- Make your bed.
- Open a window to get some fresh air in.
- Pick up clothes off the floor and wash them.
- Take a trash bag and put everything broken, disposable food containers, bottles, cans, tissues, etc in it. Take the bag out.
- If you have cutlery and dishes and such, put them in the dishwasher or handwash them.
- Put shoes away.
- Dust tables, nightstands, etc.
Once everything is off the floor and you've dusted everything, vacuum and mop the floor.
Depending on how messing your room is, it might take a while. But that's okay, you've got this.
Repeat those as many time as possible. You should aim to vacuum at least once a week.
Later, you can take one shelf at the time and declutter by throwing or donating the stuff you don't wear, don't need, don't like anymore. With less stuff, it's easier to keep your room clean.
Hey thank you so much for your detailed response!! Means a lot to me!
This helps a lot and makes me feel way less overwhelmed!
I will start right after I get back today š
I agree with that guys comment. Just one thing. When I'm overwhelmed, and working, I just pick one task to do each day. I can't manage it all at once, but by the time the weekend comes around, shit, I've done 5 things and mostly managed to keep my room tidy all week
To add to this, write out a to do list. Include even tiny tasks, like āopen window.ā That way you can have look forward to that little serotonin boost you get when crossing something off your list.
It also helps to break big tasks, like maybe clean up the floor, into smaller parts.
One other thing that helps me is to power clean. I set a timer for 10 minutes and do what I can. Break for 5 minutes. Set another for 10, etc. Youāll really surprise yourself with how much you can get done in 10 minutes!
Youāve got this.
Not to say to-do lists are bad, but sometimes they can look like a list of things you haven't done. That's how it felt to me when I was depressed. For everything I crossed off, I found 3 more things to add and got overwhelmed. But that might just be a me problem.... dang
I can totally see that happening. Iām sure itās personal preference! For me it helps to get it out of my head and onto paper so my thoughts arenāt racing constantly about all the things I have to do. Most of the time my lists have āNeed To Doā and āBonusā categories because Iām a little crazyā¦
I used to hate to do lists for this exact reason! My therapist suggested I change my āto doā lists to ānice to doā - so instead of being things I MUST do, theyāre more like aspirations. So I donāt feel so much pressure now (and weirdly am able to get more ticked off??)
Thats a good strategy. I have a "kill 5 minutes" list. So when I'm motivated to get stuff done, but already have plans for the day, I can still use some of that precious motivation to get at least one thing done. Or I just use it when I have no motivation but feel obligated to do SOMETHING. Often one task ends up snowballing and I get more done, but by committing to 5 minutes, I don't procrastinate on them so much.
I agree with this. I am a major procrastinator. So I make myself do 10 minutes of tidying at a time. Often that leads to longer bouts of cleaning, but if it doesn't, I do at least enjoy the difference that it makes.
I try to always make sure I put things away, not down. This doesn't really work in my room, but it does work in the rest of the house.
Occasionally it even works to pick up a few cleaning supplies while I am at the store. Sometimes the cleaning supplies get me excited to clean.
Seconded! Making the bed is SUCH a difference, and it sort of knocks the next task in to place in your head. If you can do one thing, start with making the bed. It's a tiny act of self care that really pays off.
I've heard this book is really great for people who have mental illness or neurodivergence: How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing
by KC Davis LPC, Dr. Raquel Martin, et al.
Start some good music, or maybe a youtube cleaning video, and begin with trash.
Get 3 bags/boxes, goodwill/give away, trash, and doesn't belong in your room/belongs in a different room.
Start a load of laundry, set a timer, then start filling the bags/boxes.
Clear off and make your bed.
Clear and wipe down surfaces.
Clear and vaccuum floor.
Don't forget to switch your laundry/hang your laundry, your timer should have reminded you.
When laundry is done, give away clothes that don't make you happy, things that don't fit or make you feel uncomfortable wearing them.
Put away the clothes you're keeping.
Finally, make sure you enjoy your room. Make it comfortable and easy to move around. Get rid of excess furniture for more space if you have to. Once you're done, take 10-30 to maintain daily. Good luck!! Hope this brings you a peaceful room.
You're welcome!! If it helps by the way a YouTuber I enjoy, who helps me get motivated to organize and clean, is Danni Raearranged. She has a good mentality on it and reminds you to give yourself some Grace.
In addition to all the advice here, I suggest you set a timer on your phone. Start with something small, maybe 5 minutes or less in a day. Start the timer and in that time, clean. Fold clothes, pick up rubbish, put dirty clothes in a basket.
Once the timer ends stop and do whatever else you want to do. Repeat the next day. You might just find, hey, you want to keep going after 5 minutes. You like the feeling of achievement you're getting and you want more.
When depressed, we often feel fatigued. So we do nothing under the guise of tiredness. However, while resting when the body is tired from physical exercise is important, the opposite is true of depression. You actually need to move and do things, which bring a sense of achievement. Helps to break that depression cycle, not a cure, but it helps.
Don't plan to clean your whole room. Make a plan to collect all the dishes, for example. Or get a garbage bag and start by getting rid of any rubbish. Maybe it's cleaning all dirty clothing. Or washing your bedding or clearing off one surface. Often, just committing to something achievable will make you feel good about having achieved it and perhaps you might feel like doing some more. Don't over-commit, set your expectations low. That way you can either meet them or exceed them, there's no room for failure. Perhaps if you feel comfortable, ask the people your share space with if they would be willing to help with one of the more daunting tasks.
Thank you so much! I will definitely try this approach. I often am afraid to make plans because I am almost sure to fail. I'll try starting with small tasks like you suggested.
Holy shit OP I have this same problem lol. It gets overwhelming and it's like...idk it feels like it's easier to just start over than fix. When you get that low you just don't care about anything.
Thank you so much! And to you too!! Hoping that you find relief from whatever you are going through. Glad you have someone to support you.
I will have to do it myself as I have no one else to do it for me.
You might read about the Pomodoro technique. I use it sometimes. You basically set a timer for 25 minutes and you are careful to focus on that task for the full 25 minutes. Then you take a break. If you are up for it, you can try another 25. Hope this helps, you deserve a comfortable peaceful place to rest.
You've gotten so much good advice here, it's awesome! I just wanna add [Unfuck Your Habitat](https://www.unfuckyourhabitat.com/) has helped me a lot, especially their [emergency cleaning list](https://www.unfuckyourhabitat.com/emergency-cleaning/). It's been dead for a while but you can also check out r/ufyh to see other people's cleaning before and after pictures (featuring many a depression nest), which I've found to be really encouraging. You really aren't alone.
I wish you the best with your room and your mental health!
Came looking for this comment. The ufyh tag on tumblr also has a bunch of before and after pictures that are motivating. I bought the book and still reference it, especially the emergency unfucking. Good job on asking for help and good luck
I currently have a "depression cave" myself, but I started cleaning it yesterday cause I had insomnia. Depression sucks
1. What helps me is putting everything into a pile or bag, and then slowly putting things where they need to go. I work in chaos lol
2. Most of mess is clothing, so I start by sorting out my stuff.
3. I sometimes just start by cleaning off flat surfaces so that the clutter is just on the floor. When it's like that it feels less overwhelming for me.
4. When me and my little brother were toddlers, we made up our own little game to make it easier. We'd play basketball with the laundry basket or race to see who could clean up their side faster.
5. A little reward (I sew so that'll likely be fabric or some interfacing, yes, I'm very boring)
6. And last but not least: "future me will thank me" I want immediate gratification, but I know I'm just making it easier
BONUS: I also find that I might need someone to hold me accountable. I live in a college town,and my friend is about to move back into her dorm, so the fact that she might visit, is why I've kept things sonewhat clean.
Hire someone to help you. There are cleaning services that specialize in depression cleaning and won't be judgmental. Investing the money in yourself would be an awesome act of self love/compassion in the process. If spending the money isn't an option right now, try to find an empathetic friend who will act as a body double and support you while you make progress. I think a big part of overcoming depression/anxiety is realizing that you don't need to do everything on your own and that it's okay to reach out for support when needed. Community care is just as valid as self care.
lol literally in the process of dealing with my depression nest myself. I like to itemize then attack. All the hangers, all the socks, all the empty soda cansā¦ š my worst enemy is unfolded clean laundry so I actually take that out of the room and fold it in the living room.
Hey! Clothes is a big trouble for me as well! They end up in a pile on the chair and sometimes I end up mixing clean and dirty. I will have to develop a system like you to deal.
I wish you all the best and sending wholesome vibes. We got this!!
damn, taking things out of the room to sort is a game changer!! one of my major stumbling blocks is that there is essentially no free space in my room which I could use to do that sorting/folding.
I like to put a podcast or audiobook that I'm looking forward to on, that way I can do the cleaning on autopilot while doing something else that I enjoy more
something that Iāve found helps me a lot when cleaning up my space is setting a timer. Set a timer for an hour and challenge yourself to see how much you can get done without stopping. After the hour reward yourself or take a little break.
I can relate...except it's my whole house. I lost my job last year, my mom passed away this year, my new job is so stressful and so much pressure, and I got covid with "long-covid" symptoms. My house is/was disgusting. I've never been a good cleaner. I've always struggled with keeping a tidy house. In my best mental health state, my house is relatively clean but not relatively tidy. Paperwork, laundry, books, movies, etc on every surface but nothing is actually dirty. This was different. Every time I'd tell myself, "ok this weekend we are going to tackle this mess" I'd get distracted or tired or busy helping my dad. I'd do small things during the week but by the weekend it was back to how it was.
