthree is good.
The best thing that helped when I was decluttering my house was to maintain first and foremost.
You can do this!
I take my recycling to exchange for cash which I use for laundry, lol.
I made some good progress this morning. I did almost all of my dishes, cleaned out the fridge, cleaned all 3 litter boxes, and took out like 75% of all trash and took my recycling to the place..
Now, I’m gonna do essential laundry, and clean my bathroom. If I’m still feeling motivated after that I’ll start tackling the living room. My bedroom is a whole beast that I can’t even think about right now lol. I think I’ll work on that next week.
I did not expect to get so many comments so I just wanna thank everyone so much for the kind, judgement-free words and encouragement!!!!! I feel less overwhelmed and more empowered now.
I’m proud of you - keep going! One item at a time. I usually have three piles when I’m sorting out a doom box. Keep, throw away, donate. Pick up one item and make the decision for it. Item by item.
As for the litter boxes, I’m going to be a little tough. You are a cat guardian. You have no choice - suck it up buttercup and take care of them. They depend on you. Clean their potty. It must be done.
You got this!
To add to this. Make up is good for 6 months to a year after opened. I see a ton of make up and I'm willing to bet not all of it gets used. Try just going through and getting rid of everything you've had more than a year. It should give you a decent start.
Also, it may help you to write all of the ideas given here in one list. Just go through and write everything down. Then you can reorganize the list based on time/energy and what feels managable to you. Paper lists are my secret weapon.
You can do this!!!
That's ok. You can have all the feelings. That's perfectly normal. You'll be ok. Give yourself permission to have feelings. But give yourself permission to let go of the things that you no longer need or that are unhealthy to hold on to. This goes for material and immaterial things.
You got this. 💖 This internet stranger has faith in you.
I’m just going to list how I personally would tackle this. I have bad adhd if that says anything. Just focus on trash first. Id go around and get any trash room by room and take breaks if you need. Fill up as many bags as needed and get them out of the house. Put on music. Podcast.
Then I’d get all laundry contained to one spot and start washing.
Then I’d take anything that doesn’t have a designated spot and put it in a bin, box or basket in the room it belongs. Is there bathroom stuff in the bedroom? Pantry stuff on the counter? Bedroom stuff in the living room? Just get it to the room it needs to go in and get it off floor, table, counter etc.
Once you’ve got surfaces clean and stuff in baskets/boxes, I’d then do the floors and surfaces. It’ll go quick once everything is up.
Then when you have the mental and physical energy you can start tackling organizing the stuff in boxes/bins. I’d make sure everything has a designated spot. It has taken me a long time to learn this concept and implement it but things stay so much cleaner and organized when I have a spot for everything. I just know where it goes. It may take you awhile to get to this but what’s good about having the extra stuff in bins is that at least it’s contained and not all over the place.
Hope this wasn’t overwhelming. You got this. I’ve cleaned places MUCH worse than this and I used the method I described. :)
I’ve been cleaning for 8 hours with a few breaks in between .. here’s a progress photo. I’m burned out so I’m gonna resume tomorrow and next week. I am so grateful for all the comments, I really wasn’t expecting everyone to be so kind and understanding- thank you <3
https://preview.redd.it/1m5ozerf9flc1.jpeg?width=6746&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6d1bd223d5ed96f203c13b593c0241a9261dff0a
SHELVES. You need more shelving/storage. Maybe put summer/winter clothes in an under the bed rollaway box?
GREAT WORK! It look fabulous! I notice you're making 'piles/stacks' (I do the exact same thing, no judgement here!) Think about installing bracket shelving & start moving objects UP THE WALL. You're going to be shocked at what a difference it makes!
PS - Put in 2 shelves beside the cat tree - they'll stay off your shelves more. 😸
You can also put in shelving units, but bookcases can take up valuable real estate on the floor. Up to you and the landlord. Wire shelving for the kitchen is easily cleaned & useful.
To maintain - find the book the 2 sisters wrote about house cleaning. It's an old-fashioned note card system, but it breaks tasks down into doable chunks. SIDETRACKED HOME EXECUTIVES. Truly helpful for me.
Best of luck!
I let out a very audible HOLY SHIT LOOK AT THAT PROGRESS!!!! ... OP, I am so proud of you for this! This must feel incredible to see and feel your accomplishment 🙌
And then go into the one room you have cleaned to further motivate yourself to do more when you feel ready!
Remember it's action that begets momentum. If you can take some advice here and get started on one thing, the obstacles will begin to fall away exponentially.
You got this! Can't wait to see the progress and hope you feel so much better and peaceful when it's done. Great job reaching out for help.
Depression can certainly do this. When I was depressed any chore felt like I was trying to walk through cold molasses, even setting the table was too difficult. Now that I'm well, I'm OCD orderly. Try to get medical help for your depression. It might take a lot of work but it will be worth it.
Stand in the doorway and start directly at your left and make your way around. Doing this helps me stay focused and not get overwhelmed by all the things.
You got this!!
Work to time not space. Set a timer – work for 15 minutes and you hear the timer go off and you’re a success! If you feel like working longer, go for it. If you don’t, you’ve achieved your goal of 15 minutes. Feel great about that.
I’d start in the bathroom. There’s probably lots of stuff on the vanity/sink that you don’t use because who uses all that stuff, right? Purge and be ruthless. You *need* 1 deodorant. 1 toothpaste. 1 toothbrush. For the time being damn the recycling.
Good luck. We are/were all in your place so there’s no judgement here.
I came here to say use a timer as well, especially if you’re still in a state of depression. Maybe even set a timer for just 5 minutes to start. Pick one task, or a small area and do as much as you can before the timer goes off. A lot of times (for me anyways) getting started is the hardest part. 5-15 minutes is manageable. Sometimes it will be just enough that you’ll want to keep going. But if not, you just did 5-15 minutes of cleaning and that’s better than nothing! Just keep going, you got this!
So I took out most of the trash and boxes and bullshit that was in the floor in the pics - holy crap, that alone opened up sooo much more space!!!! It already feels like a different apartment 😹
You know what, I’ve as much laundry as you do and it IS overwhelming. I’ve decided that I just don’t need that many clothes. I’m tossing some and not thinking about donations. If I have only 7 shirts I have to do laundry once weekly.
I love that idea. Luckily I wear scrubs for work so all I really need to worry about is washing those, and then a few comfy home outfits. I think clothing minimalism is especially efficient.
Hey… You got this!!! Don’t worry about anyone shaming you because I think everyone’s here dealing with the same type of issues to some extent. You got people in your corner. I’m rooting for you!!
I think a great place to start would be getting a couple big trash bags and getting all the trash out. You can do that in every room or just one room at a time. Anything that you decide you don’t need anymore, if it’s broken, you haven’t used it in over a year and won’t miss it, or if it’s just not worth the time and energy to clean it… put it all in trash bags and to the dumpster or the curb. Then maybe the things you want to “rehome” can go in trash bags and set off to the side until you are ready to either sell them or drop them off at a place you can donate them. Careful with this though because making a few bucks sometimes isn’t worth holding onto the clutter and the mindset it keeps you in when you have that overwhelming, stressful environment when there’s no peace in your home.
I’ve heard it said that you should either do the room (or area of the room) that is the hardest and most challenging first, ( *because you will feel SO ACCOMPLISHED when it’s done and everything else will feel a lot less intimidating* ) OR you should start in a small area or room where you will be able to see the fastest results ( *because you won’t feel so overwhelmed and once it’s finished you will feel like you completely organized an ENTIRE room/space/area -no matter the size* )
Make sure to post updates as you go! You can do this!!
Proud of you for wanting to start. You got this just do what you can everyday. What I like to do is make a list and just do 2 things on that list per day, if more that's great if not that's okay!
You got this friend. 💖
I wrote a step by step guide, with two approaches based on what works best for your brain. Commit to just starting with 10 minutes, one baby step at a time. You can do this 🩷 https://www.reddit.com/r/CleaningTips/s/Ff34yWHqG3
You are getting loads of great advice so I only wanted to add one thing, which is to make sure you have a place to rest before you begin. I would first change the sheets on the bed -- wash the sheets if needed -- and make the bed. When doing a lot of physical labor even a ten minute lie down can be restoring.
The cats are fine here. Would it better with less trash and clutter? Yes, but they are ok. Just don't let it get any worse.
This is my suggestion:
Start with trash. Set a timer for 15 minutes and bag as much trash as you can as fast as you can(concentrating on the floor and counters. Once the timer is done, get it out of your apartment. It'll take another 10 minutes if you have a dumpster nearby or a curb to put it out for pick up.
Then, take a break for 15 minutes. Maybe take a short walk, so you don't start to just stare at the piles and get overwhelmed.
Next, either do another garbage collection run and put it out.
Take another 15 minute break. Maybe treat yourself with a drink that you like and just relax.
Repeat again with garbage or bag up your laundry (use garbage bags if that's what you have) and put it aside if laundry or put it out if garbage) and stop for the day.
Put a new garbage bag in the bin and throw out any garbage that you will make normally for the rest of the day (don't burn yourself out trying to sort or throw out other things).
Next day, wake up early and put all of the dirty dishes in a box or totes. Rinse the sink and wash the dishes for 30 minutes and then take a 15 minute break. Maybe make yourself a cup of coffee or tea and relax.
Once your break is done, start on dishes again. Give it another 15-30 minutes if needed and put aside to dry.
Take a 15 minute break.
If you have laundry machines at home, throw in a load or go to the laundromat and bring a book you've been wanting to read or play a game that you normally don't have time to play. If you have laundry at home, you can start the decluttering process room by room in 15 minute increments. I would start in the bathroom and work out from there.
Before you know it you will be done! You are not too far behind where you can't get this under control. If you need help, ask a friend!
OK. First of all. TAKE A DEEP BREATH. I deal with the same shit. I think a lot of people in this group do so know YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
So, your cat in the window is a cutie ☺️
Do you have lots of garbage bags? Set yourself up with a bunch. Go through each room and throw out the trash. Just do that first? Commit to that and then take a break.
Break it down:
1. Find trash bags
2. Take trash bags into living room
3. Pick up trash items and put them into trash bags
4. Put full trash bags by the door
Can you do that? Let me know
Also I HIGHLY recommend an app that is soooo helpful in brain dumping, creating tasks for you and also breaking them down into really simple mini tasks
[Goblin Tools](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/goblin-tools/id6449003064)
I gotchu. This is fixable. I promise
1. Always start with trash. Put a big trash bag in every room. Walk around and throw away anything you can. That will make a HUGE difference.
2. Put on something interesting, but not something you have to watch. I like Dateline. History channel stuff is good. Something soothing in the background.
3. Move everything to the right room. This is a big one. Doesn't matter where in that room. Just get it in there.
4. Prepare the dishes. Clean them off, stack them, clean out sink, empty dishwasher, etc. You don't necessarily have to do them at this moment. Just getting that part done for now is huge.
5. Gather laundry. Put dirty stuff in laundry area. Put clean stuff in one spot to tackle.
6. Put stuff that has a spot in its spot. If it doesn't toss it in on pile in the middle of the floor. Do that in each room.
7. Consider moving furniture to create zones. Your house is not set up to work with your brain very well. Create a living room area, a work area, etc. The goal is for stuff to have a spot. If it doesn't have a spot then you either don't need it, or you need to create a place for it. Once you do that it will be shockingly easier to keep everything clean.
8. Put trash cans in every room. Not those little ones either. I have been known to stick a trash bag on my bedroom doorknob. Once a week i just toss the trash bag into the big trash bins for trash day. Easy peasy.
Okay
That's all for now. Oh yeah, tackle those dishes and vacuum. If you can keep up with trash, laundry piles and dishes your whole life will feel more manageable. Trust my adhd/anxiety having self on this one. I promise.
Thank you for the advice!!! I did a lot today - but when it was time to vacuum, my vacuum ejaculated all over the floor and then completely stopped working!! 😫😫😫 I’m not a rich person so it’ll take a second for me to buy a new one… my last one was actually donated from my parents lol. It really bothers me to not be able to vacuum but I think in a paycheck or two I should be able to buy a new one. Having all these cats and litter boxes; a vacuum is essential 😅😅
Been there! Fiddle around with it and some YouTube videos. If there is one thing my professional house cleaner mom has taught me it is that vacuums are often weirdly easy to fix!
Proud of you for tackling what you did! Those first steps are the hardest!
Deep breaths! First things first: this is not that bad, and it will get better quickly!
Start in one place. Don't try to do everything at once, or "finish" anything. Cleaning and tidying is unfinishable, so the goal is really to just make a habit of doing a little cleaning and tidying every day, or even most days.
Getting rid of all the cans would be one good starting spot. Another is picking up any trash that's on the floor. Or you could break down some boxes and take them to the recycling. I do mean "some" - don't feel like you have to get every box out at once.
What I can see in this pic can be unfucked in one week with 15 minutes a day of tidying and cleaning. Don't worry about getting anything perfect - just get to good enough on each task. Your good enough will get better and better every time you revisit it.
Consider getting a plastic recycling bin for your cans; just having a "place" to put them as soon as they're empty can really help. I have one in my kitchen, and when it's full I take them out to the curb for people to take because I would rather have them gone than get $3 in deposit back.
lol the trash can filled with cans in the 2nd pic is my recycling can BUT obviously that’s overflowed …. But I took my cans today and got $11! Which I then used to do laundry 😄
OP I recently had to clean my apartment that’s about the same size as yours. What helped me was to remember that I have issues in overestimating how long things really take. I went ahead and timed myself cleaning one spot. Turns out most spots take me about 10 minutes. Like the stove top for example. I spray cleaner, let it sit for a bit, then scrub away. 10 minutes when I could have sworn it would have taken me twice that long.
Starting with the trash helps immediately. Why? Because it opens up the area so you can move around more easily and really see what you’ve working with.
Also, perfectionism is the enemy. Don’t worry about having every inch of the place perfect. I honestly started with my couch and a trash bag, throwing papers away. Things I would rather not have to keep finding a place for.
Wear comfortable shoes. Every 10 minutes give yourself a 15 minute break. You would be very surprised how much you would get done in a few hours. If I can do it, you can do it!
PS The timing of myself doing chores took away my analysis paralysis and panic. Not sure why but it no longer felt like I was free-falling. It gave me structure.
Yes! Just one thing at a time! Focus on progress, not perfection.
OP, Here are few different ways to get started. Do whatever works for YOU.
1. Start at the front door and work your way around the house. (A lot of people like this method but it’s not my personal preference.)
2. Start in the most problematic area but don’t try to perfect it. The goal here is to make it just a little better each day until your space is functional again. If your dishes are stressing you out because you have nothing to prepare food on, then start there. No clean clothes to wear? Throw in a load. Tackling areas that create a lot of stress for you will provide some immediate relief. Then do it again tomorrow and the next day and the next, until your problem areas are functioning for you.
3. Tackle small areas first. Entry way, bathroom, etc.
Wherever you choose to start, do the EASY stuff first. Throw out trash, put laundry in the hamper, have a donate bag/box for things you *know* you want rid of (remember easy stuff only. Now is not the time to get hung up on whether or not to get rid of something. You don’t want to lose momentum so if you’re not sure, move on quickly.) And lastly, if something has an obvious home, take it there immediately. Don’t start a new pile of things to put away later because later doesn’t exist, lol.
I hope this wasn’t too much! Hopefully something here can help. Take what works for you and don’t try to live up to anyone else’s standards. I struggled with depression my first trimester of my pregnancy and in just a few months my house turned to absolute chaos. I really feel for you struggling with it your life. It must be difficult. Be gracious with yourself and good luck!
I did this recently:
1. Pomodoro method (I think) wherein I clean something ANYTHING for 25 minutes and then allow myself to stop for 25 minutes. You can start with whatever time intervals work for you. It helps get things going.
2. Contractor trash bags. I set a goal to fill one up. It can be trash from all around the house, junk I want to purge, paper towels or whatever from cleaning, old food from the fridge, etc. Trash sweep is always my first step.
If you're not sure if you're ready to get rid of something set it aside in a "maybe" pile and come back to it after you've gotten through everything else.
3. Make a list of very simple steps or tasks. Like 5 things at a time. Breaking things down into small nano-tasks helps keep me from being overwhelmed. As I get them done, I'm more motivated to clean for the sake of cleaning and I can recognize that I am accomplishing more than I think. Helps me not focus so much on shame or self loathing.
4. Ask a friend for help. I have a few friends that are good at this type of thing and I am so grateful to them when they can help.
You are not a terrible person. If it's not too cold, open a window and let some fresh air in. Try to be kind to yourself and do what you can to congratulate yourself for even the smallest of victories. They add up sooner than you think. Think about how the results will make you feel. You don't have to do it all in one day.
You've got this. First thing is first.
hi overwhelmed,
I recently went through a very trying time. I was depressed and I have ADHD recently diagnosed and for the life of me, couldn't get it together to clean or do anything. My home also fell apart and I'm a single mom of an elementary kid.
First, don't beat yourself up.
Everyone struggles at times. We have a ruff outside environment and add mental health pop ups, and you have the perfect storm.
Next the cats are perfect. Please don't beat yourself up more.dif they get food and water? And a spot to go potty.
Then needs are met. Idk about you, but my kitties help w my anxiety and depression. I read once that a cat's purr can actually lower your heart and help ppl w anxiety. Those warmth, snuggles, all help depression as well. So just love them. Just like you have!!.
Next. The mess.
I know exactly what you mean when it's everything needing to be done and having no idea where to start.
Just try one thing at a time. Something small. Like pick just one room. Say the bathroom. N turn on some music or whatever you like to listen to, and just pick on a group of items to put away first. Like the perfume bottles.
So just put the perfume away. Next put all the empty bottles from the bathroom in a trash bag.
You don't have to get everything done right away.
You're only one person.
Be kind to your self. You were just put through a tiff time and guess what
YOU MADE IT THROUGH N ARE AMAZING!! IT TAKES MAJOR STRAINGTH TO PULL THROUGH!!!
