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Post by cyn on Oct 30, 2014 6:19:17 GMT -5
Hi Junkyardsaint, welcome If you change a few details, your post could be mine! I too have a 'thing' about cleaning, and don't ask me why it's such a struggle. I just glared at my bathroom sink because it's dirty again, after I cleaned it. Oops, that was last week...how did it get dirty already? And why, when there's so much else to clean? What a battle keeping a house clean is. Hopefully we can encourage each other, to fight the messiness.
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Post by larataylor on Oct 30, 2014 6:37:31 GMT -5
Bathroom sink: I've formed the habit of wiping the sink with a washcloth almost every time I use it, which almost seems like compulsive overkill … but it never needs real cleaning. I have a stack of washcloths in the (open) closet (I took down the doors). And I have a little laundry bucket next to the toilet where I toss it. I'll grab a clean cloth to dry my hands, then dry the sink and vanity. It's a bit of a battle to keep people from cluttering the vanity, but the clutter never gets bad because I'm always going after it. Very little "belongs" on the vanity counter. Likewise the toilet -- I swish and swipe it often after I use it. Paper towels and a vinegar/detergent cleanser sit on the back … the brush is right there. FREQUENCY is the best cleaner. The sink and toilet never need scrubbing. I have a spray bottle, Fels Naptha soap and a scrub brush in the shower, and I scrub a little every time I take a shower. (I have not figured out how to keep scouring powder handy without getting it soggy.) A trash bag hangs on the shower fixtures so people don't leave trash in the shower. I like to clean when things are near-perfect, and I get progressively averse to it as things get nasty … although I can get motivated to clean up a horrible mess, too. But I prefer these little, quick habits and having a bathroom that never embarrasses me.
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Post by cyn on Oct 30, 2014 7:02:37 GMT -5
I know what you mean, lara. This is what I'm doing in the kitchen now - wiping before it's a difficult mess, so it's actually pretty easy to deal with. But ugh: I need to change my attitude or something, because I *do not* feel like being such a busy beaver and giving everything a wipedown every time I touch it. Crap, that'd be non-stop cleaning, noooooooo.
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Post by messymimi on Oct 30, 2014 7:20:54 GMT -5
Welcome, JunkYardSaint.
You've come to the right place for people who understand, and i hope you are finding the support and ideas and help you need as you read and post.
It's good to have you here.
messymimi
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Post by joyinvirginia on Oct 30, 2014 7:25:14 GMT -5
Welcome, junkyard saint! When I was really depressed, the only way I got anything done was to make myself do some task when herring home from work. Like I would come home and walk the dogs then work on kitchen for thirty minutes. Once I plopped down on the couch to watch TV, that was it, I was not gonna bee motivated to get up again. Being on the right antidepressant worked for me, giving me more energy and then I could get motivated with a goal. Usually if I plan to invite someone over, that is great motivation. And asking for help, hiring a house cleaner, helped me get thru some of the worst clutter and accumulated dirt Welcome, hope you get some good ideas!
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Post by larataylor on Oct 30, 2014 7:26:59 GMT -5
cyn - but seriously, the sink thing takes *less than a minute*! And the toilet about one minute, less often. And then you never have this "Ugh, I must clean the bathroom" thing where it's all disgusting. I know the feeling, though! Like: I have better things to do than clean the sink every stinkin day! I have a LIFE. But if you really focus on the habit, and keep the clutter out of the way, it becomes automatic.
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Post by ohblondie on Nov 19, 2014 12:28:24 GMT -5
Cyn - don;t think of it as cleaning. THink of it as "preventing" or Prevention.
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Post by sketchedlilly on Dec 2, 2014 3:00:24 GMT -5
Saint, take a breath. It's a whole living space and you're looking at it all at once. You're seeing it not being clean all at the same time as a failure. You've gone through a lot and you're going through a lot and the lot might not be over for awhile, if ever. You're focusing on general failings instead of the small, important victories that you're doing. If the most you've done in a day is feed you're pets and ignored everything else, that's a victory. If you got up from bed and that was the most you could do, you're allowed to feel happy that you at least got up.
