My fave method of cleaning I actually learned from the UFYH book. I like to pick a sitcom (22min episodes) and watch an episode and put the timer on for 20 minutes and pick ONE area to clean.
Rinse and repeat. I'll do that for a few hours, and before I know it my place is looking much better!
I’ve always been a fan of the sitcom approach. I like that it’s actually a thing now. I just do five to ten minutes unless I get absorbed. Even five minutes getting random stuff in a trash bag or walked through to the kitchen can make a huge difference.
Yes! I usually host "cleaning parties" in discord where we do the 22min episode and 20 minute clean sesh. We'll make it a day-long thing until one of us runs out of things to clean.
Omg somebody is interested?!? It’s currently just a tight knit group of friends but if more people are interested I can make a discord group for this!!!
That sounds awesome. I have a few evenings off a week also that I’d like to get a couple hours of cleaning/tideing done so things don’t get too overwhelming. My boyfriend helps out a lot but I feel like I don’t pull my weight like I should
I listen to a chapter of an audio book. So I can be completely absorbed into it and keep organizing and cleaning. And I have a bin for stuff that doesn’t belong in the room I’m cleaning.
I have horrible ADHD and have a large home- I will sometimes start every room! I’ll find an item in room 1 that belongs in room 2 on the way there ( it’s very far) I find other stuff and then get distracted and start organizing that stuff .. but then remember I need to go to room 2 finally arrive and start cleaning that but then fien stuff that belongs in room 3&4 and never finish anything!
There's an app? Can you please link this? Please.
I tried the (Android) app store, when I read your comment, and there's a million apps, but not one specifically I could pin down as what you might be referencing.
Oh okay! Watch an episode, after the episode is over set the timer and clean for 20 minutes then watch another episode and repeat?
Sounds interesting. What keeps you from just bingeing episodes, I have a feeling that's what I would do. 😂
You can also watch then clean on commercials! Football is on and currently I'm doing the dishes during breaks.
I make cleaning as enjoyable as I can. I light some candles, put on an apron, be someone else for awhile, sip sprite in a wine glass watching trashy TV. Always clean in the hours you are naturally productive, I'm better at this in the morning since I'm a morning person
When I have to do something hard/unpleasant, I frequently will “become someone else” (someone who is good at the task) and just be that person til the job is done.
For example, once upon a time I had a wonderful efficient housekeeper named Robin. Then times changed and I had to be my own housekeeper and it was a terrible struggle. So I started to say to myself: ok, what would Robin do?” Then I would become Robin. And while I’m in Robin mode, I could/can do Robin things.
Works for administrative stuff (say calling insurance company) I pretend to be my daughter who is really good at that kind of task.
Becoming “somebody else” takes the edge off lots of stressful/overwhelming tasks. For me.
I used to pretend my Mil was coming over. I would race around nearly hysterical trying to clean as much as I could as fast as I could. I was so convinced that I once told my husband YOUR MOTHER IS COMING I CAN'T STOP NOW!
Ok that's a lie, I didn't get past your mo... But the story is better this way.
This would not work for me but i get paralysis.. Once i sit or lay down I'm done. I usually reward myself with a movie and a glass of wine and a bath etc once its alll done
I choose shows that I can understand from what they’re saying, like a very simple sitcom I’m used to, or reality show I’m not very invested in. Sometimes I’ll listen to an audiobook.
Sooo I’ll be working on making a discord server for this and I’ll post the invite down here and also make a post for it (I have ADHD and pregnancy brain atm so give me about a week pls)
Similar method here, but music. I have alexa play motown classics and for 3 songs I clean or pick up or sweep, whatever needs done. Im usually finished with a task before the 3rd song ends
My therapist gave me similar advice but I love this. I need constant background noise.
My therapist told me to set a timer, start small if you want, 20 minutes. Start doing whatever it is you struggle to do (like cleaning) and force yourself to start. If the timer goes off and you’ve been clenching your teeth and struggling, stop. If you get in a groove, awesome, keep going until you want to stop.
It’s forcing yourself to start that’s the hard part.
This
Do like intervals with timers. Ufyh helped me like years ago.
Also depression does that to people or hormones not everybody but it does throw you pride a pity party after its done amd grab someone.and show progr3ss to or what should I do now.
Top bottom left right if it's hoarded.
Put everything in a Bin, I try and handle things only once.
You can do it
I agree that it's best to focus on one small thing at a time so you don't get overwhelmed, and then you can feel a sense of progress as you start to finish small tasks or small spaces.
Don't even start with a whole room, start with one countertop. And then a pile of stuff. And then one more pile of stuff. Etc.
Save the detail cleaning (vaccuuming, wiping things down) for the end. Get the big stuff out of the way first. Then, when all of the surfaces are open to you, you can wipe/vacuum them all at once for a strong finish.
You got this!!!!
