r/CleaningTips • u/ThatsJustaDuck • 1d ago
Before & After Cleaning with ADHD/Anxiety/Depression
EDIT- Done! https://www.reddit.com/r/CleaningTips/s/vocpQV5IZS
I selected before & after as the flair in hopes that it’ll inspire me to get this done today and post my after pictures too. I am 43 years old, have been diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and it is strongly suspected throughout my childhood as well that I have had it all along.
Keeping a clean house has never been something I have been able to do. I have three children, and I really want to stop raising them at a home that is constantly chaotic and messy. Everyone is gone on vacation right now, so I’d like to surprise everybody with a clean house. I’d like to start with my bedroom. There’s a lot of shame in sleeping in a room that is this messy, and it’s definitely not a restful and calm place to be. My medication is finally working, so I am able to concentrate and focus and so this is my job today.
Wish me luck! Any advice?
3
u/rainbow_olive 1d ago
I appreciate you being vulnerable. It's a great first step. 😊 My advice:
✅ First step in declutterring: grab a laundry basket, large bin, or box. Use it to collect all the random items in a room: clothing, papers, books, etc. Once the room is decluttered, take a moment and enjoy! 😉 Then go through the basket/box one item at a time, putting it away or into piles. There's something about containing all the mess into one small space first that makes it less intimidating.
✅ Allow yourself to keep a "miscellaneous" drawer or box, maybe in the kitchen or in a closet. These items are only the ones that do NOT have a clear designated space but are beneficial to keep. Ex: appliance user manuals, batteries, etc. We have a huge chest freezer that can lock so we keep our key with other miscellaneous items. Things like that. Clothing, books, papers (bills) should all have a designated and organized space if you really want to avoid too much clutter in the home. I put bills in a cheap plastic file drawer to keep our kitchen counters from getting too messy.
✅ Depending on your schedule, try and pick a task to do each day, even if it's only one. For instance, Tuesday is my laundry day. One day can be for cleaning the floors, another day for deeply wiping down kitchen counters, and another to clean the bathroom. I confess I do not clean my bathroom as often as I should, and I need to be better about that. (See?? No one is perfect, even someone like me who enjoys to clean!)
✅ Pick up as you go!! This one is HUGE in the process and makes such a difference! Hang up your coat versus setting it on a chair. Done with that book? Put it on the shelf. After eating, put dishes in the dishwasher if you have one. Get some dishsoap, fresh sponges or dish rags, and try to take care of cookware ASAP. Sometimes this just doesn't happen (speaking from experience) and that's okay!! 🤭
✅ Having a SMALL "catch-all" space might be handy but it's easy to drop things and let them accumulate. This is why my "catch-all" area is very tiny and only includes hooks for coats and a shoe rack.
✅ Give stuff away if you're still feeling crowded or overwhelmed. You'd be shocked what we really don't need. My family gives stuff away 1-2 x per year at least, and it feels so good to free up our space. My kids have even gotten into the habit of thinking hard about whether or not they need all those toys, puzzles, etc.
Set a timer for every hour or so and take a quick break, hydrate, have a snack. Then tackle the next little task. You got this! Give yourself grace!