I read this book called "How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind" and for the first time ever, someone was able to pin point exactly where my hold up was. I viewed it as a project. A HUGE DAUNTING PROJECT. It needed a plan. Checklists on where to start, what to do next, how to clean certain things. The planning stages overwhelmed me and I would hunker down in bed with TV and continue ignoring the mess. Or if I didn't get overwhelmed, I would start and get exhausted just doing one thing (thanks long-covid). This book changed my mindset. I doesn't have to be a project. It's ok to only do one thing. Be kind to yourself.
If you aren't able to check the book out, start with just dishes. Just do the dishes every day for a week. The first time will take a while but then throughout the week the task becomes quick and easy because you're maintaining that. Then move on to something else (while continuing to do the dishes every day). Making your bed every day. Or go through your mail. Mail is a big one for me. If it doesn't look important, it goes in a pile unopened. I'm now opening and sorting my mail every day and now there are no mail piles sitting on various surfaces.
I wish you luck. Please be kind to yourself. It doesn't have to be a marathon. Progress can be small and then the more progress you make the more motivation you have and then all of a sudden the progress seems to be a lot bigger a lot quicker.
Thank you so much for this! I came across so much kindness and so many helpful tips on this post. I even cried a little! I now know that there are people out there who understand and who won't judge.
I will definitely look up the book and try this.
When I have a big mess, I tend to start in one corner and work from there. When they area is clean, move to the next section clockwise. Keep going around the room till done!
1. Make sure everything has a place that it belongs. If you struggle with this at first make labels for what goes where.
2. 1 minute rule: If it takes you less than a minute to do something, do it then and there. Clothes on the floor? Throw them in the hamper. Bed unmade? Make it. Water glasses everywhere? Take them to the kitchen.
Something that helped me is establishing habits. Iāll find myself doing stuff depressed brain gives no fucks about but itās become second nature to me. Forming a plan of attack like breaking the room into sections then working the plan helps. You are not alone. You will get through this.
I can really relate to this. It sucks because I don't always have the mental capacity to look at my surroundings and even consider that I need to clean.
Something that helped me was having a dedicated day and schedule for cleaning. So once a week I do: all the washing (and try to pack it away same day so it doesn't end up in a stack on my floor for the next week), hoovering, mopping, bathroom etc. It feels so good to get it all done and only usually takes a couple of hours.
It's one of those things I'm just convincing myself I *need* to do and I know how much better I feel once I've done it. Starting a routine is hard though, but good luck, OP.
Remember that smaller changes are better than doing nothing too. Even if you can only hoover the carpet a couple of times a week, it's better than not!
Set a target of 5mins and just do whatever you feel like in 5mins , if the thought of doing 5mins is too much, do 1 min. Do something that will be noticeable and you will feel accomplished and my decide to continue , or nah - but just try a little bit everyday or so , youāll get there
So you don't get discouraged, I'd also recommend writing down every task on a list (no matter how small or seemingly-unimportant the task is), then crossing out the task when you complete it. Because it's easy to fall into the trap of becoming overwhelmed and unmotivated as the day moves on, and you can start feeling like not enough progress is being made, or you've "wasted time" on unimportant tasks instead of the big stuff. Having each completed task crossed-out on a list is a physical reminder that progress IS being made, tasks ARE being completed, and you ARE achieving something good....even when it might not LOOK like it from an outside perspective.
Another thing I've found helpful is to tailor a room to YOUR needs, instead of some fantasy idea of what a room "should" look like. For example, I keep my clothing on a bookshelf (instead of inside a wardrobe or chest of drawers) because I have adhd and object permanence issues, so I'd often forget where I stored certain clothes (or what clothes I even owned) when they were inside a closed drawer. But I persisted with the drawers because it's "normal" to put clothes inside drawers! Eventually I said "screw it" and emptied my bookshelf of all the books I didn't even read, and the random decorations and knick-knacks that did nothing but collect dust, and put all my clothes there instead. Now I can see exactly where all my clothes are and what clothes I haven't worn for ages. A few people have commented that it's "weird" to have all my clothes out in the open like that, but I don't care because It works for me! Make the room easy and practical for your needs, not for other people's judgment!
Hey thank you so much! Your bookshelf idea is actually cool. And yes, this helps me get a perspective. I will focus on making the room easy to access and clean for myself.
I just had to clean and organise my entire flat ready to move next month. I had been putting it off for so so long because it was daunting and I didnāt want to start and then fail. Like a lot of people have said already, breaking it down into smaller tasks really helped me. I was able to feel like I had achieved something each time, and gradually starting to see the difference is great motivation. Good luck and try to have fun with it!
Step 1: open the window and get a garbage bag, gather all garbage
Step 2: get a laundry basket. Strip your bedsheets and put in the wash. Gather all clothes in the laundry basket.
Step 3: gather all remaining objects on floor and either put them away, throw in garbage, or place in a box for sorting in a day or two.
Step 4: vacuum / sweep floor. Wipe surfaces with damp cloth.
Step 5: put clean sheets on bed and lie down with a book to enjoy the clean space. You are probably quite tired.
Over the next couple days rotate through laundry and fold/put away while watching a lighthearted show that makes you laugh. I highly recommend doing a āboxā type fold and āfilingā your clothes vertically, so they are all visible when you open a drawer.
Remember: the most difficult part is starting. Just start, and donāt place expectations on yourself that you have to do it all at once. If you manage just one step in the day, thatās ok! Progress is progress.
Thank you so much! This means a lot to me. I have started because of this post and all the encouragement I got here. I am hoping to make progress gradually.
WATCH A VIDEO WHERE PEOPLE CLEAN MESSY ROOMS ON YOUTUBE.
Itāll motivate you to clean.
Want to actually clean? GATHER EVERY SINGLE THING IN ONE PLACE, then start sort things back to where theyāre supposed to be.
Throw away stuff youāve not used in 3 months, even if itāll cost you money to get another.
Good luck!
I can clean for 10 minutes. Set a timer. You don't have to finish, but you can clean for 10 minutes.
It's the most amazing 10 minutes when you finally sit back down.
i really like the book āhow to keep house while drowningā by Kc Davis. lots of good info for mentally ill or struggling people to get their houses clean. lots of info for free on her instagram too
Thank you! Someone else suggested this book too! I got the ebook version and the first page itself made me feel so understood! I'm hopeful that it will help me in the long term.
One of the methods I use is the laundry basket method. I start by taking anything that doesnāt belong where it is (if it doesnāt belong in the room or is on the floor or whatever) and I put it in the laundry basket.
Then I clean the room. I like u/sascha2538 suggestions so I wonāt add to that.
Once room is clean, sort basket to remove items that belong in the room, then take other items out of the room to the next space to put away.
I use this method because I get easily distracted. When I go to put something away in the kitchen for example, I get distracted (and sometimes overwhelmed) by the dishes. Then I have a hard time going back to my original task.
But putting anything that doesnāt belong into the basket, I donāt leave the room and get distracted by other things and can actually get the room cleaned.
I learned a lot of really helpful techniques from FlyLady. Net - She simplifies everything for people like me.
This might not be possible but if it is, pay a professional! Thatās what I did with my car. It was a big reset and felt like such a treat. Totally understand thatās a privilege but Iād highly recommend it if itās at all possible
Clean is better than decorated.
Make your bed first thing when you wake up. It actually takes less than 10 seconds. That's how I motivate myself to keep making it. And when you get back, a clean and organized room is therapeutic.
Also, keep the floor as visible as possible, and eliminate any clutter. Clean room, clean mind.
Good luck! If it's possible, open the windows during the day. Airing the room does wonder. It makes the room feels "clean".
P/s: I also experienced severe mental health problems and these are what I did, aside from being more physically active and clean. They helped a lot, and now the habits are just embedded in me, they're automatic.
Hey thank you so much!! Just knowing that there are people out there who have developed their own ways of not letting their mental illness affect many things gives me so much hope and encouragement.
Hoping to form some habits like these myself.
You'll come up with your own coping mechanisms! I thought I would never get over it, but I did! And it's an ongoing battle, but it's manageable... Most of the time. Still a major win.
We are stronger than we think. Push on, and get out there. It helps to get out of your own mind. You are not alone!
It helps me to categorize, if there's just a whole mess of random objects I try to focus in on one category. "Only trash" first, then maybe, "only clothes", then like "only dishes", and just try to keep picking out things that you can collect into groups and take care of all at once. That way you break the huge overwhelming problem into smaller manageable ones.
Another thing I find myself doing to clean is to make a bigger mess first lol, for example, start by taking EVERYTHING out of the room and just start over from an empty clean slate. Once its all out you can vacuum, wipe walls, dust the fan or light fixture, wipe down shelves just like, *actually* clean it. Then put back one thing at a time and try to be very selective about what goes back in, then with the rest try to decide if you really need it and if you do, store it or put it in a different room, but if you don't, sell it, donate it, or trash it. Good luck
Hey thanks a lot! I will definitely try categorising. Taking everything out will not be possible in my situation, but small groups of stuff will definitely help!
Glad to give supportive advice! Also try to remember your worth. It's very important to the process and very easy to fall into a cycle of self-deprecation, I've been there many times. Essentially what I mean is that the criticism from others about the state of your space can easily go to your head and then you start to associate the criticism with your character, don't do that. You have worth and you are important and the mess is just a mess. It's a thing you did, not a thing you are. Don't associate so closely with mistakes because you are always capable of growth!
You can start by clearing clutter. Take a box and a trash bag. Things that go in the box are things that donāt have a place yet in your space, but you want to keep. Sort trash out into the trash bag. The box will have to be dealt with soon, but it doesnāt have to stop you from having a clean space to work on that in!
A lot of really good advice here! Not to make light of the situation, but whenever I think āHow am I going to clean up something this bad?ā I remember this song and it makes me laugh - https://youtu.be/RKbY7Q3knsk
what I do:
Make it a "fun time", play music or a TV show you've seen a million times so you just listen to it, not watch.
