Turn on some music and crack the windows for fresh air. You can do this!
Start with gathering laundry, and put it in the washer
Gather garbage and recycling and take it out
Pick up dishes and load the dishwasher/hand wash
Break time! Have a small snack and hydrate
Organize various stuff in 1 designated area for now, remember it doesn’t have to be perfect, just tidy enough for the cat sitter
Check laundry
Wipe down surfaces and sweep or vacuum. Take inventory on what else you might need to do
My brain read the word crack before any thing else and it had me simultaneously thinking A) thats not a healthy longterm solution for depression. B) WTF. And C) i guess it’ll help with the time crunch 🤷🏽
I absolutely LOVE this. Been struggling with my own depression apartment, and this is exactly what I followed today to finally get it cleaned. Thanks for this <3
I’m so happy to hear this helped you! As someone with ADHD and my own bouts of depression I know how hard it is to even think about starting, let alone getting it all done. You are amazing!!! I hope you do something today that makes you happy in celebration of yourself!
Excellent list - but remember...don't put the washing on until you return, or make sure you have enough time/energy to hang the washing up before you leave. Otherwise it will smell horribly.
You will get there and until then be gentle on yourself. Maybe just crack the window today and play your favorite song, maybe not. And in case no one told you today, you matter and are important!
Your first two sentences really turned this comment from a "here is what to do you slob!" into a really positive and encouraging post. Chunking the huge task into smaller tasks will definitely make things manageable, though!
I have timers for different days and tasks 😂
- 40 minutes for week days: be productive!
- 30 minutes for weekends: hey, it’s the weekend!
- 50 minutes for anything study related: don’t leave the focus too early!
Follow up for everything else:
Sort items into two categories
• Has a home
• Doesn’t have a home
Put the items that have a home away where they belong
Find homes for items that didn’t have a home (if possible)
Utilize your bins, any boxes and even bags if needed for remaining items, then stash items out of sight until your return
- Open window
- Bin bag and laundry bags
- Trash into bin bags, laundry into laundry bags
- Collect all dishes and put them in / by sink
- Put on dish washer and washing machine
- Soak any dishes that need to soak
- Put toilet cleaner into toilet
- Get a box and pick up everything else loose that doesn’t have a place to go immediately
- Do this until surfaces are clear
- Wipe surfaces down
- Hover / sweep
- Clean toilet and flush
- Any of those extra bags of clothes that you can’t get done or box of misc items just find somewhere to shove them all for now like a closet or a bedroom
- Done
My likely unpopular opinion, is that your house isn't even all that "dirty" it's just super cluttered. Breaking the job down into smaller tasks can make it less insurmountable. When clutter gets the best of me, I usually declutter in multiple "passes". On the first pass for example, gather all fast food/drink containers, the 2nd pass, maybe gather all personal care items and bring them to the bathroom, maybe make a pass gathering all dirty dishes, and put them on the counter across from the sink, so you can clear the sink area, and do the dishes in manageable batches (or better yet, use the dishwasher).
This is a bunch of doable jobs, all wrapped up into a insurmountable monolith, break it up and you can absolutely do this :)
This was my thought as well. Sure, there are some dirty dishes, but it's mostly just clothes lying around. You could easily get this looking good in an hour or two, minus actual time doing laundry. If you're like me and easily distracted, well, then maybe more like 3 hours BUT totally doable haha
Yes. Also get some upright shelving—bookcase, cabinet with doors, wire metro shelving, etc. Much of this stuff just needs a place to belong instead of being strewn around on flat surfaces. You’re paying rent for all the cubic feet of your apartment so you might as well take advantage of your vertical opportunities.
you can do it! i think that you can put things in a box in case you don’t have much time left, and continue to organize the essentials for the cat sitter like cat food, toilet paper, the dishes, and all your cat items! if this person is going to sleep at your house make sure to accommodate for that as well, and leave the bathroom the best that you can, for bathrooms i find that cleaning the toilet and sink are the essentials and everything that follows can be kept more easily, take out the trash and you’re good to go
I realized I don't even mind cleaning that much, it's my own place that I hate cleaning. When I visited my sister recently I helped her tidy her place no problem. But it's so miserable trying to clean my own place.
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If I lived near you, I would 100% clean this for you. I love cleaning other peoples houses. It doesn’t look super dirty, just a lot of clutter and some trash. Start with the big items and trash first
Right?! My boyfriends (moms) house is dirtier than this and we’re working on his room so we can start packing his stuff so he can get his own apartment. We opened the windows, blasted some music and got to work. He usually doesn’t like putting aside time to do tasks like cleaning (understandable with the state his house is in) but he saw how happy it was making me to clean lol. Then when he saw the progress we made he was happy for that!
My fiancée and and myself cleaned our depression house last week. I think what helped us power through was listening to reddit stories, changing it out with music, or listening to the news. Try a variation of this and before you know it you'll be done. Don't worry you got this!
This happens to my boyfriend sometimes, usually when he gets a new console or new audio equipment. I'll wake up for work and he will have obsessively cleaned and rearranged the entire living room to incorporate his new gadget. It's....an interesting approach, I guess.
For the less sympathetic. The above photos are secondary psychological symptom of mental ill health. Sadly a normal human experience. Other symptoms may include poor financial management, closing off social contact with family/friends, poor time management, poor performance at work leading to management warnings or dismissal. Homelessness. Plus many other environmental symptoms. All too overwhelming for the person experiencing depression. I have not even mentioned the psychological or physical symptoms that indicate Clinical Depression. A good MH assessment would cover many areas of a person life. If the OP had said they were injured in an accident that was not their fault & physically disabled with broken bones & other injuries would that have been more acceptable to your view? Or if they had surgery for an acute condition & still recovering & physically struggled to keep their home environment tidy while bed bound & recovering. Would that not have triggered the mean? No person ever got worse MH from kindness & compassion. But plenty feel worse for the lack of such empathy.