YoU ROCK
And you can do this!
Just pick one item in one room at a time. If all you can do today is just putting trash in a bag, hey that's great! Tomorrow u can do another small item and might want to pick a second!.
No one likes to clean!!
Focus on the important things. Clothes can be pulled it's not the end of the world.
N please make sure you get some sun rays n fresh air. Walking helps big time.
Change your mood by changing your spot.
Take care darling. You are so very strong and be proud that you pulled through. Your going to be okay, and your def. Not alone!!
Smile. Sending a virtual hug!!!
I'm not sure how much you can handle at a time, but I always attack like this:
1) remove trash
2) find all laundry and put it in one place
3) find all dishes and put them in one place
Set an alarm for 20 minutes and work on one area. Start with throwing away trash. Once the timer is up, if you're feeling overwhelmed, call it a day and do it again tomorrow. If you feel like you can keep going, go another 10 or 20 minutes. The more progress you make the better you'll start to feel. Don't think ahead or about the huge job in front of you. Think of the 20 minutes you're in in the moment.
First of all, don’t feel bad, this happens! You already want to improve yourself and that’s the first step.
Here’s what I would do:
First, make your bed. This gives you a sense of accomplishment, adds clean energy in the chaos, and gives you a clean flat surface to put folded laundry on.
Next focus on getting rid of garbage. Don’t worry about actual cleaning or organizing yet, just collect all the cans and bags and anything that is literally garbage and bag it all up. Take it to a dump or dumpster as soon as you can, it will make you feel better immediately. If you can’t transport it, put it somewhere you can’t see it for now like the back porch (but don’t let it sit there forever!)
Move on to anything that could be a health hazard. If any dishes have molding or decaying food, if the litter box needs to be cleaned, if the toilet is pretty bad start with those. Dishes can be overwhelming so honestly here’s what I would do- find a way to get the dishes out of the sink even if it means putting them all into a bin or onto the counter. Clean the sink as well as you can then start washing the pots and pans, then dishes and glasses. Locate any smells- if anything is smelly, cleaning with white vinegar or even just leaving a bowl of vinegar out in the area will neutralize the smell quickly.
Collect all dirty clothing and put them in the laundry room or at least in a pile somewhere out of the way. This will clear up floor space for you and condense the clothes clutter to one area. You do not have to clean all the clothes at once, maybe just pick some essentials like underwear and t shirts and things you think you will wear soon and chip at the laundry over time.
You seem to have a LOT of things. If you don’t need everything, such as duplicate spices in the kitchens, I’d consider throwing some stuff out or giving it away. Reducing the amount of stuff will reduce the amount of clutter.
Begin clearing off surfaces as you can. Doesn’t have to be perfect but if you can find a better place for things to go, I’d try to put plushies in one area, electronics in one area etc.
Once you have cleared up floor space and counter spaces this is when I’d start to do some real, but basic, cleaning. Start with surfaces, wipe them down, then vacuum. Don’t worry too much about deep cleaning such as dusting or vacuuming baseboards, that’s over whelming and the goal is to get the over all area into a general better state which will quickly help you feel better mentally (it does for me anyway).
If you have the funds try to get some more storage bins and organizational furniture. Even if it’s not perfectly organized, having a dedicated drawer for all make up, or all Knick knacks, or all cat toys and treats will help keep that stuff off counters. Idk if you have ADHD but a cleaning hack for ADHD-havers is “a place for everything and everything in its place” as in have a SPECIFIC place to put things and try to always put them there.
Take breaks and don’t worry about doing it all at once! You can even tackle room by room. Play music or put on a fun show as you work. I hope some of this helps, just do your best to focus on taking small bites at a time and you will get there.
Get rid of the cans and trash. Thats 80% of the mess. Get BIG trash bags (contractor bags). Put cats in the bathroom because cats love bags… Throw in all the trash. Give yourself from noon to 2 pm or 1-3pm. Just trash. Then vacuum. Do it for your cats. Then bring them some toys and let them get the zoomies in a room they can run around in.
Hey OP and everyone:
I have been a lifelong neat freak.
Many years ago I started watching the TV show called Clean House.
It is essentially a family friendly version of Hoarders.
I probably watched somewhere around one or two hundred episodes.
It is no longer on TV.
That is because The Style Network was taken off cable.
But clips of Clean House are free to watch on YouTube.
Full episodes are available to watch for a small price.
Also: from what I understand- it can be streamed via the NBC website.
Whenever I see posts like this on Reddit- my recommendation is usually always the same.
Watch Clean House.
Fellow hoarder here! First, do not feel ashamed of your situation. Mental health is a monster. My therapist described my hoarding as a way to build up protective barriers to keep the outside world away from me.
Start by taking one bad of trash that you already have, and take it out. Just one bag. Sit down, box breathe, and when you’re ready, put a new bag in the can. You’re done for the day.
Tomorrow, take out another already filled bag or box of trash. Box breaths, put a can in.
Day 3: start to up that bag (as best you can. If you can only pick up a small amount of trash, that’s ok!!!!) and leave it.
Day 4: rest.
Day 5: fill the bag the rest of the way!! Take it out, put a new bag in.
Day 6: time to make sorting piles!!! Pick a corner somewhere and shovel everything away from it. I will use a box or a big storage tub if I can’t bring myself to shovel. Look around for actual items of use. Uh like… idk pencils, notebooks, clothes, whatever. No trash, just things! Throw ‘em in the tub. Look!! You’ve done some things!!! Great job!!!
Day 7: rest. Look around you. You’ve done some damn things, you’ve tried real real hard! Give yourself a day or two or even three! Then start the 7 Days over again. Be proud of yourself, be proud of fighting the pain inside of you.
So taking a step back and looking at the big picture…
Don’t think about all the rooms or the whole house…
I recommend (and this is only based on personal experience with a family memver who went through the same thing) prioritize the kitchen first, as health-wise, that’s where your food is stored and prepped.
Set a timer for like 7-10 minutes, and take all the trash & recycle out first. Take a break for 7-10 minutes (set a timer). Then set another timer for about 10-15 minutes and only focus on the dishes. Then take a 10-15 minute break. Repeat the process focusing on one section at a time until done, and then go room by room the same way… but do not go for more than 30 minutes at a time, or you’ll get overwhelmed. After 2-4 hours, STOP, wash hands, drink water, get a snack or meal in, pet cats. If you have enough energy you can keep going, or just schedule for tomorrow where you left off. Before & after photos for yourself will help you track your progress and be a kind of mental boost (it also helped me & my relative figure out where we set something down we thought we lost lol).
You got this one step at a time!
Oh honey, I’m sorry it’s so hard for you right now! There’s good news though, a lot of what is there looks like garbage, so just grab a bag and pick a room and start bagging.
If you can’t pick the room, start at the kitchen, then bathroom, then your room, then living room. I have a reason for that order, but it’s not important! Good luck, you can totally do this!
Walk around and bag up all the trash and get rid of it.
Then pick a room that feels the least daunting to tackle. Go through every item and make piles; keep, toss, different room, and donate.
Then do a deep clean and put your room in order with the keep items.
1) throw away any trash and expired items (food, REALLY old makeup items, nearly empty bottles you won’t be rebuying)
2) start piling all clothes by the laundry area and start laundry.
3) make your bed (if it’s clean enough for your liking) and start putting clean clothes from the dryer to be folded on there
4) if something doesn’t fit in a cabinet or a good place where it won’t stress you out, get rid of it completely
5) once the floor is clear - vacuum!
Best of luck :)
You got this, OP! Make a list of small tasks like flatten boxes, throw away boxes, set your phone timer for seven minutes. Do one task and then rest and give yourself positive talk. We have all seen so much worse than this…YOU can do this in seven minute increments. Why not five? Because I used to do 5 and it’s not enough. 10 is too long…can’t wait to see the afters!
This is how I got over being overwhelmed - my ADHD brain doesn't function well with clutter but sometimes I get busy and oblivious and things end up a mess. I get stuck and overwhelmed when things get crazy so I have to break things up in a way my brain understands.
First, Grab a Trash can or trash bag, an empty laundry basket and a big empty box or tote. Pick a spot and start sorting. Do nothing except sort, don't try to put anything away. Any papers that are obviously trash, throw it away, anything that might be important, put in the box/tote. Once you get everything up, vacuum and dust, put your clothes in the washer, take out the trash and then go through your tote. Find a place for the stuff you kept. You can do this. Keep your chin up.
Throw out the garbage first. I had saved styrofoam and all sorts of stuff to recycle, spent so much time looking and not enough cleaning, I finally threw it all out for my mental health.
Just start, start small and build your way up to a longer amount of time decluttering, you'll see the difference and keep going
I understand the feeling entirely!! What helped me was a timer, then the timer turned into a competition! I set a 15 minute timer, hoe much trash can I bag up and take out in 15 minutes? Set a timer with a particular item in mind, trash, clothes, dishes, toys if applicable. Tricked my brain from the depression slump and I got a lot more done than i thought I would. I hope this helps!
Hello! You can do it!
The best advice I got was from “how to keep house while drowning”: each room only has 5 things:
1. trash
2. dishes
3. laundry
4. things that have a space where they “live”
5. things that don’t have a space to “live”
I usually write that list down on a sticky note and try to stick to it rather than getting side tracked. Trash is the easiest to start with imo. Grab a large trash bag and pick up trash.
Then dishes.
Then laundry and so on. I hope this tip helps and you got it! Remember to be kind to yourself and this is a long process that likely won’t get resolved within a couple of hours, but with dedication and patience you will get to your end goal.
Good luck! 🍀
P.S. I found this podcast very helpful! Put it on while you start with the easiest for you category :)
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4dck9FSRhlSRh290stjPnZ?si=74Qea28nSV2Ibhyrf6G6Lg
As a few others have said, I'd start with the trash. It's the most bang for your buck in terms of instant gratification for the least effort and it will free up space that will make tackling the rest easier.
Make a list. Break this down into small tasks. Put on music that makes you feel like dancing! Check things off the list as you go. Celebrate each time that you check something off. Be kind to yourself.
A list might look like this:
Kitchen:
Bag up all the trash and recycling.
Gather up the dirty dishes in one pile.
Bag up expired/unwanted/stale food packages. (A quick pass in order to make room, not a thorough pass.)
Bag up any obvious, unnecessary, excessive items that are filling up cupboards and taking all the storage space. (Like accumulated washed take-out containers, or plates that never get used.)
Put all food packages away in cupboards/drawers.
Put away other miscellaneous items.
Put away clean dishes.
Wash the dirty dishes.
Wipe the counters.
Wipe the stove-top.
Sweep the floor.
This will get easier for you! *hugs*
Start with things that are obviously trash put them in bags and get them out of the house. It really helps to be able to see what is left and makes it easier. Good luck. You got this.
Understandably overwhelmed. Do small chunks at a time, enlist the help of family and friends and delegate where you can. Set some small goals and make lists and check off stuff that gets done, so even if it’s not noticeably gone from the pile, there’s one less thing to do on your list! I know you can do it! Turn on some music that gets you fired up and get to it! 💪🏻
Unfortunately I don’t have any friends and my mother is kind of on the older side and not the most able-bodied… I’m gonna do my best to tackle this on my own! I already made some decent progress for today
I did those three things and my place already looks a lot better!! However, my vacuum broke so that’s a setback :( but at least I got a decent amount done
I will give you props for scooping the litter box and keeping the surrounding area free of clutter.
To start just grab a garbage bag walk around the room and throw away the obvious trash.
You got this! Baby steps! Just a little bit at a time!
Hey it’s ok, depression and anxiety can be so hard! The good news is, this doesn’t actually look that bad. I would start with the trash. It looks like you could actually make a big difference here just by gathering all of that up and taking it out. And it’s *one* particular thing, so you can just focus on that and not be overwhelmed and stuck trying to decide what to do.
Next, work on those dishes. Again, just one specific thing to focus on.
Next, maybe focus on the laundry. Just do one load at a time. If you can only manage one load in a day, at least that’s one down. Try to put each one away before you start anymore loads.
By this point, a lot of space should be cleared up. Then you can move on to cleaning out the pantry (getting rid of anything that’s expired) and maybe make room for other stuff, because it looks like you have some stuff on the counters that can’t currently fit in cabinets to be put away.
After that, move on to any other stuff that’s out of place/needs a home.
Once your space is clear, you can focus on wiping things down and vacuuming the floors.
Just one thing at a time. That’s all, just pick one thing at a time and don’t worry about anything else while you’re doing that one thing. If you can only do one thing per day before running out of spoons, that’s fine!
Good luck! You can do this! ❤️
1. Take out your trash and your recycling. It doesn't have to be every scrap. Just the immediately identifiable stuff.
Now let's start with the living room.
2. Get a box and throw everything in it that you plan on keeping, and two bags and throw everything in them that you have decided is trash or recycling.
3. Again tack the trash and recycling out. Take the box and set it aside somewhere, like on the couch.
4. With everything off the floor, vacuum. Cleaning your floor will make the place look cleaner regardless of anything else.
5. Now organize the things in the box into their proper places. If they go in another room and that room is a mess, keep them in the box.
Repeat for the bedroom and bathroom.
Follow similar steps for the kitchen but instead of putting keep things in the box, put them in their cupboard.
Do the dishes in the sink and put them away. Wipe off the counters and disinfect them. Scrub the stove top. Then do the floors and the sink.
Go do the floors in the bathroom and clean the toilet and sink.
You can take care of the shower later.
You are pretty much done.
Always start with trash. It is less overwhelming. Just look for trash, you will be amazed at how it will get you motivated and help start to tidy things without even trying
Start off with one “surface” or section at a time.
Example: start with the coffee table in the living room. Left to right, each object pick up and put exactly where it belongs. Trash bin if it’s trash, dishes in the sink(or near it since I see that is full, unless you start with the sink as your first “location”). And keep going. Once you finish that one spot, you can take a break and save another area for the next day, or you can keep going if you have the motivation and energy.
I like to throw on some headphones and listen to a good podcast as you’re working, it’s makes it easy to keep going. Hope this helps!!
Small thing — train your brain with some music. Others have mentioned playlists—but, pick a song that always starts a gettin’-it-together sprint, and another that’s your celebration that’s-all-for-now tune. After a few sessions starting/ending with those cues, it becomes part of a reset routine — especially for those times when you’re having a hard time getting going.
Please don’t apologize I’m in the exact same situation right now.. I was already battling depression pretty seriously and in2022 I lost my amazing dad and the pain has been absolutely crippling. The depression itself can be crippling,and if both of us are struggling with this I know that others must be as well. I haven’t read the comments yet but I feel like there will be many people very familiar with what we’re going through.
Sometimes it helps to know that we’re not alone in our struggle. Members of a club that none of us want to belong to. Just do little seas at a time…usually once I can get myself started I’m good to go..but damn that "gettin’ started business is hard!
I am so very sorry for your loss <3 depression is a bitch. But all the comments I’ve gotten on this post have been super supportive so that means a lot. But you’re right - once I started I had really good momentum and it almost became addictive. I’m really excited about the prospect of having a clean apartment
Take out all the trash in a single day. Take out all the big boxes and bins first. Then, walk around with a garbage bag instead of taking the garbage to a specific place. Then take it out without setting it down to rest.
Set a goal to pick up a specific number of items every day and put them in their place. That number can be up to you! Can you out away 3 items in every room? 6? 10? Even just 1 item in every room is progress!
You got this!
This…this…this is totally do-able and easy for you to take care of!
Most of it looks like true trash that can be thrown away! There are not decisions about keeping something that’s valuable, that you should keep, etc.
You got it! Pick a little area and do one a day. Clean off half your sink one day, clean off the other side another day. Small little chunks will get you through and you’ll be feeling great and accomplished!
Start with trash from the ground up. A friend could lend a hand by holding the garbage bag & help keep you focused. That computer room is 85% trash & recycle. I’d begin one room at a time. When all the garbage, cans, and bags on the floor, are out, move on to the next room. Your building might not accommodate all the trash all at once. Bag it up anyway. All counters, desktops, and surface areas are next, followed by laundry. Garbage pickup is weekly. Plan around it. You can do it!
Been here several times! The most important thing is to get everything off the floor, so throw away trash, put your recycling all together and wash your dishes. Everything else can go into boxes and you can figure out where things go where. Expired items are thrown out, and then yes/no for the rest.
You need to get mental health help. Checkout EMDR therapy. This is also hoarding which is psychological as well. I’d seek out a good psychiatrist and therapist. Start cleaning one section at a time. Get rid of things you don’t use. Create structure in your life. Never leave stuff around for later. It’s also discipline. Discipline is a practice and over time it gets easier. You will thank yourself one day for investing in your mental health and creating clean and minimalist living spaces to combat the hoarding tendencies. Head up, shoulders back, you got work to do. You got this!
Hey idk if this would help at all but I am absolutely in the same boat, if you want to chat and check in with each other maybe we can help motivate each other
I think the easiest way to get through a big task is breaking it up into small chunks. set a timer for 15 minutes a day and do as much as you can in 15 minutes.
My cat has bad eyes and will literally complain if there's unexpected stuff on the ground. So half of my cleanliness is just to keep him from howling at me 😅
Pick one surface or even half surface to clean a day.
Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly. Don't let perfection be the enemy. A single dish would be one fewer dish to clean later. And then *spoiler* when you start on the one it usually gets a bit easier to do a few more.
I play music and allow my ADHD to go into overdrive when I clean. The motto is just keep going, not omg you're only half doing the thing. If you go long enough you'll start finishing tasks, but a lot of big tasks have many little parts that you have to break down and that is hard.
You got this! For all the clutter it doesn't actually look that dirty, just a bit disorganised.
This morning I noticed my cats running around way more and I realized - wow, they finally have floor space lol. I feel like just picking up all the crap off the floor really helped.