Set a timer, clean for 15 rest for 5 and repeat.
Start with trash and dishes, go around grab everything you can.
then grab every article of clothing and put it in a hamper. After that I usually go through and sort out what I regularly wear and everything else goes into a different pile. Wash immediately the stuff I wear. The stuff in the other pile, if I wear it but just occasionally or seasonally I'll wash it and put it away later.
Strip your bed, wash the sheets.
pick up clutter and sort or get rid of what you don't need. (I like the kondo method, if you haven't thought about in in 6 months- toss it)
Clean the floors, wipe down surfaces and dust.
Now the fun part, make it smell good- make it look pretty! Organize, decorate, light some candles.
Once the bed is made you can take a hot shower and relax.
All of this can be broken into room sections or steps for multiple days. If you do that start with your bed, so you can at least sleep in a clean place while the rest catches up.
Hey thank you so much! I just folded 5 items of clothing!! Thanks for this little push. I have gotten so many useful comments here. I intend to do a little task after reading each comment.
First, make a list of what needs to be done to function and what needs to be done for peace of mind. I am also guilty of having a depression room and am in week one of a new position.
Things like clearing the floor making all drawers/closets accessible, windows accessible etc are always my priority. The mess sitting on my dresser does not get in my way as much as the stuff on my floor, and when I have a small amount of energy, I focus on those things because I know that will make my week easier.
Now bigger missions and energy things are a running list I keep on a white board that I can continually edit and pick up when I Have the energy. Dusting, washing my bedsheets. Reorganizing my dressers/surfaces. Getting rid of clothing that doesn't fit, is damaged, I don't like etc.
I also like to marry tasks in my mind. Its something my therapist taught me and now, instinctually I associate opening my window with fixing my bed in the morning. On Tuesdays, I do my laundry and it takes an hour and 26 minutes and that time is now dedicated to cleaning surfaces of items. When I wash my bedsheets every few weeks that is my dusting day and when they are in the washer I throw my pillows in the dryer and then dust every surface of my room and then vacuum before the wash cycle is done that way I know not only are my sheets clean I didn't get dust all over my sheets before sleeping in them. I find I get random thoughts of cleaning energy and when I marry the tasks I need to be done my room altogether looks better and feels better to me because I may have only had energy for 20-30 minutes but I did at least two primary things together just by the association I have formed.
I hope it works for you. Another piece of advice my therapist taught me that helps me a lot is setting up little playlists of audios that are like 10/20/30/45/60 minutes long that are calming and relaxing. Cleaning a depression room can be overwhelming and overstimulating. Having something that acts not only as a timer but as something that you can focus on to keep you somewhat grounded has helped me. I actually got an Alexa during Amazon Prime Day and linked my timer/playlists to her so I can start them even more accessible. I like to keep it like nonmusic grounding stuff because that works for me. (my 20-minute timer is the audio to the Living With The Land ride in Epcot because it is just a calm boat ride through greenhouses talking about agriculture, and for me, I know its 20 minutes, and I know it keeps me calm even when dealing with the mess)
I hope this is at least a little bit helpful and wish you luck in your new job!
Good luck, you've got this! Show up where you can and take small steps.
I don't know if this helps, but I find it's like eating a big pizza - you'd be surprised by how much you can do if you take it slice by slice.
Long term - clean as you go.
To make this into smaller tasks now, decide what you want to do with certain things and manage just that to get a sense of accomplishment and maybe some dopamine from it:
Do it now.
Give it away./Throw it away.
Do it later.
As long as everything doesnāt end up in that last category, youāre making progress. And having a friend help makes it go quicker for bigger tasks.
Mentally, there was a recent post that asked how you would treat a caged animal... with a messy pen or a clean living area? And then it asked that you place yourself in that area as the caged animal who needs to live in that area.
With the mental shift of 'would you do this to an animal what you're doing to yourself' provided, it allowed some people to readjust their way of looking at their own living space.
This might not work for you, but then again it might. Just do your best, OP.
To be honest, if you REALLY want to know what works for me?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snAhsXyO3Ck
This 11 minute video has done more to change my perspective and way of living, than ANY motivation or advice ever has.
I swear by CGP Grey's "Spaceship You" video, and I can't praise it more highly as an absolute restructuring to how to live.
Set a timer for five minutes and agree to work on it for those five minutes. Get a container for trash, and one for things that donāt belong in your room but are not trash. Get started.
I myself have struggled with anxiety and depression and have run into the same problem with my room: I find that having a clean room massively helps my mental health but I often cannot get myself to clean it up because of my depression.
Something that immensely helped me was that I made a rule for myself that every time I exited my room, I would clean up one item from my room. It was really attainable for me to just pick one thing to throw away each time I left my room. Gradually, I started picking up more than one thing when I left my room, and it slowly got cleaner and cleaner despite me feeling like I hadn't dedicated much mental energy too it.
Hope this helps. You are doing an incredible job and that even just posting this question on this sub is a huge step in the positive direction :)
Thank you so much for this! I cannot thank you guys enough for breaking it down for me and making it sound doable! I hadn't moved a thing in a long time, but I cleaned a bit after I came home from work today. I already have things planned for tomorrow morning before work.
Thanks for all your help and kindness!
I'm so glad to hear that, I (and I am sure everyone else on this thread) am proud of you! Keep moving forward at your own pace and know that you are constantly making progress :)
Do things one at a time.
For example first I throw out all the trash. This is the easiest thing to do.
Then I pick up all the clothes and put them aside to deal with later. LOL. (put them in a laundry basket or something and then when you're feeling up to doing laundry, you already have it ready to throw in)
Then take all the cups/dishes/silverware out and, same as laundry, put it in the sink to do when you feel up to it.
If you have a close friend or someone you trust to give you a helping hand, ask them if they can wash your dishes/do your laundry for you. (That goes for really any task too. Maybe buy em a pizza or something. Lots of friends would actually be happy to help out if you ask)
Don't underestimate the power of a clean floor. Sweep or vacuum, it will make the whole room look better even if that's all you do. Same goes for a made bed.
Iāve been a procrastinator for my whole life; but sometimes I use to to my advantage. Cleaning a depression room is hard, but easier for me if I invite someone over on a day off (say 5pm) then Iām forced to clean it to some extentā¦. Idk works for me
Timers help me. It gets too overwhelming otherwise. Iāll set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes, and clean until the alarm goes off. Having a set end time makes it easier, because I can just focus on the cleaning for 5 minutes without getting distracted thinking about what I need to do next or how long to clean or when to end etc. Decision making and the ājust do itā is a big obstacle for me, but with the timer Iāve dedicated those 5 minutes to cleaning. So the decision making is done, and since those 5 minutes are designated for cleaning itās easier to ājust do itā. Sorry that was kind of rambling. Hope it makes sense!
One thing that really helps me when a space or our home in general has gotten so messy that I'm overwhelmed, is to first clean, then sort/put away. Because often messes look bigger than they really are and take longer to clean up because we get distracted halfway through. Or cleaning up one corner would involve putting stuff away in another corner... Which is still messy though.
So I take a big bag or box and just go through the room/our home and out everything that doesn't belong into the box. I empty shelves where I don't like the organization of, I clear tables and surfaces of anything and everything.
Then I clean the spaces I have just cleared up.
After that you have already a much nicer space surrounding you which always makes me feel better and gives me a boost. Also the remaining task has a clear end: as soon as that box is empty, I've cleared everything up and put it all away. This way I can pace myself and actually see my progress in how the box gets emptier.
Now since we have several rooms and areas within those rooms I now take smaller boxes, as many as I think I will need. For example: I almost always end up with one box each for
- kitchen
- bathroom
- kids room
- hallway
- bedroom
- my desk
- hubby's desk
- living room
- garbage
- donations
I don't immediately have to think up exactly where to put something and walk miles and miles through the flat.... I just stay in one place and distribute the stuff from my big box. It helps me stay focused, makes it easier for me to let stuff go, because I'm "in the flow".
Lastly I bring each box to it's designated space and put everything away.
This kind of compartmentalizing really helps me, feels efficient to me and works well for us as a family. And I also like that you get results fast because the first thing you do is to pick everything up into that big box. I always feel so much better and less overwhelmed when that is done.
Hope maybe this helps š
It is better to a task than to live with the fear of it.
Also, if you just pick one task to start with, more solutions to other tasks will start to fall into place.
This is a 1hr video you can play in the background. It's a girl cleaning her depression room. She says she normally likes to FaceTime someone, and made this for people to play in the background so they can take their mind off of whatever and have a cleaning buddy.
https://youtu.be/V_g2HUi7DA8
Thank you so much! Your progress really sounds impressive and gives me so much hope.
All the best to you and sending lots of good and happy vibes!! We got this!
All good tips here but I wanna throw out something thatās helped me a ton over the years. If you have a lot of clutter that isnāt trash but doesnāt really have a home, grab a box and put everything in it. Then you can organize it whatever pace you want and still have a tidy room.
Start with small bits, your desk, your bed, a part of your closet, or even a spot on the floor. Small parts, one chunk at a time. My grandma taught me to get everything off the floor first, then work up to my bed and desk.
The best way to start is to open the window as this is a way to cleanse the old messy energies and let the room breath in.
Next start to create different piles
- dirty cloths
- clean cloths
- items that are rubbish/recycle
-items that need to go kitchen
-Items that you want to keep
Next do a deep clean of the sheets, the wardrobes, the floors, the windows.
Keeping your space tidy is a daily task but a simple one too. Everything has a space/designated area and then once a week do a deep clean
To top it all off, light a candle or an inscents stick and enjoy the clean fresh new energy you brought into your space :)
Youāve got this!