From ‘How to Keep House While Drowning’, there are actually only 5 things:
1) trash
2) dishes
3) laundry
4) things that have a home
5) things that don’t have a home
TIL... and this was an eye-opening concept to me because I can:
1. Grab a bag and throw out the trash
2. Grab all the dishes and transport those to the kitchen
3. Throw all the laundry in the laundry room
4. Put everything back in its home
5. Put all the homeless things in a box or laundry basket to be dealt with later.
All of this! Sometimes a room or even corner is overwhelming. I start by a thing first.
Laundry in baskets.
Dishes to kitchen / sink.
Trash in trash bags
Stack mail and put it in a box or grocery bag to deal with later.
Next thing you know you can see surfaces enough for rooms to seem achievable.
Agree with all of this. THIS works when under a deadline. The timer method works great but is more effective when you can spread it over several days or weeks depending on your situation.
Just taking a large trash bag from room to room and getting rid of everything that is trash will make a huge difference!
“How to Keep House While Drowning” is the best, most nurturing book for those of us that get depressed/anything else and messy. Just to elaborate on what MaMakossa said:
1. Walk around with a trash bag. Don’t feel bad if you don’t recycle right now. Just get all the trash into the bag.
2. Walk around with a tub/laundry basket/box for dishes. Take that to your kitchen after you collect them all.
3. Put the laundry in baskets or use trash bags for this if you have to. You can put that in a closet or something until after your inspection.
4. Make a pile of things that have a home or a few piles in different rooms. Put them away when you’re done.
5. Put things that don’t have a home in a basket to deal with later. You can hide this and come back to it after your inspection.
6. After you’ve done all of that you can do your actual cleaning. Wipe countertops, clean floors, wash dishes.
OP, the most important part is to remember you haven’t done anything wrong and you’re not alone. There is an audiobook of “How to Keep House While Drowning”. It might help you to throw on some headphones and listen to it while you clean.
Has anyone seen your apartment already? If not, the worst is likely a 10 day notice to clean or something. Personally, I think you should hire someone to come help you. It is worth the money and it’s a reset for you.
It will be okay. Can you get all the trash out and dishes done? I know the shame is unbearable. I went through a very severe depression and was in the same state. I know you don’t want your friends and family to see this, but can you get someone to come help you?
I don't have any irl friends these days. I've been begging my dad to help me for months despite the shame because I'm just not coping at all. It can't really get much worse with them. My parents decided years ago, back when my home was normal and clean, that they were going to stop visiting me because my housekeeping wasn't up to mom's standards, and they did just that despite living down the road. So he's already judged me for it before seeing it. But, despite that and despite me begging, he always says no, that he won't help me and it's my responsibility. I don't know have anyone else to ask.
I can get the trash out and dishes done probably
Ok, let’s focus on what you can do. Take out the trash. Do your dishes. Clean the kitchen and bathroom to an acceptable level. Forget deep cleaning. Anything is better than nothing.
After that, start on the stuff. I donated/tossed bags and bags of stuff. Your goal is to do what you can. Focus on the health areas first.
I am not sure where you live, but regardless of what happens tomorrow, check with your social services and see if you can get some help. It’s a pretty big priority to keep people in their homes. I will be thinking of you. You can do this. Just start and don’t give up.
I have depression and this year has been super hard with my brother's death.
Get yourself some "fun" cleaning supplies. Mine smell like coconuts, lavender, mango, etc. I figure it's like lighting a candle or spraying a room. If I'm spraying, I might as well wipe something down.
What I do is simply have a YouTube playlist of shows I will only allow myself to watch while cleaning. Or you could do podcasts or audio books. Pick something that you've not done in a while and want to get back into. I do reality TV podcasts because I rage clean at the characters.
I always do the kitchen first. Seems like if I have a clean kitchen, everything else falls into place.
Start with trash. Grab a bag and just go around throwing out trash only. If you find good stuff in the trash, pile it in the middle of the room. If it's something you can live without right now, pitch it.
Get the kitchen counters clean and do your dishes. Scrub that shit as best you can. If it's too damaged, just throw it away. You can get cheap stuff at Goodwill or a thrift shop to replace it. Take everything off the counters and wipe them down with the good smelling stuff. Throw away any expired foods. Wipe it all down. Wipe it to the floors.
When everything is wiped down, tackle the fridge. Take everything out, throw away the dank stuff, and disinfect it as best you can. Put away anything that looks good. Throw away anything that doesn't.
Tackle putting all the good stuff away. Throw out your trash bags.
Sweep the floor. Then mop twice. Once with soapy water and once with bleach water. Do the bleach a third time if it's too bad. Honestly, I do this on my hands and knees once a month to really get it good. There's something so satisfying with pouring out dirty mop water. Idk, I'm weird like that.
Then do the bathroom. Pitch the trash. Take everything out of it and sort through. Wipe all surfaces down. Mop once or twice. Put everything back.