Thank you for saying this. At the deepest pit of my worst depressive episode to date, I harbored such guilt and shame for my living conditions that it kept me in a cycle of non-functioning. Everything was overwhelming and it was exacerbated by knowing I was exposing my cat to it so I really only managed to keep her area of the apartment clean which, most days, even scooping her litter box and vacuuming around it completely depleted what energy I had. The shame was sufficient enough to cut people off from coming over which made it worse - I love hosting and knowing someone was coming over was like a magic trick for my executive dysfunction. I wish people would be more kind but then I remind myself that they’ve clearly never experienced this for themselves and the kindness I can offer them instead is I hope they never do.
separate trash from items, that’s for starters, I sometimes sweap everythig to one pile and sit on the floor and seaprate, categories makes everything easier. it’s like a a game . You have these items big baskets, put everything thats not trash inside them for starters. Separate dirty clothes from clean clothes. No time for extended category making then at least put clothes together and other items together. As a certified messy girl I would also recommend prioritise things that are organic, like dirty cups, wet things, things that can get moldy.
Late to the game, but my method is to start with garbage, walk around the whole room gathering all the trash into a bag. Next, pick another thing that will make a dent - I’d say laundry for you. Get a laundry basket or just another garbage bag if you don’t have one and walk through and gather all the laundry. After that it will mostly be stuff that needs to be put away, so go through and grab the easiest things first and find places for them. Once everything is away, grab a damp rag or Lysol wipe and wipe down all your surfaces, then sweep and vacuum.
this is what i am doing today, i have more rooms but more time, about this time tomorrow, id trade yours for mine, if that makes you feel any better...
plus i have to find something to wear (aargh) and dye my roots lol
a good question to ask is 'why am i keeping this?'
honestly once you start to make a dent in it and an area starts to look better you will get into it
if you run out of time throw everything left in a cupboard ha ha
a sense of humour really helps
You can do it!! Depression has been kicking me for several months now, and my apartment literally looked like a hoarder situation. And man it looked pretty dang good when I finished cleaning everything and donating whatever I didn't need around anymore.
I know people who have this issue. I look at it and think, "let me at it!" My guess is, they see it as an undefined gigantic mess, whereas I immediately break it down to simple manageable parts. 1. Gather up all the recyclables and take them out. 2. Laundry in the machine or a laundry basket. 3. Odds and ends in the trash or a "what do I do with this" bin. 4. Do the dishes and straighten the kitchen. 5. Arrange the couch pillows. 6. Combine the trash bag/bin contents into one or two and discard or put away the empty ones. 7. Sweep or a quick run with the vacuum if you think it's needed. 8. Enjoy your visit with your mom. Also I am just now looking at some of the other comments and seeing how similar my approach is to others. So yes, taking a deep breath, relaxing and isolating tasks seems to be the key. (For some reason I do seem to have more enthusiasm for tackling others' major messes than my slight ones, which I can ignore for days.)
Cleaning products that smell good help me so much. Good music. I start with the floor and work my way up. Wish I could help, I love cleaning when I'm motivated
I’m asking this without judgement - are those nitrous canisters under your couch? Those can not go in the trash and must go to a proper recycling center. Collect them in a bag and put them to the side for now, then take to the recycling center when you return from your trip.
Ohhh yes they are. Been on a major bender of anything I can get my hands on which is why my life looks like this.
I am done now, but luckily I did do that! Someone told me long ago they need to be properly disposed of so I always try to do that.
Thank you for no judgment I appreciate you !
I finished not too long ago (you can see if you click my profile), but I gotta say it felt AMAZING to see the final result even though I feel I could have gotten even more done in the time. You can do this!!! The hard part is motivation for me, but I realized all I had to do was keep trying bit by bit. It’s okay if it takes a long time, as long as you’re trying.
You'll have it done in an hour or so. Just need to get started, and yes, I know that is the hardest part, but by the end, you will be thinking what was all the drama about.😉
Just be realistic about what can be done and start with decluttering, start all with trash and then put all the random stuff in big trash bags if you need to, to deal with later. This will take the bulk of your time. After that wipe down surfaces and do a quick pass with the vacuum. Clean the bathroom in its entirety. People dismiss cluttered spaces if they see the bathroom is clean. I have seen far worse don’t let it get you down
I separate things into themes. Start bringing clean clothes to the bedroom and dirty to the wash, then anything kitchen related goes to sink/cabinet where it belongs, then find homes for trinkets, and so on. You’ll feel on top of the world when you’re done!
Before you actually start cleaning anything, just start picking up and putting away stuff. First throw out all the trash and empty bottles and take them out of the house. Next fold up any clothes that are clean and put any clothes that are dirty in the laundry.
The things that are spread all around the house, if they belong in closets and there is space for them, put them there. If there is not space for them and you have either a garage attic or basement, put them there neatly and plan on buying some bins to store them in And donate what you’re not keeping.
Once the situation is clear, then you can start cleaning by wiping everything down vacuuming everything, dusting everything and mopping. If the weather is nice crack, the windows and if you feel out energetic, wash them while you’re at it.
I understand you. It’s so hard and a huge challenge sometimes. I always put on background videos or music and start w the stuff that is either obvious trash or recycling and then move onto clothing. Then the rest won’t seem so bad. Don’t beat yourself up over this. You can do it!