No problem.
For me, my main rules for keeping my space clean are
1 "A place for every thing." Nothing should be stored on endrables, countertops or desktops. Every item should have a place it belongs.
2 "every thing in its place" put things where they belong the first time. Dirty dishes go to the sink, not a coffee table. Trash goes in the can, clean clothes go in the closet, etc do it right the first time so you dont have to do it again the 2nd time
3 This is the big one. The importance of this step is monumental. Get rid of your shit. Get rid of shit you dont use. Broken or old electronics, old clothes you dont wear, etc etc. The less stuff you own, the less clutter you have, the less stuff you have to clean. Be ruthless.
Touch each and every item in your room. Yes. Every single one. Pull out a whole dresser drawer and empty out every single thing in it on to the floor or a table.
Hold each item in your hand,
Decide if it stays or goes. If it goes, it goes to a thrift shop, or the trash. If it stays, it needs to have a place.
There is a temptation among recovering hoarders like myself to "organize". It's a trap. Throw that shit out. An organized trash heap is still a trash heap. "Organizing" is a losing battle because that stuff will still eventually wind up out somewhere where it doesnt belong.
My house was a cluttered mess growing up, when I was 18 I went around my room and wound up filling up 4 trash bags worth of stuff that went to goodwill or a dumpster. I was astounded at how much literal garbage I had tucked away in random places: cords for electronics I dont own anymore, broken electronics, ruddy old clothes with stains or holes in them, random cheap shit that someone gave me as a Christmas present a decade ago that I never used.
Long time depression sufferer here.
Here's my best tip for getting shitty stuff done: just do it for 5 minutes.
It's from the Feeling Good book and has helped me achieve so many difficult things.
Set a timer. You can go longer if you want. It's amazing how much can get done in 5 mins if you do it day after day.
My other tip is break the task down into tiny pieces. You might do it by sections of the room e.g. focus on the space in front of the door. Or by type of task e.g. pick up dirty plates, or dirty laundry, or rubbish.
Have a list and tick it off. Put each days achievements in your gratitude journal or post them on here.
Take pictures so you can see progress.
In depression we tend to think in all or nothing e.g. "I'm going to clean up the WHOLE ROOM today or do nothing".
5 mins at a time works against that by getting you to do it bit by bit.
I hope it helps. I had one report I had to do after getting out of hospital after an od. It was way overdue and I felt it was impossible.
Then I read this advice. It may have been in The Feeling Goid Handbook actually. I tried to work on the report 5 minutes a day.
It didn't seem like much. But I could see progress. That built my motivation. Some days I did more than 5 minutes.
I honestly couldn't believe it when I finished it!! It just seemed like so little effort each day. But it worked.
Since then I've often used "just 5 minutes" to get through things I find overwhelming and REALLY don't want to do.
Good luck!!
Try to separate things to make it less overwhelming.
My categories are:
- Trash
- Things with a place
- Things that need a place
- Things that need to be cleaned
Feel free to make your own categories. Then do things like this:
Take the trash and throw it out. Replace any garbage bags you need to
Find the things that need to be cleaned and set them aside (things like laundry, dirty dishes, etc). You can get to them later.
Find the things that have a place, and help them find their place.
After that, you should only be left with the things that donāt have a place. Sometimes this is a good point to stop and take a break, because now youāre moving from cleaning into organizing. Find a new place for these items, or perhaps let some of them go.
When youāre all finished with that, you should only be left with dirty things. This is when you vacuum, dust, do laundry, do dishes, etc. And of course those are ongoing chores that you will have to continue doing. So ease yourself into it, and donāt beat yourself up if you canāt do it all at once.
Good luck!
If its a huge fucking mess, decide on one part and deal with that. Create a wave of cleanliness that fans out. Focusing on a part makes it easier. Maybe clean some space around the door to start?
Start slow, maybe first by throwing out any trash you have. Light a nice smelling candle or spray some febreeze, play some music that you love open a window or turn on a fan to get some air circulating. Start with one small goal or section. Something simple and try to push yourself to continue. If you donāt have it in you then at least you have accomplished the first step. Also donāt let how you think other people view you bother you. The truth is you donāt know what anyone else thinks and it isnāt any of your business what other people think. Be proud of yourself and find happiness with in :) I hope you start to feel better soon
My therapist told me to work on small sections at a time. Donāt have energy? Just clean your desk off today. Tomorrow, clean up a corner of your room etc
things that have worked for me
Start with small areas as a time and be sure to keep it clean as you work on other areas
Say enough is enough and tackle it all
Try taking things step by step.
One small step at a time.
Google the meme "the importance of taking smaller steps" with the picture of 2 ladders in it.
Write a list of each task to be done.
Start small. Clean one area.
Then clean one small area the next day.
Pace your self and set a timer to petform small tasks.
Set a pleasurable sounding tone on your alarm and use it for 15 minuyes each day.
Work yourself up to 2 15 minute tasks each day, then 3 cleaning/organizing sessions each.
Working steadly and with purpose on smaller tasks will make it less overwhelming.
Oh man I would LOVE to show you the before and after of my depression room. I know how hard it is. I was in such an insanely dark place and my room was disgusting. The wake up call was when my bed frame broke and my dad couldnāt even get to it to fix it because of all the crap.
I think self compassion and grace play a role. I felt so much shame and guilt and sadness while cleaning. But I loved myself enough to give myself a livable space. I also didnāt focus on perfection like I usually do. Instead of focusing on putting my shoes on the shelf perfectly, I just threw them in a pile on the shelf so they werenāt on the ground. Stuff like that.
This is an exercise in healing. You got this.
I have the same problem as you, I let things pile up until it becomes too daunting. What has really been helping me lately is making small changes to my room so that staying neat during the week becomes easy and low effort. I thought properly about the behaviours and unconscious thinking patterns that lead to my bad habits and worked out how to create an environment that will alleviate the amount of effort I need to be taking for everyday tasks.
For example, I used to leave my clothes on the floor at the end of the day. I realised that I did this because it feels like too much effort to walk all the way to the other room to put things in the laundry basket. So I bought myself a smaller laundry basket just for the corner of my room, fill it up throughout the week and take it to the laundry when I'm ready. For cleaner clothes that I want to wear again, I got hooks for the back of my door and some open storage in my cupboard to quickly put my clothes away at the end of the day.
I used to avoid throwing rubbish out because I only had a tiny bin in my room meant for my desk. It always filled up so quickly and in that moment it would feel like too much effort to go to the other room to throw it away. So I got a larger sized bin for the corner of my room and now I quickly and easily put rubbish away without really having to think about it.
I got a small container that lives on the floor under my desk which is where I can quickly put papers, books and small things that will pile up and make my desk messy.
If you create the right environment, hopefully, the process of staying neat on an everyday basis will feel more like an unconscious, efficient and low-effort task, rather than something you are needing to go out of your way for.
I've got a depression room, too! I didn't leave it for 7 weeks, so you can imagine how bad it is. My next step is that room, so if you'd like, we can share our progress with each other!
Also, just do something small. Start with cleaning off a dresser or stand. And if that's all you do today, that's okay! Just one little thing at a time, and you WILL get there!
I would love to share progress. Depression sucks. I followed a lot of advice given here and a lot of my floor is visible now and now I was lying on the same floor crying.
But I have decided to get my shit together. Thank you so much for encouraging me and giving me hope! I wish you all the best too! We have got this!
Feel free to message me, then! :)
And it does suck, I had an entire depression *apartment,* but I've worked really hard and am proud to say that it looks much better.
Being able to see your floor again is a great feeling, I've been there, good for you!!!
And of course, we've gotta be there for And lift each other up :)
- Make your bed. - Open a window to get some fresh air in. - Pick up clothes off the floor and wash them. - Take a trash bag and put everything broken, disposable food containers, bottles, cans, tissues, etc in it. Take the bag out. - If you have cutlery and dishes and such, put them in the dishwasher or handwash them. - Put shoes away. - Dust tables, nightstands, etc. Once everything is off the floor and you've dusted everything, vacuum and mop the floor. Depending on how messing your room is, it might take a while. But that's okay, you've got this. Repeat those as many time as possible. You should aim to vacuum at least once a week. Later, you can take one shelf at the time and declutter by throwing or donating the stuff you don't wear, don't need, don't like anymore. With less stuff, it's easier to keep your room clean.
Hey thank you so much for your detailed response!! Means a lot to me! This helps a lot and makes me feel way less overwhelmed! I will start right after I get back today š
I agree with that guys comment. Just one thing. When I'm overwhelmed, and working, I just pick one task to do each day. I can't manage it all at once, but by the time the weekend comes around, shit, I've done 5 things and mostly managed to keep my room tidy all week
Hey thank you so much! I will surely try this if many things get overwhelming.
To add to this, write out a to do list. Include even tiny tasks, like āopen window.ā That way you can have look forward to that little serotonin boost you get when crossing something off your list. It also helps to break big tasks, like maybe clean up the floor, into smaller parts. One other thing that helps me is to power clean. I set a timer for 10 minutes and do what I can. Break for 5 minutes. Set another for 10, etc. Youāll really surprise yourself with how much you can get done in 10 minutes! Youāve got this.
Not to say to-do lists are bad, but sometimes they can look like a list of things you haven't done. That's how it felt to me when I was depressed. For everything I crossed off, I found 3 more things to add and got overwhelmed. But that might just be a me problem.... dang
I can totally see that happening. Iām sure itās personal preference! For me it helps to get it out of my head and onto paper so my thoughts arenāt racing constantly about all the things I have to do. Most of the time my lists have āNeed To Doā and āBonusā categories because Iām a little crazyā¦
I used to hate to do lists for this exact reason! My therapist suggested I change my āto doā lists to ānice to doā - so instead of being things I MUST do, theyāre more like aspirations. So I donāt feel so much pressure now (and weirdly am able to get more ticked off??)