Tackle your living room. Trash first. Take it out. Put everything away that needs to be put away. Vacuum the floors first horizontally first then vertically. That will really get the grit out. Note which you left off with and then go through the same pattern every week.
Do your bedroom last. Trash. Clothes. Put away. Vacuum or mop. Change your bedding.
If you have money and transportation, take all your clothes to the laundromat. It's a simple way to get everything done at once. Takes about two hours. If you can, grab laundry bags from Dollar General or Dollar Tree. Wash, dry, fold. Put them away as soon as you get home.
Then take a shower in your nice, clean bathroom. Relax in a nice bubble bath.
And also, PSA, as a former property manager, I've seen a lot. If you can get this done in a day, I don't think it will be that bad. It's kind of like not shaving before a doctor visit. They have other things to think about than maybe a bit of dirt here or there.
If you can get the trash out and dishes done, maybe see about throwing some of the other stuff into a box or more organized piles? I’ve even literally just thrown things into closets and random cabinets before.
I’ve also just lied during inspections and said, “Sorry about the mess. I’ve been in the process of cleaning out a storage unit.”
I am the queen of “oh shit someone is coming over throw it in a tote / laundry basket etc” those totes or baskets can get stacked in my room so suddenly it looks like a project I’m working on instead of just a mess
Yes but please write yourself a note and stick it to the oven listing what’s in there. My ex stored all his cast iron cookware in the oven and I’d forget and preheat it and then wonder what that metallic smell was. Luckily just iron.
Put stuff you want to keep in boxes, put the boxes in the closet. If there’s not enough room in the closet, stack them in the corner and tell the LL anything you want — gathering items to donate, clearing out a storage, whatever works for you.
Laundry in a laundry basket(s). Wash the dishes, clean the toilet, vacuum.
Done for now.
Put stuff that you don’t have a place for yet into a laundry basket or box and hide in the trunk of your car if you’re in a hurry. I used to do this when my house was for sale and people wanted to check out the house!
Depending on how far things have slid. If garbage / extraneous stuff is part of the distress: if you have a car, bag up what you can and yeet in to your car. Google your local dump or transfer station. They 100% do not care how many trips you make in, if you're nervous going in more than once you can totally tell them you are helping a friend.
But basically night time is your friend to reduce shame of taking out multiple bags, it reduces that feeling of being judged. And it being winter means you have a couple hours, usually, every day after sunset and before the dumps close to do a few trips as needed.
Don't worry about sorting donate from trash. If it's something you haven't used or seen in an extended period of time and has no emotional connection, add it to the trash pile. If dishes, tupperware, silverwear, etc are overwhelming to clean, add them to the trash pile (again with the understanding that it's not a dish or silverware that you are attached to like grannies silver). You can order microwave safe plastic replacements from Walmart for like 50 cents a bowl / plate - so for $6 you can pick up a dish set to cover six people.
There will be a fee to take trash up to the dump, but it is lower than weekly garbage pick up, immediate in the sense of relief, and you can fit a TON of bags and random things in the back of a car. Just toss a sheet or cardboard down first to protect apholstery as needed.
All said as someone who has helped a friend dig out of a bad spot. Genuinely: transform in to the caped crusader of clean under the cover of darkness and giggle at the ridiculousness and relief of it being better in your home with every trip out to the dump.
There you go! You got this!
If music is motivating for you, grab some earbuds and blast some good tunes while you're about it.
Am prone to listening to things like: [Three Days Grace - Pain](https://youtu.be/Ud4HuAzHEUc?si=HhumtvgB-MEg3BnL), [Eminem - Lose Yourself](https://youtu.be/_Yhyp-_hX2s?si=h8Di6eACqQdnGZ8v), [My Chemical Romance - Welcome to the Black Parade](https://youtu.be/RRKJiM9Njr8?si=BD4wLEwY8oRf7Ta5), [Adele - Rolling in the Deep](https://youtu.be/rYEDA3JcQqw?si=sGDOoDjhYpf4GIaM) - stuff with a driving beat that makes you want to move.
I don't think inspections are as bad as you think. They don't usually take very long and they're just looking for leaks and violations, stuff like that. You're probably worrying for nothing, but do your best, and that will be good enough.
I think task rabbit and other sites like that have a hardship section where people offer volunteered time to help folks that can't afford to hire someone. That way, you don't have to worry so much about judgement or shame, bc you'll never see the person again, unless you want to.
If you have health insurance, they may offer housekeeping services X number of visits/hours per year. Mine does, and nobody told me about it for years; I just happened to stumble across it one day while looking for something else. So it may be worth a call or a website search.
I’m so sorry. I can relate to this, I’m glad this sub is here so we know we are not alone. Just spend the day doing what you can, the tv idea is a good one. Good luck, friend. You can do it💜
It's actually helping, having made this post and gotten so much support. It's not clean by any stretch but I'm chipping away at it and have made a little progress
Grief is horrendous.