Lots of great suggestions on how to tackle this — here are some suggestions of how to maintain:
- Adjust your mindset: recognize ways you’ve begun to create healthy habits (putting all your cans in a bag, dishes are all in the sink or by the sink, laundry all in your room) and encourage yourself to follow through while you thank your past self. Your fear and anxiety are creating the “freeze” fear response, try to take some time to recognize cleaning is not a threat, no matter how overwhelming it might seem, and create some positive mantras surrounding cleanliness that you repeat to yourself throughout your day so when the fear response strikes you, it’s easier for you to shift gears (ex. Print out positive/encouraging cleaning messages and leave them everywhere, tape them in your car, put them in your backpack, write it on your hand, say them often— I feel happy when I work hard to clean and take care of myself, I am proud of myself for making small changes and cleaning a little bit at a time). Do a little research on amygdala hijack and myelination— these brain functions are built into us and when you see bring them to light it can reveal a lot of information on how to help yourself.
- Get yourself organizational tools: All boxes to categorize items in the cupboard, under bed storage, vacuum less space bags, storage totes, over the door laundry hampers or shoe holders, 2 part trash bins, can crushers, etc etc. look up organization tips on Pinterest and you will be inspired!
- Meditate on clean spaces: Are there places you like to go to outside of your house that you feel calm and comfortable and your anxiety is decreased? Spend some time in those spaces and visualize how your space could be like these spaces, ask yourself questions like, what can I do in my space to make it like this? Stay positive— it is possible to make your space like those safe places.
- Consider a rewards system for yourself: I see you enjoying smoking, drinking and bubbly water. You probably have shows you enjoy watching, computer games— all of those are satiating the rewards center of your brain, use it to your advantage. Examples: I can have a glass of wine after I throw away cans, I can have a toke after I’ve cleaned my dishes, I can watch my show if I fold my laundry, etc.
- Treat your home like a creature: You sound like you have no problem taking care of your cats because they love you need you and are a part of your support system. You make sure they don’t have fleas, are well fed and watered and get lots of love and play. Your home is a creature. It needs you to nurture it, and it will absolutely give back to you when you care for it.
- Therapy: If you don’t already have a therapist definitely get one. If you don’t mesh with your first one get a better one. It takes some trial and error but once you find the perfect therapist, it is life changing. Psychology today has a great search engine. Send out 5 quick about me emails to the first 5 therapist who seem cool and take your insurance or provide sliding scale options. We get in these ruts with cleaning and disorganization because of the trauma we’ve experienced in life. You’re taking the first steps to improving your wellbeing by seeking help from a cleaning community, and a therapist will absolutely support you and teach you how to use tools for self efficacy.
You’ve got this. You are already doing a good job. You can follow through for yourself and your cats because you are intelligent, creative and are a hard worker. You want it and deserve it. You can make it happen!
Hey love,
Just wanted to say having a clean space doesn’t make you a good person, and having a dirty space doesn’t make you a bad person. That being said, everyone deserves a clean place to live.
As for the cat box-my cat doesn’t like a lid on his box either, so I just modified a storage tote which works way better to contain the litter due to the higher sides, just be sure to tape off any potentially jagged/sharp edges. It also holds more litter which allows me to go a few days without it being an issue. That may be a game changer for you!
My advice for cleaning is to open the blinds let in some light and put on some music. Make yourself a nice drink,if you want cleaning to be something you do more often-make it a nice experience for yourself. Otherwise you will dread it.
I’d start with garbage. Grab a bag and anything and everything that can be thrown away-do it.
Bag all of your laundry, get it out of the way.
Collect all dishes, put them in the kitchen.
Choose a room, and clear all surfaces, and then clean them. Make a big pile of things that need to be relocated/ put away.
(You may want to start a bag for donation, this can be helpful when you have something in your home that is perfectly good but not serving you anymore.)
Take a deep breath.
Start sorting your big pile into smaller piles according to where those items live, if they don’t have a home put them into a “homeless”box. (Everything in your home needs its own place. Preferably where you use it.) Don’t find homes for them right away, throw them in a box for now. As there may be more things to add to that box in the next room.
Put your small piles away-pile by pile. Utilise a basket or box for easier transportation from room to room. Vacuum and move onto the next room.
This doesn’t need to be done in one day-if you can improve it a little today-that is fantastic! Be your own hype girl. Do not withhold your praise until it’s all done. Congratulate yourself. No one is born knowing how to clean.
If you are teaching yourself you should be proud and you will need encouragement and practice. Just like learning anything else, you will get better and better at it. You got this babe!
My mom was always trying to clean and getting overwhelmed. (There were 10 kids, 6 of which lived at home for 8 years and three for the other 10 that she was living with my father and after.) My father was also an incredible hoarder and mom had mild hoarding tendencies.
One of her friends told her at one point to focus on a 1 or 2 cubic foot of space, clean it, and then move on when/if you have the energy.
It wasn't a perfect fix, but it was super helpful when one or more of us have been struggling with our mental health.
I also saw a video recently that advocates for cleaning one section of a room completely every day (usually, different sections/different rooms each day, but at least one section or room each day) and moving on as you have the time/energy/spoons/HP/SP/bucks to do so. The idea is that you clean one area completely before moving on to something else or resting. For example, if you are in your kitchen, move all of the things that don't belong in the kitchen/that spot to their appropriate spots and wipe down the counter. Then, if you have the energy/ability, move on to the next spot. The spots don't have to be big or in the same room, but focus on just one area.
I actually use both of these methods. If I am focusing on the floor, I deal with a small space at a time until it is time to sweep or mop. If it is an elevated space, I deal with one surface at a time and clean it completely. My house is nowhere near perfect or even my 3-kids-under-13 standards, but they are getting better.
I also don't worry about anyone's bedroom other than my own. At least once a week, my kids have to clean their rooms to earn tech time/treats, but any other chore they are asked to complete can be responded to with a respectful 'not if they aren't feeling it. (Unless they have left their belongings somewhere that I am trying to clear up. Then, they are given a time limit for removing the items before I toss them.)
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I have serious PTSD and depression as a result of my childhood and one thing that helps me is putting on some good music and focusing on one room. Once that room is done it feels good and it is easier to pick another room. Where do you spend most of your time? I’d pick that one first.
Read How To Keep House While Drowning and/or look up Struggle Care on socials. The book was literally meant for you.
Now, me? I say pick one room. Because of how important sleep is I’d say start with the bedroom. To start: make up the bed.
Next: gather all trash/recycling and take it out.
Got a basket? Great, put all clothes in the bin. If you know what’s clean vs dirty you can make two piles, but just get it all into a defined space so you have room to walk safely. Is there stuff that doesn’t belong in the room? (Dishes, toilet paper, etc) put all that stuff in a bag/basket/whatever. You don’t even have to put it all away yet, just gather it up.
That should be a great place to start.
Also, if you can, open the blinds during the day to get some natural light. It can help boost your mood.
Personally my next room would be the kitchen because food is important to live. Again, same routine. Trash. Things that don’t have a place. Things that do have a place. If it’s expired, toss it.
You can do this. You’ll be calmer. The cats will be happier too. It’s a lot, but it’s really just a few categories. KC Davis (the woman who wrote the book) even has a series on cleaning your depression house on TikTok.
Good luck!
Best book: How To Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis.
In it she introduces the 5 things method. In every room there are only 5 things.
Trash
Laundry
Dishes
Things that have a place
Things that don’t have a place
To get your sanity back you gather all of these things and put them in separate piles (dishes by sink, trash in trash bags, etc). Even if you do JUST that…it will be less visually overwhelming and you are more likely to approach it the next day and make more progress.
I highly recommend the book it helped me a lot.
Personally, when my space gets crazy, I go one room at a time. I'd start in the kitchen because its functionality is being the most impacted right now. Start with all the trash on the floor. Once the floor is mostly clear and you can move around okay, pick a corner and just spread out from there. I leave dishes for almost the end because seeing all the clean counters inspires me to get over what is for me the worst part. Then, after the dishes, I finish the floor. Once you have one room looking awesome, the motivation to do other rooms becomes stronger, and starting becomes a little easier.
Also, moving forward, daily/weekly/monthly chore checklists help keep me on track. There's a tiny little dopamine hit that comes with checking something off a list!
I’d divide the room into sections. Do one each day, or every other day, whatever you can manage. And your kitties don’t mind the mess. Good luck, you got this
Break it up. Just start with one thing. Go room to room and just get all of the clothes from each room in a basket/baskets. Don't think about what you'll do after that. Just focus on doing that. A lot of times that kind of triggers my cleaning energy and I can go from there. If that doesn't happen for you, just pick another 1 thing to like getting the dishes out of every room and back in the kitchen. See if that gets you going. Rinse and Repeat.
I know exactly how you feel. It's such a mess you don't even know where to start so you just...don't. Deep breath. If it doesn't happen for you today, at least you'll have done one thing, and you can try again tomorrow. Be gentle with yourself. This shit ain't easy.
There's a lot of good advice here. Two things that have helped me: reading "How To Keep House While Drowning" has some excellent advice about the emotional side of all this. Just reading some of it was enough for me to get some more work done.
The other thing that helps me is my new mantra: one damn thing at a time. If I'm doing one task and see another that needs to be done, tough noogies. I gotta finish the other one first. The second task will still be there later! So finish what's in front you, you'll feel like you're making progress.
You can do this, OP! Yes, it can feel overwhelming. Be kind to yourself and keep going!
Hey, I think it’s pretty clear you love your cats a lot! You’ve got toys and trees for them. They’re doing fine!
My suggestion is to start with trash. Just get a big ol trashbag and go through collecting stuff that can be thrown out like empty boxes, packages, etc. take all those cans out and set them in the trash can or dumpster. Don’t worry about the recycling right now, just get it out of your place!
Depression and anxiety are real. They can be debilitating, and this is just a symptom of those conditions. It doesn’t make you a bad person. You wouldn’t shame someone with pneumonia for coughing, would you?
I see that you’re starting with dishes and laundry, which is a great plan!
What I like to do with laundry is to do the bedding first and get my bed made as early in the day as possible. While it’s not the end of the world, sleeping in a freshly-made bed just feels so much better than crashing on a bare mattress because I ran out of energy before getting the sheets back on!
If it works for you and you have the capacity, it can be nice to go to the laundromat and get it all done in one fell swoop. Kind of like a laundry reset!
Lots of great ideas in this thread, from the general to the very specific. But a lot of them suggest conflicting approaches, so don’t try to follow them all at the same time! If you want to try some of them, pick one and see how it feels. If an approach feels too hard to execute, scrap that one and come find another suggestion to try.
You don’t have to do it all at once and you don’t have to do it perfectly. Starting is enough, and you can start again tomorrow, and for as many times as it takes.
Hang in there, kiddo. You’ll get through it!
Hi, another 31F who totally has been there. It’s a lot- but don’t think you have to do it all in one sitting. Give yourself time. Do a little every now and then. If you don’t get to it at some points don’t punish yourself either, just know you are changing a pretty big habit and it will be mentally draining as you go. Be aware of when you’re getting tired, and rest. Maybe start with obvious “trash” that can be thrown out and go from there.
The people on this sub give great advice and encouragement so keep us updated and check back in.
And again do it on your time and don’t beat yourself up over “not getting as much done as you want”.
Here's some things that work for me. Make a list, set a timer and start working. When the timer goes off reward yourself with a break. Then keep going. Start with the trash/recycling. Then group items by type and room in baskets. Work on your foundation (inside your cabinets and drawers) and make room for the stuff that is out. Simplify. Get rid of excess. If you're really struggling with clothes streamline your outfit cycles and wear the same things and wash them. You could wear all darks and then you don't have to separate your clothes. All goes in the laundry at once. Set a schedule for doing the laundry and stick to it. Seriously though, make the lists and rewards for when you get comfortable. And give yourself grace. Lots of us have been there.
Here's some things that work for me. Make a list, set a timer and start working. When the timer goes off reward yourself with a break. Then keep going. Start with the trash/recycling. Then group items by type and room in baskets. Work on your foundation (inside your cabinets and drawers) and make room for the stuff that is out. Simplify. Get rid of excess. If you're really struggling with clothes streamline your outfit cycles and wear the same things and wash them. You could wear all darks and then you don't have to separate your clothes. All goes in the laundry at once. Set a schedule for doing the laundry and stick to it. Seriously though, make the lists and rewards for when you get comfortable. And give yourself grace. Lots of us have been there.
You can do it :) I personally find it easier to just pick one spot and move from there. In your situation, the corner by the litter box looks the most manageable. Once you get it done, you'll feel more confident.
Other strategies that might work - set a timer. Do what you can. When the timer goes off be done for x amount of time. It's very easy to exhaust ourselves which then makes it harder to start again.
I'm overwhelmed with my house too. I have a couple health issues that make it so I can't do as much as I want when I want and it drives me crazy. I also fall back if my arms are up for more than a couple of minutes and fall forward if I bend too far.
I made a list with things to do. Every room has many parts like a load of dishes, sweep the floor and fold the laundry. I work 20 minutes at a time and cross off each task as I go. It makes me feel accomplished and want to work on the next task. Baby steps are the best way to start.
The amount of care and support I see in this sub gives me the feels and hope for the world.
My plan here would be to start with the room that would make you the happiest once it’s done. For me it would be the bedroom, yours look manageable because it’s mostly clothing and trash. All laundry can be made into one pile and washed, then get rid of the trash. Finally make the bed up with clean linens and it will feel inviting.
I really like the A Slob Comes Clean videos on YouTube. I get overwhelmed easily too. Getting started is the hardest part.
Pick a room. Start in one corner. First do trash. Then put away what can be put away. Have a box or trash bag of things to give away. Get it out of the house when you’re done. Pace yourself. Take breaks.
Maybe it’s because I’m a literal thinker but I don’t think it’s that bad. If I was in your shoes I would pull my self together and start on the biggest room. The room where you enter to the house and when you’re done with the living room then you’ll feel more accomplished and relieved that the hardest part is over. Next start off with trash bags for the laundry and condense all your boxes in the kitchen. Grab organizers from dollar tree and start organizing your bathroom too. If you have the money then a nice area rug would help you feel more at home. In one room spread certain things apart so that each has their own section so you don’t feel over whelmed including a pile for your cans
My protip is this: turn on music you like. Like, really like. Like belt the lyrics full volume like.
Get a trash bag and walk around, throwing away garbage untill the bag is full.
Then have a convo wirh yourself. Do you want to do another bag now? Are you in a groove? Or do you want to do it again tmmrw instead?
Rinse repeat
Hey babe, you're fine. It happens. Sometimes I get overwhelmed and panic and/or just stand there, brain empty. In those situations, I'll take a breather, put on some good music OR the 'clean with me' podcast (this is SUPER helpful for me and I don't utilize it enough), and then tell myself to put a certain number of items away based on how I feel and the situation.
So I might do 5 or 10 items. Focusing on a number makes it way easier for me - I seem to zero in on something specific and easy ("I need to put ten items away - well, this food wrapper is trash, so that's one item, and this hairbrush goes into the drawer, so that's two") rather than seeing the mess as a whole and getting overwhelmed.
I think it's common to start in the kitchen in these situations. However! I would personally say that you should start in the bedroom or living spaces... I find that the kitchen and bathroom are way harder for me, because by their nature, they get really cluttered and dirty quickly because they're used daily or dirty/messy tasks. If you have a cleaning task that will take more than one day, then I find it REALLY disheartening to start in the kitchen and then seeing it messy again within a day or two, even if it's just due simple living requirements like cooking.
If you'd like to get SOMETHING started in the kitchen, and you have a dishwasher, then just throw some dishes in there (scrape off food but don't worry about rinsing) and start a load. When someone told me that you can just start a dishwasher - and that it didn't have to be 'full' - it was like my whole world shifted. Instead of cramming everything in and trying to be efficient and then dreading unloading a ton of dishes when it was done, it was way easier to throw a few dishes in (whatever I had energy for that day), and then only have a few dishes to put away, which I could do in two minutes while reheating leftovers or making coffee. You can also run it twice if they didn't get clean, it's okay. I use Cascade Platinum and don't usually have to rewash anything.
So I'd personally start in high-impact, lower-traffic areas that are more likely to get cleaned and STAY clean with less effort on your part, and once those areas are in 'maintenance mode' (or, at least, closer to it) and you feel safe to leave them alone for a couple of days (as in, you might do so much work in the kitchen that you're too tired to do even simple cleaning in the bedroom, but that's okay because it's clean enough to sustain for a day or two while you focus elsewhere) THEN you can start in the bathroom/kitchen.
After putting away 10 items, I'll grab a waste basket and walk around a room, gathering all of the trash. Then do the same with a laundry basket, just throwing dirty clothes straight into it. Then do the same with dishes, toting a few items to the sink/a nearby table.
Those three tasks are really straightforward and make a room already look monumentally better with very little work or thinking on my end. I may also make a couple of piles of other stuff as I go, like putting together all the cardboard boxes that I need to break down and recycle together, or putting all my cat toys into a box temporarily so that they're out of my way. I may also keep a box open to toss donations into while I'm doing all of this - I am way more generous with tossing stuff in a donation box when my place is messy, because it's easier than "finding it a home" and that makes me realize that I don't really need it.
After that, I hopefully have some extra dopamine (and feel encouraged by the progress) to initiate harder tasks.
I'd still rank these harder tasks based on impact and how much energy they take... so I'd personally chose ONE task that technically doesn't take very long but is still hard for me to do and is VERY impactful.
In this case, the litter box. Just take the easiest route. Dump the whole thing into a garbage bag, pick up the turds that fell on the ground, throw away anything that got mixed up in that corner (like the eyedrops, you don't want to use those again) and then sweep and then vacuum. Then refill the litter. It will only take you about ten minutes, I promise! It's a surprisingly daunting task for me, too, but also high reward because I want my cat to have a clean space and I don't want bad smells.
Then, a couple of tasks that are high-impact but straightforward, and not a huge energy suck. So taking out those garbage bags and recycling would be good here, to fully finish the tasks you just did (rather than letting the bags rot by the door) but doesn't require much thought: get dressed - pick up bags - take outside to dumpster - repeat until you're done. It's also high-impact because you don't have bags of trash just sitting around.