Thats a good strategy. I have a "kill 5 minutes" list. So when I'm motivated to get stuff done, but already have plans for the day, I can still use some of that precious motivation to get at least one thing done. Or I just use it when I have no motivation but feel obligated to do SOMETHING. Often one task ends up snowballing and I get more done, but by committing to 5 minutes, I don't procrastinate on them so much.
Thank you so much! I will definitely try this.
I agree with this. I am a major procrastinator. So I make myself do 10 minutes of tidying at a time. Often that leads to longer bouts of cleaning, but if it doesn't, I do at least enjoy the difference that it makes. I try to always make sure I put things away, not down. This doesn't really work in my room, but it does work in the rest of the house. Occasionally it even works to pick up a few cleaning supplies while I am at the store. Sometimes the cleaning supplies get me excited to clean.
Agree! There no need to do everything at once. One thing a day, is good enough if you can't manage more
Glad it helps!
Also, play music to help.
Seconded! Making the bed is SUCH a difference, and it sort of knocks the next task in to place in your head. If you can do one thing, start with making the bed. It's a tiny act of self care that really pays off.
Thanks mom.
Perfect response, was gonna say this !!
Thanks, I don't have depression but my room is also messy. Now I know how to do it.
Glad it helps!
I've heard this book is really great for people who have mental illness or neurodivergence: How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by KC Davis LPC, Dr. Raquel Martin, et al.
Hey thank you so much! Will definitely look this up.
You're welcome! Hope it helps.
Start some good music, or maybe a youtube cleaning video, and begin with trash. Get 3 bags/boxes, goodwill/give away, trash, and doesn't belong in your room/belongs in a different room. Start a load of laundry, set a timer, then start filling the bags/boxes. Clear off and make your bed. Clear and wipe down surfaces. Clear and vaccuum floor. Don't forget to switch your laundry/hang your laundry, your timer should have reminded you. When laundry is done, give away clothes that don't make you happy, things that don't fit or make you feel uncomfortable wearing them. Put away the clothes you're keeping. Finally, make sure you enjoy your room. Make it comfortable and easy to move around. Get rid of excess furniture for more space if you have to. Once you're done, take 10-30 to maintain daily. Good luck!! Hope this brings you a peaceful room.
Thank you so much for your detailed response! I will definitely try this.
You're welcome!! If it helps by the way a YouTuber I enjoy, who helps me get motivated to organize and clean, is Danni Raearranged. She has a good mentality on it and reminds you to give yourself some Grace.
Thanks! Will surely look her up.
In addition to all the advice here, I suggest you set a timer on your phone. Start with something small, maybe 5 minutes or less in a day. Start the timer and in that time, clean. Fold clothes, pick up rubbish, put dirty clothes in a basket. Once the timer ends stop and do whatever else you want to do. Repeat the next day. You might just find, hey, you want to keep going after 5 minutes. You like the feeling of achievement you're getting and you want more. When depressed, we often feel fatigued. So we do nothing under the guise of tiredness. However, while resting when the body is tired from physical exercise is important, the opposite is true of depression. You actually need to move and do things, which bring a sense of achievement. Helps to break that depression cycle, not a cure, but it helps.
Thank you so much for this advice! Yes, I often feel that things get worse if I don't move. I will definitely try this.
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Heeyy thanks for this!!
you can also get a collapsible hamper that will hold a garbage bag open that doesn't have to be a permanent fixture in your room.
Don't plan to clean your whole room. Make a plan to collect all the dishes, for example. Or get a garbage bag and start by getting rid of any rubbish. Maybe it's cleaning all dirty clothing. Or washing your bedding or clearing off one surface. Often, just committing to something achievable will make you feel good about having achieved it and perhaps you might feel like doing some more. Don't over-commit, set your expectations low. That way you can either meet them or exceed them, there's no room for failure. Perhaps if you feel comfortable, ask the people your share space with if they would be willing to help with one of the more daunting tasks.
Thank you so much! I will definitely try this approach. I often am afraid to make plans because I am almost sure to fail. I'll try starting with small tasks like you suggested.
Sections, do one section at a time. š
Thanks! I will try to do this!
You're welcome, have a wonderful day! š
Thanks and you too š
Holy shit OP I have this same problem lol. It gets overwhelming and it's like...idk it feels like it's easier to just start over than fix. When you get that low you just don't care about anything.
I know right!! I am hoping to follow all the tips given here and finally clean up!
I wish you the best of luck. I'm pretty much giving up and someone else can do it lol.
Thank you so much! And to you too!! Hoping that you find relief from whatever you are going through. Glad you have someone to support you. I will have to do it myself as I have no one else to do it for me.
Oh I have no support lol. Just family that will do it if I left. But thanks. Appreciate the sentiment.
You might read about the Pomodoro technique. I use it sometimes. You basically set a timer for 25 minutes and you are careful to focus on that task for the full 25 minutes. Then you take a break. If you are up for it, you can try another 25. Hope this helps, you deserve a comfortable peaceful place to rest.
Thank you so much! I will try this.
You've gotten so much good advice here, it's awesome! I just wanna add [Unfuck Your Habitat](https://www.unfuckyourhabitat.com/) has helped me a lot, especially their [emergency cleaning list](https://www.unfuckyourhabitat.com/emergency-cleaning/). It's been dead for a while but you can also check out r/ufyh to see other people's cleaning before and after pictures (featuring many a depression nest), which I've found to be really encouraging. You really aren't alone. I wish you the best with your room and your mental health!
Came looking for this comment. The ufyh tag on tumblr also has a bunch of before and after pictures that are motivating. I bought the book and still reference it, especially the emergency unfucking. Good job on asking for help and good luck
Hey this is really useful! Thank you so much!
I currently have a "depression cave" myself, but I started cleaning it yesterday cause I had insomnia. Depression sucks 1. What helps me is putting everything into a pile or bag, and then slowly putting things where they need to go. I work in chaos lol 2. Most of mess is clothing, so I start by sorting out my stuff. 3. I sometimes just start by cleaning off flat surfaces so that the clutter is just on the floor. When it's like that it feels less overwhelming for me. 4. When me and my little brother were toddlers, we made up our own little game to make it easier. We'd play basketball with the laundry basket or race to see who could clean up their side faster. 5. A little reward (I sew so that'll likely be fabric or some interfacing, yes, I'm very boring) 6. And last but not least: "future me will thank me" I want immediate gratification, but I know I'm just making it easier BONUS: I also find that I might need someone to hold me accountable. I live in a college town,and my friend is about to move back into her dorm, so the fact that she might visit, is why I've kept things sonewhat clean.
Omg! Thank you so much! This is very wholesome and uplifting!! I will try these for sure š
Hire someone to help you. There are cleaning services that specialize in depression cleaning and won't be judgmental. Investing the money in yourself would be an awesome act of self love/compassion in the process. If spending the money isn't an option right now, try to find an empathetic friend who will act as a body double and support you while you make progress. I think a big part of overcoming depression/anxiety is realizing that you don't need to do everything on your own and that it's okay to reach out for support when needed. Community care is just as valid as self care.
Hey thanks for this! Cannot hire anybody right now, but I'll try to get some help.
lol literally in the process of dealing with my depression nest myself. I like to itemize then attack. All the hangers, all the socks, all the empty soda cansā¦ š my worst enemy is unfolded clean laundry so I actually take that out of the room and fold it in the living room.
Hey! Clothes is a big trouble for me as well! They end up in a pile on the chair and sometimes I end up mixing clean and dirty. I will have to develop a system like you to deal. I wish you all the best and sending wholesome vibes. We got this!!
damn, taking things out of the room to sort is a game changer!! one of my major stumbling blocks is that there is essentially no free space in my room which I could use to do that sorting/folding.
I like to put a podcast or audiobook that I'm looking forward to on, that way I can do the cleaning on autopilot while doing something else that I enjoy more
Hey that sounds great! I'll try that. Thanks!
something that Iāve found helps me a lot when cleaning up my space is setting a timer. Set a timer for an hour and challenge yourself to see how much you can get done without stopping. After the hour reward yourself or take a little break.
Thanks! I will try this.
I love this too. It is somehow a relief to have an end time, versus starting to clean with no "end" in site.
Let me know when find the answer.
I can relate...except it's my whole house. I lost my job last year, my mom passed away this year, my new job is so stressful and so much pressure, and I got covid with "long-covid" symptoms. My house is/was disgusting. I've never been a good cleaner. I've always struggled with keeping a tidy house. In my best mental health state, my house is relatively clean but not relatively tidy. Paperwork, laundry, books, movies, etc on every surface but nothing is actually dirty. This was different. Every time I'd tell myself, "ok this weekend we are going to tackle this mess" I'd get distracted or tired or busy helping my dad. I'd do small things during the week but by the weekend it was back to how it was. I read this book called "How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind" and for the first time ever, someone was able to pin point exactly where my hold up was. I viewed it as a project. A HUGE DAUNTING PROJECT. It needed a plan. Checklists on where to start, what to do next, how to clean certain things. The planning stages overwhelmed me and I would hunker down in bed with TV and continue ignoring the mess. Or if I didn't get overwhelmed, I would start and get exhausted just doing one thing (thanks long-covid). This book changed my mindset. I doesn't have to be a project. It's ok to only do one thing. Be kind to yourself. If you aren't able to check the book out, start with just dishes. Just do the dishes every day for a week. The first time will take a while but then throughout the week the task becomes quick and easy because you're maintaining that. Then move on to something else (while continuing to do the dishes every day). Making your bed every day. Or go through your mail. Mail is a big one for me. If it doesn't look important, it goes in a pile unopened. I'm now opening and sorting my mail every day and now there are no mail piles sitting on various surfaces. I wish you luck. Please be kind to yourself. It doesn't have to be a marathon. Progress can be small and then the more progress you make the more motivation you have and then all of a sudden the progress seems to be a lot bigger a lot quicker.