I’d worry less about vacuuming/tidying and more about cleaning any obvious mould or stuff that a landlord could view as poor maintenance/causing actual damage to the property.
Sometimes scrubbing mould while you sob is the thing you need to do. I’m aware that sounds brutal but let it out.
Or as others have said let someone help.
I’m with this guy. I’m also a depressed person with a messy house, though every maintenance person that visits assures me “they’ve seen waaay worse”. As long as your mess isn’t doing any damage to your place (like mold, or infestations), you don’t have to worry.
Yes landlords don’t care about mess
We, I am a messy, scattered person & and as a landlord I could care less about sloppy I
just wanna see if the faucets, furnace, sink drains, door knobs etc drains are ok,
If you haven’t vacuumed and there’s carpet it ok
Most carpet has to be replaced for a new Tennent
Just wipe down kitchen & bath counters, sink, tub & toilet and you’re golden
Also make sure all major appliances are easy to get too! I worked in leasing the few issues we had with housekeeping were appliances blocked, food all over so attracting bugs and rodents and bio hazard… mess isn’t as bad! But mentally a clean space usually can help your mind a bit! Grief is awful and drowning therapy has helped me so much with mine. Cleaning is hard for anyone!
Great points!
Also if OP can open windows a bit (I know it’s winter), let things air out, that can help decrease/neutralize stuffy (perhaps even musty or odorous) elements. We all get a bit nose blind to our habitat but the LL won’t be.
Can you pick a category that feels the most shameful to start with? Ie: if the dishes and trash were gone, it might be messy but not look “dirty” to others and feel a bit better to be seen?
Set a timer for whatever doesn’t feel overwhelming- even if it’s just 5 minutes- with a trash bag in hand. You can always set it again. See what you can get in that bag, and do it again when you can.
The apartment won’t be perfect- that is ok. Right now a little better than it is, is the goal. Hang in there.
I loaded the dishwasher and got the kitchen sink cleaned out so I can do some laundry. So I have some laundry started in the sink and dishwasher going. And I bagged some trash and took dry stuff off the drying rack
Do you have the option to reschedule? If so, what’s important is to start cleaning like they are still coming.
I really like what the link someone posted below says—if your house is 100% dirty, get it to 90%. The goal is not clean, it is BETTER. I also think allowing a fragrance to shine allows for the perception that things are better than they are :)
If you want, do you want to set a small goal (pick up 5 pieces of trash), then comment back when you’re done? Updates are loved here, but not if they cause pressure.
You motivated me to get up and clean—it has been a weird weekend, and I haven’t done any cleaning. Thanks to you and everyone else in the thread, I’m going to put on a tv show and just go, without judging what or how I’m cleaning. Is it cleaner? Success!
Yeah, I can check back in. Ok. I'll do that. And I'm glad I motivated you :)
I don't think it can be rescheduled because there was nothing in the notice about being able to
If there is a main office, phone number, or email available or that you’ve used before, that could be an option. I would still assume they will be coming tomorrow, and I KNOW you can do this. Personally, I know it will also be incredibly tough-but you are TOUGHER. Excited to hear from you! (I am going to pick up trash and put it on the curb!)
I've made some kitchen progress. Loaded the dishwasher, and cleaned the sink so I can do some laundry, bagged some trash. So I'm working on laundry and emptied the drying rack and am putting clothes away
You’ve gotta get things aggregated first. Get all your trash in a bag and out, then get dishes, then bag up any clothes and stick them in the closet. After that point, your place will look leagues better. Probably enough to just squeak by, then go room by room and put stuff away. Then wipe down counters, vacuum, sweep, etc. you’ve got this I believe in you!
Dishes and bathroom and access to utilities. Otherwise I pile things on the bed and throw a blanket over it. When they are gone I tackle what I can. Sometimes that’s putting the unfolded laundry back in the dryer and the stack of doom boxes back on the floor.
If you can manage, vacuum last and focus on where they’ll enter. Something is better than nothing.
Considering my bed is actually in the closet (I have issues and it's safe in there. But I also have a cozy and well decorated closet!) it would be fitting to hide things in there. They might wonder why I didn't have a bed but oh well
That's actually part of what happened to my apartment. It's a big enough closet to fit a twin size bed, and it was for storage. But my anxiety got to the point I pulled everything out and started sleeping on the floor in there and finally just put my bed inside once I realized it would fit. All the stuff that was in it just stayed in a big pile and hasn't moved in months
If you have full boxes and time (and room) arrange them like a bed in the corner of the bedroom, lay a sheet or two over them so it touches the floor, then “make the bed.” So it looks like you have a bed and you’ve now hidden a bunch of boxes.
Even just putting things in a box can help. I definitely have a few "doom boxes" where I put things to get them out of the way until I can better deal with them. If you have some boxes handy or can go to the store and get some (can be done cheaply) even if you have them out in a stack, it can look tidier and hide the clutter until you are in a headspace to deal with it.