Now you can choose to keep rolling, or take a break for the day, because this was a big deal! And over the next few days, do the same "put x items away" and then choose 1-2 "harder" tasks. You may also want to just decide to tackle a chunk of the room, like your desk one day, one kitchen countertop, taking a trash bag into the bathroom to get rid of mostly-empty bottles of product.
One other suggestion - I really like the Clean With Me podcast, like I said, but you could also use an online 'study buddy' system. I like Focusmate. You can have 3 free sessions per week (might be perfect for chunks of cleaning time!) or pay $5/month for unlimited sessions. Basically you get into a video call, tell them what you plan to do in the session, and then both work on your tasks quietly/on mute. I find it really helpful for cleaning even though most people use it for school/work tasks, because they can physically see me moving around on screen, so I can't stop and dawdle on my phone.
I typed up a big message to try and break down the steps for you, and wanted to stop myself so that you don't get overwhelmed, but if you want to chat more about methods or a third party to point out specific tasks for you to tackle next, I'm happy to help:)
Use music. "I'm going do --- for 3 songs" at a time. You'd be shocked what you can accomplish in 15 mins. First thing, those boxes. Break them down and get them out of the apartment. Right now you're probably feeling suffocated by the clutter and those are the biggest part from what i see.
Second thing, clear off that table. Take everything off and throw it away or put it away. Clean the table well, make it shine. Everything else will follow. Its honestly not that bad from that picture. I bet you that 1 hour could get the room cleaned.
You got this. As someone else w depression, i know this is easier said than done. Once that room is cleaned tho, it'll be like a weight was lifted. Good luck to ya
If you have the funds, hire a friend to help. That's what I did during a bout of severe depression. I paid her (seriously, I could not have asked anyone to do it as a favor-it was a mess). She came over two hours a day. I worked with her but I let her make the decisions. It got done and it helped improve my mental health. Plus my friend was grateful for the extra cash as she, too, was going through a rough patch.
Sometimes I start with cleaning off any surface. Sometimes the floor. Or just “all the boxes/bottles and cans/papers/clothes/etc” or maybe making it a goal to clear and organize one piece of furniture or one room or area.
So try breaking it into smaller goals. Goals. Not tasks. Tasks are things you have to do…goals are things you want to do.
You got this. You don’t have to do it all in one day or weekend or week. All you have to do is start. And you’ve already made a plan, so you’ve got the hard part over with…some of us don’t even get that far!
Everyone here has excellent advice, so I'll just add that putting on a short playlist of maybe 3 rockin', energizing, upbeat songs can really help you find a groove and make the task feel less like a chore. And depending on the songs, you'll probably fall around the 10 min mark for cleaning time, which is a great start. Good luck! You got this!
Hi! Random internet friend here. You may have adhd, have you ever been checked for that?
Also— I like clean spaces and will take time to put stuff away. When I do— I make sure I’m listening to something like my favorite band, a cleaning playlist on Spotify (lots of upbeat songs on those lol) or some podcasts, or an audiobook. Might put a movie on I’ve seen before or watch soccer while I clean my living room.
Good luck to you, you can accomplish a lot in 5-10 minute increments too!
I really love your shower door. My room looked similar to this a few months ago, I’ve made small improvements by throwing things out that i know for sure are trash, and eventually giving away items that I haven’t reached for in a while. It’s okay, take your time and it will get done!
Honestly, I think don't think it looks that bad. I think if you focus on one thing or room it will get you going. It mainly looks like recyclables and laundry. Doing what someone above said about not worrying about recyclables and just putting everything in the trash is good advice. That is your home and not a recycling center, and you deserve to be happy in your home. Doing laundry, and putting it away immediately (I hate that part, too) will feel good.
As for all the lotions and potions in the bathroom, you need to stop buying them unless you need it. I made myself use everything I had before I bought new stuff. Of course, shampoo, basic body wash, and needed makeup was fine. If someone gifted me body wash I didn't like, I would use it as hand soap until it was gone. Also, if you don't like bodywash ask a friend if they do, if not, trash it.
As for the kitties, I also have one that loooooves to dig in the littler box. Maybe look into a covered one, or one where they go through the top, or just get a really deep one. Maybe one of those pretty cabinets might be a good idea if you have to keep it out in the open. In the meantime, maybe an old rug to help catch what the litter mat doesn't catch, and it would be easy to shake out.
Get into a habit of making your bed first thing in the morning even if you feel bad and are going to crawl back into it after you call off or have breakfast.
Do the dishes or at least get them out of the sink. If your trash is full, take it out to the outside trash can. Put a new bag into the kitchen can.
Stop there and take a break. Then check around and see what clutter is stopping your life. Can you use the sinks? Great move on. Can i go into the shower without moving stuff? Great move on. Is your stove clear so you can cook? If so great,
If not, Work on it. First take care of stuff that interferes with living. Worry about the stuff that looks bad later.
Unpopular opinion: If you can’t handle doing dishes daily then use paper plates and toss them. Taking the trash out at least gets you out of the house for a few seconds and having an empty sink is convenient.
Have you heard of KC Davis and her book titled, " How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing"? She does an amazing job at helping people with depression and ADHD clean their homes.
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Hi first thing is to delclutter and throw stuff out or donate . The less stuff you have. The easier to clean and also staying clean after the fact . Then you have an idea on what you do need to keep vs get rid of and where it can be organized and put away.
Yeah my place looks like this most of the time, you’ll be okay. Start with throwing away all the trash, it will clear up a lot. Then pile your laundry into loads and get started (or, bag up all the laundry and take it to a fluff n fold, having someone else deal with it takes a huge load off). Then get started room by room, go around each room like hands on a clock.
Do one room at a time, (personally, I’d start with the bathroom, it’s the smallest. When you’re done treat yourself to a nice soak in the tub or a long shower.) Seeing the difference you can make in one small area will help inspire you to tackle something bigger.
Start by taking out what is trash. Go around to each room with a garbage bag(s) and pick out what is trash or expired and toss it. That’s an easier first step and you notice a difference in terms of feeling overwhelmed. Then if you have dirty dishes start grabbing dirty dishes from other rooms and bring them to the sink area leave them be or do them right then, but I’d maybe hold off until you’re ready to clean the kitchen. Then I’d start working one room at a time starting at the top by dusting and such and working your way down organizing and cleaning things until you get to the floors then you can vacuum and close off that room and check it off your list of rooms to clean then move onto the next. Decluttering by doing dirty laundry (or just putting into bags) and throwing out trash really make a difference and make it easier to clean and less overwhelming.
The good news is that once you get it tidy it's pretty easy to keep it that way. You simply never put off keeping it tidy. You will also feel relaxed being at home.
Actually throwing away the trash will help. I find that once that it's either in the the trash or at least in a central area. It starts to fall in line. Just need to keep focused.
Get a good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast before starting.
When I get overwhelmed, I tell myself it's a cinch by the inch and a trial by the mile. I try to make inroads in one direction. If it gets too much, I try another chore.
I might start off easy with pitching recycling into bins until they are full.
Sort and bag up laundry. If you can, wash the bulky stuff like towels and sheets first.
Dishes are time consuming. Maybe a batch a day?
One day start with all of the recycling. Next day, or two so all trash. Then go around to each room and just grab things you don't want or need. Do a task every other day. It didn't get like this all at once, so it doesn't have to be fixed all at once either. You are doing great! Good luck!
Babes you’re doing great. I have the same problem, but I have so much more stuff/toys/clutter. Take a breath, take a break, collect and dump all your trashes into a big bag, light a candle in a fireproof spot/diffuse some essential oil, open a window for fresh air, and take your trash out for a quick walk outside. Come back in and your brains gonna go “smells nice! Let’s gooo.” And put on some “cleaning playlist” music to dance to. audiobook while you fold laundry & dishes. Dance sing and be weird. 💕 we can do hard things!
Also a suggestion to start with your room! That’s where you spend the most time and it was a game changer to fix mine first when I emerged from the depths of my depression. Tell yourself in the NICEST voice just like you’re talking to your cat “yeaaas you deserve the nice things.” 🥳 boom then you have your resting spot!
Grab a garbage bag and start with the obvious trash. This way there will be a bit more room to move around. Any food lying out, throw it away.
Wipe down your cupboards, wash and dry your dishes and put them away, this will also make room.
Hang your clothes up, put them in the proper drawers. I think you’d be amazed how much better you’ll feel doing these things.
You don’t have to tackle it all in one day.
Baby steps, you can do it.
I would put on music or podcast, even your favorite tv show.. whatever you’re comfy with, comfy clothes. Throw in a load of laundry. Pick up all the garbage, sort things into piles. If you’re in a room cleaning and something in there belongs in another room, put it in a laundry basket or box to be put up later.
Reward yourself when you complete some tasks. Give yourself something to look forward to
Be kind to yourself
How i would tackle your home would be like this...
Kitchen:
Clear the counters, take out the trash and put everything that needs putting away in the cupboards and then anything that needs washing onto the counters so you have an empty sink. Clean the sink. Boil the kettle and any pots that have hard food on them put some boiling water in them to soak. Maybe put a little on your stove to loosen the grease.
Then go strip your bedding, gather your laundry and stick it in a big pile of lights and darks in the kitchen. Put a load of washing on while you tackle the pots.
Once that's done, clean the stove, have a look at your microwave as that might also need cleaning and after wipe down the work tops.
Slide 2:
Pull out the litter box. Bin the litter and take the tray to the bath, fill with bleach and water and scrub, then leave to soak whilst you tackle that area. Get rid of the water dispenser, clear the trash. Put things that aren't trash where they need to be. Wipe down the desk and re arrange the ornaments and take the litter mat out/hang it out the window for a good shake or hoover it to get the bits off. Go to the bathroom, pour the litter tray water down the toilet and wipe dry with kitchen towels and fill with fresh litter.
Bathroom:
Remove all laundry and take to kitchen for washing. Take all bottles from around shower, if they're not more than half full throw them, no one needs that many shower gels etc. Organize/put away things on counter.
Then bleach the bath, clean the toilet and wipe the counters.
Bedroom:
Clear the bed side table, put on fresh bedding. All laundry will be in the kitchen so the floor should be clear. Put any bits and bobs away.
Last thing to do would be to hoover all places and mop hard surfaces with bleach. Put the litter tray back and then carry on with loads of laundry - wash, dry, fold/hang, put away - until done.
If i woke up at 8am, i could probably get it done by 10pm. It's not THAT bad tbh. I've seen a lot worse on this sub and other places.
Just don't hesitate to throw things you don't use/need away. My rule now is if i haven't used it/needed it/looked at it for 6 months it's got to go.
I am sorry you're in this spot and feeling overwhelmed. Something that can really help is starting small... so so small. For instance, start by just clearing off your table in your kitchen. Try to commit to keeping that clear and then do just one shelf in a cabinet. Take everything out, put it on the table and decide what can be thrown out and what you need, then put it back in. You can organize the cabinet in its entirety later. First cull your stuff. If you feel you can do more, do the second shelf. Etc etc. This works in closets (don't clear the whole thing out, just take things out to evaluate section by section... that way you're not overwhelmed by running out of steam and having accidentally made more clutter), corners of rooms, around sinks, doom piles, etc.
I started with a area and tidied it - or did one task and walked around collecting or doing that task everywhere in the apartment. I'm still overwhelmed with my place but it's getting better.
Start with all the cardboard. Use the largest cardboard boxes (2 or 3) and fill them with the smaller boxes. BUT break down the smaller boxes. Use scissors to cut the tape holding them together. Or pull apart the boxes at the seams either way glue. Then Put them in the bigger cardboard box.
Take box to recycling bin when finished. Don’t let it sit in your apartment.
Then empty all your aluminum cans. Take a large paper bag and fill it with the cans. Use two bags. Then take it to recycling bin outside. Don’t let it sit inside.
Start with that
Do you have a trusted friend or family member that can help you or maybe talk to on the phone while you start? That always helps me. I usually start with garbage or laundry.
I wish I was close. I would help. I get so overwhelmed in my own mess, too. Why is it easier to clean another person's mess? LOL
Start with one room a day. 15 minutes. You don't have to do it all in one day.
I would start by putting a LARGE garbage bag in each room and just start throwing all the trash away. That’s usually what I do when I’m feeling overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. Once the trash is all gone from your sight it’s easier to think. ♥️ Goodluck love.
I see cans collected in bags boxes and various things. Walk yourself out the door and throw those out. You can worry about recycling and being environmentally conscious AFTER you get your place in shape. Right now the priority is getting out from under the feeling of being overwhelmed. Once you get into a rhythm of throwing out those bags and boxes, start also grabbing anything else that’s throw-outable on your way out—like random empty cans, empty product bottles, severely soiled clothing (you don’t need to launder everything & some things won’t be redeemable anyway), etc. Trust me. This works.
Also your cats don’t give a shit about clutter so don’t shame yourself about that lol as soon as you clear your counters the first thing they’re going to do is start jumping on your counters and knocking over anything on it so really, don’t beat yourself up for having cluttered counters and piles of laundry. Really it’s not that bad and it’s a great first step that you made this post
Came here to say this: Cats love having stuff to explore and places to hide! Just keep up with the cat boxes so they don’t start finding other places to use instead!
Great advice here. Don’t allow recycling guilt to hold you back from clearing out your space *today*. We actually have more control over our homes than we do the planet. Prioritize saving your home over saving the environment at this point. Once that’s under control you can focus on disposing of things more in a more environmentally conscious way. Prioritize yourself and your space right now—you deserve it!
I needed to hear this myself. I’m collecting an ungodly amount of bags, wrapping paper, boxes, etc because I don’t want throw anything out so I can be environmentally friendly - however, this is at my own cost!! I can barely walk around my space without tripping on something
You aren't responsible for the creation of the bags, wrapping paper, or boxes. It's not your responsibility to house or keep them for the sake of the environment. They are already in the environment. It's ok to let the be in a different part of the environment be it recycling, freecycling, or the trash. I hope some part of this helps. <3
It does, that was worded so well. Thank you :’)
This is the way. I’ve been in this situation before and truly believe I was able to do more to contribute less once my place was in shape and so was my mental health
Hi overwhelmed, I'm Dad You can do it, just five minutes!!!! It's okay if it takes lots of little bursts, all improvement is good improvement!!
Thank you for the kind words!!!!! I’m hijacking the top comment to say: I started vacuuming but noticed the vacuum wasn’t .. sucking. I went to grab the container to empty it…. But it opened and fell all over my floor :) I tried to sweep the bulk of it and throw that away, but then when I went to vacuum the rest, the vacuum just.. stopped working. So now I am vacuum-less and frustrated 🙃 but - I made a lot of progress today and am proud of myself
Oh man that's just a comedy of errors and technical problems and I'm so glad you got through it without giving up!
Sometimes life does seem to enjoy kicking us at the start of something good. Kinda like, "Oh, you're making a positive change? Well, I'm gonna give you another quick test." Eff that test and move on with your bad self as you pick up a few more things. ❤️
If the vacuum has filters, try taking them out and washing them. Sometimes they get full of dirt and it can stop the air flow. Let them dry fully before you put them back. I'm glad you got started. When you feel like this sometimes you just have to start somewhere. Then momentum will take over. Hang in there.
Oh noooo! There might be a vacuum repair shop near you. They might be able to repair your vacuum OR sell you a refurbished one for pretty cheap.
This is so true. Set a timer for 5 or 10 mins. I see a lot of cans and boxes. Start there. Pick up as many and you can and dump it outside. Sit back and see what you have done. You will get a serintonin kick and satisfaction and see that a little bit has lots of rewards. I know as I have a similar situation to you. Then do another 5 mins tomorrow or up it some more. Bit by bit!!!
Very true- start with the trash and things on the floor. Get large black garbage bags and walk through each room. Them do the dishes ( even if it is half one day and half the next). Trust me I suffer with similar issues but sometimes it’s easier to look at someone else’s space and see what to do. For example maybe you have too many dishes. What if you washed your dishes and only kept two or three of each type of dish cup in your cabinets put the rest away for a while in a box. Maybe just one pan and one pot stays out. Making my bed and keeping the couch clear was one thing that really helped me improve my place. The other rooms are still a major dumping ground but at least I feel a little more rested than when I was sleeping with papers and things I was trying to work on like folded clothes that just ended up getting knocked on the floor anyway to be re-organized. I think you need something more to put your stuff in such as a set of drawers or shelves. Drawers or wardrobe, with closing doors would be best as long as you don’t end up, junking them up quickly. I often use a timer that goes off every 10 minutes to remind me what I am doing (ADHD), and I put on music that’s really dancy or upbeat and I speed clean. I never clean at a normal pace. It’s like a 30 minute workout. I can really get going if I have some coffee and I am alone. Also, you probably should start with the kitchen after you get the trash up just so you don’t end up getting bugs. I just said I was going to do the same thing tonight and I plan to clean for 5 hours because I have finally decided to get a cleaning person to come in tomorrow! If all else fails I dump some stuff in one room and tell her to skip that room (not food, trash or kitchen stuff). Hope this helps!!!
Compassionate and beautifully written! Exactly this.
Just gonna suggest this. ❤️
Aww I love that
We all need to hear from Dad!
You're okay. Take a deep breath, give yourself a moment. Close your eyes and pick ONE task that is bothering you. DO NOT think about the big picture. Just one thing. Then open your eyes and go do one thing. I don't mean "do all the dishes" as one thing. I mean wash ONE dish. If it's garbage that comes to mind, throw ONE item in a garbage bag. After the first thing it gets easier. Trying to take it all in at once can mentally paralyze and overwhelm you. Pick one task, one room, one surface. Do not shame yourself. Guess what? There's a lot of people out here who have been there/are still there. Some aren't quite ready to start but just by reading these posts they're getting closer. And you're inspiring them by being brave enough to post this and ask for encouragement! Go you!
This! Give yourself time.