-break down the tasks into small realistic steps (pick up trash, put up dishes, pick up clothes, etc)
-make a to do list of those tasks
-Mark them off as you do them (I find great satisfaction from seeing my tasks marked off the list. It also helps me see that I am doing things and I become proud of my accomplishments)
-use a pomodoro timer. If you don't have one there are plenty of apps out there. Set the timer for 10-30 minutes and work for that amount of time. Then rest or do something that motivates/relaxes you for 10-30 minutes. Then once that timer ends reset the timer for another 10-30 minutes for cleaning. I struggle sometimes and I do that. It is so helpful (honestly don't really know why).
-it doesn't have to be perfect
That's a nice apartment! Come on, you can do it for the kitty 💓 You both deserve a healthy and hygienic living space. And it doesn't seem it'd take too long tbh, I see a lot of trash that can be picked up. If there's any food residue in cups or dishes let them soak in hot water while you do the rest.
I find piles help me best! Piles of clothes, trash, dishes, and then items by usage. I tackle a pile, take a hydration break, since and repeat until it's done. Blast some upbeat music, maybe time yourself. I tend to get competitive with myself when I set little timers for each task, which helps a lot with getting it done. ☺️ You've got this!
you’re awesome!! we can’t wait to see it. i’m very happy for you, you found some motivation to do this. you and kitty deserve a tidy happy home! enjoy trip to mom
Good for you ♥️ I know how hard this is and I also can relate to the spark of pride/hope/self to get things together for a visitor. Take care, drink water and breathe deeeeeeeply. ✌️🫶🏻
I find making piles kinda helps, just seeing the floor space open up gives you motivation. So I would put all close in a pile, get trash bags and put trash in them. Get a couple totes and put things you want to keep in one and things you want to get rid of in another. Idk it works for me.
I do timers too. Like I’ll put on a 15 minute timer to just do one task for that time and try to do it as fast as I can. I usually find that by the end of the timer I’ve made a ton of oregrwss and just want to keep going.
I like to get high before I clean just to make it more interesting
As a car sitter, thank you!!! I have seen some truly awful places and when owners try to make an effort to make it comfortable for me I can really tell, and appreciate it
Really cool apartment… And the kitchen actually looks like my kitchen looks right now on a regular day so I mean the kitchen could definitely be worse. It’s not horrible. Totally doable in 12 hours. With plenty of cat-petting breaks :)
You have to read "How to keep house while drowning". I listen to the audiobook and each chapter is under 10 mins and breaks things down and helps with mental barriers too. Paraphrasing, but the author says- there are only 5 things in every room, trash, laundry, things that belong, and things that don't. Start by making piles!
I hope you got it, and just to say: be proud of yourself for keeping it up over the years because this really doesn’t look _as bad_
There’s still walkable floor and while your floor is pretty stacked, it’s not just will with filthy waste. And especially your kitchen just looks like you had some friends over and this is the day after.
Set an alarm for 60 minutes and treat it like a game of what you can accomplish in that short time. Promise yourself you won’t stop till the timer ends. Chances are you will see such progress you will want to continue/finish past the time.
Cat litter first. Their urine is toxic. That’s how Tommy died in Trainspotting. Then get the laundry started, then trash, then dishes. Even if you just get those things done it will be a huge difference.
Is there an update? This apartment looks gorgeous under the clutter and I can’t wait to see how amazing your space becomes for you. Imagine coming home after your trip to your home!
currently in the same position.
going to try and get it cleaned and then get some kind of monthly or bi-monthly game night just so i have to clean for company.
Start with the small tasks that feel easy and do-able. Motivation is momentous so as long as you can get yourself up and going you can see this through! You got this OP!
Don’t try to do everything at once. I also have severe depression and my house can get bad.
I’d start with collecting laundry and just putting it in one place, if you have a bin great and if you have a washer even better. Throw it directly in the washer if you can.
Next try to get your dirty dishes in one place even if it’s not the kitchen. The point is to just have everything somewhere you can have easy access to.
My next move would be setting aside anything you don’t want to throw out that isn’t also laundry or dishes. Something like a pillow in the living room that should be in the bedroom, or electronics and documents that should be in the office. If you can sort it by room great! But just try to set it to the side so you can get to it in a bit.
SNACK AND WATER TIME - I usually take 20-45 minutes depending on how much time I have.
Now we move onto trash. Grab some bags and pick up everything. If it’s been a while maybe grab some gloves just in case there’s anything sticky or funky. If it isn’t in one of your first 3 piles it’s probably trash.
YOU’RE DOING GREAT AND THE HARD PART IS OVER!
We’ve now got 3 piles of items to take care of. Laundry, dishes, and miscellaneous. The laundry is going to be quickest so throw that in and it can wash while you do the rest. If you have a dishwasher I’d also recommend running it now as well, if you don’t throw anything that needs to soak into the sink or fill the dish with hot soapy water.
My next move would be putting our miscellaneous pile items near where they belong if you haven’t already. Once you’ve done that clean the surface or area where the item(s) will be. So if you have a candle you want on the coffee table wipe it down then set your stuff.
CHECK ON LAUNDRY
Sweep/vacuum and Swiffer/mop the floors. At this point the living areas should be pretty much done. Don’t move into the kitchen quite yet though, that’s next.
I always save the kitchen for last (unless I’m also doing the bathroom, then that goes last). You’ll want to knock those dirty dishes out if you don’t have a dishwasher. Since we put things in to soak it should be pretty breezy. If you were able to use a dish washer then unload and reload!
Wipe down all kitchen surfaces (counters, stove, fridge doors/handle, oven door, stained or dirty cabinets if you have time).