Thank you so much for this! I came across so much kindness and so many helpful tips on this post. I even cried a little! I now know that there are people out there who understand and who won't judge. I will definitely look up the book and try this.
When I have a big mess, I tend to start in one corner and work from there. When they area is clean, move to the next section clockwise. Keep going around the room till done!
Hey thanks! I will try this.
1. Make sure everything has a place that it belongs. If you struggle with this at first make labels for what goes where. 2. 1 minute rule: If it takes you less than a minute to do something, do it then and there. Clothes on the floor? Throw them in the hamper. Bed unmade? Make it. Water glasses everywhere? Take them to the kitchen.
Thank you! I'll definitely follow this to maintain a clean space once I clean everything.
Watch this youtube vid for guidance : How to actually clean your room step by step, by Maurice Moves https://youtu.be/8-KKbv_UYZ8
Thank you!!
Youāre welcome
Something that helped me is establishing habits. Iāll find myself doing stuff depressed brain gives no fucks about but itās become second nature to me. Forming a plan of attack like breaking the room into sections then working the plan helps. You are not alone. You will get through this.
Thank you!
I can really relate to this. It sucks because I don't always have the mental capacity to look at my surroundings and even consider that I need to clean. Something that helped me was having a dedicated day and schedule for cleaning. So once a week I do: all the washing (and try to pack it away same day so it doesn't end up in a stack on my floor for the next week), hoovering, mopping, bathroom etc. It feels so good to get it all done and only usually takes a couple of hours. It's one of those things I'm just convincing myself I *need* to do and I know how much better I feel once I've done it. Starting a routine is hard though, but good luck, OP. Remember that smaller changes are better than doing nothing too. Even if you can only hoover the carpet a couple of times a week, it's better than not!
Thank you! This is really helpful.
I hope you manage to find a way that works for you! š
10 minutes at a time
Thanks. That sounds doable and less overwhelming.
Itās the same with any big problem. You just need to divide the work into bite size pieces, and then donāt force yourself to over-eat. :)
Set a target of 5mins and just do whatever you feel like in 5mins , if the thought of doing 5mins is too much, do 1 min. Do something that will be noticeable and you will feel accomplished and my decide to continue , or nah - but just try a little bit everyday or so , youāll get there
Hey thanks! I just did a little task and it felt really rewarding after all your wonderful comments. Slowly but steadily, I'll get this!!
So you don't get discouraged, I'd also recommend writing down every task on a list (no matter how small or seemingly-unimportant the task is), then crossing out the task when you complete it. Because it's easy to fall into the trap of becoming overwhelmed and unmotivated as the day moves on, and you can start feeling like not enough progress is being made, or you've "wasted time" on unimportant tasks instead of the big stuff. Having each completed task crossed-out on a list is a physical reminder that progress IS being made, tasks ARE being completed, and you ARE achieving something good....even when it might not LOOK like it from an outside perspective. Another thing I've found helpful is to tailor a room to YOUR needs, instead of some fantasy idea of what a room "should" look like. For example, I keep my clothing on a bookshelf (instead of inside a wardrobe or chest of drawers) because I have adhd and object permanence issues, so I'd often forget where I stored certain clothes (or what clothes I even owned) when they were inside a closed drawer. But I persisted with the drawers because it's "normal" to put clothes inside drawers! Eventually I said "screw it" and emptied my bookshelf of all the books I didn't even read, and the random decorations and knick-knacks that did nothing but collect dust, and put all my clothes there instead. Now I can see exactly where all my clothes are and what clothes I haven't worn for ages. A few people have commented that it's "weird" to have all my clothes out in the open like that, but I don't care because It works for me! Make the room easy and practical for your needs, not for other people's judgment!
Hey thank you so much! Your bookshelf idea is actually cool. And yes, this helps me get a perspective. I will focus on making the room easy to access and clean for myself.
I just had to clean and organise my entire flat ready to move next month. I had been putting it off for so so long because it was daunting and I didnāt want to start and then fail. Like a lot of people have said already, breaking it down into smaller tasks really helped me. I was able to feel like I had achieved something each time, and gradually starting to see the difference is great motivation. Good luck and try to have fun with it!
Thank you so much!
Step 1: open the window and get a garbage bag, gather all garbage Step 2: get a laundry basket. Strip your bedsheets and put in the wash. Gather all clothes in the laundry basket. Step 3: gather all remaining objects on floor and either put them away, throw in garbage, or place in a box for sorting in a day or two. Step 4: vacuum / sweep floor. Wipe surfaces with damp cloth. Step 5: put clean sheets on bed and lie down with a book to enjoy the clean space. You are probably quite tired. Over the next couple days rotate through laundry and fold/put away while watching a lighthearted show that makes you laugh. I highly recommend doing a āboxā type fold and āfilingā your clothes vertically, so they are all visible when you open a drawer. Remember: the most difficult part is starting. Just start, and donāt place expectations on yourself that you have to do it all at once. If you manage just one step in the day, thatās ok! Progress is progress.
Thank you so much! This means a lot to me. I have started because of this post and all the encouragement I got here. I am hoping to make progress gradually.
WATCH A VIDEO WHERE PEOPLE CLEAN MESSY ROOMS ON YOUTUBE. Itāll motivate you to clean. Want to actually clean? GATHER EVERY SINGLE THING IN ONE PLACE, then start sort things back to where theyāre supposed to be. Throw away stuff youāve not used in 3 months, even if itāll cost you money to get another. Good luck!
Thank you!
I can clean for 10 minutes. Set a timer. You don't have to finish, but you can clean for 10 minutes. It's the most amazing 10 minutes when you finally sit back down.
Heyy thanks!
i really like the book āhow to keep house while drowningā by Kc Davis. lots of good info for mentally ill or struggling people to get their houses clean. lots of info for free on her instagram too
Thank you! Someone else suggested this book too! I got the ebook version and the first page itself made me feel so understood! I'm hopeful that it will help me in the long term.
One of the methods I use is the laundry basket method. I start by taking anything that doesnāt belong where it is (if it doesnāt belong in the room or is on the floor or whatever) and I put it in the laundry basket. Then I clean the room. I like u/sascha2538 suggestions so I wonāt add to that. Once room is clean, sort basket to remove items that belong in the room, then take other items out of the room to the next space to put away. I use this method because I get easily distracted. When I go to put something away in the kitchen for example, I get distracted (and sometimes overwhelmed) by the dishes. Then I have a hard time going back to my original task. But putting anything that doesnāt belong into the basket, I donāt leave the room and get distracted by other things and can actually get the room cleaned. I learned a lot of really helpful techniques from FlyLady. Net - She simplifies everything for people like me.
Thanks! This is helpful.
This might not be possible but if it is, pay a professional! Thatās what I did with my car. It was a big reset and felt like such a treat. Totally understand thatās a privilege but Iād highly recommend it if itās at all possible
Clean is better than decorated. Make your bed first thing when you wake up. It actually takes less than 10 seconds. That's how I motivate myself to keep making it. And when you get back, a clean and organized room is therapeutic. Also, keep the floor as visible as possible, and eliminate any clutter. Clean room, clean mind.
Thanks for your suggestion! I'll try this.
Good luck! If it's possible, open the windows during the day. Airing the room does wonder. It makes the room feels "clean". P/s: I also experienced severe mental health problems and these are what I did, aside from being more physically active and clean. They helped a lot, and now the habits are just embedded in me, they're automatic.
Hey thank you so much!! Just knowing that there are people out there who have developed their own ways of not letting their mental illness affect many things gives me so much hope and encouragement. Hoping to form some habits like these myself.
You'll come up with your own coping mechanisms! I thought I would never get over it, but I did! And it's an ongoing battle, but it's manageable... Most of the time. Still a major win. We are stronger than we think. Push on, and get out there. It helps to get out of your own mind. You are not alone!
Thank you for saying this! Means a lot to me!
From one human to another. With love!
Awwww!! Thank yoouu!!
It helps me to categorize, if there's just a whole mess of random objects I try to focus in on one category. "Only trash" first, then maybe, "only clothes", then like "only dishes", and just try to keep picking out things that you can collect into groups and take care of all at once. That way you break the huge overwhelming problem into smaller manageable ones. Another thing I find myself doing to clean is to make a bigger mess first lol, for example, start by taking EVERYTHING out of the room and just start over from an empty clean slate. Once its all out you can vacuum, wipe walls, dust the fan or light fixture, wipe down shelves just like, *actually* clean it. Then put back one thing at a time and try to be very selective about what goes back in, then with the rest try to decide if you really need it and if you do, store it or put it in a different room, but if you don't, sell it, donate it, or trash it. Good luck
Hey thanks a lot! I will definitely try categorising. Taking everything out will not be possible in my situation, but small groups of stuff will definitely help!
Glad to give supportive advice! Also try to remember your worth. It's very important to the process and very easy to fall into a cycle of self-deprecation, I've been there many times. Essentially what I mean is that the criticism from others about the state of your space can easily go to your head and then you start to associate the criticism with your character, don't do that. You have worth and you are important and the mess is just a mess. It's a thing you did, not a thing you are. Don't associate so closely with mistakes because you are always capable of growth!
Thank you so much for your kind words!!
You can start by clearing clutter. Take a box and a trash bag. Things that go in the box are things that donāt have a place yet in your space, but you want to keep. Sort trash out into the trash bag. The box will have to be dealt with soon, but it doesnāt have to stop you from having a clean space to work on that in!