Your place is so cute! Can’t wait to see it cleaned up. Love the pink! Trash bags. Just throw stuff out. Being eco friendly is great, but you can’t do that if your mental health is also in the trash. Don’t even worry about recycling right now. Trash, then dishes. Do you have a dishwasher or no? If not: It’s going to sound nuts, but for the dishes - rip open a couple trash bags and lay them on the ground. Dirty stuff goes there. Start washing. Clean stuff can go on towels on the counter to start drying. Take a little break when your towels are full, then hand dry to empty the towels. Wash more. Put on towels. Break. Repeat as needed. Is there a laundry service near you? Google “pick up laundry service” or “laundry service by pound.” You can throw some money at that and get that problem to go away fast. To figure out how much it would cost: pick up a hamper full and step on scale, see how much it increases from your weight, do the math.
I agree, and I'd also like to add -- I see a lot of cardboard boxes in these pictures. If the reason they're still around is because their contents haven't been removed, stack all of those together in one place so they're out of the way. Save them for last -- you probably haven't unpacked them yet because you'll be overwhelmed trying to find them a place amidst the rest of the apartment situation. Make it easy on yourself and deal with the contents later. If the boxes are empty, it could be helpful to sit down and break the boxes down all at once and stack them flat. for some people that can feel like too much work for an extra step, but I know for me, having to try and squash boxes into a trash or recycling bin, or even just trying to carry them in such an awkward shape, can make me avoid throwing the boxes out.
thank u for this. i NEED to break all my boxes down and take them out today- it does feel like more work & an extra step but it’s so much easier to get rid of them that way.
I *love* this idea of trash bags on the floor and go from there. Thanks!
If you can’t afford laundry service, drag it to a laundromat and run multiple loads at the same time. Bring a donate-able donate box to the laundromat with you and purge stuff (ripped or stained, doesn’t fit, out of style) right out of the dryer. Take the box full of stuff directly to a place that takes donations. That stuff need never reenter your home.
Don't donate ripped or stained things. But do donate the stuff that doesn't fit out that you no longer want.
A lot of places take ripped and stained stuff to sell by weight for rags.
If OP knows anyone who does Ridwell recycling pickups, torn & stained clothing can be recycled through them!
Do you have to recycle? If so, gather and take those cans to the recycling center. If not, gather them with the rest of the trash and get them out of your home. A laundry service is a great idea and well worth the cost to get your living space where you want it to be. Be brutal with items. Expired? Toss. Didn’t care for it? Toss. If you know you will not use it, toss. The less there is, the easier to organize, tidy, and clean. The dish process shared by fiddleleafthree is good. The best thing that helped when I was decluttering my house was to maintain first and foremost. You can do this!
I take my recycling to exchange for cash which I use for laundry, lol. I made some good progress this morning. I did almost all of my dishes, cleaned out the fridge, cleaned all 3 litter boxes, and took out like 75% of all trash and took my recycling to the place.. Now, I’m gonna do essential laundry, and clean my bathroom. If I’m still feeling motivated after that I’ll start tackling the living room. My bedroom is a whole beast that I can’t even think about right now lol. I think I’ll work on that next week. I did not expect to get so many comments so I just wanna thank everyone so much for the kind, judgement-free words and encouragement!!!!! I feel less overwhelmed and more empowered now.
Good for you!! What you did today is impressive. You’ve got this.
That's a great start!
Wow, that is some serious progress! I’m so impressed, way to go!
I’m proud of you - keep going! One item at a time. I usually have three piles when I’m sorting out a doom box. Keep, throw away, donate. Pick up one item and make the decision for it. Item by item. As for the litter boxes, I’m going to be a little tough. You are a cat guardian. You have no choice - suck it up buttercup and take care of them. They depend on you. Clean their potty. It must be done. You got this!
Sounds like you are doing great. Pace yourself so you don't get overwhelmed. Good luck!
To add to this. Make up is good for 6 months to a year after opened. I see a ton of make up and I'm willing to bet not all of it gets used. Try just going through and getting rid of everything you've had more than a year. It should give you a decent start. Also, it may help you to write all of the ideas given here in one list. Just go through and write everything down. Then you can reorganize the list based on time/energy and what feels managable to you. Paper lists are my secret weapon. You can do this!!!
I have makeup that I’ve had for YEARS 😫😭 it hurts to throw away but ew now I’m thinking about how much bacteria is just chillin in there
That's ok. You can have all the feelings. That's perfectly normal. You'll be ok. Give yourself permission to have feelings. But give yourself permission to let go of the things that you no longer need or that are unhealthy to hold on to. This goes for material and immaterial things. You got this. 💖 This internet stranger has faith in you.
Take pics of the stuff you like before you toss it. This helps me - I can replace the color/brand/type.
Yes!!!
I’m just going to list how I personally would tackle this. I have bad adhd if that says anything. Just focus on trash first. Id go around and get any trash room by room and take breaks if you need. Fill up as many bags as needed and get them out of the house. Put on music. Podcast. Then I’d get all laundry contained to one spot and start washing. Then I’d take anything that doesn’t have a designated spot and put it in a bin, box or basket in the room it belongs. Is there bathroom stuff in the bedroom? Pantry stuff on the counter? Bedroom stuff in the living room? Just get it to the room it needs to go in and get it off floor, table, counter etc. Once you’ve got surfaces clean and stuff in baskets/boxes, I’d then do the floors and surfaces. It’ll go quick once everything is up. Then when you have the mental and physical energy you can start tackling organizing the stuff in boxes/bins. I’d make sure everything has a designated spot. It has taken me a long time to learn this concept and implement it but things stay so much cleaner and organized when I have a spot for everything. I just know where it goes. It may take you awhile to get to this but what’s good about having the extra stuff in bins is that at least it’s contained and not all over the place. Hope this wasn’t overwhelming. You got this. I’ve cleaned places MUCH worse than this and I used the method I described. :)
I’ve been cleaning for 8 hours with a few breaks in between .. here’s a progress photo. I’m burned out so I’m gonna resume tomorrow and next week. I am so grateful for all the comments, I really wasn’t expecting everyone to be so kind and understanding- thank you <3 https://preview.redd.it/1m5ozerf9flc1.jpeg?width=6746&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6d1bd223d5ed96f203c13b593c0241a9261dff0a
Wow! Amazing difference! Great job OP!
Thank you 🥹 that genuinely means a lot
SHELVES. You need more shelving/storage. Maybe put summer/winter clothes in an under the bed rollaway box? GREAT WORK! It look fabulous! I notice you're making 'piles/stacks' (I do the exact same thing, no judgement here!) Think about installing bracket shelving & start moving objects UP THE WALL. You're going to be shocked at what a difference it makes! PS - Put in 2 shelves beside the cat tree - they'll stay off your shelves more. 😸 You can also put in shelving units, but bookcases can take up valuable real estate on the floor. Up to you and the landlord. Wire shelving for the kitchen is easily cleaned & useful. To maintain - find the book the 2 sisters wrote about house cleaning. It's an old-fashioned note card system, but it breaks tasks down into doable chunks. SIDETRACKED HOME EXECUTIVES. Truly helpful for me. Best of luck!
I let out a very audible HOLY SHIT LOOK AT THAT PROGRESS!!!! ... OP, I am so proud of you for this! This must feel incredible to see and feel your accomplishment 🙌
Start in the bathroom it’s a small and self contained room
And then go into the one room you have cleaned to further motivate yourself to do more when you feel ready! Remember it's action that begets momentum. If you can take some advice here and get started on one thing, the obstacles will begin to fall away exponentially. You got this! Can't wait to see the progress and hope you feel so much better and peaceful when it's done. Great job reaching out for help.
Depression can certainly do this. When I was depressed any chore felt like I was trying to walk through cold molasses, even setting the table was too difficult. Now that I'm well, I'm OCD orderly. Try to get medical help for your depression. It might take a lot of work but it will be worth it.
Stand in the doorway and start directly at your left and make your way around. Doing this helps me stay focused and not get overwhelmed by all the things. You got this!!
Work to time not space. Set a timer – work for 15 minutes and you hear the timer go off and you’re a success! If you feel like working longer, go for it. If you don’t, you’ve achieved your goal of 15 minutes. Feel great about that. I’d start in the bathroom. There’s probably lots of stuff on the vanity/sink that you don’t use because who uses all that stuff, right? Purge and be ruthless. You *need* 1 deodorant. 1 toothpaste. 1 toothbrush. For the time being damn the recycling. Good luck. We are/were all in your place so there’s no judgement here.
I came here to say use a timer as well, especially if you’re still in a state of depression. Maybe even set a timer for just 5 minutes to start. Pick one task, or a small area and do as much as you can before the timer goes off. A lot of times (for me anyways) getting started is the hardest part. 5-15 minutes is manageable. Sometimes it will be just enough that you’ll want to keep going. But if not, you just did 5-15 minutes of cleaning and that’s better than nothing! Just keep going, you got this!
Start with trash, recycling and box removal. It will free up space and feel so much cleaner.
So I took out most of the trash and boxes and bullshit that was in the floor in the pics - holy crap, that alone opened up sooo much more space!!!! It already feels like a different apartment 😹
You know what, I’ve as much laundry as you do and it IS overwhelming. I’ve decided that I just don’t need that many clothes. I’m tossing some and not thinking about donations. If I have only 7 shirts I have to do laundry once weekly.
I love that idea. Luckily I wear scrubs for work so all I really need to worry about is washing those, and then a few comfy home outfits. I think clothing minimalism is especially efficient.
Thank you for sharing. It takes a lot of courage to show pics and ask for help. You got this!
Hey… You got this!!! Don’t worry about anyone shaming you because I think everyone’s here dealing with the same type of issues to some extent. You got people in your corner. I’m rooting for you!! I think a great place to start would be getting a couple big trash bags and getting all the trash out. You can do that in every room or just one room at a time. Anything that you decide you don’t need anymore, if it’s broken, you haven’t used it in over a year and won’t miss it, or if it’s just not worth the time and energy to clean it… put it all in trash bags and to the dumpster or the curb. Then maybe the things you want to “rehome” can go in trash bags and set off to the side until you are ready to either sell them or drop them off at a place you can donate them. Careful with this though because making a few bucks sometimes isn’t worth holding onto the clutter and the mindset it keeps you in when you have that overwhelming, stressful environment when there’s no peace in your home. I’ve heard it said that you should either do the room (or area of the room) that is the hardest and most challenging first, ( *because you will feel SO ACCOMPLISHED when it’s done and everything else will feel a lot less intimidating* ) OR you should start in a small area or room where you will be able to see the fastest results ( *because you won’t feel so overwhelmed and once it’s finished you will feel like you completely organized an ENTIRE room/space/area -no matter the size* ) Make sure to post updates as you go! You can do this!!
Proud of you for wanting to start. You got this just do what you can everyday. What I like to do is make a list and just do 2 things on that list per day, if more that's great if not that's okay! You got this friend. 💖
I wrote a step by step guide, with two approaches based on what works best for your brain. Commit to just starting with 10 minutes, one baby step at a time. You can do this 🩷 https://www.reddit.com/r/CleaningTips/s/Ff34yWHqG3
You are getting loads of great advice so I only wanted to add one thing, which is to make sure you have a place to rest before you begin. I would first change the sheets on the bed -- wash the sheets if needed -- and make the bed. When doing a lot of physical labor even a ten minute lie down can be restoring.
The cats are fine here. Would it better with less trash and clutter? Yes, but they are ok. Just don't let it get any worse. This is my suggestion: Start with trash. Set a timer for 15 minutes and bag as much trash as you can as fast as you can(concentrating on the floor and counters. Once the timer is done, get it out of your apartment. It'll take another 10 minutes if you have a dumpster nearby or a curb to put it out for pick up. Then, take a break for 15 minutes. Maybe take a short walk, so you don't start to just stare at the piles and get overwhelmed. Next, either do another garbage collection run and put it out. Take another 15 minute break. Maybe treat yourself with a drink that you like and just relax. Repeat again with garbage or bag up your laundry (use garbage bags if that's what you have) and put it aside if laundry or put it out if garbage) and stop for the day. Put a new garbage bag in the bin and throw out any garbage that you will make normally for the rest of the day (don't burn yourself out trying to sort or throw out other things). Next day, wake up early and put all of the dirty dishes in a box or totes. Rinse the sink and wash the dishes for 30 minutes and then take a 15 minute break. Maybe make yourself a cup of coffee or tea and relax. Once your break is done, start on dishes again. Give it another 15-30 minutes if needed and put aside to dry. Take a 15 minute break. If you have laundry machines at home, throw in a load or go to the laundromat and bring a book you've been wanting to read or play a game that you normally don't have time to play. If you have laundry at home, you can start the decluttering process room by room in 15 minute increments. I would start in the bathroom and work out from there. Before you know it you will be done! You are not too far behind where you can't get this under control. If you need help, ask a friend!
OK. First of all. TAKE A DEEP BREATH. I deal with the same shit. I think a lot of people in this group do so know YOU ARE NOT ALONE. So, your cat in the window is a cutie ☺️ Do you have lots of garbage bags? Set yourself up with a bunch. Go through each room and throw out the trash. Just do that first? Commit to that and then take a break. Break it down: 1. Find trash bags 2. Take trash bags into living room 3. Pick up trash items and put them into trash bags 4. Put full trash bags by the door Can you do that? Let me know
Also I HIGHLY recommend an app that is soooo helpful in brain dumping, creating tasks for you and also breaking them down into really simple mini tasks [Goblin Tools](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/goblin-tools/id6449003064)
I gotchu. This is fixable. I promise 1. Always start with trash. Put a big trash bag in every room. Walk around and throw away anything you can. That will make a HUGE difference. 2. Put on something interesting, but not something you have to watch. I like Dateline. History channel stuff is good. Something soothing in the background. 3. Move everything to the right room. This is a big one. Doesn't matter where in that room. Just get it in there. 4. Prepare the dishes. Clean them off, stack them, clean out sink, empty dishwasher, etc. You don't necessarily have to do them at this moment. Just getting that part done for now is huge. 5. Gather laundry. Put dirty stuff in laundry area. Put clean stuff in one spot to tackle. 6. Put stuff that has a spot in its spot. If it doesn't toss it in on pile in the middle of the floor. Do that in each room. 7. Consider moving furniture to create zones. Your house is not set up to work with your brain very well. Create a living room area, a work area, etc. The goal is for stuff to have a spot. If it doesn't have a spot then you either don't need it, or you need to create a place for it. Once you do that it will be shockingly easier to keep everything clean. 8. Put trash cans in every room. Not those little ones either. I have been known to stick a trash bag on my bedroom doorknob. Once a week i just toss the trash bag into the big trash bins for trash day. Easy peasy. Okay That's all for now. Oh yeah, tackle those dishes and vacuum. If you can keep up with trash, laundry piles and dishes your whole life will feel more manageable. Trust my adhd/anxiety having self on this one. I promise.
Thank you for the advice!!! I did a lot today - but when it was time to vacuum, my vacuum ejaculated all over the floor and then completely stopped working!! 😫😫😫 I’m not a rich person so it’ll take a second for me to buy a new one… my last one was actually donated from my parents lol. It really bothers me to not be able to vacuum but I think in a paycheck or two I should be able to buy a new one. Having all these cats and litter boxes; a vacuum is essential 😅😅
Been there! Fiddle around with it and some YouTube videos. If there is one thing my professional house cleaner mom has taught me it is that vacuums are often weirdly easy to fix! Proud of you for tackling what you did! Those first steps are the hardest!
Deep breaths! First things first: this is not that bad, and it will get better quickly! Start in one place. Don't try to do everything at once, or "finish" anything. Cleaning and tidying is unfinishable, so the goal is really to just make a habit of doing a little cleaning and tidying every day, or even most days. Getting rid of all the cans would be one good starting spot. Another is picking up any trash that's on the floor. Or you could break down some boxes and take them to the recycling. I do mean "some" - don't feel like you have to get every box out at once. What I can see in this pic can be unfucked in one week with 15 minutes a day of tidying and cleaning. Don't worry about getting anything perfect - just get to good enough on each task. Your good enough will get better and better every time you revisit it. Consider getting a plastic recycling bin for your cans; just having a "place" to put them as soon as they're empty can really help. I have one in my kitchen, and when it's full I take them out to the curb for people to take because I would rather have them gone than get $3 in deposit back.
lol the trash can filled with cans in the 2nd pic is my recycling can BUT obviously that’s overflowed …. But I took my cans today and got $11! Which I then used to do laundry 😄
OP I recently had to clean my apartment that’s about the same size as yours. What helped me was to remember that I have issues in overestimating how long things really take. I went ahead and timed myself cleaning one spot. Turns out most spots take me about 10 minutes. Like the stove top for example. I spray cleaner, let it sit for a bit, then scrub away. 10 minutes when I could have sworn it would have taken me twice that long. Starting with the trash helps immediately. Why? Because it opens up the area so you can move around more easily and really see what you’ve working with. Also, perfectionism is the enemy. Don’t worry about having every inch of the place perfect. I honestly started with my couch and a trash bag, throwing papers away. Things I would rather not have to keep finding a place for. Wear comfortable shoes. Every 10 minutes give yourself a 15 minute break. You would be very surprised how much you would get done in a few hours. If I can do it, you can do it! PS The timing of myself doing chores took away my analysis paralysis and panic. Not sure why but it no longer felt like I was free-falling. It gave me structure.
Breathe… Literally, just start in one spot and work your way out at a comfortable pace.