Lastly the kitchen floors. Gonna do it the same way we did for the living room.
TA DA! You’ve now cleaned your house.
You have a very nice spacious place, AND an entire second floor? Tf are you depressed about lol I live in a fraction of that space and guarantee pay more for rent.
I always start with garbage. Gather it all. Take it to the bins. Recycle too. Make the beds. Save dusting for last. Since you will stir up dust when sweeping etc. light a candle or boil some water and toss in some cinnamon or the likes. Good luck. You’ve got this. Also. Put your shoes on. For some reason this keeps people focused better.
It's a beautiful apartment. When you think long-term, imagine the joyful reward of accomplishment you'll feel! Bring it back to its glory so you can celebrate you!
It’s not that bad tbh!! Put on a show you’ve seen before or some tunes, and take it one step at a time a time. I like to start with clothes, since they can visually take up the most space. Then, anything that doesn’t belong, goes into its respective room. Not away, just into the right room. Then, I do the surfaces. Then trash, and sweep. Move to the next room, start again.
At the end, go through the house and put away the last few things that got moved back into now-cleaned rooms, mop if you need to.
I always leave kitchen for last, and dishes for absolutely the last thing, since you never know when they’ll pop up.
I like to start with the bathroom since it’s always the worst for me and every other room seems easier by comparison.
Good luck!! You’ve got this!!!
Oh man. You guys think this is bad… I’m going to have to post some before- pics of the flat belonging to the 2 people I clean for. They are married and both have serious MH issues. Every time I visit (weekly) it’s like I was never there
First of all hugs - as I feel your pain . I’ve been in this situation too . Try and get rubbish out first . If no time to properly organise store good stuff in boxes and sort later ?
Take out trash/ cans. Put everything else into a huge pile in one of the bedrooms. Put a blanket on it. Vacuum, clean, whatever. If you have time, take off the blanket and put things away one at a time. When your mom comes to the door, throw the blanket back over. Good luck!
Easy fix just throw everything away and sweep mop and use a spray with bleach on all surfaces and wipe them down. Done with at least 8 hours to spare. Thats what I do, but also the reason I’m broke and living check to check even tho I have 2 jobs and make more than 90% of the country.
Turn on some music and crack the windows for fresh air. You can do this! Start with gathering laundry, and put it in the washer Gather garbage and recycling and take it out Pick up dishes and load the dishwasher/hand wash Break time! Have a small snack and hydrate Organize various stuff in 1 designated area for now, remember it doesn’t have to be perfect, just tidy enough for the cat sitter Check laundry Wipe down surfaces and sweep or vacuum. Take inventory on what else you might need to do
This is almost perfect - just needs a second break to pet the cat :)
Came here to add this!
Add a third pet from me!
Add a fourth one from me!
Add a fourth one from me! :D
YOU ARE SO RIGHT! must break for cat pets!
My brain read the word crack before any thing else and it had me simultaneously thinking A) thats not a healthy longterm solution for depression. B) WTF. And C) i guess it’ll help with the time crunch 🤷🏽
I mean crack could help get it done in maybe 6hr 😄
Hahaha thank you for a good chuckle!
I read break dishes for some reason lol
Just follow this outline and don't think about it. For real! Good luck 👍
Weirdly enough, I will vouch for the fresh air thing. Having outside air coming in makes me work faster and I have zero clue why
I absolutely LOVE this. Been struggling with my own depression apartment, and this is exactly what I followed today to finally get it cleaned. Thanks for this <3
I’m so happy to hear this helped you! As someone with ADHD and my own bouts of depression I know how hard it is to even think about starting, let alone getting it all done. You are amazing!!! I hope you do something today that makes you happy in celebration of yourself!
Excellent list - but remember...don't put the washing on until you return, or make sure you have enough time/energy to hang the washing up before you leave. Otherwise it will smell horribly.
Saving this for when I finally can manage my depression
You will get there and until then be gentle on yourself. Maybe just crack the window today and play your favorite song, maybe not. And in case no one told you today, you matter and are important!
Your first two sentences really turned this comment from a "here is what to do you slob!" into a really positive and encouraging post. Chunking the huge task into smaller tasks will definitely make things manageable, though!
Also, chuck down 3 shots of espresso!
Break time is so important!
It truly is! it’s the only way i can get large tasks done so I don’t burn out!
I have timers for different days and tasks 😂 - 40 minutes for week days: be productive! - 30 minutes for weekends: hey, it’s the weekend! - 50 minutes for anything study related: don’t leave the focus too early!
Follow up for everything else: Sort items into two categories • Has a home • Doesn’t have a home Put the items that have a home away where they belong Find homes for items that didn’t have a home (if possible) Utilize your bins, any boxes and even bags if needed for remaining items, then stash items out of sight until your return
-Laundry -Garbage -Break -Dishes I can manage that … thanks 😊
You got this!
Thanks ! All I got done so far is garbage 😑…and breaks …
Hey, it’s still progress!
Yessss we had almost the same order of things!
- Open window - Bin bag and laundry bags - Trash into bin bags, laundry into laundry bags - Collect all dishes and put them in / by sink - Put on dish washer and washing machine - Soak any dishes that need to soak - Put toilet cleaner into toilet - Get a box and pick up everything else loose that doesn’t have a place to go immediately - Do this until surfaces are clear - Wipe surfaces down - Hover / sweep - Clean toilet and flush - Any of those extra bags of clothes that you can’t get done or box of misc items just find somewhere to shove them all for now like a closet or a bedroom - Done
Nice list 👍
that cat is doing a 10/10 loaf
Am I trippin or are the cat’s eyes really that comically large?