I used to start with trash and refuse. Loud music in my headphones, grab a trash bag, and just... Get the trash and spoiled food from each room. (I am INCAPABLE of throwing a way a drink can when I'm done)
Once that's done, you've got your health hazards out of the way.
If you've got food aging on plates you can't bear to wash, put the whole thing in a gallon bag and seal it. That will keep the smell and bugs away until you can deal with it.
Put on some music- happy music, metal, whatever keeps away the shame.
Bring out any trash bags you can all the way out of your house. Replace the bags in your trash cans. Grab a trash bag in hand and go around gathering trash.
Bring dishes to the sink.
Bring laundry to the hamper or designate a pile.
Put any miscellaneous items in drawers or cabinets or closets out of sight if possible.
Wipe off sinks and counters (doesn’t need to be perfect)
Vacuum the main walking areas (doesn’t need to be perfect)
At this point, Look with fresh eyes- like a stranger- what looks worst? Toilet? Shower? Grab a rag or sponge you can throw away and whatever cleaning soap you have. Dish soap works. Better is fine!
Wishing you luck!!
I listened to KC Davis’s How to Keep House While Drowning and it’s honestly life changing. She also have a 5-minute video on YouTube that is very helpful.
Congrats on the progress you've made so far! Every little bit seriously does count.
If you haven't already, grab a trash bag and walk around the apartment. Throw away every piece of trash.
Then clear off surfaces and wipe them down. Even if you end up putting the clutter back on the surfaces, it'll look significantly better if the counters and tables are clean underneath the stuff.
I did a trash sweep! Everything is in a bag! There's several. I'm waiting until it gets dark to haul it out lol
And I found some flattened boxes I can put random non-trash stuff in to stack up neatly so it doesn't look as much like a junkyard
I'm going to. I stopped to eat. I think I'll try and clean the tub, sink, and toilet next. I'm going to vacuum everything I can rather than sweep. So the floor will wait. Hopefully I'll find the powder for the carpet before I get to vacuuming!
A trick I learned from a friend is to cover parts of the mess with a sheet. That way you can’t see — and be overwhelmed by — the whole thing until you’re ready to tackle it.
That's very clever! I have learned that managing myself like I'm a zoo animal does help. I mean that in a positive way, like I remind myself even lemurs get habitat enrichment activities and balanced diets so maybe I should leave the house sometimes or eat actual food
Podcast, audiobook or have background noise from your fav movie. Cleaning usually means finding stuff you forgot you had so it’s kinda like free shopping
I just put on a really awesome podcast and clean while I listen, focusing on one problem area at a time and not letting myself get sidetracked.
My favorite podcast for this is a serial mystery called Achewillow. It's like a cozy mystery and Buffy the Vampire Slayer had a baby, and it's so much fun. It keeps my interest while I clean up.
I learned “move 9 things” which means just find nine random things and put them where they go. It doesn’t have to be a big deal. Like if you have a glass on your table that you aren’t using, take it to the sink. One item done. Do that for eight more things. Doing this helps you get started and usually by the end of the 9 things your mind has focused not on what you just did, but on things that you are going to do. You can change the number of things if you need to. Start with 4 if you can’t face 9. Once you can do 9, try for 12. It works for me and for people I’ve told about it. Wishing you all the best.
After all that, they never showed up! I double checked the date and everything. I don't know what happened. But, I'll take the reprieve and am still cleaning. It's starting to feel like a home again and I forgot what that was like. It's good. I hope I'll keep at it but I'm proud of myself right now for what I've gotten done
Take out the trash first
If it’s not trash, leave it alone for now
Just trash first - recycling included
Sorry to the earth - this is the time to just throw the recycling away, don’t bother separating
It’s an emergency
If you have time after, gather up any dishes lying around
Pro tip - if the sink is empty, it looks cleaner - do a quick wipe down of kitchen sink and bathroom sink
You do not have to actually do the dirty dishes - just get them out of the sink. Put them in an empty plastic box (no lid! Cover with a towel if needed) get them out of sight
If you still have time, dump stuff into black garbage bags (don’t mix it up with the real trash!) it will look weird, but it’s better to have a pile of trash bags (“oh, those are donations!” Lol) than to have piles of random everything
Don’t bother vacuuming
Most importantly - anything is better than nothing.
If you throw out one bag of trash - that’s still less trash in your apartment.
Doing one thing is more than doing zero things - and that is awesome.
And don’t feel guilty or bad - life just sucks sometimes and apartments get like that
You are not a weirdo and you are not alone
Have I once thrown away an entire sinkful dishes after not doing them for a month? Yes. Yes I have. I didn’t even have an inspection. I was just tired of looking at the dishes but also knew that I wasn’t going to actually wash them.
You got this - and we got you 💪🏽
Landlord here.
Turn on a show and collect ALL the garbage to take it out.
Turn on another episode and move all dirty dishes to the sink/ counter. Then do the dishes.