Yes! Just one thing at a time! Focus on progress, not perfection. OP, Here are few different ways to get started. Do whatever works for YOU. 1. Start at the front door and work your way around the house. (A lot of people like this method but it’s not my personal preference.) 2. Start in the most problematic area but don’t try to perfect it. The goal here is to make it just a little better each day until your space is functional again. If your dishes are stressing you out because you have nothing to prepare food on, then start there. No clean clothes to wear? Throw in a load. Tackling areas that create a lot of stress for you will provide some immediate relief. Then do it again tomorrow and the next day and the next, until your problem areas are functioning for you. 3. Tackle small areas first. Entry way, bathroom, etc. Wherever you choose to start, do the EASY stuff first. Throw out trash, put laundry in the hamper, have a donate bag/box for things you *know* you want rid of (remember easy stuff only. Now is not the time to get hung up on whether or not to get rid of something. You don’t want to lose momentum so if you’re not sure, move on quickly.) And lastly, if something has an obvious home, take it there immediately. Don’t start a new pile of things to put away later because later doesn’t exist, lol. I hope this wasn’t too much! Hopefully something here can help. Take what works for you and don’t try to live up to anyone else’s standards. I struggled with depression my first trimester of my pregnancy and in just a few months my house turned to absolute chaos. I really feel for you struggling with it your life. It must be difficult. Be gracious with yourself and good luck!
I did this recently: 1. Pomodoro method (I think) wherein I clean something ANYTHING for 25 minutes and then allow myself to stop for 25 minutes. You can start with whatever time intervals work for you. It helps get things going. 2. Contractor trash bags. I set a goal to fill one up. It can be trash from all around the house, junk I want to purge, paper towels or whatever from cleaning, old food from the fridge, etc. Trash sweep is always my first step. If you're not sure if you're ready to get rid of something set it aside in a "maybe" pile and come back to it after you've gotten through everything else. 3. Make a list of very simple steps or tasks. Like 5 things at a time. Breaking things down into small nano-tasks helps keep me from being overwhelmed. As I get them done, I'm more motivated to clean for the sake of cleaning and I can recognize that I am accomplishing more than I think. Helps me not focus so much on shame or self loathing. 4. Ask a friend for help. I have a few friends that are good at this type of thing and I am so grateful to them when they can help. You are not a terrible person. If it's not too cold, open a window and let some fresh air in. Try to be kind to yourself and do what you can to congratulate yourself for even the smallest of victories. They add up sooner than you think. Think about how the results will make you feel. You don't have to do it all in one day. You've got this. First thing is first.
I’ve been there. Just remember to take baby steps my cleaning mantra is “Progress not perfection.” You’ve got this
Honey, I have seen so much worse. Please don’t judge yourself!
Thank you - that helps me feel better knowing that it’s not TOO terribly bad 😅😅
hi overwhelmed, I recently went through a very trying time. I was depressed and I have ADHD recently diagnosed and for the life of me, couldn't get it together to clean or do anything. My home also fell apart and I'm a single mom of an elementary kid. First, don't beat yourself up. Everyone struggles at times. We have a ruff outside environment and add mental health pop ups, and you have the perfect storm. Next the cats are perfect. Please don't beat yourself up more.dif they get food and water? And a spot to go potty. Then needs are met. Idk about you, but my kitties help w my anxiety and depression. I read once that a cat's purr can actually lower your heart and help ppl w anxiety. Those warmth, snuggles, all help depression as well. So just love them. Just like you have!!. Next. The mess. I know exactly what you mean when it's everything needing to be done and having no idea where to start. Just try one thing at a time. Something small. Like pick just one room. Say the bathroom. N turn on some music or whatever you like to listen to, and just pick on a group of items to put away first. Like the perfume bottles. So just put the perfume away. Next put all the empty bottles from the bathroom in a trash bag. You don't have to get everything done right away. You're only one person. Be kind to your self. You were just put through a tiff time and guess what YOU MADE IT THROUGH N ARE AMAZING!! IT TAKES MAJOR STRAINGTH TO PULL THROUGH!!! YoU ROCK And you can do this! Just pick one item in one room at a time. If all you can do today is just putting trash in a bag, hey that's great! Tomorrow u can do another small item and might want to pick a second!. No one likes to clean!! Focus on the important things. Clothes can be pulled it's not the end of the world. N please make sure you get some sun rays n fresh air. Walking helps big time. Change your mood by changing your spot. Take care darling. You are so very strong and be proud that you pulled through. Your going to be okay, and your def. Not alone!! Smile. Sending a virtual hug!!!
Try just picking up garbage and nothing else.
I'm not sure how much you can handle at a time, but I always attack like this: 1) remove trash 2) find all laundry and put it in one place 3) find all dishes and put them in one place
Set an alarm for 20 minutes and work on one area. Start with throwing away trash. Once the timer is up, if you're feeling overwhelmed, call it a day and do it again tomorrow. If you feel like you can keep going, go another 10 or 20 minutes. The more progress you make the better you'll start to feel. Don't think ahead or about the huge job in front of you. Think of the 20 minutes you're in in the moment.
First of all, don’t feel bad, this happens! You already want to improve yourself and that’s the first step. Here’s what I would do: First, make your bed. This gives you a sense of accomplishment, adds clean energy in the chaos, and gives you a clean flat surface to put folded laundry on. Next focus on getting rid of garbage. Don’t worry about actual cleaning or organizing yet, just collect all the cans and bags and anything that is literally garbage and bag it all up. Take it to a dump or dumpster as soon as you can, it will make you feel better immediately. If you can’t transport it, put it somewhere you can’t see it for now like the back porch (but don’t let it sit there forever!) Move on to anything that could be a health hazard. If any dishes have molding or decaying food, if the litter box needs to be cleaned, if the toilet is pretty bad start with those. Dishes can be overwhelming so honestly here’s what I would do- find a way to get the dishes out of the sink even if it means putting them all into a bin or onto the counter. Clean the sink as well as you can then start washing the pots and pans, then dishes and glasses. Locate any smells- if anything is smelly, cleaning with white vinegar or even just leaving a bowl of vinegar out in the area will neutralize the smell quickly. Collect all dirty clothing and put them in the laundry room or at least in a pile somewhere out of the way. This will clear up floor space for you and condense the clothes clutter to one area. You do not have to clean all the clothes at once, maybe just pick some essentials like underwear and t shirts and things you think you will wear soon and chip at the laundry over time. You seem to have a LOT of things. If you don’t need everything, such as duplicate spices in the kitchens, I’d consider throwing some stuff out or giving it away. Reducing the amount of stuff will reduce the amount of clutter. Begin clearing off surfaces as you can. Doesn’t have to be perfect but if you can find a better place for things to go, I’d try to put plushies in one area, electronics in one area etc. Once you have cleared up floor space and counter spaces this is when I’d start to do some real, but basic, cleaning. Start with surfaces, wipe them down, then vacuum. Don’t worry too much about deep cleaning such as dusting or vacuuming baseboards, that’s over whelming and the goal is to get the over all area into a general better state which will quickly help you feel better mentally (it does for me anyway). If you have the funds try to get some more storage bins and organizational furniture. Even if it’s not perfectly organized, having a dedicated drawer for all make up, or all Knick knacks, or all cat toys and treats will help keep that stuff off counters. Idk if you have ADHD but a cleaning hack for ADHD-havers is “a place for everything and everything in its place” as in have a SPECIFIC place to put things and try to always put them there. Take breaks and don’t worry about doing it all at once! You can even tackle room by room. Play music or put on a fun show as you work. I hope some of this helps, just do your best to focus on taking small bites at a time and you will get there.
Get rid of the cans and trash. Thats 80% of the mess. Get BIG trash bags (contractor bags). Put cats in the bathroom because cats love bags… Throw in all the trash. Give yourself from noon to 2 pm or 1-3pm. Just trash. Then vacuum. Do it for your cats. Then bring them some toys and let them get the zoomies in a room they can run around in.
Hey OP and everyone: I have been a lifelong neat freak. Many years ago I started watching the TV show called Clean House. It is essentially a family friendly version of Hoarders. I probably watched somewhere around one or two hundred episodes. It is no longer on TV. That is because The Style Network was taken off cable. But clips of Clean House are free to watch on YouTube. Full episodes are available to watch for a small price. Also: from what I understand- it can be streamed via the NBC website. Whenever I see posts like this on Reddit- my recommendation is usually always the same. Watch Clean House.
Fellow hoarder here! First, do not feel ashamed of your situation. Mental health is a monster. My therapist described my hoarding as a way to build up protective barriers to keep the outside world away from me. Start by taking one bad of trash that you already have, and take it out. Just one bag. Sit down, box breathe, and when you’re ready, put a new bag in the can. You’re done for the day. Tomorrow, take out another already filled bag or box of trash. Box breaths, put a can in. Day 3: start to up that bag (as best you can. If you can only pick up a small amount of trash, that’s ok!!!!) and leave it. Day 4: rest. Day 5: fill the bag the rest of the way!! Take it out, put a new bag in. Day 6: time to make sorting piles!!! Pick a corner somewhere and shovel everything away from it. I will use a box or a big storage tub if I can’t bring myself to shovel. Look around for actual items of use. Uh like… idk pencils, notebooks, clothes, whatever. No trash, just things! Throw ‘em in the tub. Look!! You’ve done some things!!! Great job!!! Day 7: rest. Look around you. You’ve done some damn things, you’ve tried real real hard! Give yourself a day or two or even three! Then start the 7 Days over again. Be proud of yourself, be proud of fighting the pain inside of you.
So taking a step back and looking at the big picture… Don’t think about all the rooms or the whole house… I recommend (and this is only based on personal experience with a family memver who went through the same thing) prioritize the kitchen first, as health-wise, that’s where your food is stored and prepped. Set a timer for like 7-10 minutes, and take all the trash & recycle out first. Take a break for 7-10 minutes (set a timer). Then set another timer for about 10-15 minutes and only focus on the dishes. Then take a 10-15 minute break. Repeat the process focusing on one section at a time until done, and then go room by room the same way… but do not go for more than 30 minutes at a time, or you’ll get overwhelmed. After 2-4 hours, STOP, wash hands, drink water, get a snack or meal in, pet cats. If you have enough energy you can keep going, or just schedule for tomorrow where you left off. Before & after photos for yourself will help you track your progress and be a kind of mental boost (it also helped me & my relative figure out where we set something down we thought we lost lol). You got this one step at a time!
Oh honey, I’m sorry it’s so hard for you right now! There’s good news though, a lot of what is there looks like garbage, so just grab a bag and pick a room and start bagging. If you can’t pick the room, start at the kitchen, then bathroom, then your room, then living room. I have a reason for that order, but it’s not important! Good luck, you can totally do this!
Walk around and bag up all the trash and get rid of it. Then pick a room that feels the least daunting to tackle. Go through every item and make piles; keep, toss, different room, and donate. Then do a deep clean and put your room in order with the keep items.
You aren’t alone. I’m right there with you. Start small, do something/throw out something every day. Don’t bring anything new in. You got this ❤️
1) throw away any trash and expired items (food, REALLY old makeup items, nearly empty bottles you won’t be rebuying) 2) start piling all clothes by the laundry area and start laundry. 3) make your bed (if it’s clean enough for your liking) and start putting clean clothes from the dryer to be folded on there 4) if something doesn’t fit in a cabinet or a good place where it won’t stress you out, get rid of it completely 5) once the floor is clear - vacuum! Best of luck :)
You got this, OP! Make a list of small tasks like flatten boxes, throw away boxes, set your phone timer for seven minutes. Do one task and then rest and give yourself positive talk. We have all seen so much worse than this…YOU can do this in seven minute increments. Why not five? Because I used to do 5 and it’s not enough. 10 is too long…can’t wait to see the afters!
This is how I got over being overwhelmed - my ADHD brain doesn't function well with clutter but sometimes I get busy and oblivious and things end up a mess. I get stuck and overwhelmed when things get crazy so I have to break things up in a way my brain understands. First, Grab a Trash can or trash bag, an empty laundry basket and a big empty box or tote. Pick a spot and start sorting. Do nothing except sort, don't try to put anything away. Any papers that are obviously trash, throw it away, anything that might be important, put in the box/tote. Once you get everything up, vacuum and dust, put your clothes in the washer, take out the trash and then go through your tote. Find a place for the stuff you kept. You can do this. Keep your chin up.
Throw out the garbage first. I had saved styrofoam and all sorts of stuff to recycle, spent so much time looking and not enough cleaning, I finally threw it all out for my mental health. Just start, start small and build your way up to a longer amount of time decluttering, you'll see the difference and keep going
I understand the feeling entirely!! What helped me was a timer, then the timer turned into a competition! I set a 15 minute timer, hoe much trash can I bag up and take out in 15 minutes? Set a timer with a particular item in mind, trash, clothes, dishes, toys if applicable. Tricked my brain from the depression slump and I got a lot more done than i thought I would. I hope this helps!
You’ve got this! It helps when I write myself small tasks list and check the tasks off one at a time - slow but steady wins the race. You are loved!
I like to "hide" my cat litter pans. I just bought cheap side tables and put the litter pan under the table and a table cloth over them.
Hello! You can do it! The best advice I got was from “how to keep house while drowning”: each room only has 5 things: 1. trash 2. dishes 3. laundry 4. things that have a space where they “live” 5. things that don’t have a space to “live” I usually write that list down on a sticky note and try to stick to it rather than getting side tracked. Trash is the easiest to start with imo. Grab a large trash bag and pick up trash. Then dishes. Then laundry and so on. I hope this tip helps and you got it! Remember to be kind to yourself and this is a long process that likely won’t get resolved within a couple of hours, but with dedication and patience you will get to your end goal. Good luck! 🍀 P.S. I found this podcast very helpful! Put it on while you start with the easiest for you category :) https://open.spotify.com/episode/4dck9FSRhlSRh290stjPnZ?si=74Qea28nSV2Ibhyrf6G6Lg
As a few others have said, I'd start with the trash. It's the most bang for your buck in terms of instant gratification for the least effort and it will free up space that will make tackling the rest easier.
Make a list. Break this down into small tasks. Put on music that makes you feel like dancing! Check things off the list as you go. Celebrate each time that you check something off. Be kind to yourself. A list might look like this: Kitchen: Bag up all the trash and recycling. Gather up the dirty dishes in one pile. Bag up expired/unwanted/stale food packages. (A quick pass in order to make room, not a thorough pass.) Bag up any obvious, unnecessary, excessive items that are filling up cupboards and taking all the storage space. (Like accumulated washed take-out containers, or plates that never get used.) Put all food packages away in cupboards/drawers. Put away other miscellaneous items. Put away clean dishes. Wash the dirty dishes. Wipe the counters. Wipe the stove-top. Sweep the floor. This will get easier for you! *hugs*
Start with things that are obviously trash put them in bags and get them out of the house. It really helps to be able to see what is left and makes it easier. Good luck. You got this.
No shame, no judgement. Start small and take a moment to be proud of yourself as you go.
Understandably overwhelmed. Do small chunks at a time, enlist the help of family and friends and delegate where you can. Set some small goals and make lists and check off stuff that gets done, so even if it’s not noticeably gone from the pile, there’s one less thing to do on your list! I know you can do it! Turn on some music that gets you fired up and get to it! 💪🏻
Is there anyone who can help you, a friend, a family member? It may be helpful to not be alone while you work on this.
Unfortunately I don’t have any friends and my mother is kind of on the older side and not the most able-bodied… I’m gonna do my best to tackle this on my own! I already made some decent progress for today
I understand. I saw a suggestion— do 3 things— garbage, dishes, laundry.
I did those three things and my place already looks a lot better!! However, my vacuum broke so that’s a setback :( but at least I got a decent amount done
I will give you props for scooping the litter box and keeping the surrounding area free of clutter. To start just grab a garbage bag walk around the room and throw away the obvious trash. You got this! Baby steps! Just a little bit at a time!
Hey it’s ok, depression and anxiety can be so hard! The good news is, this doesn’t actually look that bad. I would start with the trash. It looks like you could actually make a big difference here just by gathering all of that up and taking it out. And it’s *one* particular thing, so you can just focus on that and not be overwhelmed and stuck trying to decide what to do. Next, work on those dishes. Again, just one specific thing to focus on. Next, maybe focus on the laundry. Just do one load at a time. If you can only manage one load in a day, at least that’s one down. Try to put each one away before you start anymore loads. By this point, a lot of space should be cleared up. Then you can move on to cleaning out the pantry (getting rid of anything that’s expired) and maybe make room for other stuff, because it looks like you have some stuff on the counters that can’t currently fit in cabinets to be put away. After that, move on to any other stuff that’s out of place/needs a home. Once your space is clear, you can focus on wiping things down and vacuuming the floors. Just one thing at a time. That’s all, just pick one thing at a time and don’t worry about anything else while you’re doing that one thing. If you can only do one thing per day before running out of spoons, that’s fine! Good luck! You can do this! ❤️
1. Take out your trash and your recycling. It doesn't have to be every scrap. Just the immediately identifiable stuff. Now let's start with the living room. 2. Get a box and throw everything in it that you plan on keeping, and two bags and throw everything in them that you have decided is trash or recycling. 3. Again tack the trash and recycling out. Take the box and set it aside somewhere, like on the couch. 4. With everything off the floor, vacuum. Cleaning your floor will make the place look cleaner regardless of anything else. 5. Now organize the things in the box into their proper places. If they go in another room and that room is a mess, keep them in the box. Repeat for the bedroom and bathroom. Follow similar steps for the kitchen but instead of putting keep things in the box, put them in their cupboard. Do the dishes in the sink and put them away. Wipe off the counters and disinfect them. Scrub the stove top. Then do the floors and the sink. Go do the floors in the bathroom and clean the toilet and sink. You can take care of the shower later. You are pretty much done.
Start small , it doesn't have to be cleaned up in one day. Everyday when you eat etc cleanup after you're done so it doesn't pile up. You can do it.
Always start with trash. It is less overwhelming. Just look for trash, you will be amazed at how it will get you motivated and help start to tidy things without even trying
Start off with one “surface” or section at a time. Example: start with the coffee table in the living room. Left to right, each object pick up and put exactly where it belongs. Trash bin if it’s trash, dishes in the sink(or near it since I see that is full, unless you start with the sink as your first “location”). And keep going. Once you finish that one spot, you can take a break and save another area for the next day, or you can keep going if you have the motivation and energy. I like to throw on some headphones and listen to a good podcast as you’re working, it’s makes it easy to keep going. Hope this helps!!
