Pig sty

[meowzeer]

Hi, I've been recovering from a mental health crisis where I was really depressed and totally neglected my house. My kitchen is the only room able to be used properly. I mean stuff everywhere and needs deep cleaned. Please can I have some tips for cleaning? I've not let anyone visit me and my relative is coming on Friday to stay for a few days as they live far away. What do I do first. Literally stuff everywhere on every surface, floor and tables and cabinets etc. Help!!

get yourself a roll of bin bags, a laundry basket, and ensure you have plenty of washing powder.

start gathering rubbish, just throw it in the bin, start making piles of washing, pop them in the washing machine, and others in the tumble dryer as theyve finished washing. the laundry basket is for misplaced items. you pop them in there so you can then sit infront of the tv in the evening, with an episode of whatever you watch, whilst you sort the stuff into piles for the rooms it belongs in.
once youve got that underway, put bleach down the toilets, disinfect all the surfaces you can get to.

thatll get you a decent way towards your goal.

Don’t think about it too much.

simply buy some black bags - go to any room and start filling the bags, keep going, going & going

also consider going on gumtree or Facebook and hire a cleaner to come and help you for a couple of hours on Thursday

don’t overthink any of this though as it’ll feel like a mountain and it’s not

Toilet
Basin
Floors
Laundry
Flat surfaces

Keep repeating.

Set a timer. Take regular breaks.
Good luck.

Thanks got some bags and started picking up bags. I'm so unfit watch says my heart rate is 140 when picking up stuff!! Laundry is everywhere and clean stuff on top of my tumble and washing machine. Gonna have to put it away.
Will a cleaner come in when it's this bad?

That sounds tough OP. But as others have said, start with the junk, throw away everything that is rubbish you'll be amazed how quickly that will get you going.
Then start with one room and work through until done. (I'd start with my bedroom) Once you have somewhere clean and tidy to put laundry start on that and as a load is washing/ drying start the next room and so on.

Do you have any family who could come give you a had?

Good luck.

@jellybe thanks. I can't believe I've let it get this state. Been burying my head for too long. I'm too ashamed to ask any family to help. I'm doing downstairs first and will clean too then tackle upstairs. I could cry.

I would personally start on my bedroom . Scrub it and declutter within an inch of its life.
You will love and appreciate getting into bed each night and it may inspire you to keep going.

Getting stuff out of the house is the first step.

I had an epiphany after realising that I had an oven dish in front of my microwave that I had to move every time I wanted to use the microwave for three months. What was thinking???

Actually what I was thinking is that the dish was £13 or whatever and I might use it one day or someone else might want it.

But to have something that I or somebody else might want one day stopping me from doing a completely ordinary thing like using the microwave is just daft.

I once read this which helps with overwhelm:
There’s only five things to tidy -

1. rubbish
2. laundry
3. dishes
4. things that have a place
5. things that don’t

It’s all about perception & first impressions.

Make sure the bathroom & the guest space /bedroom is immaculate. There’s nothing worse than going to stay with someone & being uneasy about the cleanliness of guest bedding or the toilet!

Clean mopped or vacuumed floors also make a massive difference.

You’ll be fine but nothing happens without effort. Go for it! Keep at it!

If you wanted to hire a one off cleaner and explained the situation, I'm sure they would!

I know the feeling op.
I'm drowning in it. X

Yes, a decent cleaner will come in if it's that bad.

Focus on anything that's unhygienic, and things that will make the biggest impact.

If I was your relative I'd happily help out while I was there.

See the visit as something to work to and do this for you.

Don't be ashamed. You have been unwell.
Bless you.

If you're overwhelmed, one room at a time can be more manageable. E.g kitchen today, living room tomorrow and bathroom(s) Thursday. That might not cover every room, but having those done and clear is better than everything half-finished. I say kitchen first because it's the centre of cleaning and hygiene if that makes sense. And asking your relative to help with a spare bedroom is easier than asking them to help with the kitchen.

Update: I've managed to get all the rubbish out, done the kitchen, cleaned the fridge, oven and cupboard doors. Done downstairs toilet and slowly doing all the laundry. Have got mine, my daughter and games room clear of clutter. Currently on a break from shampooing the carpets, got a shot of a carpet cleaner. Got a cleaner in tomorrow to do a deep clean so fingers crossed by tomorrow night itl look much better. Itl be by no means perfect but a base for me to work on and never end up in this mess again.

Great job, meowzeer. Well done on tackling the mess, how do you feel? (Apart from knackered).

Thanks @OmiOmy I feel good, like I've accomplished something. I'm tired but it's a nice feeling. Will feel great tomorrow once it's been professionally done 😊

Well done OP ! Keep it up!

Well done OP! That's quite an achievement.

Two different resources I found helpful:

• This wonderful book: How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis

• and this from A Slob Comes Clean website:,a short video on how to get your house ready for guests with 60 mins to go:

https://www.aslobcomesclean.com/2016/11/one-hour-doorbell-rings-heres-plan/

@meowzeer good luck, how are you doing? Hope the cleaner was good and well done! 💐
A Slob Comes Clean is great.

Now try and maintain (I struggle!😊) Not sure about your work and mental health but even 15 minutes per day is better than nothing.

You haven’t asked but I am taking the liberty to suggest daily jobs, hope that is okay:

1. Rubbish in bin.
2. Load dishwasher through day, turn on at night. Unload morning or wash up as go, if possible.
3. Swish and swipe one bathroom (really quick, loo and basin).
4. Wipe down kitchen sides.
5. 5 minute tidy.
6. Load of laundry as needed.
7. if you have the energy, sweep/ quick hoover of one high traffic area.

As well as A Slob Comes Clean, The Secret Slob on YouTube is great and Flylady Kat.

Emjoy your weekend with your guest.

Thanks all. The cleaner didn't turn up in the end. I went out so she could get on with the clean, left the key under the mat, got to 4pm and she messaged to say she couldn't do it as was over running on another job. So I wasted a whole day yesterday. Today I've been cleaning like mad. Downstairs is complete. Upstairs I just need to do the room she will be in which was the cleanest to start so just needs swept and floors washed then put the bedding on. Feel so let down by the cleaner but I bought myself a nice body shop advent calendar with some of the money I would have paid her! I've not done skirting boards but I'm sure that won't matter. Thanks for all your tips they have helped. Taking a break after every big job has helped too. Gonna get those books to read too.
F**k depression!

Do you live alone op?

Was this a regular cleaner? Or a one off?

Just a one off cleaner. I have a daughter who is here 50% of the time.