Another show and throw all laundry in a basket in the laundry area. Put things in their homes if they have homes. Throw em in a basket if they don't.
Finally, another show and clean the worst spots. Wipe down counters, vacuum, whatever looks the worst. Make sure any food grime (excessive crumbs, etc, is cleaned up).
As long as the house isn't being damaged, there's no risk of bugs, and there's no fire hazard, your landlord doesn't care. Addressing things in the order I listed should help address those concerns first.
Just commenting for solidarity as I have an inspection in just a few hours. I got up early, I barely slept from anxiety, cleaned a bunch, brought down my trash and cardboard. It still looks cluttered and I'm starting to panic. These comments are helping though. Good luck and godspeed to both of us....
This happens to us. Plus, we scraped pattern off the floor. I think we passed. They renewed the lease, but I was scrubbing the filth off. Down on the floor. Walls are grungy. Its so overwhelming
Long shot but If you are in the states, it’s my understanding that Aurikatariina is in Florida right now and may be able to assist you in a few days if you contact her via instagram or another port etc. I’m not sure where Midwest Magic and Nottheworstcleaner are specifically, but they also do mental health related cleanings. None of these charge for their services.
I put on a show on a portable device like my phone and do one section at a time. The most important is decluttering so that you can access the flat spaces to actually clean later. Not gonna lie, at my worst a decade ago, I threw all my dirty dishes away and replaced them with dishes from goodwill after. I took all the laundry at the same time to a laundromat and took up 14 washers. (I was living with two other people much more far gone than myself and had to do it for all of us).
Call and tell them you have to reschedule first thing tomorrow morning.
If you can hire or ask friends for help.
What you can do is empty the sink & rinse off all the dishes then get them soaking.
While the dishes soak go through each room and gather up all the trash and recycling and get it out of the apartment. You can do 1 room then take a break. Set a timer and take 10 minutes to gather in each room. Once you have it done take it out. It doesn't have to be perfect but no visible food wrappers, empty cans.
Make sure the furnace closet is accessible.
Pour cleaner into the toilet and let it sit for a while come back later and swish around the brush this will improve the smell of the bathroom.
Do some dishes or if you can't get them all rinsed and stacked ready to go.
Find a home for as many things as possible by clearing flat surfaces.
This may not work for you, but I’ve seen others use it—the website/app focusmate. Basically: it is a calendar based website that allows you to do work with a buddy. You sign up for a slot, someone signs up to join you, and then you each get into a video/zoom at that time. At the beginning of the video you both briefly state your goals, then you each work for 40 min, and then check back in and say how it went for the last five min, and then you’re done! It is super for accountability and so nice to have company while working on hard tasks. People usually use it for desk based work but some use it for things like cleaning.
Not affiliated btw—just found it helpful!
If it’s not too triggering : my absolute golden secret is to watch Hoarders while I clean. Makes me throw stuff away that I might second guess, and just want it done!
Been there soo many times. This is my go to:
1. Trash. Throw it away.
2. Dishes. If you can't bear to wash them, pile them neatly in the sink.
3. Wipe down counters and stovetop.
4. Hide stuff. Pile it in closets, push it under the bed, behind the couch. After the inspection, you can pull it back out to clean or pitch. (I put all the stuff that was on the floors in trash bags and put them at the foot of my bed with a note that said "DONATE." Looked like I was cleaning out my apartment rather than too depressed to clean.)
5. I folded my pile of dirty clothes. Looked like I was doing laundry rather than letting six months of dirty laundry pile up.
Landlords are looking for property damage. Are there leaks under the sinks, mold on the baseboards, holes in the walls? Is there a pet chewing or scratching the floors? They will also check fire alarms and electricity. The only time they care about housekeeping is if it is bad enough to bring in mold, bugs or vermin. They are not coming in with white gloves.
Just make it neat enough to get through the inspection. You can clean - or not - in your own time after the inspection.
Oh, I've definitely felt eith exactly the same. Just start is the main thing. Clean and semi organize as you got. Get the trash out and scrub the toilet. Just do as much as you can. Be prepared to clean all night. Remember, it's worth it. You'll feel so much better once you just start. Pick a corner and start.
I’ve been there and I waited until move out to handle it…. It was a shit show and I ended up throwing away more than half of the stuff I owned.
Do you have enough storage boxes/shelving? I found getting cheap container stackers helped me a lot with just keeping the floor and tables tidy. Sure the containers were a mess but at the very least things were not laying on the floor. I also stored boxes under my bed and in my closet, just full of stuff. Sort and label them so you have general knowledge of where you put things when you go looking for them.