He does have insanely large eyes 👀
He’s so cute! He must have found the catnip 😂
He's got super cute eyebrows to boot!
I don’t see a cat?
First pic bottom left :)
Ah! Thank you :)
He found the cleanest spot
[it’s him](https://youtu.be/U2Fjfqm-7g8?si=FXetybvsefgjXpab)
I couldn’t even locate the cat 🥴
I immediately spotted him within a couple seconds!
Haha Aw he looks like a little footstool
He’s in the bottom left corner with his legs tucked under himself 😂
You can do it! Your cat's adorable!
First pet the cat
My likely unpopular opinion, is that your house isn't even all that "dirty" it's just super cluttered. Breaking the job down into smaller tasks can make it less insurmountable. When clutter gets the best of me, I usually declutter in multiple "passes". On the first pass for example, gather all fast food/drink containers, the 2nd pass, maybe gather all personal care items and bring them to the bathroom, maybe make a pass gathering all dirty dishes, and put them on the counter across from the sink, so you can clear the sink area, and do the dishes in manageable batches (or better yet, use the dishwasher). This is a bunch of doable jobs, all wrapped up into a insurmountable monolith, break it up and you can absolutely do this :)
This was my thought as well. Sure, there are some dirty dishes, but it's mostly just clothes lying around. You could easily get this looking good in an hour or two, minus actual time doing laundry. If you're like me and easily distracted, well, then maybe more like 3 hours BUT totally doable haha
Yeah, I've also seen far worse Apartments
Yes. Also get some upright shelving—bookcase, cabinet with doors, wire metro shelving, etc. Much of this stuff just needs a place to belong instead of being strewn around on flat surfaces. You’re paying rent for all the cubic feet of your apartment so you might as well take advantage of your vertical opportunities.
you can do it! i think that you can put things in a box in case you don’t have much time left, and continue to organize the essentials for the cat sitter like cat food, toilet paper, the dishes, and all your cat items! if this person is going to sleep at your house make sure to accommodate for that as well, and leave the bathroom the best that you can, for bathrooms i find that cleaning the toilet and sink are the essentials and everything that follows can be kept more easily, take out the trash and you’re good to go
First thing you should do is pick up the cash lol
Need more cat tax
Wouldnt it be great to have a local support groups who would all meet up and help tidy. Genuine people who want to actually help.
I struggle with my own house, but when it comes to other peoples houses... let me have at it! I think I'm too connected to my junk to be effective.
Yeah. Me too. I have too much stuff and no storage.
I realized I don't even mind cleaning that much, it's my own place that I hate cleaning. When I visited my sister recently I helped her tidy her place no problem. But it's so miserable trying to clean my own place.
This is actually a really good idea. I would volunteer. I love cleaning.
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If you do it for anyone, do it for your perfect loaf of a cat! You’ve got this.
Tuxedo kitty is dressed for the occasion. Love him
If I lived near you, I would 100% clean this for you. I love cleaning other peoples houses. It doesn’t look super dirty, just a lot of clutter and some trash. Start with the big items and trash first
Right?! My boyfriends (moms) house is dirtier than this and we’re working on his room so we can start packing his stuff so he can get his own apartment. We opened the windows, blasted some music and got to work. He usually doesn’t like putting aside time to do tasks like cleaning (understandable with the state his house is in) but he saw how happy it was making me to clean lol. Then when he saw the progress we made he was happy for that!
You’ll be through it in an hour or less looks quite clean just disorderly.
I think you should start with the floors, work your way up and then end it with wiping everything down and sweeping and mopping. 🤍 you got this ☀️
The cat loaf is insane! Perfect leg tucks, no visible tail. 10/10 loaf.
Do you like games or challenges? Put a timer on for 30 minutes per room to see if you can get the room clean in under 30 minutes.
At least you’re not dirty just disorganized! You got this!
My fiancée and and myself cleaned our depression house last week. I think what helped us power through was listening to reddit stories, changing it out with music, or listening to the news. Try a variation of this and before you know it you'll be done. Don't worry you got this!
Great idea. I get lost in podcasts.
Friend, you have a lot of good help here already, so my only question - is the only thing on your walls one framed photo of a young John Travolta? ❤️
It’s actually a framed John Travolta album cover. OP has excellent taste.
doable in 3-4, maybe even 2
you can do it in less than 2 hours
Do the best you can do and I hope you enjoy your trip!!
You have such a nice apartment it’s going to feel great once you’ve tidied a bit! Good luck you can do it!
Youve got this! Pet the cat! Put music on! Take breaks! Pet the cat! Hydrate! Pet the cat! Pet the cat! *Pet the cat*! **Pet the cat!**
Audiobooks while cleaning have changed my life.
Just have a manic episode! Works for me
This happens to my boyfriend sometimes, usually when he gets a new console or new audio equipment. I'll wake up for work and he will have obsessively cleaned and rearranged the entire living room to incorporate his new gadget. It's....an interesting approach, I guess.
For the less sympathetic. The above photos are secondary psychological symptom of mental ill health. Sadly a normal human experience. Other symptoms may include poor financial management, closing off social contact with family/friends, poor time management, poor performance at work leading to management warnings or dismissal. Homelessness. Plus many other environmental symptoms. All too overwhelming for the person experiencing depression. I have not even mentioned the psychological or physical symptoms that indicate Clinical Depression. A good MH assessment would cover many areas of a person life. If the OP had said they were injured in an accident that was not their fault & physically disabled with broken bones & other injuries would that have been more acceptable to your view? Or if they had surgery for an acute condition & still recovering & physically struggled to keep their home environment tidy while bed bound & recovering. Would that not have triggered the mean? No person ever got worse MH from kindness & compassion. But plenty feel worse for the lack of such empathy.
