Does anyone here have chaos in their environment?

My mother used to chide me that no matter what needed doing inside my house, I’d find something more “pressing” to do outside.

I really should clean my spare/workout/storage room today, but I’ll probably be planting bulbs and working on a brick pathway in the side yard lol.

My place is so cluttered and dusty. It seems I dust, and an hour later, there's dust again on the same surface

It says: Dust is a Country Accent.

that says "Dust will Keep if you don't get it wet"

Love it!

Don’t know whether it’s attention deficit or autism spectrum or what. I do my best now that I’m old and live alone it’s OK. But I am relieved every time my lease is renewed. Just know that you are not the only one who suffers with this kind of thing Hang in there don’t let it get you down. My motto used to be 100 years from now nobody will care. But day to day can be very tough

We'd like a modest condo of our own.

I'm out on disability, hoping to get SSDI.

I was so disturbed by this toxic work environment, I didn't unpack some boxes. I kept hoping to get out of the job, but it was not happening.

I have PTSD. I let things go, I know.

Chaos is ongoing in our hustle bustle lives. Even in the pandemic, I feel busy all the time. I understand the “lived in” situation. It’s a constant struggle. I make one item a day that must get done. Maybe it’s a box to unpack or get the large dust bunnies the next day. It makes it bearable and you won’t have that lingering guilt. Good luck. We’re all in this together.

I used to be fanatical about cleaning house when I was younger. It took up way too much of my life--time for things that became more important to me--my animals mostly. Along with my large garden, and projects we always have going on (finishing the inside of our cabin-like actual walls and doors, putting up fencing, building more animal structures, etc). Even though we are both retired now, we are busier than ever, and ENJOY it.

Yeah, my house is usually a mess. We have 3 Great Pyrenees that are walking shedding machines. Fighting cobwebs and dust in a log home can be a full time job because of the uneven wall surface and beamed ceilings. Like most horse people I know, my barn is usually cleaner than my house! Mr. Bayard, for all his wonderful qualities, is something of a slob about leaving clothes and stuff laying around. But he does the laundry, and occasionally vacuums. He does so much of the outside work, I can't begin to tell you.

I've learned to walk through our little home, and close my eyes about some things. I'll get to the cleaning when I can, but I'm not obsessed with it anymore. Most of the time, I'm happy as a clam, even though I'm bipolar. Rarely now, depression can still raise its ugly head. But, my meds have been literally life-saving. I've been on the same stuff for a long time, and it works well for me.

Right now, I'm trying to make time to take down the Xmas decorations!

I'm bipolar too, with anxiety and depression. I really need to get down on my knees and scrub the floor clean. Mr XanaDUer is disabled, so no help there.

I just want to feel in control and competent

as your proof of being alive and living life. We are all in that boat with you. NAME the dust bunnies if you'd like.

Big Mama. I worry about the owner being horrified

I've dealt with both dirt/dust and boxes issues in the recent past.

1. Buy a vacuum. Not just any vacuum. This one: https://www.amazon.com/Hoover-Commercial-Lightweight-Backpack-C2401/dp/B005NASZG8/ The thing is a dream.

2. Start going through the boxes. Find a place for everything in them, even if it's just another box! Throw out what you can. Do this when you can and feel up to it. You may well find that you can get on a tear and get through a lot of them in a short time. And other times you won't feel like working on the boxes at all. That's ok! As you re-box/organize/throw stuff out, move boxes around your place. Say, from a dusty corner to a newly cleaned corner. Buy some new, clean boxes. U-Haul is a good place to get these.

3. To fix the bath, buy some caulk and a putty knife to scrape loose caulk out. $12 or so. If you aren't sure what to do or how to do it, search youtube.

Good luck!

DUers are such great, supportive people. Some days I have energy; others, not. I'm going to attack the floor when I feel like it

I too used to be a real ‘neat nick’ but, then kids & dogs etc. helped me to be a bit more relaxed, if you know what I mean .

Now getting older & getting rid of things is the hard part.

But, two things that really motivate me are 1) that great feeling you get when everything’s neat and tidy and 2) watching those hoarding shows- gets me going every time!!

If you lived nearby I would come by and help you get started
It’s always easier to help with someone else’s cleaning than your own!

Does it have to be worn on the back during use?

I have a kenmore canister vacuum that I have been using for 20 years, and I will be in tears when it fails, but I know it is coming. This would make a great replacement!

48 foot cord! Lots of great attachments!

while holding the wand in the other. Though when on the floor it will want to tip over since the hose enters at the top. On the back is where it's at!

And yes, the extra-long cord is fantastic.

I’m getting a new kitchen floor, and the tear out of the old one has left my kitchen floor looking like the surface of the moon! I can almost not stand to walk on it, but I have to. Everything, and it’s a considerable amount, from my cupboards and drawers is sitting in boxes, on tables, in my family room with me. All mine and hub’s Christmas gifts are there in the pile somewhere. We have two weeks to go, and I gotta admit, it’s starting to get to me. The stuff has to sit there until all done. I keep going to put it away, but there’s no place to put anything.

Craters, screw heads, dust and crust…it’s everywhere. I’m a bit of a clean freak, so this is really bad for my mental health. I love to cook, and prepare elaborate meals three or four times a week. But I can’t cope with standing on the lunar surface to do so. I have taken to pretending that none of this ever happened.

Two weeks…

Thanks for letting me vent

Hope it turns out good

I would like to add that it always helps me to set easily realistic goals when approaching a project.