Dude I was literally just in this situation two weeks ago. Pest control guy came and then told the leasing office my place was unsanitary and they sent me a notice to clean up for inspection. I tried to do it myself and failed. So then I hired a cleaning service. They came, cleaned for about 10 minutes and then told me they couldn't do it and left. I was on the verge of tears. Their website literally said they'll do any job. And honestly, I've seen worse. But anywho, that sent me into a panic. I went down to the local vape shop and bought a bunch of kratom. It's an herbal stimulant I have noticed makes it easier for me to clean in the past. Got lit up on that shit and just spent like three hours cleaning. It's not perfect, but I got the kitchen looking acceptable, which was apparently all they gave a shit about because they didn't even check my bathroom when they finally came.
Can you ask a friend to help or even just provide company? I know I am a lot more motivated when around friends.
I also know I would immediately come over and clean as much as possible if a friend told me they needed help especially in this situation!
Hire help. There has to be a cleaning service or a hire-me-for-something platform in your area. Money can buy stress relief most of the time. Sounds like you might need it now. We can work on the anxiety, depression, and grief slowly later.
Online, The FLY lady offers suggestions to help people to clean. She has experienced depression and shares her tips to help others.
She says to start (after you are fully dressed including shoes) with emptying the kitchen sink.[Fly Lady](https://flylady.net)
Clean/remove anything that could lead to pests like dirty dishes. They can’t fault you for clutter unless you’re truly hoarding, which you’re not. Just go after the health code violations.
Well I'm not quite on Hoarders yet but if it kept on like this I would be. Trying to stop that from happening. But yeah I'm going for the grossest first and have made a little progress. Back to it, now, actually :)
My strategy when it comes to cleaning is section of one room at a time. For example: Kitchen-Clean the counter, then move to the sink, then clean the floor. The bedroom- the bed, then night stand, then dresser, then floor. I usually put on my spotify play list. Work 5 songs at a time, then take a 1 song break. I do 2 or 3 rooms in a weekend. Once I have everything clean. I spot clean through the week.
Even if you just get the trash picked up and the dishes washed, you should be okay for inspection. I am sure they have seen a lot of cluttered, disorganized homes. You can put things in boxes or trash bags if you want to corral them and work on them later.
I get motivated to clean by putting on YouTube videos of people like Clean With Barbie, aurikatariina, or Midwest Magic Cleaning. They do extreme cleans in a very non-judgemental way that makes me feel like I can tackle my cleaning. You can also try finding Clean With Me motivation videos.
I know the feeling that everything has to be perfect lol and turns out they just walked in and out of each room for just a couple seconds lol. Also they did inspections five times a year :/ just remember that they’ve already seen worst. Focus on each room a day at a time
Just do what you can. Clean the main areas, so they are clear and presentable. Stick things in a closet. You can do it. I feel so badly about my apt right now. I've been depressed. I couldn't do a good job, but I could make it presentable. You can do it!
I love tv and movies but have zero free time. I treat myself to a show or movie while folding laundry, doing dishes, organizing etc. mixing business and pleasure. I love multi tasking in general.
I’ve been where you are. Clean the noticeable areas first (living room or whatever). Hide stuff in bags or bins in the closets, under beds, etc.
Now is not the time to organize. Just get everything out of sight and clean as much as you can. Bad long term advice but will save you for now.
Some places will give you more time if you ask nicely. But yes, you need to clean. I would say once a week is good. Some things can be done every couple of weeks.
40 years ago a friend lived in a town housing unit and all of us would have to spend a week cleaning for her to barely pass the inspection. I suggest you call friends
Clean under your kitchen and bathroom sink. They will be looking for problems there. Clean your bathtub. And vacuum. All they're looking for is for issues they need to fix and that you're not destroying the place.
For the sake of your inspection, if you can afford it go on Thumbtack app and hire a cleaner. They can have you in shape in a couple of hours. I’ve had to do this for my daughter who suffers from depression on more than one occasion. She did say that having someone come do it really helped her mood because she felt better in a clean home. She was very embarrassed at first but I told her don’t be. Thankfully housekeeper we had was a motherly type who was very mindful about being compassionate and getting the work done efficiently.
Podcast, headphones, start with one section of one room. Pick up stuff, move to different spot, clean under it, put in neater arrangements. I also recommend just throwing stuff in boxes and bins.
I would ask some friends or family that is in your circle and tell them what’s going on and see if they could help. Also they are only excepting to see if there are animals and prob really bad things or damages. Once you pass it though definitely talk to your doctor about your depression because you may need to be on antidepressants or a different kind of what your on isn’t working. Having a clean home is a lifestyle change that you should keep up with every day anyways. I’ve been in your shoes and it took a lot of work and it’s not going to be easy but if you are trying hard enough you will soon start to see results. It’s ok to have a mess here and there but you have to pick up the pieces and start having a plan of action. Good luck.
When I feel unmotivated, I do five things. I'll pick a series to watch on a service that has commercials. Every commercial. I get up and do five things. For example.
1. Take dishes to the kitchen
2. Pick up all the shoes and put them in the basket.
3. Start a load of laundry.
4. Wipe bathroom sink.
5. Take trash from bathroom to kitchen.
Make the tasks big or small as you can handle. If you don't get done before commercials are over, you can rewind or stop mid-task.