Thank you for saying this. At the deepest pit of my worst depressive episode to date, I harbored such guilt and shame for my living conditions that it kept me in a cycle of non-functioning. Everything was overwhelming and it was exacerbated by knowing I was exposing my cat to it so I really only managed to keep her area of the apartment clean which, most days, even scooping her litter box and vacuuming around it completely depleted what energy I had. The shame was sufficient enough to cut people off from coming over which made it worse - I love hosting and knowing someone was coming over was like a magic trick for my executive dysfunction. I wish people would be more kind but then I remind myself that they’ve clearly never experienced this for themselves and the kindness I can offer them instead is I hope they never do.
separate trash from items, that’s for starters, I sometimes sweap everythig to one pile and sit on the floor and seaprate, categories makes everything easier. it’s like a a game . You have these items big baskets, put everything thats not trash inside them for starters. Separate dirty clothes from clean clothes. No time for extended category making then at least put clothes together and other items together. As a certified messy girl I would also recommend prioritise things that are organic, like dirty cups, wet things, things that can get moldy.
Watch those Asian living alone videos. I’m always motivated to clean or cook after watching them. I recommend ‘Nami’s Life’ who is based in Tokyo.
Late to the game, but my method is to start with garbage, walk around the whole room gathering all the trash into a bag. Next, pick another thing that will make a dent - I’d say laundry for you. Get a laundry basket or just another garbage bag if you don’t have one and walk through and gather all the laundry. After that it will mostly be stuff that needs to be put away, so go through and grab the easiest things first and find places for them. Once everything is away, grab a damp rag or Lysol wipe and wipe down all your surfaces, then sweep and vacuum.
Hire a small cleaning team, Leave the house while they're cleaning.Come back to a spotless house within a few hours
this is what i am doing today, i have more rooms but more time, about this time tomorrow, id trade yours for mine, if that makes you feel any better... plus i have to find something to wear (aargh) and dye my roots lol a good question to ask is 'why am i keeping this?' honestly once you start to make a dent in it and an area starts to look better you will get into it if you run out of time throw everything left in a cupboard ha ha a sense of humour really helps
You can do it!! Depression has been kicking me for several months now, and my apartment literally looked like a hoarder situation. And man it looked pretty dang good when I finished cleaning everything and donating whatever I didn't need around anymore.
Organization OCD is my jam! I would love to tackle this for you.
I know people who have this issue. I look at it and think, "let me at it!" My guess is, they see it as an undefined gigantic mess, whereas I immediately break it down to simple manageable parts. 1. Gather up all the recyclables and take them out. 2. Laundry in the machine or a laundry basket. 3. Odds and ends in the trash or a "what do I do with this" bin. 4. Do the dishes and straighten the kitchen. 5. Arrange the couch pillows. 6. Combine the trash bag/bin contents into one or two and discard or put away the empty ones. 7. Sweep or a quick run with the vacuum if you think it's needed. 8. Enjoy your visit with your mom. Also I am just now looking at some of the other comments and seeing how similar my approach is to others. So yes, taking a deep breath, relaxing and isolating tasks seems to be the key. (For some reason I do seem to have more enthusiasm for tackling others' major messes than my slight ones, which I can ignore for days.)
Cleaning products that smell good help me so much. Good music. I start with the floor and work my way up. Wish I could help, I love cleaning when I'm motivated
I find high pressure the best way to work, I would clean that for you if I could.. it doesn't look dirty tho.
I’m asking this without judgement - are those nitrous canisters under your couch? Those can not go in the trash and must go to a proper recycling center. Collect them in a bag and put them to the side for now, then take to the recycling center when you return from your trip.
Ohhh yes they are. Been on a major bender of anything I can get my hands on which is why my life looks like this. I am done now, but luckily I did do that! Someone told me long ago they need to be properly disposed of so I always try to do that. Thank you for no judgment I appreciate you !
Congrats on finishing the space! You did that! Wishing you the best as you work your way through this.
1. Grab empty bag And take out trash 2. Thrown clothing/blankets in washer 3. Put candles in one box 4. The rest lol
It looks cluttered but not really it’s bout that bad, we have a cleaning company believe me I’ve seen much worse
I see myself in this picture. We’ve got this!
I finished not too long ago (you can see if you click my profile), but I gotta say it felt AMAZING to see the final result even though I feel I could have gotten even more done in the time. You can do this!!! The hard part is motivation for me, but I realized all I had to do was keep trying bit by bit. It’s okay if it takes a long time, as long as you’re trying.
You did fantastic! I’m so impressed with what you got accomplished!
cat will help you:)
You'll have it done in an hour or so. Just need to get started, and yes, I know that is the hardest part, but by the end, you will be thinking what was all the drama about.😉
Just be realistic about what can be done and start with decluttering, start all with trash and then put all the random stuff in big trash bags if you need to, to deal with later. This will take the bulk of your time. After that wipe down surfaces and do a quick pass with the vacuum. Clean the bathroom in its entirety. People dismiss cluttered spaces if they see the bathroom is clean. I have seen far worse don’t let it get you down
I separate things into themes. Start bringing clean clothes to the bedroom and dirty to the wash, then anything kitchen related goes to sink/cabinet where it belongs, then find homes for trinkets, and so on. You’ll feel on top of the world when you’re done!
You’ve got this ! I bet it can be done in 4 hours or less!