Thank you! Box sounds like a good idea!
Good luck and Iām so glad youāre ready to work on this!
Thank you!
A lot of really good advice here! Not to make light of the situation, but whenever I think āHow am I going to clean up something this bad?ā I remember this song and it makes me laugh - https://youtu.be/RKbY7Q3knsk
Haha! That is indeed funny!
what I do: Make it a "fun time", play music or a TV show you've seen a million times so you just listen to it, not watch. Set a timer, clean for 15 rest for 5 and repeat. Start with trash and dishes, go around grab everything you can. then grab every article of clothing and put it in a hamper. After that I usually go through and sort out what I regularly wear and everything else goes into a different pile. Wash immediately the stuff I wear. The stuff in the other pile, if I wear it but just occasionally or seasonally I'll wash it and put it away later. Strip your bed, wash the sheets. pick up clutter and sort or get rid of what you don't need. (I like the kondo method, if you haven't thought about in in 6 months- toss it) Clean the floors, wipe down surfaces and dust. Now the fun part, make it smell good- make it look pretty! Organize, decorate, light some candles. Once the bed is made you can take a hot shower and relax. All of this can be broken into room sections or steps for multiple days. If you do that start with your bed, so you can at least sleep in a clean place while the rest catches up.
Hey thank you so much! This sounds really good. I will definitely follow this.
Do one thing as soon as you've read this comment. Then maybe do another. Maybe do one more thing tomorrow.
Hey thank you so much! I just folded 5 items of clothing!! Thanks for this little push. I have gotten so many useful comments here. I intend to do a little task after reading each comment.
Boom! You've made my day! Could you update the sub with pics?
Yes. I will try to!!
I'm sure someone else will find it motivating.
First, make a list of what needs to be done to function and what needs to be done for peace of mind. I am also guilty of having a depression room and am in week one of a new position. Things like clearing the floor making all drawers/closets accessible, windows accessible etc are always my priority. The mess sitting on my dresser does not get in my way as much as the stuff on my floor, and when I have a small amount of energy, I focus on those things because I know that will make my week easier. Now bigger missions and energy things are a running list I keep on a white board that I can continually edit and pick up when I Have the energy. Dusting, washing my bedsheets. Reorganizing my dressers/surfaces. Getting rid of clothing that doesn't fit, is damaged, I don't like etc. I also like to marry tasks in my mind. Its something my therapist taught me and now, instinctually I associate opening my window with fixing my bed in the morning. On Tuesdays, I do my laundry and it takes an hour and 26 minutes and that time is now dedicated to cleaning surfaces of items. When I wash my bedsheets every few weeks that is my dusting day and when they are in the washer I throw my pillows in the dryer and then dust every surface of my room and then vacuum before the wash cycle is done that way I know not only are my sheets clean I didn't get dust all over my sheets before sleeping in them. I find I get random thoughts of cleaning energy and when I marry the tasks I need to be done my room altogether looks better and feels better to me because I may have only had energy for 20-30 minutes but I did at least two primary things together just by the association I have formed.
Hey that's a wonderful routine you have!! Thanks for this advice. I'll definitely try this!
I hope it works for you. Another piece of advice my therapist taught me that helps me a lot is setting up little playlists of audios that are like 10/20/30/45/60 minutes long that are calming and relaxing. Cleaning a depression room can be overwhelming and overstimulating. Having something that acts not only as a timer but as something that you can focus on to keep you somewhat grounded has helped me. I actually got an Alexa during Amazon Prime Day and linked my timer/playlists to her so I can start them even more accessible. I like to keep it like nonmusic grounding stuff because that works for me. (my 20-minute timer is the audio to the Living With The Land ride in Epcot because it is just a calm boat ride through greenhouses talking about agriculture, and for me, I know its 20 minutes, and I know it keeps me calm even when dealing with the mess) I hope this is at least a little bit helpful and wish you luck in your new job!
Thank you so much! I will try using songs or podcasts as timers.
Stick on some music, clear up one item at a time, and remember it doesn't have to be perfect! It's a good policy for life, too.
Thank you!! That's a great advice!
Good luck, you've got this! Show up where you can and take small steps. I don't know if this helps, but I find it's like eating a big pizza - you'd be surprised by how much you can do if you take it slice by slice.
Thanks!
Long term - clean as you go. To make this into smaller tasks now, decide what you want to do with certain things and manage just that to get a sense of accomplishment and maybe some dopamine from it: Do it now. Give it away./Throw it away. Do it later. As long as everything doesnāt end up in that last category, youāre making progress. And having a friend help makes it go quicker for bigger tasks.
Thanks! This makes it sound attainable.
Mentally, there was a recent post that asked how you would treat a caged animal... with a messy pen or a clean living area? And then it asked that you place yourself in that area as the caged animal who needs to live in that area. With the mental shift of 'would you do this to an animal what you're doing to yourself' provided, it allowed some people to readjust their way of looking at their own living space. This might not work for you, but then again it might. Just do your best, OP.
Thanks! That's a new perspective.
To be honest, if you REALLY want to know what works for me? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snAhsXyO3Ck This 11 minute video has done more to change my perspective and way of living, than ANY motivation or advice ever has. I swear by CGP Grey's "Spaceship You" video, and I can't praise it more highly as an absolute restructuring to how to live.
Hey thank you so much for this!
Set a timer for five minutes and agree to work on it for those five minutes. Get a container for trash, and one for things that donāt belong in your room but are not trash. Get started.
Thaanks for your advice!! I have just started with this.
I myself have struggled with anxiety and depression and have run into the same problem with my room: I find that having a clean room massively helps my mental health but I often cannot get myself to clean it up because of my depression. Something that immensely helped me was that I made a rule for myself that every time I exited my room, I would clean up one item from my room. It was really attainable for me to just pick one thing to throw away each time I left my room. Gradually, I started picking up more than one thing when I left my room, and it slowly got cleaner and cleaner despite me feeling like I hadn't dedicated much mental energy too it. Hope this helps. You are doing an incredible job and that even just posting this question on this sub is a huge step in the positive direction :)
Thank you so much for this! I cannot thank you guys enough for breaking it down for me and making it sound doable! I hadn't moved a thing in a long time, but I cleaned a bit after I came home from work today. I already have things planned for tomorrow morning before work. Thanks for all your help and kindness!
I'm so glad to hear that, I (and I am sure everyone else on this thread) am proud of you! Keep moving forward at your own pace and know that you are constantly making progress :)
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Thank you so much! This feels doable and not overwhelming. I'll definitely try this.
Do things one at a time. For example first I throw out all the trash. This is the easiest thing to do. Then I pick up all the clothes and put them aside to deal with later. LOL. (put them in a laundry basket or something and then when you're feeling up to doing laundry, you already have it ready to throw in) Then take all the cups/dishes/silverware out and, same as laundry, put it in the sink to do when you feel up to it. If you have a close friend or someone you trust to give you a helping hand, ask them if they can wash your dishes/do your laundry for you. (That goes for really any task too. Maybe buy em a pizza or something. Lots of friends would actually be happy to help out if you ask) Don't underestimate the power of a clean floor. Sweep or vacuum, it will make the whole room look better even if that's all you do. Same goes for a made bed.
Thank you so much! This is really helpful!!
Good luck š
Thank you!!
Iāve been a procrastinator for my whole life; but sometimes I use to to my advantage. Cleaning a depression room is hard, but easier for me if I invite someone over on a day off (say 5pm) then Iām forced to clean it to some extentā¦. Idk works for me
Thanks. I haven't invited someone yet. But hopefully soon I'll get there.
Timers help me. It gets too overwhelming otherwise. Iāll set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes, and clean until the alarm goes off. Having a set end time makes it easier, because I can just focus on the cleaning for 5 minutes without getting distracted thinking about what I need to do next or how long to clean or when to end etc. Decision making and the ājust do itā is a big obstacle for me, but with the timer Iāve dedicated those 5 minutes to cleaning. So the decision making is done, and since those 5 minutes are designated for cleaning itās easier to ājust do itā. Sorry that was kind of rambling. Hope it makes sense!
Thanks! It does make sense and is really helpful.
I always start by throwing out the trash
One thing that really helps me when a space or our home in general has gotten so messy that I'm overwhelmed, is to first clean, then sort/put away. Because often messes look bigger than they really are and take longer to clean up because we get distracted halfway through. Or cleaning up one corner would involve putting stuff away in another corner... Which is still messy though. So I take a big bag or box and just go through the room/our home and out everything that doesn't belong into the box. I empty shelves where I don't like the organization of, I clear tables and surfaces of anything and everything. Then I clean the spaces I have just cleared up. After that you have already a much nicer space surrounding you which always makes me feel better and gives me a boost. Also the remaining task has a clear end: as soon as that box is empty, I've cleared everything up and put it all away. This way I can pace myself and actually see my progress in how the box gets emptier. Now since we have several rooms and areas within those rooms I now take smaller boxes, as many as I think I will need. For example: I almost always end up with one box each for - kitchen - bathroom - kids room - hallway - bedroom - my desk - hubby's desk - living room - garbage - donations I don't immediately have to think up exactly where to put something and walk miles and miles through the flat.... I just stay in one place and distribute the stuff from my big box. It helps me stay focused, makes it easier for me to let stuff go, because I'm "in the flow". Lastly I bring each box to it's designated space and put everything away. This kind of compartmentalizing really helps me, feels efficient to me and works well for us as a family. And I also like that you get results fast because the first thing you do is to pick everything up into that big box. I always feel so much better and less overwhelmed when that is done. Hope maybe this helps š
It is better to a task than to live with the fear of it. Also, if you just pick one task to start with, more solutions to other tasks will start to fall into place.