When I go to unpack my boxes, I will set a goal of emptying one box every day. Anything else is a bonus. That way, even if I get busy doing something else (quite likely), I should have time to empty and put away one box. There will be three piles…keep, trash, give away. Eventually I will get through them all, it will be spring, and I can go back to walking through my kitchen that’s full of my favorite things. Win, win, win.

Good luck to you. Happy New Year!

Love this forum and my DU family. I talk to a therapist, but don't have a lot of outlets. I finally admitted to him the living situation. It's not hoarding level (tv show), but not what is like

solution to all problems!!

and remember guilt is so very destructive... of no use to anyone, although sometimes difficult to be rid of, I know

be kind to yourself!

take a photo of items that you are attached to, but don't have room for. Keep a photo album of these things and donate the items to charity.

The husband and I downsized to a 2 bedroom 2 bath apartment when he became disabled years ago. Going from a house to apartment with inside parking was a blessing, not having to do yard work etc. But the decreased space means it can get cluttered quicker. I have to do all the housework, and I still work full time. I try to do a little each day so I don't need to waste my weekend time cleaning.

Take Care!

I got rid of a lot of stuff last week, at a local thrift shop. Stuff that no longer fits or I ain't gonna ever wear again. I also pick up at least one piece of paper or other object to take out of the room when I leave it. That either goes into trash, recycling or a box for the next trip to thrift.

One object out of the room when I leave it..... = 3 or four things a day. It is making a dent and it is not overwhelming.

I've been dealing with health issues and disability for years, moved into this house 5 years ago...brand new.

Over time and with pets and things breaking, I am now surrounded with projects and grime and crap I need to get rid of...

The washer brooke over a year ago...so now the laundry room is stagnant and there's bundles of blankets and things I'd like to get clean and put in the linen closet... or maybe I should just throw it all away since I havent used them in months. (Also keeps me from changing sheets on a regular basis, so I feel like my bed is grimy)

The bathroom sink flooded onto the carpet last year and with the dog pee in the carpet it smelled so bad... so I cut out a huge chunk of carpet and put down a space rug, but now I feel like my bedroom looks like shit. (also, all the nasty towels that my son used to try and dry the floor with are now sitting on the back porch, waiting for the day I can get a dump run together and dispose of them)

I'm not a hoarder, thank god. My dad has that gift. But I have SO much that I want to "fix" and clean up, but between not being physically able and not having the $ it has just been compounding upon itself.

I dont know what the answer is, except to finally get some help and work through each peice and clear out the crap. Meanwhile I feel like a slob and a loser.
It's not fun... and the cycle of depression and home showing the effects is real.
Whike I dont have any advice for you, I can comisserate.

Thanks for sharing. It's not easy.

You can just do your best, but I understand how these issues just cascade until they seem insurmountable.

Was first-class chaos environment for me. Some good things happened. But the universe delivered many trying events.
One step-son has aspergers. Diagnosed early. Just, covid school shutdowns really derailed his age 18 and 19.
The younger one, 15, has been in mental health intake a few times. Kids are struggling everywhere.
They went to their mothers, which actually helped.
However, she had lost her job like I did in 2020. And her husband left, was back, left, was back. She has a job again.
My husband fell apart, bc he felt like he failed his sons. He quit his job & fell into a depression. Job loss & marital stress has been prevalent everywhere too.

I had found a job. Miracle. Yay! & was working many hours.
I finished my masters. Yay! Which was a lot of hours.

The house has been remodeling project, going on 5 years. 100 years old. So many projects. So many boxes we've moved around and around. So much dust. (I had been in our other house, long story that involves my mom living w me--but we had all convened into this one "not ready" property)
When you start with run-down surroundings, i think it runs you down mentally? started trying to make just 1 room look nice. & would stay in there. Lol.
Decades ago, i read some decent advice about cleaning. If it's overwhelming, get plastic bins, take everything off, say, the sideboard, that's messy & put it in bin. Label it "diningroom sideboard". Put bin somewhere. Keep going. It alleviates "i cant sort, bc i cant decide, bc im overwhelmed " issue. I LITERALLY PUT BOX CONTENTS STRAIGHT INTO BINS---haha. You aren't actually deep cleaning. You aren't deciding anything. (I couldn't!) & u can still retrieve said items. But you ARE creating space & some zen.
Its my go-to low energy method now.
Try to give yourself some grace. Its not just you. It's everybody!

only allowed to listen to the book while cleaning for 30 minutes. Not 31 minutes. I stopped as soon as the timer went off. But I did it EVERY day. After a while the mess was gone and the time limit wasn't necessary. I'd be able to do a room in under an hour and keep on top of things.

Try whatever advice sounds good to you. Then try another suggestion. Something will work for you.

You've got this. But do it. Every one of those boxes, every dust bunny, weighs something on you. Get rid of them and that goes away.

I'll start the floor tomorrow

Intellectually I know that's not true, but I can't ever get that feeling out of my gut.

Whenever I'm not doing well the first thing that flies out the window is my ability to judge my own mental state.

The terror is real.

My life's somewhat a mess at the moment but every day I try to do a few positive things.

I'm recognizing it's time again to spin the roulette wheel of psych meds again and see where the ball lands. And I'll take that recognition as evidence I've still got a handle on things.

Alas, I got up just before 3:00 AM this morning 'cause the wheels in my head won't stop turning, and most of the voices rattling around in there are as cold and as dark as the long winter night.

I have boxes in my living and dining rooms which have been there for years!..Dust bunnies? Yes! Cat fur? Yes! ..Clutter I can't seem to get on top of?..Most definitely!
..So don't feel bad, as you can see, you've got lots of company!

That's us all over.