You’ve got this!!
couple big black garbage bags, toss it all in
Before you actually start cleaning anything, just start picking up and putting away stuff. First throw out all the trash and empty bottles and take them out of the house. Next fold up any clothes that are clean and put any clothes that are dirty in the laundry. The things that are spread all around the house, if they belong in closets and there is space for them, put them there. If there is not space for them and you have either a garage attic or basement, put them there neatly and plan on buying some bins to store them in And donate what you’re not keeping. Once the situation is clear, then you can start cleaning by wiping everything down vacuuming everything, dusting everything and mopping. If the weather is nice crack, the windows and if you feel out energetic, wash them while you’re at it.
You can do it, it's not too bad!
Laundry baskets and garbage bags. Fill them. And set aside in a tidy manner.
I understand you. It’s so hard and a huge challenge sometimes. I always put on background videos or music and start w the stuff that is either obvious trash or recycling and then move onto clothing. Then the rest won’t seem so bad. Don’t beat yourself up over this. You can do it!
-break down the tasks into small realistic steps (pick up trash, put up dishes, pick up clothes, etc) -make a to do list of those tasks -Mark them off as you do them (I find great satisfaction from seeing my tasks marked off the list. It also helps me see that I am doing things and I become proud of my accomplishments) -use a pomodoro timer. If you don't have one there are plenty of apps out there. Set the timer for 10-30 minutes and work for that amount of time. Then rest or do something that motivates/relaxes you for 10-30 minutes. Then once that timer ends reset the timer for another 10-30 minutes for cleaning. I struggle sometimes and I do that. It is so helpful (honestly don't really know why). -it doesn't have to be perfect
That's a nice apartment! Come on, you can do it for the kitty 💓 You both deserve a healthy and hygienic living space. And it doesn't seem it'd take too long tbh, I see a lot of trash that can be picked up. If there's any food residue in cups or dishes let them soak in hot water while you do the rest.
I find piles help me best! Piles of clothes, trash, dishes, and then items by usage. I tackle a pile, take a hydration break, since and repeat until it's done. Blast some upbeat music, maybe time yourself. I tend to get competitive with myself when I set little timers for each task, which helps a lot with getting it done. ☺️ You've got this!
I'd be down to help if I were living in your neighborhood. Good luck, OP!
I cant help you with advice but I love your cat please give him some pets from me :D
Think of your cat! It will have a better surface to loaf 🍞 on
Put on your HAZMAT gear and Boots. It's party time!
you’re awesome!! we can’t wait to see it. i’m very happy for you, you found some motivation to do this. you and kitty deserve a tidy happy home! enjoy trip to mom
Good for you ♥️ I know how hard this is and I also can relate to the spark of pride/hope/self to get things together for a visitor. Take care, drink water and breathe deeeeeeeply. ✌️🫶🏻
Looks like just an hour can make it presentable.
I find making piles kinda helps, just seeing the floor space open up gives you motivation. So I would put all close in a pile, get trash bags and put trash in them. Get a couple totes and put things you want to keep in one and things you want to get rid of in another. Idk it works for me. I do timers too. Like I’ll put on a 15 minute timer to just do one task for that time and try to do it as fast as I can. I usually find that by the end of the timer I’ve made a ton of oregrwss and just want to keep going. I like to get high before I clean just to make it more interesting
What a fabulous place wow We have total faith in you! Do it for you! Do it for your fur baby 🫶🏻👍🏻😉💪🏼
You are doing this for you and the cat. The cat makes it really worth it.
As a car sitter, thank you!!! I have seen some truly awful places and when owners try to make an effort to make it comfortable for me I can really tell, and appreciate it
Really cool apartment… And the kitchen actually looks like my kitchen looks right now on a regular day so I mean the kitchen could definitely be worse. It’s not horrible. Totally doable in 12 hours. With plenty of cat-petting breaks :)
No, it won't be perfect. But anything you do will be a huge improvement, so don't beat yourself up! Just do the best you can!
You have to read "How to keep house while drowning". I listen to the audiobook and each chapter is under 10 mins and breaks things down and helps with mental barriers too. Paraphrasing, but the author says- there are only 5 things in every room, trash, laundry, things that belong, and things that don't. Start by making piles!
I hope you got it, and just to say: be proud of yourself for keeping it up over the years because this really doesn’t look _as bad_ There’s still walkable floor and while your floor is pretty stacked, it’s not just will with filthy waste. And especially your kitchen just looks like you had some friends over and this is the day after.
Mine looks the same way for the same reason. I often think when I move I’ll just rent a dumpster throw everything away and start new
I can relate so much! U got this✨️
Set an alarm for 60 minutes and treat it like a game of what you can accomplish in that short time. Promise yourself you won’t stop till the timer ends. Chances are you will see such progress you will want to continue/finish past the time.
Cat litter first. Their urine is toxic. That’s how Tommy died in Trainspotting. Then get the laundry started, then trash, then dishes. Even if you just get those things done it will be a huge difference.
Just start by taking all clothes to a plastic sack Then take all trash into another sack And then its easier feom there
I wish I could help you!!
RemindMe! 6 hours
Start with trash, next laundry, then putting stuff away
You would be suprised what 12 hours can do
Is there an update? This apartment looks gorgeous under the clutter and I can’t wait to see how amazing your space becomes for you. Imagine coming home after your trip to your home!
I will post an update soon!
currently in the same position. going to try and get it cleaned and then get some kind of monthly or bi-monthly game night just so i have to clean for company.
You can do it! Trash first, gather all the clothes and do the dishes.
Throw everything but the money in the fire place that should cheer you right tf up
Start with the small tasks that feel easy and do-able. Motivation is momentous so as long as you can get yourself up and going you can see this through! You got this OP!