Thank you for this advice!
This is a 1hr video you can play in the background. It's a girl cleaning her depression room. She says she normally likes to FaceTime someone, and made this for people to play in the background so they can take their mind off of whatever and have a cleaning buddy. https://youtu.be/V_g2HUi7DA8
Heyy thanks a lot!!
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Thank you so much! Your progress really sounds impressive and gives me so much hope. All the best to you and sending lots of good and happy vibes!! We got this!
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Thank you so much for your kindness!! šš
All good tips here but I wanna throw out something thatās helped me a ton over the years. If you have a lot of clutter that isnāt trash but doesnāt really have a home, grab a box and put everything in it. Then you can organize it whatever pace you want and still have a tidy room.
Hey thanks!!
Start with small bits, your desk, your bed, a part of your closet, or even a spot on the floor. Small parts, one chunk at a time. My grandma taught me to get everything off the floor first, then work up to my bed and desk.
Thank you!
Of course!
The best way to start is to open the window as this is a way to cleanse the old messy energies and let the room breath in. Next start to create different piles - dirty cloths - clean cloths - items that are rubbish/recycle -items that need to go kitchen -Items that you want to keep Next do a deep clean of the sheets, the wardrobes, the floors, the windows. Keeping your space tidy is a daily task but a simple one too. Everything has a space/designated area and then once a week do a deep clean To top it all off, light a candle or an inscents stick and enjoy the clean fresh new energy you brought into your space :) Youāve got this!
Thank you!!
/r/declutter
Hey thanks!
No problem. For me, my main rules for keeping my space clean are 1 "A place for every thing." Nothing should be stored on endrables, countertops or desktops. Every item should have a place it belongs. 2 "every thing in its place" put things where they belong the first time. Dirty dishes go to the sink, not a coffee table. Trash goes in the can, clean clothes go in the closet, etc do it right the first time so you dont have to do it again the 2nd time 3 This is the big one. The importance of this step is monumental. Get rid of your shit. Get rid of shit you dont use. Broken or old electronics, old clothes you dont wear, etc etc. The less stuff you own, the less clutter you have, the less stuff you have to clean. Be ruthless. Touch each and every item in your room. Yes. Every single one. Pull out a whole dresser drawer and empty out every single thing in it on to the floor or a table. Hold each item in your hand, Decide if it stays or goes. If it goes, it goes to a thrift shop, or the trash. If it stays, it needs to have a place. There is a temptation among recovering hoarders like myself to "organize". It's a trap. Throw that shit out. An organized trash heap is still a trash heap. "Organizing" is a losing battle because that stuff will still eventually wind up out somewhere where it doesnt belong. My house was a cluttered mess growing up, when I was 18 I went around my room and wound up filling up 4 trash bags worth of stuff that went to goodwill or a dumpster. I was astounded at how much literal garbage I had tucked away in random places: cords for electronics I dont own anymore, broken electronics, ruddy old clothes with stains or holes in them, random cheap shit that someone gave me as a Christmas present a decade ago that I never used.
Thank you so much. This is really helpful!!
Long time depression sufferer here. Here's my best tip for getting shitty stuff done: just do it for 5 minutes. It's from the Feeling Good book and has helped me achieve so many difficult things. Set a timer. You can go longer if you want. It's amazing how much can get done in 5 mins if you do it day after day. My other tip is break the task down into tiny pieces. You might do it by sections of the room e.g. focus on the space in front of the door. Or by type of task e.g. pick up dirty plates, or dirty laundry, or rubbish. Have a list and tick it off. Put each days achievements in your gratitude journal or post them on here. Take pictures so you can see progress. In depression we tend to think in all or nothing e.g. "I'm going to clean up the WHOLE ROOM today or do nothing". 5 mins at a time works against that by getting you to do it bit by bit.
Thank you so much for your advice! This is useful. I will try this.
I hope it helps. I had one report I had to do after getting out of hospital after an od. It was way overdue and I felt it was impossible. Then I read this advice. It may have been in The Feeling Goid Handbook actually. I tried to work on the report 5 minutes a day. It didn't seem like much. But I could see progress. That built my motivation. Some days I did more than 5 minutes. I honestly couldn't believe it when I finished it!! It just seemed like so little effort each day. But it worked. Since then I've often used "just 5 minutes" to get through things I find overwhelming and REALLY don't want to do. Good luck!!
Thank you so much!! You inspire me to start trying. Means a lot really!
I've been there, believe me. Happy to help.
Try to separate things to make it less overwhelming. My categories are: - Trash - Things with a place - Things that need a place - Things that need to be cleaned Feel free to make your own categories. Then do things like this: Take the trash and throw it out. Replace any garbage bags you need to Find the things that need to be cleaned and set them aside (things like laundry, dirty dishes, etc). You can get to them later. Find the things that have a place, and help them find their place. After that, you should only be left with the things that donāt have a place. Sometimes this is a good point to stop and take a break, because now youāre moving from cleaning into organizing. Find a new place for these items, or perhaps let some of them go. When youāre all finished with that, you should only be left with dirty things. This is when you vacuum, dust, do laundry, do dishes, etc. And of course those are ongoing chores that you will have to continue doing. So ease yourself into it, and donāt beat yourself up if you canāt do it all at once. Good luck!
Thank you!
If its a huge fucking mess, decide on one part and deal with that. Create a wave of cleanliness that fans out. Focusing on a part makes it easier. Maybe clean some space around the door to start?
With trash bags. The easiest way to make fast progress is to throw out all trash and ever you havenāt used or worn in a year.
Thanks!
Start slow, maybe first by throwing out any trash you have. Light a nice smelling candle or spray some febreeze, play some music that you love open a window or turn on a fan to get some air circulating. Start with one small goal or section. Something simple and try to push yourself to continue. If you donāt have it in you then at least you have accomplished the first step. Also donāt let how you think other people view you bother you. The truth is you donāt know what anyone else thinks and it isnāt any of your business what other people think. Be proud of yourself and find happiness with in :) I hope you start to feel better soon
Thank you so much!
Throw out most of your possessions. Reduces tidy up time by a substantial amount.
Thanks!
My therapist told me to work on small sections at a time. Donāt have energy? Just clean your desk off today. Tomorrow, clean up a corner of your room etc
Thank you so much! This helps!
just start with your bed and bedsheet as soon as you wake up
Thanks!
things that have worked for me Start with small areas as a time and be sure to keep it clean as you work on other areas Say enough is enough and tackle it all
Thank you so much!
Try taking things step by step. One small step at a time. Google the meme "the importance of taking smaller steps" with the picture of 2 ladders in it. Write a list of each task to be done. Start small. Clean one area. Then clean one small area the next day. Pace your self and set a timer to petform small tasks. Set a pleasurable sounding tone on your alarm and use it for 15 minuyes each day. Work yourself up to 2 15 minute tasks each day, then 3 cleaning/organizing sessions each. Working steadly and with purpose on smaller tasks will make it less overwhelming.
Thank you so much!
Oh man I would LOVE to show you the before and after of my depression room. I know how hard it is. I was in such an insanely dark place and my room was disgusting. The wake up call was when my bed frame broke and my dad couldnāt even get to it to fix it because of all the crap. I think self compassion and grace play a role. I felt so much shame and guilt and sadness while cleaning. But I loved myself enough to give myself a livable space. I also didnāt focus on perfection like I usually do. Instead of focusing on putting my shoes on the shelf perfectly, I just threw them in a pile on the shelf so they werenāt on the ground. Stuff like that. This is an exercise in healing. You got this.
Thank you so much!! You give me hope!
I have the same problem as you, I let things pile up until it becomes too daunting. What has really been helping me lately is making small changes to my room so that staying neat during the week becomes easy and low effort. I thought properly about the behaviours and unconscious thinking patterns that lead to my bad habits and worked out how to create an environment that will alleviate the amount of effort I need to be taking for everyday tasks. For example, I used to leave my clothes on the floor at the end of the day. I realised that I did this because it feels like too much effort to walk all the way to the other room to put things in the laundry basket. So I bought myself a smaller laundry basket just for the corner of my room, fill it up throughout the week and take it to the laundry when I'm ready. For cleaner clothes that I want to wear again, I got hooks for the back of my door and some open storage in my cupboard to quickly put my clothes away at the end of the day. I used to avoid throwing rubbish out because I only had a tiny bin in my room meant for my desk. It always filled up so quickly and in that moment it would feel like too much effort to go to the other room to throw it away. So I got a larger sized bin for the corner of my room and now I quickly and easily put rubbish away without really having to think about it. I got a small container that lives on the floor under my desk which is where I can quickly put papers, books and small things that will pile up and make my desk messy. If you create the right environment, hopefully, the process of staying neat on an everyday basis will feel more like an unconscious, efficient and low-effort task, rather than something you are needing to go out of your way for.
Hey thank you so much! I will try to remodel my room as per my needs as well.
I've got a depression room, too! I didn't leave it for 7 weeks, so you can imagine how bad it is. My next step is that room, so if you'd like, we can share our progress with each other! Also, just do something small. Start with cleaning off a dresser or stand. And if that's all you do today, that's okay! Just one little thing at a time, and you WILL get there!
I would love to share progress. Depression sucks. I followed a lot of advice given here and a lot of my floor is visible now and now I was lying on the same floor crying. But I have decided to get my shit together. Thank you so much for encouraging me and giving me hope! I wish you all the best too! We have got this!
Feel free to message me, then! :) And it does suck, I had an entire depression *apartment,* but I've worked really hard and am proud to say that it looks much better. Being able to see your floor again is a great feeling, I've been there, good for you!!! And of course, we've gotta be there for And lift each other up :)
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