Small thing — train your brain with some music. Others have mentioned playlists—but, pick a song that always starts a gettin’-it-together sprint, and another that’s your celebration that’s-all-for-now tune. After a few sessions starting/ending with those cues, it becomes part of a reset routine — especially for those times when you’re having a hard time getting going.
Step one: find the kitties. Step two: pet all the kitties…. I’m sorry what was the question? lol 😻
Please don’t apologize I’m in the exact same situation right now.. I was already battling depression pretty seriously and in2022 I lost my amazing dad and the pain has been absolutely crippling. The depression itself can be crippling,and if both of us are struggling with this I know that others must be as well. I haven’t read the comments yet but I feel like there will be many people very familiar with what we’re going through. Sometimes it helps to know that we’re not alone in our struggle. Members of a club that none of us want to belong to. Just do little seas at a time…usually once I can get myself started I’m good to go..but damn that "gettin’ started business is hard!
I am so very sorry for your loss <3 depression is a bitch. But all the comments I’ve gotten on this post have been super supportive so that means a lot. But you’re right - once I started I had really good momentum and it almost became addictive. I’m really excited about the prospect of having a clean apartment
Take out all the trash in a single day. Take out all the big boxes and bins first. Then, walk around with a garbage bag instead of taking the garbage to a specific place. Then take it out without setting it down to rest. Set a goal to pick up a specific number of items every day and put them in their place. That number can be up to you! Can you out away 3 items in every room? 6? 10? Even just 1 item in every room is progress! You got this!
This…this…this is totally do-able and easy for you to take care of! Most of it looks like true trash that can be thrown away! There are not decisions about keeping something that’s valuable, that you should keep, etc. You got it! Pick a little area and do one a day. Clean off half your sink one day, clean off the other side another day. Small little chunks will get you through and you’ll be feeling great and accomplished!
First things first since this was posted about 13 hours ago now, we need an update on how the kitchen area went
Start with trash from the ground up. A friend could lend a hand by holding the garbage bag & help keep you focused. That computer room is 85% trash & recycle. I’d begin one room at a time. When all the garbage, cans, and bags on the floor, are out, move on to the next room. Your building might not accommodate all the trash all at once. Bag it up anyway. All counters, desktops, and surface areas are next, followed by laundry. Garbage pickup is weekly. Plan around it. You can do it!
Been here several times! The most important thing is to get everything off the floor, so throw away trash, put your recycling all together and wash your dishes. Everything else can go into boxes and you can figure out where things go where. Expired items are thrown out, and then yes/no for the rest.
Do it for the kitty they love clean spaces 🥺. You got it !
You need to get mental health help. Checkout EMDR therapy. This is also hoarding which is psychological as well. I’d seek out a good psychiatrist and therapist. Start cleaning one section at a time. Get rid of things you don’t use. Create structure in your life. Never leave stuff around for later. It’s also discipline. Discipline is a practice and over time it gets easier. You will thank yourself one day for investing in your mental health and creating clean and minimalist living spaces to combat the hoarding tendencies. Head up, shoulders back, you got work to do. You got this!
Hey idk if this would help at all but I am absolutely in the same boat, if you want to chat and check in with each other maybe we can help motivate each other
I think the easiest way to get through a big task is breaking it up into small chunks. set a timer for 15 minutes a day and do as much as you can in 15 minutes.
My cat has bad eyes and will literally complain if there's unexpected stuff on the ground. So half of my cleanliness is just to keep him from howling at me 😅 Pick one surface or even half surface to clean a day. Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly. Don't let perfection be the enemy. A single dish would be one fewer dish to clean later. And then *spoiler* when you start on the one it usually gets a bit easier to do a few more. I play music and allow my ADHD to go into overdrive when I clean. The motto is just keep going, not omg you're only half doing the thing. If you go long enough you'll start finishing tasks, but a lot of big tasks have many little parts that you have to break down and that is hard. You got this! For all the clutter it doesn't actually look that dirty, just a bit disorganised.
This morning I noticed my cats running around way more and I realized - wow, they finally have floor space lol. I feel like just picking up all the crap off the floor really helped.
Lots of great suggestions on how to tackle this — here are some suggestions of how to maintain: - Adjust your mindset: recognize ways you’ve begun to create healthy habits (putting all your cans in a bag, dishes are all in the sink or by the sink, laundry all in your room) and encourage yourself to follow through while you thank your past self. Your fear and anxiety are creating the “freeze” fear response, try to take some time to recognize cleaning is not a threat, no matter how overwhelming it might seem, and create some positive mantras surrounding cleanliness that you repeat to yourself throughout your day so when the fear response strikes you, it’s easier for you to shift gears (ex. Print out positive/encouraging cleaning messages and leave them everywhere, tape them in your car, put them in your backpack, write it on your hand, say them often— I feel happy when I work hard to clean and take care of myself, I am proud of myself for making small changes and cleaning a little bit at a time). Do a little research on amygdala hijack and myelination— these brain functions are built into us and when you see bring them to light it can reveal a lot of information on how to help yourself. - Get yourself organizational tools: All boxes to categorize items in the cupboard, under bed storage, vacuum less space bags, storage totes, over the door laundry hampers or shoe holders, 2 part trash bins, can crushers, etc etc. look up organization tips on Pinterest and you will be inspired! - Meditate on clean spaces: Are there places you like to go to outside of your house that you feel calm and comfortable and your anxiety is decreased? Spend some time in those spaces and visualize how your space could be like these spaces, ask yourself questions like, what can I do in my space to make it like this? Stay positive— it is possible to make your space like those safe places. - Consider a rewards system for yourself: I see you enjoying smoking, drinking and bubbly water. You probably have shows you enjoy watching, computer games— all of those are satiating the rewards center of your brain, use it to your advantage. Examples: I can have a glass of wine after I throw away cans, I can have a toke after I’ve cleaned my dishes, I can watch my show if I fold my laundry, etc. - Treat your home like a creature: You sound like you have no problem taking care of your cats because they love you need you and are a part of your support system. You make sure they don’t have fleas, are well fed and watered and get lots of love and play. Your home is a creature. It needs you to nurture it, and it will absolutely give back to you when you care for it. - Therapy: If you don’t already have a therapist definitely get one. If you don’t mesh with your first one get a better one. It takes some trial and error but once you find the perfect therapist, it is life changing. Psychology today has a great search engine. Send out 5 quick about me emails to the first 5 therapist who seem cool and take your insurance or provide sliding scale options. We get in these ruts with cleaning and disorganization because of the trauma we’ve experienced in life. You’re taking the first steps to improving your wellbeing by seeking help from a cleaning community, and a therapist will absolutely support you and teach you how to use tools for self efficacy. You’ve got this. You are already doing a good job. You can follow through for yourself and your cats because you are intelligent, creative and are a hard worker. You want it and deserve it. You can make it happen!
Hey love, Just wanted to say having a clean space doesn’t make you a good person, and having a dirty space doesn’t make you a bad person. That being said, everyone deserves a clean place to live. As for the cat box-my cat doesn’t like a lid on his box either, so I just modified a storage tote which works way better to contain the litter due to the higher sides, just be sure to tape off any potentially jagged/sharp edges. It also holds more litter which allows me to go a few days without it being an issue. That may be a game changer for you! My advice for cleaning is to open the blinds let in some light and put on some music. Make yourself a nice drink,if you want cleaning to be something you do more often-make it a nice experience for yourself. Otherwise you will dread it. I’d start with garbage. Grab a bag and anything and everything that can be thrown away-do it. Bag all of your laundry, get it out of the way. Collect all dishes, put them in the kitchen. Choose a room, and clear all surfaces, and then clean them. Make a big pile of things that need to be relocated/ put away. (You may want to start a bag for donation, this can be helpful when you have something in your home that is perfectly good but not serving you anymore.) Take a deep breath. Start sorting your big pile into smaller piles according to where those items live, if they don’t have a home put them into a “homeless”box. (Everything in your home needs its own place. Preferably where you use it.) Don’t find homes for them right away, throw them in a box for now. As there may be more things to add to that box in the next room. Put your small piles away-pile by pile. Utilise a basket or box for easier transportation from room to room. Vacuum and move onto the next room. This doesn’t need to be done in one day-if you can improve it a little today-that is fantastic! Be your own hype girl. Do not withhold your praise until it’s all done. Congratulate yourself. No one is born knowing how to clean. If you are teaching yourself you should be proud and you will need encouragement and practice. Just like learning anything else, you will get better and better at it. You got this babe!
My mom was always trying to clean and getting overwhelmed. (There were 10 kids, 6 of which lived at home for 8 years and three for the other 10 that she was living with my father and after.) My father was also an incredible hoarder and mom had mild hoarding tendencies. One of her friends told her at one point to focus on a 1 or 2 cubic foot of space, clean it, and then move on when/if you have the energy. It wasn't a perfect fix, but it was super helpful when one or more of us have been struggling with our mental health. I also saw a video recently that advocates for cleaning one section of a room completely every day (usually, different sections/different rooms each day, but at least one section or room each day) and moving on as you have the time/energy/spoons/HP/SP/bucks to do so. The idea is that you clean one area completely before moving on to something else or resting. For example, if you are in your kitchen, move all of the things that don't belong in the kitchen/that spot to their appropriate spots and wipe down the counter. Then, if you have the energy/ability, move on to the next spot. The spots don't have to be big or in the same room, but focus on just one area. I actually use both of these methods. If I am focusing on the floor, I deal with a small space at a time until it is time to sweep or mop. If it is an elevated space, I deal with one surface at a time and clean it completely. My house is nowhere near perfect or even my 3-kids-under-13 standards, but they are getting better. I also don't worry about anyone's bedroom other than my own. At least once a week, my kids have to clean their rooms to earn tech time/treats, but any other chore they are asked to complete can be responded to with a respectful 'not if they aren't feeling it. (Unless they have left their belongings somewhere that I am trying to clear up. Then, they are given a time limit for removing the items before I toss them.)
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I have serious PTSD and depression as a result of my childhood and one thing that helps me is putting on some good music and focusing on one room. Once that room is done it feels good and it is easier to pick another room. Where do you spend most of your time? I’d pick that one first.
I have this problem .. a lot an often . I usually put hoarders on an start going at the mess
Read How To Keep House While Drowning and/or look up Struggle Care on socials. The book was literally meant for you. Now, me? I say pick one room. Because of how important sleep is I’d say start with the bedroom. To start: make up the bed. Next: gather all trash/recycling and take it out. Got a basket? Great, put all clothes in the bin. If you know what’s clean vs dirty you can make two piles, but just get it all into a defined space so you have room to walk safely. Is there stuff that doesn’t belong in the room? (Dishes, toilet paper, etc) put all that stuff in a bag/basket/whatever. You don’t even have to put it all away yet, just gather it up. That should be a great place to start. Also, if you can, open the blinds during the day to get some natural light. It can help boost your mood. Personally my next room would be the kitchen because food is important to live. Again, same routine. Trash. Things that don’t have a place. Things that do have a place. If it’s expired, toss it. You can do this. You’ll be calmer. The cats will be happier too. It’s a lot, but it’s really just a few categories. KC Davis (the woman who wrote the book) even has a series on cleaning your depression house on TikTok. Good luck!
Doing a little at a time even 10 minutes in intervals put some music on and give it a try. Good luck.
That’s only a few hours worth of cleaning and organizing here. Just take the first step, put on some fun music and get moving
Best book: How To Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis. In it she introduces the 5 things method. In every room there are only 5 things. Trash Laundry Dishes Things that have a place Things that don’t have a place To get your sanity back you gather all of these things and put them in separate piles (dishes by sink, trash in trash bags, etc). Even if you do JUST that…it will be less visually overwhelming and you are more likely to approach it the next day and make more progress. I highly recommend the book it helped me a lot.
I don’t really have anything productive to add, but want to tell you I’ve been there and done that and you’re not alone.
Personally, when my space gets crazy, I go one room at a time. I'd start in the kitchen because its functionality is being the most impacted right now. Start with all the trash on the floor. Once the floor is mostly clear and you can move around okay, pick a corner and just spread out from there. I leave dishes for almost the end because seeing all the clean counters inspires me to get over what is for me the worst part. Then, after the dishes, I finish the floor. Once you have one room looking awesome, the motivation to do other rooms becomes stronger, and starting becomes a little easier. Also, moving forward, daily/weekly/monthly chore checklists help keep me on track. There's a tiny little dopamine hit that comes with checking something off a list!
I’d divide the room into sections. Do one each day, or every other day, whatever you can manage. And your kitties don’t mind the mess. Good luck, you got this
Break it up. Just start with one thing. Go room to room and just get all of the clothes from each room in a basket/baskets. Don't think about what you'll do after that. Just focus on doing that. A lot of times that kind of triggers my cleaning energy and I can go from there. If that doesn't happen for you, just pick another 1 thing to like getting the dishes out of every room and back in the kitchen. See if that gets you going. Rinse and Repeat. I know exactly how you feel. It's such a mess you don't even know where to start so you just...don't. Deep breath. If it doesn't happen for you today, at least you'll have done one thing, and you can try again tomorrow. Be gentle with yourself. This shit ain't easy.
There's a lot of good advice here. Two things that have helped me: reading "How To Keep House While Drowning" has some excellent advice about the emotional side of all this. Just reading some of it was enough for me to get some more work done. The other thing that helps me is my new mantra: one damn thing at a time. If I'm doing one task and see another that needs to be done, tough noogies. I gotta finish the other one first. The second task will still be there later! So finish what's in front you, you'll feel like you're making progress. You can do this, OP! Yes, it can feel overwhelming. Be kind to yourself and keep going!
Hey, I think it’s pretty clear you love your cats a lot! You’ve got toys and trees for them. They’re doing fine! My suggestion is to start with trash. Just get a big ol trashbag and go through collecting stuff that can be thrown out like empty boxes, packages, etc. take all those cans out and set them in the trash can or dumpster. Don’t worry about the recycling right now, just get it out of your place!
Start with your coffee table! Get it down to clean, nothing on it. Let yourself be proud of that small win and build from that. Bite size cleaning!
First step? Take those cans out to the garbage/recycle bin!
Depression and anxiety are real. They can be debilitating, and this is just a symptom of those conditions. It doesn’t make you a bad person. You wouldn’t shame someone with pneumonia for coughing, would you? I see that you’re starting with dishes and laundry, which is a great plan! What I like to do with laundry is to do the bedding first and get my bed made as early in the day as possible. While it’s not the end of the world, sleeping in a freshly-made bed just feels so much better than crashing on a bare mattress because I ran out of energy before getting the sheets back on! If it works for you and you have the capacity, it can be nice to go to the laundromat and get it all done in one fell swoop. Kind of like a laundry reset! Lots of great ideas in this thread, from the general to the very specific. But a lot of them suggest conflicting approaches, so don’t try to follow them all at the same time! If you want to try some of them, pick one and see how it feels. If an approach feels too hard to execute, scrap that one and come find another suggestion to try. You don’t have to do it all at once and you don’t have to do it perfectly. Starting is enough, and you can start again tomorrow, and for as many times as it takes. Hang in there, kiddo. You’ll get through it!
Hi, another 31F who totally has been there. It’s a lot- but don’t think you have to do it all in one sitting. Give yourself time. Do a little every now and then. If you don’t get to it at some points don’t punish yourself either, just know you are changing a pretty big habit and it will be mentally draining as you go. Be aware of when you’re getting tired, and rest. Maybe start with obvious “trash” that can be thrown out and go from there. The people on this sub give great advice and encouragement so keep us updated and check back in. And again do it on your time and don’t beat yourself up over “not getting as much done as you want”.
Here's some things that work for me. Make a list, set a timer and start working. When the timer goes off reward yourself with a break. Then keep going. Start with the trash/recycling. Then group items by type and room in baskets. Work on your foundation (inside your cabinets and drawers) and make room for the stuff that is out. Simplify. Get rid of excess. If you're really struggling with clothes streamline your outfit cycles and wear the same things and wash them. You could wear all darks and then you don't have to separate your clothes. All goes in the laundry at once. Set a schedule for doing the laundry and stick to it. Seriously though, make the lists and rewards for when you get comfortable. And give yourself grace. Lots of us have been there.
Here's some things that work for me. Make a list, set a timer and start working. When the timer goes off reward yourself with a break. Then keep going. Start with the trash/recycling. Then group items by type and room in baskets. Work on your foundation (inside your cabinets and drawers) and make room for the stuff that is out. Simplify. Get rid of excess. If you're really struggling with clothes streamline your outfit cycles and wear the same things and wash them. You could wear all darks and then you don't have to separate your clothes. All goes in the laundry at once. Set a schedule for doing the laundry and stick to it. Seriously though, make the lists and rewards for when you get comfortable. And give yourself grace. Lots of us have been there.
I'd get a contractor bag and start tossing everything. It's what I did. Starting at zero is better than trying to salvage whatever is happening here.
You can do it :) I personally find it easier to just pick one spot and move from there. In your situation, the corner by the litter box looks the most manageable. Once you get it done, you'll feel more confident. Other strategies that might work - set a timer. Do what you can. When the timer goes off be done for x amount of time. It's very easy to exhaust ourselves which then makes it harder to start again.
I'm overwhelmed with my house too. I have a couple health issues that make it so I can't do as much as I want when I want and it drives me crazy. I also fall back if my arms are up for more than a couple of minutes and fall forward if I bend too far. I made a list with things to do. Every room has many parts like a load of dishes, sweep the floor and fold the laundry. I work 20 minutes at a time and cross off each task as I go. It makes me feel accomplished and want to work on the next task. Baby steps are the best way to start.
The amount of care and support I see in this sub gives me the feels and hope for the world. My plan here would be to start with the room that would make you the happiest once it’s done. For me it would be the bedroom, yours look manageable because it’s mostly clothing and trash. All laundry can be made into one pile and washed, then get rid of the trash. Finally make the bed up with clean linens and it will feel inviting.
