Please someone help me to tidy today

[lala2023]

I have taken a day of work to tidy up

My place is disgusting I have ADHD and struggle to tidy but it's so bad I can't even let anyone in

Please someone give me a kick up the bum or even some strategies to help me today

Close you eyes and imagine what you want the house to look like this evening. Plump sofa, clean floors, cushions plumped up, candle lit, fresh smell, clean kitchen surfaces, no mess??

Then make a little list of the things you need to do to reach that goal. Don’t make it huge. Just the key things. Post it here if you want some accountability!

Find a podcast or music to listen to while you do a few jobs, then allow yourself a break - TV, cuppa, walk whatever.

Repeat until done!

Get some music or podcast on and go for it.

id start with collecting any washing up and going around with a bin bag and get the rubbish out
get the washing machine going
i tend to go room by room with an empty washing basket, put anything that doesn't belong in that room in the basket. When full go and put the stuff away where it lives. Repeat.

ADHD friendly tips that work for me...

Make it into tiny tasks eg put away 10 things (then another 10, and another 10).

Deal with one type of item st a time.. laundry, medicines, papers etc.

Papers go into a single pile for later sorting.

No organisation projects eg if you notice the cutlery drawer is a mess, just leave it. Your mission is tidying.

Body doubling... can you get someone to keep you company? This really helps me.

Good luck! And no 2 hour breaks to explore tidying strategies!

Something I keep meaning to try, that could help you, is the TOMM guided cleans. You can sign up to a free trial and download podcasts where she talks you through what to do in real time, with motivational music.

https://www.rockthehousework.co.uk/tomm

Really recommend the Tomm guided cleans as mentioned above. Also regular updates on here of progress to keep you motivated, including deadlines if that helps you.

Op I don’t have adhd but I do sometimes have big tidies where I’ll set a timer for 15 mins and tidy an area, then move into the next area for 15 mins. Or sometimes I’ll set myself a target to tidy away 100 things in an hour. I wonder if giving yourself a target might give you a dopamine rush. (But doesn’t work with my adhd daughter!)

Or you say you couldn’t have anyone round. Could you invite a friend over and then focus on your kitchen, sitting room and toilet?

I have heard that before and after photos help. If you take a before photo apparently it’s easier to objectively see the mess, but I haven’t done it myself.

some of us are on a decluttering thread in the housekeeping board, maybe you can do some tidying today and join us on an accountability thread just to do a small amount of decluttering a week as that helps.

Is it a case of lack of storage or things just not put away where they belong? Or is it you're knee deep in last week's pizza boxes, newspapers and old cat food tins?

Break it all down into shorter tasks. Do one, have a 5 minute break, do another...

You’ve got this!

First, I would put a load of laundry on.
While that’s going , if you have a dishwasher, stack it and turn it on. If not, start some hand washing. A little at a time. Glasses first - dry and put away. Then cutlery.
Get a bin bag and do the kitchen, dining and living rooms. Collect all rubbish and any other dishes.
Strip your bed.
Throw sheets on top of machine, ready.
Open every window.
If you have a robot vacuum set it going. Otherwise vacuum your bedroom.
Make up your bed with fresh sheets - it will feel so good at the end of the day.
Throw some bleach in the toilet and let it sit. Clean basin, bath and shower.
Vacuum rest of house.
Mop.
Continue around the house.

Put a podcast or audiobook on or music and sing along!

Do you have any fresh flowers in the garden? If you do get some ( or even some greenery) pop in a vase and put on your dining table. Of course clear it all off first if there is stuff on it.

I never have anything on my table except meals.

Get a laundry basket or box or similar. Then get a bin bag. Then set a timer fir 15 minutes.

Pick up one thing at a time. If it belongs in the room, put it in its place. If it belongs in a different room, put in in the laundry basket. If it belongs on the bin, put it in the bin bag.

Change rooms after 15 minutes, whether you are finished or not. Surprisingly, you get more done that way.

If you want to move on to the more advanced approach (not recommended if the place is very messy or you are easily distracted), add in a recycling box and a donate box.

The mantra is Rubbish, Recycle, Relocate, and Donate. Rubbish and Relocate are the most important ones - focus on those.

This works really well. And in the other rooms you can pretend the sofa or whatever is the bed.

I have ADHD and I cannot bear mess and struggle with it.

so I’d tackle it this way (depending on how messy it is?):

1. empty bins / put rubbish in bins if lying around then take out
2. air beds or strip them
3. open windows
4. put clothes lying around into laundry/clean pile. Put washing machine on
5. put anything lying on floor into bin/laundry/put away pile
6. clear up any crockery for washing
7. do washing up/put dishwasher on
8. wipe clean surfaces /dust
9. vacuum
10. put bleach in bathroom loo/spray or leave cleaning product in shower/sink/bath
11. have a rest for 30 mins only
12. Clean bathroom to favourite music or radio
13. Empty washing machine /hang clothes out on line or airer or tumble dry
14. make up beds
15. empty tumble dryer/dry and put away crockery

Thank you all the timer is set

I make my life so much harder spending hours and hours tidying up

I have a gentleman guest coming over on Friday so I need to get myself sorted out !

Hi OP
I also get overwhelmed by a huge task of the whole house so I'm another one who breaks it down.

So I sit down and do whatever, usually mumsnet, or message my friends but it could be tv if you prefer. Then I think what one job I want to do first. It could be the washing...or if that feels too insurmountable then part of the washing. Maybe you are going to fold up any washing that is hanging up and put it away or is clean and dry in your basket. Then if you need to sit down again for 5 minutes before you tackle the next bit thats fine. But I usually find once I'm up and folding the washing away I may as well chuck a washing on. Or pick something up and take it to the room it goes in.

It's definitely helped me to get my house much more in order. I don't have ADHD but have ND kids and have always wondered if I may also have it or certainly have traits of it. This way of working (not just with housework but anything that needs organising and doing) really helps me. I feel a lot less overwhelmed these days.

I used to worry it made me look or seem lazy, but it's not about the sitting down to rest or because I'm lazy, it gives me a brain break and I can then think clearly for the next task.

I am also a list fiend. I use my notes on my phone and the tick box function. Think what 3 main jobs you would like done today, or two or even one. Break that job down into manageable chunks (so main job maybe washing - 1. Fold up dry washing and put away. 2. Put washing on. 3. Hang washing out. 4. Put any dirty washing lying around ready for later or tomorrow. Tick them off as you go and you'll get a little dopamine hit.

And saying that, I'm going to go and fold up my dry washing and put away. Follow my own advice. 😅

Good luck. I'll be back if you want to keep checking in? Happy to pop in and cheer each other on a bit.

@Breathmiller thank you !

I have managed to clean the kitchen ( it was terrible not just cluttered )

Now the next thing is

Clean the lounge
Fresh linen on the bed
Rubbish down
Items to storage

Fab!! Well done! I also managed to get a lot done today inspired by you.

I'm still going

Thank you for everyone who has posted some support ! I am going to join the decluttering thread as well !

I have done 15 minute bursts !

Yay well done! How’s it going now? Give yourself a treat when you’re done!

@Heroicallyfound

I'm still at it ! I have so much random clutter but I feel like I am winning
Have done four bin liners 😊

Good job!!