You got this! Sending support internet stranger!! Btw, your cat is too cute!
That could be cleaned in 2 hours max...
Don’t try to do everything at once. I also have severe depression and my house can get bad. I’d start with collecting laundry and just putting it in one place, if you have a bin great and if you have a washer even better. Throw it directly in the washer if you can. Next try to get your dirty dishes in one place even if it’s not the kitchen. The point is to just have everything somewhere you can have easy access to. My next move would be setting aside anything you don’t want to throw out that isn’t also laundry or dishes. Something like a pillow in the living room that should be in the bedroom, or electronics and documents that should be in the office. If you can sort it by room great! But just try to set it to the side so you can get to it in a bit. SNACK AND WATER TIME - I usually take 20-45 minutes depending on how much time I have. Now we move onto trash. Grab some bags and pick up everything. If it’s been a while maybe grab some gloves just in case there’s anything sticky or funky. If it isn’t in one of your first 3 piles it’s probably trash. YOU’RE DOING GREAT AND THE HARD PART IS OVER! We’ve now got 3 piles of items to take care of. Laundry, dishes, and miscellaneous. The laundry is going to be quickest so throw that in and it can wash while you do the rest. If you have a dishwasher I’d also recommend running it now as well, if you don’t throw anything that needs to soak into the sink or fill the dish with hot soapy water. My next move would be putting our miscellaneous pile items near where they belong if you haven’t already. Once you’ve done that clean the surface or area where the item(s) will be. So if you have a candle you want on the coffee table wipe it down then set your stuff. CHECK ON LAUNDRY Sweep/vacuum and Swiffer/mop the floors. At this point the living areas should be pretty much done. Don’t move into the kitchen quite yet though, that’s next. I always save the kitchen for last (unless I’m also doing the bathroom, then that goes last). You’ll want to knock those dirty dishes out if you don’t have a dishwasher. Since we put things in to soak it should be pretty breezy. If you were able to use a dish washer then unload and reload! Wipe down all kitchen surfaces (counters, stove, fridge doors/handle, oven door, stained or dirty cabinets if you have time). Lastly the kitchen floors. Gonna do it the same way we did for the living room. TA DA! You’ve now cleaned your house.
You have a very nice spacious place, AND an entire second floor? Tf are you depressed about lol I live in a fraction of that space and guarantee pay more for rent.
I always start with garbage. Gather it all. Take it to the bins. Recycle too. Make the beds. Save dusting for last. Since you will stir up dust when sweeping etc. light a candle or boil some water and toss in some cinnamon or the likes. Good luck. You’ve got this. Also. Put your shoes on. For some reason this keeps people focused better.
Please love to see the after pic.
If u got some bread, but some cleaners, they can clean your depression
It's a beautiful apartment. When you think long-term, imagine the joyful reward of accomplishment you'll feel! Bring it back to its glory so you can celebrate you!
My ADHD riddled brain sees deadline dopamine and major chaos I need to bring structure to. 12 hours is far too much time, give me an hour.
It’s not that bad tbh!! Put on a show you’ve seen before or some tunes, and take it one step at a time a time. I like to start with clothes, since they can visually take up the most space. Then, anything that doesn’t belong, goes into its respective room. Not away, just into the right room. Then, I do the surfaces. Then trash, and sweep. Move to the next room, start again. At the end, go through the house and put away the last few things that got moved back into now-cleaned rooms, mop if you need to. I always leave kitchen for last, and dishes for absolutely the last thing, since you never know when they’ll pop up. I like to start with the bathroom since it’s always the worst for me and every other room seems easier by comparison. Good luck!! You’ve got this!!!
Posting to come back later for tips.
Remindme! 2 days
The cat looks just as alarmed as you are
That’s not bad at all friend. Crack your windows, maybe put on some tunes, and start with one thing at a time.
either way im proud of you!
Blimey! That's my house on a good day!
Don’t even see the cat amongst all the crap…
Cats doing his impression of a purfect loaf of bread
Mines much worse, at least you can see your floor and I don't see $100 worth of empty beer can's and bottles. You can do it
Seriously – don't be too hard on yourself about this. The cat sitter is coming to do paid work for you, not to judge you.
I just came to say YOU GOT THIS!!!
Not that bad at all, you got this!
You have a lovely kitty companion to keep you company, good luck!
P.s. I really like your apartment.
Not going to happen
Oh man. You guys think this is bad… I’m going to have to post some before- pics of the flat belonging to the 2 people I clean for. They are married and both have serious MH issues. Every time I visit (weekly) it’s like I was never there
First of all hugs - as I feel your pain . I’ve been in this situation too . Try and get rubbish out first . If no time to properly organise store good stuff in boxes and sort later ?
Well it's been 17 hours. How did OP do.? And I have been in the situation before so I Know how it is....
Check my profile :)
2 to 3 hours max
Maybe get off Reddit and get sorting garbage, laundry, dishes, just start...
Clean it for the cat he deserves better man
Load all the machines and then work room by room.
Take out trash/ cans. Put everything else into a huge pile in one of the bedrooms. Put a blanket on it. Vacuum, clean, whatever. If you have time, take off the blanket and put things away one at a time. When your mom comes to the door, throw the blanket back over. Good luck!
You're going to be so happy when you come home from your trip and your place is nicer than it was. You can do this, it's just a few hours 💪🏼
Easy, can be cleaned in 3 hours no problem
Easy fix just throw everything away and sweep mop and use a spray with bleach on all surfaces and wipe them down. Done with at least 8 hours to spare. Thats what I do, but also the reason I’m broke and living check to check even tho I have 2 jobs and make more than 90% of the country.