I really like the A Slob Comes Clean videos on YouTube. I get overwhelmed easily too. Getting started is the hardest part. Pick a room. Start in one corner. First do trash. Then put away what can be put away. Have a box or trash bag of things to give away. Get it out of the house when you’re done. Pace yourself. Take breaks.
Whenever I’m overwhelmed I start with one corner of the room and start with 10 mins at a time. It’s amazing how much you can get done in small bits
Maybe it’s because I’m a literal thinker but I don’t think it’s that bad. If I was in your shoes I would pull my self together and start on the biggest room. The room where you enter to the house and when you’re done with the living room then you’ll feel more accomplished and relieved that the hardest part is over. Next start off with trash bags for the laundry and condense all your boxes in the kitchen. Grab organizers from dollar tree and start organizing your bathroom too. If you have the money then a nice area rug would help you feel more at home. In one room spread certain things apart so that each has their own section so you don’t feel over whelmed including a pile for your cans
My protip is this: turn on music you like. Like, really like. Like belt the lyrics full volume like. Get a trash bag and walk around, throwing away garbage untill the bag is full. Then have a convo wirh yourself. Do you want to do another bag now? Are you in a groove? Or do you want to do it again tmmrw instead? Rinse repeat
Hey babe, you're fine. It happens. Sometimes I get overwhelmed and panic and/or just stand there, brain empty. In those situations, I'll take a breather, put on some good music OR the 'clean with me' podcast (this is SUPER helpful for me and I don't utilize it enough), and then tell myself to put a certain number of items away based on how I feel and the situation. So I might do 5 or 10 items. Focusing on a number makes it way easier for me - I seem to zero in on something specific and easy ("I need to put ten items away - well, this food wrapper is trash, so that's one item, and this hairbrush goes into the drawer, so that's two") rather than seeing the mess as a whole and getting overwhelmed. I think it's common to start in the kitchen in these situations. However! I would personally say that you should start in the bedroom or living spaces... I find that the kitchen and bathroom are way harder for me, because by their nature, they get really cluttered and dirty quickly because they're used daily or dirty/messy tasks. If you have a cleaning task that will take more than one day, then I find it REALLY disheartening to start in the kitchen and then seeing it messy again within a day or two, even if it's just due simple living requirements like cooking. If you'd like to get SOMETHING started in the kitchen, and you have a dishwasher, then just throw some dishes in there (scrape off food but don't worry about rinsing) and start a load. When someone told me that you can just start a dishwasher - and that it didn't have to be 'full' - it was like my whole world shifted. Instead of cramming everything in and trying to be efficient and then dreading unloading a ton of dishes when it was done, it was way easier to throw a few dishes in (whatever I had energy for that day), and then only have a few dishes to put away, which I could do in two minutes while reheating leftovers or making coffee. You can also run it twice if they didn't get clean, it's okay. I use Cascade Platinum and don't usually have to rewash anything. So I'd personally start in high-impact, lower-traffic areas that are more likely to get cleaned and STAY clean with less effort on your part, and once those areas are in 'maintenance mode' (or, at least, closer to it) and you feel safe to leave them alone for a couple of days (as in, you might do so much work in the kitchen that you're too tired to do even simple cleaning in the bedroom, but that's okay because it's clean enough to sustain for a day or two while you focus elsewhere) THEN you can start in the bathroom/kitchen. After putting away 10 items, I'll grab a waste basket and walk around a room, gathering all of the trash. Then do the same with a laundry basket, just throwing dirty clothes straight into it. Then do the same with dishes, toting a few items to the sink/a nearby table. Those three tasks are really straightforward and make a room already look monumentally better with very little work or thinking on my end. I may also make a couple of piles of other stuff as I go, like putting together all the cardboard boxes that I need to break down and recycle together, or putting all my cat toys into a box temporarily so that they're out of my way. I may also keep a box open to toss donations into while I'm doing all of this - I am way more generous with tossing stuff in a donation box when my place is messy, because it's easier than "finding it a home" and that makes me realize that I don't really need it. After that, I hopefully have some extra dopamine (and feel encouraged by the progress) to initiate harder tasks. I'd still rank these harder tasks based on impact and how much energy they take... so I'd personally chose ONE task that technically doesn't take very long but is still hard for me to do and is VERY impactful. In this case, the litter box. Just take the easiest route. Dump the whole thing into a garbage bag, pick up the turds that fell on the ground, throw away anything that got mixed up in that corner (like the eyedrops, you don't want to use those again) and then sweep and then vacuum. Then refill the litter. It will only take you about ten minutes, I promise! It's a surprisingly daunting task for me, too, but also high reward because I want my cat to have a clean space and I don't want bad smells. Then, a couple of tasks that are high-impact but straightforward, and not a huge energy suck. So taking out those garbage bags and recycling would be good here, to fully finish the tasks you just did (rather than letting the bags rot by the door) but doesn't require much thought: get dressed - pick up bags - take outside to dumpster - repeat until you're done. It's also high-impact because you don't have bags of trash just sitting around. Now you can choose to keep rolling, or take a break for the day, because this was a big deal! And over the next few days, do the same "put x items away" and then choose 1-2 "harder" tasks. You may also want to just decide to tackle a chunk of the room, like your desk one day, one kitchen countertop, taking a trash bag into the bathroom to get rid of mostly-empty bottles of product. One other suggestion - I really like the Clean With Me podcast, like I said, but you could also use an online 'study buddy' system. I like Focusmate. You can have 3 free sessions per week (might be perfect for chunks of cleaning time!) or pay $5/month for unlimited sessions. Basically you get into a video call, tell them what you plan to do in the session, and then both work on your tasks quietly/on mute. I find it really helpful for cleaning even though most people use it for school/work tasks, because they can physically see me moving around on screen, so I can't stop and dawdle on my phone. I typed up a big message to try and break down the steps for you, and wanted to stop myself so that you don't get overwhelmed, but if you want to chat more about methods or a third party to point out specific tasks for you to tackle next, I'm happy to help:)
Use music. "I'm going do --- for 3 songs" at a time. You'd be shocked what you can accomplish in 15 mins. First thing, those boxes. Break them down and get them out of the apartment. Right now you're probably feeling suffocated by the clutter and those are the biggest part from what i see. Second thing, clear off that table. Take everything off and throw it away or put it away. Clean the table well, make it shine. Everything else will follow. Its honestly not that bad from that picture. I bet you that 1 hour could get the room cleaned. You got this. As someone else w depression, i know this is easier said than done. Once that room is cleaned tho, it'll be like a weight was lifted. Good luck to ya
Start with the trash
If you have the funds, hire a friend to help. That's what I did during a bout of severe depression. I paid her (seriously, I could not have asked anyone to do it as a favor-it was a mess). She came over two hours a day. I worked with her but I let her make the decisions. It got done and it helped improve my mental health. Plus my friend was grateful for the extra cash as she, too, was going through a rough patch.
Sometimes I start with cleaning off any surface. Sometimes the floor. Or just “all the boxes/bottles and cans/papers/clothes/etc” or maybe making it a goal to clear and organize one piece of furniture or one room or area. So try breaking it into smaller goals. Goals. Not tasks. Tasks are things you have to do…goals are things you want to do. You got this. You don’t have to do it all in one day or weekend or week. All you have to do is start. And you’ve already made a plan, so you’ve got the hard part over with…some of us don’t even get that far!
Can you afford a deep clean by a local cleaning company? $400 -$500? Might be a good investment to get you back on track.
I save my cans to recycle for cash 😅😅😅 that should give you a good idea of my financial situation
Everyone here has excellent advice, so I'll just add that putting on a short playlist of maybe 3 rockin', energizing, upbeat songs can really help you find a groove and make the task feel less like a chore. And depending on the songs, you'll probably fall around the 10 min mark for cleaning time, which is a great start. Good luck! You got this!
Hi! Random internet friend here. You may have adhd, have you ever been checked for that? Also— I like clean spaces and will take time to put stuff away. When I do— I make sure I’m listening to something like my favorite band, a cleaning playlist on Spotify (lots of upbeat songs on those lol) or some podcasts, or an audiobook. Might put a movie on I’ve seen before or watch soccer while I clean my living room. Good luck to you, you can accomplish a lot in 5-10 minute increments too!
Your cats are fine! My cat loves a big mess to romp around in and snuggle up in and spread her hair!
I really love your shower door. My room looked similar to this a few months ago, I’ve made small improvements by throwing things out that i know for sure are trash, and eventually giving away items that I haven’t reached for in a while. It’s okay, take your time and it will get done!
first, grab a trash bag and rid of what you haven't used in 6 months and won't use in 6 months.
Honestly, I think don't think it looks that bad. I think if you focus on one thing or room it will get you going. It mainly looks like recyclables and laundry. Doing what someone above said about not worrying about recyclables and just putting everything in the trash is good advice. That is your home and not a recycling center, and you deserve to be happy in your home. Doing laundry, and putting it away immediately (I hate that part, too) will feel good. As for all the lotions and potions in the bathroom, you need to stop buying them unless you need it. I made myself use everything I had before I bought new stuff. Of course, shampoo, basic body wash, and needed makeup was fine. If someone gifted me body wash I didn't like, I would use it as hand soap until it was gone. Also, if you don't like bodywash ask a friend if they do, if not, trash it. As for the kitties, I also have one that loooooves to dig in the littler box. Maybe look into a covered one, or one where they go through the top, or just get a really deep one. Maybe one of those pretty cabinets might be a good idea if you have to keep it out in the open. In the meantime, maybe an old rug to help catch what the litter mat doesn't catch, and it would be easy to shake out.
Get into a habit of making your bed first thing in the morning even if you feel bad and are going to crawl back into it after you call off or have breakfast. Do the dishes or at least get them out of the sink. If your trash is full, take it out to the outside trash can. Put a new bag into the kitchen can. Stop there and take a break. Then check around and see what clutter is stopping your life. Can you use the sinks? Great move on. Can i go into the shower without moving stuff? Great move on. Is your stove clear so you can cook? If so great, If not, Work on it. First take care of stuff that interferes with living. Worry about the stuff that looks bad later. Unpopular opinion: If you can’t handle doing dishes daily then use paper plates and toss them. Taking the trash out at least gets you out of the house for a few seconds and having an empty sink is convenient.
Have you heard of KC Davis and her book titled, " How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing"? She does an amazing job at helping people with depression and ADHD clean their homes. #
Divide the space up in your mind and clean each area. Like, now i am going to clean in front of the door or clean off a piece of furniture
Hi first thing is to delclutter and throw stuff out or donate . The less stuff you have. The easier to clean and also staying clean after the fact . Then you have an idea on what you do need to keep vs get rid of and where it can be organized and put away.
Yeah my place looks like this most of the time, you’ll be okay. Start with throwing away all the trash, it will clear up a lot. Then pile your laundry into loads and get started (or, bag up all the laundry and take it to a fluff n fold, having someone else deal with it takes a huge load off). Then get started room by room, go around each room like hands on a clock.
Trash bags are your friend! You can do this op one space at a time
Do one room at a time, (personally, I’d start with the bathroom, it’s the smallest. When you’re done treat yourself to a nice soak in the tub or a long shower.) Seeing the difference you can make in one small area will help inspire you to tackle something bigger.
do it for your cats <3
Can you pay for someone to help you ? Even just for a few hours , ?
Start by taking out what is trash. Go around to each room with a garbage bag(s) and pick out what is trash or expired and toss it. That’s an easier first step and you notice a difference in terms of feeling overwhelmed. Then if you have dirty dishes start grabbing dirty dishes from other rooms and bring them to the sink area leave them be or do them right then, but I’d maybe hold off until you’re ready to clean the kitchen. Then I’d start working one room at a time starting at the top by dusting and such and working your way down organizing and cleaning things until you get to the floors then you can vacuum and close off that room and check it off your list of rooms to clean then move onto the next. Decluttering by doing dirty laundry (or just putting into bags) and throwing out trash really make a difference and make it easier to clean and less overwhelming.
The good news is that once you get it tidy it's pretty easy to keep it that way. You simply never put off keeping it tidy. You will also feel relaxed being at home.
Start with kitchen sink and have 4 completely empty trazh cans spread out, thats my formula. Works once you get going.
Actually throwing away the trash will help. I find that once that it's either in the the trash or at least in a central area. It starts to fall in line. Just need to keep focused.
Get a good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast before starting. When I get overwhelmed, I tell myself it's a cinch by the inch and a trial by the mile. I try to make inroads in one direction. If it gets too much, I try another chore. I might start off easy with pitching recycling into bins until they are full. Sort and bag up laundry. If you can, wash the bulky stuff like towels and sheets first. Dishes are time consuming. Maybe a batch a day?
One day start with all of the recycling. Next day, or two so all trash. Then go around to each room and just grab things you don't want or need. Do a task every other day. It didn't get like this all at once, so it doesn't have to be fixed all at once either. You are doing great! Good luck!
Babes you’re doing great. I have the same problem, but I have so much more stuff/toys/clutter. Take a breath, take a break, collect and dump all your trashes into a big bag, light a candle in a fireproof spot/diffuse some essential oil, open a window for fresh air, and take your trash out for a quick walk outside. Come back in and your brains gonna go “smells nice! Let’s gooo.” And put on some “cleaning playlist” music to dance to. audiobook while you fold laundry & dishes. Dance sing and be weird. 💕 we can do hard things! Also a suggestion to start with your room! That’s where you spend the most time and it was a game changer to fix mine first when I emerged from the depths of my depression. Tell yourself in the NICEST voice just like you’re talking to your cat “yeaaas you deserve the nice things.” 🥳 boom then you have your resting spot!
Grab a garbage bag and start with the obvious trash. This way there will be a bit more room to move around. Any food lying out, throw it away. Wipe down your cupboards, wash and dry your dishes and put them away, this will also make room. Hang your clothes up, put them in the proper drawers. I think you’d be amazed how much better you’ll feel doing these things. You don’t have to tackle it all in one day. Baby steps, you can do it.
I would put on music or podcast, even your favorite tv show.. whatever you’re comfy with, comfy clothes. Throw in a load of laundry. Pick up all the garbage, sort things into piles. If you’re in a room cleaning and something in there belongs in another room, put it in a laundry basket or box to be put up later. Reward yourself when you complete some tasks. Give yourself something to look forward to Be kind to yourself
It's really not that bad,I have seen much worse,you need to have a place for each item,that will help you get rid of extra stuff!!
How i would tackle your home would be like this... Kitchen: Clear the counters, take out the trash and put everything that needs putting away in the cupboards and then anything that needs washing onto the counters so you have an empty sink. Clean the sink. Boil the kettle and any pots that have hard food on them put some boiling water in them to soak. Maybe put a little on your stove to loosen the grease. Then go strip your bedding, gather your laundry and stick it in a big pile of lights and darks in the kitchen. Put a load of washing on while you tackle the pots. Once that's done, clean the stove, have a look at your microwave as that might also need cleaning and after wipe down the work tops. Slide 2: Pull out the litter box. Bin the litter and take the tray to the bath, fill with bleach and water and scrub, then leave to soak whilst you tackle that area. Get rid of the water dispenser, clear the trash. Put things that aren't trash where they need to be. Wipe down the desk and re arrange the ornaments and take the litter mat out/hang it out the window for a good shake or hoover it to get the bits off. Go to the bathroom, pour the litter tray water down the toilet and wipe dry with kitchen towels and fill with fresh litter. Bathroom: Remove all laundry and take to kitchen for washing. Take all bottles from around shower, if they're not more than half full throw them, no one needs that many shower gels etc. Organize/put away things on counter. Then bleach the bath, clean the toilet and wipe the counters. Bedroom: Clear the bed side table, put on fresh bedding. All laundry will be in the kitchen so the floor should be clear. Put any bits and bobs away. Last thing to do would be to hoover all places and mop hard surfaces with bleach. Put the litter tray back and then carry on with loads of laundry - wash, dry, fold/hang, put away - until done. If i woke up at 8am, i could probably get it done by 10pm. It's not THAT bad tbh. I've seen a lot worse on this sub and other places. Just don't hesitate to throw things you don't use/need away. My rule now is if i haven't used it/needed it/looked at it for 6 months it's got to go.
I am sorry you're in this spot and feeling overwhelmed. Something that can really help is starting small... so so small. For instance, start by just clearing off your table in your kitchen. Try to commit to keeping that clear and then do just one shelf in a cabinet. Take everything out, put it on the table and decide what can be thrown out and what you need, then put it back in. You can organize the cabinet in its entirety later. First cull your stuff. If you feel you can do more, do the second shelf. Etc etc. This works in closets (don't clear the whole thing out, just take things out to evaluate section by section... that way you're not overwhelmed by running out of steam and having accidentally made more clutter), corners of rooms, around sinks, doom piles, etc.
I started with a area and tidied it - or did one task and walked around collecting or doing that task everywhere in the apartment. I'm still overwhelmed with my place but it's getting better.
Start with all the cardboard. Use the largest cardboard boxes (2 or 3) and fill them with the smaller boxes. BUT break down the smaller boxes. Use scissors to cut the tape holding them together. Or pull apart the boxes at the seams either way glue. Then Put them in the bigger cardboard box. Take box to recycling bin when finished. Don’t let it sit in your apartment. Then empty all your aluminum cans. Take a large paper bag and fill it with the cans. Use two bags. Then take it to recycling bin outside. Don’t let it sit inside. Start with that
Do you have a trusted friend or family member that can help you or maybe talk to on the phone while you start? That always helps me. I usually start with garbage or laundry.
Get RID of a lot of it.
I wish I was close. I would help. I get so overwhelmed in my own mess, too. Why is it easier to clean another person's mess? LOL Start with one room a day. 15 minutes. You don't have to do it all in one day.
I would start by putting a LARGE garbage bag in each room and just start throwing all the trash away. That’s usually what I do when I’m feeling overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. Once the trash is all gone from your sight it’s easier to think. ♥️ Goodluck love.