If you didn't? Well that's your personal time and maybe you can focus on being victorious net week because you're sleepy right now or sad or you feel nothing or however depression happens to be hitting you at this moment. It's not a failure. It's a medical condition. I'm happy that you sought help for your depression...a lot of people don't. But sometimes the drugs are off and you need to try a different cocktail and always thy take awhile to kick in.
Keep feeding your pets. All victory. The whole picture is too much. You're allowed to keep it small until you feel ready to expand it.
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Post by Dit on Dec 4, 2014 10:44:26 GMT -5
All of my Peps above are right. Focus on what you do right not what you do wrong. Just start tracking what you do get done. I joined the 3 things board for that reason.
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Post by Louie on Dec 4, 2014 12:51:42 GMT -5
welcome! you're in the right place and amongst people who understand. When I first came here I was depressed and I just sat in my mess and cried a lot, somedays didn't even get dressed. Depression make you feel overwhelmed and completely exhausted so don't be hard on yourself that you are struggling with even little things right now. my advice to is start small.Just pick up one bag of rubbish or wash a couple of dishes. Chat is really helpful as you will have immediate support and people who can help you think things through while your doing a cleaning task - our thinking is slowed down with depression and it's hard to solve even simple problems. Chat made a huge difference for me when I began here. you might also join one of the daily threads or the whatchamacalit thread. Also has your dr reviewed your meds lately? they might need adjusting if they are not helping. most of all keep coming back and posting and ask for help with things - you'll get lots of support here. welcome again!
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Post by larataylor on Dec 4, 2014 13:50:05 GMT -5
junkyardsaint - you haven't posted for a while, and I hope you're doing well.
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Post by junkyardsaint on Aug 19, 2019 22:55:33 GMT -5
So wild to look at my old posts! 5 years later but I can say my house is cleanest its been in decades. Although I have developed a sort of 'block' regarding housework but its manageable now. My biggest issue was ny 'depression' - it took five years, psychotherapy, trauma work and finally in my 60's a diagnosis. I'm bipolar ii. I have been on every antidepressant known to man beginning with the old elavil type drugs and all the SSRI's etc. nothing ever worked. I'm on lamectal now and for the first time in my life my medication is actually helping. I'm housecleaning now in fact, in little spurts then i take a break. I have a friend coming to visit me in a few weeks so I'm motivated by that but the thing I'm most grateful for is I FEEL like cleaning. I have to admit I mostly lurked and read posts without posting much myself, my bipolar made me isolate even online, but it was still helpful just to know I'm not alone in this struggle. Psychotherapy also helped me to stop blaming myself for everything. I just want to say thank you to everyone here just for being here. You'd be surprised to know your posts and this forum can help people you don't even know are out there reading them. They've helped me a lot, in many ways, sometimes just by reminding me to practice patience and to not be so hard on myself. Thanks to all...I hope to be posting more frequently now that I feel better. I'm living proof that this battle can be won.
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Post by creativechaos on Aug 19, 2019 23:34:26 GMT -5
yay! an update, and a good one! thanks for coming back to post, junkyardsaint - and congratulations on your victories and perseverence until you got a proper diagnosis and meds that can help. WTG on doing all that inner work and trauma work and keeping on getting up and trying. I look forward to reading more of your posts (not to pressure you or anything!) you are always welcome here.
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Post by larataylor on Aug 20, 2019 8:12:12 GMT -5
junkyardsaint - so cool to see you post again! It was weird to real MY old posts here, too! My wiping-the-sink habit is so OLD! I'm so glad you've gotten things under control, and you're not coming back here with squalor up to the ceiling! Way to go!
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Post by ohblondie on Aug 20, 2019 8:14:59 GMT -5
junkyardsaint..I love when people "come back" and post such wonderful updates. It is so motivating!
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