Overwhelmed by messy house - any tips?

[whatdoidoallday]

Please be kind

My house is a total mess - stuff everywhere, dust everywhere no organisation to it. Where do I start with it? I'm totally overwhelmed.

I have no excuse as I have two school aged children and don't work. The house has always been on the untidy side. But having everyone at home and homeschooling two children one with SEN (and emotionally very demanding) has taken it's toll and the house looks like bomb's hit it. Now the children are back at school I really need to sort it out but when I walk into a room I'm totally overwhelmed and don't know where to start. I keep drinking cups of tea and procrastinating! Any tips on how to get on top of it or has anyone been in this situation and dug themselves out of it?

@Handsoffstrikesagain

That’s really kind thank you. To be honest, now that it is clean I really struggle myself to get my head around how it could have gotten from a few cups; to suddenly the mess that it was. All I can think is that when the mind is such a mess, your surroundings eventually begin to reflect that. My mind was so terrible that eventually my home was too. It is hard to fathom as there seems no rhyme nor reason to let it slip from needing to do a couple of dishes; to needing a big massive week long clean for three rooms. Especially now I have got it clean! I can’t now imagine ever letting it get even slightly bad. But at the time I was suicidal, self harming, self hating, anxious to the point that my body was literally so tense I was practically hovering over the bed rather than lying on it. It’s so all encompassing, that even showering or teeth cleaning just is so utterly exhausting. For me my mind was constantly spinning and working and doing overtime, and with the high stress and the pure anxiety; it became not only a mental drain but a physical one. To the point I was exhausted daily by my own mind- I had nothing left for showering or doing anything at all besides the toilet. Eventually I exhausted myself out and other feelings started to creep in; shame for my home, my pride knocking at the door, shame for what I was reducing my fiancé to etc. And those feelings became strong enough to create something else in my mind- anger. At myself, at my home, whatever. It was enough for me to start to battle the depression and somehow I beat it. And got it clean. It’s really sweet to say my home looks beautiful! I think it has the potential for beautiful when I finish the decorating but it’s clean and it’s homey and it’s mine and I fought hard for it, so to me it is beautiful- if modest! Depression and anxiety are strange things. I don’t know that I’ll ever have an episode that long and terrible again- I’m not sure. It was an accumulation of many awful things. Usually it doesn’t last that long but, a few horrible circumstances and lo and behold it did. I hope it never does again. I am very happy now. Still an emotional rollercoaster but my life is positive now. I’m happy. My fiancé is happy. We’re happy 😊 and I appreciate you asking. It’s nice to know that people are curious and openly ask- as opposed to judging without knowledge of it. I have no shame (at the moment!) I have fought too long and too hard to be ashamed of surviving it. I very nearly didn’t. My mum didn’t either; she committed suicide when I was 13. I’m happy to be alive and happy to talk about it- as I said it takes the “power” of the shame away. 😊

If you are looking for a Stacy Solomon type organisation/clean up then I am your lady!
I love to sort, organise and clean and am looking to start up my own business to help people with their houses but I need to start somewhere. So many people need help but don’t want to go on a tv show to air their dirty laundry and don’t have ridiculous amounts of money to pay high end professionals....that’s where I come in 😍🧹🧽🪣🦠

Op I hear you, I've also been drained by one dc... And am not natural to house tidy... Always one room will be a bomb site.

What helped me is good storage, ikea.a game changer which massively not only helps with sorting pants, socks immediately but then means dc can find them immediately and help themselves is draw organisers from ikea.. About 3 pound?

Socks in one, pants another.. And where my ironing board is I have two more so as I process washing pants and socks and other of their clothes can immediately be put into their box.
. They come into my room now, where ironing board is to get their box and transfer into their drawer.

Small step.. Yes but for me...this has been utter revelation... It's removed lost socks, mixed up pants etc.

I've had an area in our landing for months... An old box half filled with crap.. Piles if old books... Dust other rubbish.. I've got ready with a charity shop bag, rubbish bag, floor wipes and hoover and then literally say to myself out loud..

You can do this, come on, you can do it.. Think how much better you'll feel.. Come on...

Then after months I've done it. Its still not completely clear but its been tackled...

Storage is the main friend though... And seeing stuff neatly in nice boxes or bags also spurs you on to tidy more.. Then shove stuff back in a box..

I'm nealry there and I reckon by the time dc have moved out I'll have fully cracked it

Oh yes also used the timer idea here.
What gets me is starting but then forgotten the rubbish bag etc

Have everything to hand and only do small sections..