Submitted by That-Tea-5651 t3_yhovmq in LifeProTips
Usually the things that make me feel overwhelmed are those without a clear location and that can make cleaning feel like a daunting task. After you’re done, pick the next 3.
And even if don’t and have limited time, cleaning a little bit is always better than not at all cause stuff doesn’t pile on as much.
Sometimes a certain order can be helpful. I can handle this routine even in the depths of stress.
If you’re dealing with a big mess, go for the garbage first. Anything that can be immediately removed, get rid of it! Don’t worry about cleaning yet. Neatly stack plates and cups to wash later, don’t let it derail you.
Then move on to seating areas. Beds, couches, and chairs can be made neatly very fast. It also helps you see how disorganized the rest of your space is, while giving you a surface to place things temporarily as you go.
Pick up anything off the floor that doesn’t belong there. If it has a spot, put it where it goes. If not, that is part of why it was never put away. Try your best to create a regular location for it.
Now all that is left are the surfaces. Tables, counters, desks, whatever. Organizing papers, tech, and decorations is much easier than everything else you’ve already done. Save it for last, when you’re putting in the finishing touches. Sometimes all it takes is a bit of adjusting to make a messy desk neat and usable.
NOW you can start cleaning. Moving clutter stirs a lot of dust up, yet a lot of people try to do both organizing and cleaning at the same time. It is also easier to dust, wipe down surfaces, and mop/vacuum when everything is tidied.
#NO! NO! DON'T DO THIS!
#I ASKED THE QUAKER OATS MAN ABOUT THIS ONCE AND HE SAID "NO!"
#TRUST ME! I READ IT IN A BOOK! (IT WASN'T A VERY GOOD BOOK)
best thing I ever did was get open storage bins that I like the aesthetic of - those random things that you use a lot of and don't have a home for can live in the "frequent use" bin and still reduce clutter. open shelving helps a lot with that too. if it's functional for you, that's all that matters.
also remembering that I'm organizing my home for how my husband's and my brain works, not for anyone else. there is no right or wrong, only things that help/hurt your brain, and thats different for everyone.
One thing that has worked for me is to work room by room, but the first thing is to get things that belong in that room there.
So my first go is getting all the random dishwear back to the kitchen.
Then all the random clothes either in the hamper or in the bedroom.
Then anything that is obviously out of place, back to the room it belongs.
Even if I stop there it's at least more organized.
The toddler would get really overwhelmed trying to clean her tornado of a room and end up just sitting in filth and crying while her mom yelled at her that if the toys weren't off the floor they were going in the garbage. Really stressful situation. So I would get a chair and sit with her while she cleaned. I'd have her pick something up, anything up, and have her bring it to me. Then I'd ask her where it goes, and tell her to put it there.
Eventually the little one got the point that the concept of cleaning is just picking something up and putting it where it goes. One item at a time. Then I'd make a show of mopping, vacuuming, and wiping down the walls.
This is the way. My mom used the “it’s all going in the trash if not” way. And it just stresses me to the point I couldn’t think. It all seemed like too much. Eventually as a teen I kept my room super tidy. But not because of her. Because I liked it that way, and had figured out how to do it that way. She prides herself in the fact her parenting worked. It didn’t. I had to make a conscious effort to get my room the way it was but before I had no freakin clue how to bring about a “conscious effort”. Was actually MTV cribs that got me into it. I wanted my space to look like theirs
This works! I do something similar when facing dirty dishes.
I tell myself: "OK, just wash 5 pieces." Start washing and next thing I know, it's all done! haha
Sometimes if there's a lot, I like to group things together. So I'll put all the cutlery in the basin and just wash all of them first.
That works! And a good idea.
If I’m too lazy to clean the least I’ll do is run hot water through so I don’t have to scrub later.
Yeah, I think it's important to do a quick rinse or soak. As you say, makes cleanup a LOT easier.
I do something like this, but also follow up with a reward. As an example, I'll wash a load of dishes, then set a timer for 30 minutes and read a book on the couch. Then I'll take out the trash, and spend 30 minutes on Twitter.
By rewarding myself, I've found that I'll often do more than just the one chore (I'll do dishes AND sweep the floor, for instance) before I take my reward.
Also, I'm a huge fan of To-Do Lists... as long as they're broken down into small tasks. My list doesn't say "Do Laundry," but instead "Wash 2 Loads," "Fold Laundry," "Put Hanging Laundry Away," etc. Smaller bites are more manageable for me, and I get much more done.
i like the method:
pick up everything red, take a break, orange, break, yellow, etc till i get thru the rainbow
or pick up all shoes, break, trash, break, dishes, etc
My life got much better after I decided to just have a big box I can stuff anything inside with no criteria, the mess in my room gets out of sight right away and I know that anything that I don't know where it is, is probably in the box, eventually I will get somethings out of the box to the proper places, when I have the mental energy. It's not the greatest system, but now my room gets cleaned more often and I have lost less things overall.
I lower it to one, but resets every time I enter the room
Often as I go from one part of the house to another I'll just pick something up and keep moving it closer to where it belongs until everything is put away.
Well this is a lot better than the other recent posts
Another thing take one itemplace whatever room you are in.
Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips!
Please help us decide if this post is a good fit for the subreddit by up or downvoting this comment.
If you think that this is great advice to improve your life, please upvote. If you think this doesn't help you in any way, please downvote. If you don't care, leave it for the others to decide.
[removed]
This is a great idea! Thanks for the tip, will be trying tomorrow!
[removed]
Spend a half hour every day cleaning anything. It's a short amount of time that really adds up
But like seriously this works. I just throw a few cans away and I get so much more done!
I do this with my three young kids - it works really well!
Yes, if I get overwhelmed, I’ll break it down into smaller tasks, like, just take out the trash. Just do a few dishes. Just put the jacket away. Anything. Break down one box and take it out. If I keep doing this throughout the day, before I know it, the place is clean.
Momma said to put away the biggest stuff first
Except I start and then can’t stop, lose track of time aggressively cleaning and still end up unsatisfied lol. It’s a vicious cycle
I think this goes for any big task/goal that you don’t want to do because it’s overwhelming. Break big tasks into smaller more manageable tasks! The hardest part is getting over that mental hurdle of starting the task. Don’t have time to go to the gym? Work out for 5 minutes in your kitchen. Have a huge paper due next month? Write 1-2 sentences every day. Want to eat healthy? Pick ONE fruit/veggie you like and eat that once a day. Nothing you contribute toward a goal has to be this big daunting task. You’re still contributing.
Similarly, you can start by making three piles: trash, put away in this room, put away in another room. Then take on the piles.
The times when I do a thorough clean are never when I've planned it, usually I'm wiping down a counter top and before you know it I've emptied kitchen drawers and cupboards to wipe them all down and clean handle and doors etc.
Yup it’s about building the initial momentum and keep on going with it
If I need to do laundry or clean my room, I turn on a reality show in the background. Somehow hearing the voices gives me energy. Usually a completely dumb show that doesn’t need much attention.
Or just marry a Mexican girl like I did ;-)
I saw the phrase "put it away, not down" here a few months back and it's changed how I treat cleaning from a preventative standpoint
If I know for a fact that I will have to clean the entire room, I don't think this would work too great on me. If I am however just going to make the room a little bit better, then this would trick me into cleaning everything.
I did this today and it got me started on a really good tidy session - ! Thanks op
Pick up the 3 biggest things you can find. The instant change in available space will make the problem seem way more manageable
muffinpie101 t1_iuexejw wrote
Good tip. I hadn't pinpointed the issue, but I think as you've mentioned I feel overwhelmed before I start, as I'm not sure where some things will go :(