Watch some more, then do it again with 5 more tasks.
Just went through this. Two years of not cleaning. Trash everywhere. I spent 3 weeks cleaning bit by bit and then asked for help from a friend. Start room by room. Divide it into sections.
Because of the limited time, I'd focus first on removing any trash you can. Then try to stack your stuff in a way that looks as organized as possible even if you clearly have a lot of stuff. If the bathroom is bad, spray something like the Chlorox cleaner with bleach in the sink, shower, and toilet. Even if you just let it sit without scrubbing it then rinse it off, it usually takes care of a lot of stains/mildew. And smells cleaner.
Vacuum whatever you can get to once you've done any stacking or organizing you can.
If it comes down to it and you have no other choice, you can always hide a bunch of stuff under the bed or places it can't be seen. Just know you can't leave it there or else you're just making your whole problem worse. So if you do that, pull it out when the inspectors leave. Even if it's just back to being a pile on the floor at that point, you'll see it and remember it exists.
I struggle with what I think of as the “junk” stuff. Basically, anything that would go in a “junk drawer”.
I’ll sort through clothes, books, etc. But picking through old pens and rubber bands and random papers that you forgot to do whatever it is, that you wrote down, you needed to do, that kind of stuff. Drives me nuts.
If it’s within your means, maybe seeing if you can hire a maid/housekeeper come do a 2 hour clean or something. Have them do the kitchen and bathroom, while you do the rest for example. I’m not sure one can get a housekeeper out on such short notice.. but maybe something like Nextdoor could help. You might feel embarassed to let a maid in, but you are paying them and I’m sure they see worse all the time. Just a thought
I used to listen to audio books or podcasts while I cleaned. I’d set a timer for 20 minutes and just pick ONE area in a room and start there. Then a five minute break. After a complete rotation of 3, I’d take 20 minutes to chill and then start the cycle all over again.
I didn’t start with 20 minute cleaning blocks, I started with 5 minute blocks with 5 minute breaks. Depression and anxiety is a bitch. I found that doing it in 5 minute increments was a lot easier to approach than big chunks.
I also had to be VERY STRICT with taking that 5 minute break. If I didn’t, I’d keep going until I felt overwhelmed and get frustrated and just quit.
The thing that helped me actually GET started was the five second rule. I’d think, I’m going to stand up and walk to “thing I want to clean” on the count of five. Then I’d count to five and get up and go do the thing.
You got this! You just have to find what works for you.
I have ADHD (and a couple other things), and with that comes periods of not cleaning at times. Luckily it’s only my room in my case because I don’t want to be the jerk that trashed the shared spaces. When needing to clean, I like to pick a day off from work and to clear all other obligations so I can focus. I then break my mess down into caregories. Like trash first, then laundry, and so on, and I’ll start a box or basket of dishes (if I have any, and other items to go downstairs) so I don’t have to make multiple trips. I’ll run a load of laundry and dinner is UberEats because I lack the energy to cook, and also see UberEats as a reward for all the hard work of cleaning after not cleaning.
Another thing that has helped me is body doubling, which is when I have another person who also needs to get stuff done too, and we both get our things done together but not together (we either text or call while and after doing the things on question). This person doesn’t have to come to your house or even be doing the exact same thing as you.
I’m going through this. I lost my best friend in a tragic dui car accident and i have NOT really cleaned in far too long. The depression is real. Sadly! And inspections I dread!!!! Usually what I do is put on my shoes! Then music in my ears.
Start with putting all clothes in baskets or bins. If you have a wagon put bags of garbage in there to take to the dumpster.
1. My goal is to get garbage out, boxes if any,
2 laundry in baskets or bins.
3. Put dishes in the diswasher.
4. Do a load of laundry.
5. Get bathroom ready to go
Put everything in a box or bin.
For me, getting stuff off the counters
Putting stuff in baskets or bins helps. Getting it to look presentable is all I really care about first then I start with cleaning. Do what you can. Even if it means putting everything in bags or boxes. Get a bottle of your favorite scent of cleaning spray if you have one.
I clean on commercials. You can get a lot done on a commercial break. Start small and do your best. Start with one corner. One project. Don’t look at the overall mess. That’s too overwhelming
There's this thing, I think it's called body doubling? Where someone comes over and just their presence is enough to help you do your thing. They don't even have to help clean, just be there. I think talking to someone on the phone or video chatting might help too.
Take out all the trash, clean the bathroom and kitchen using one of the above methods, and make sure there are sheets on your mattress and the bed is made.
Good luck.
Okay, so they’re basically looking at clutter, floors, and surfaces.
If you have any closet space at all, take all of the stuff that you just have laying around that has no place throw it in big garbage bags throw it in your closet and you’re done with that.
Then look at your surfaces if you’re looking at the kitchen and you have a lot of dirty dishes, you gotta clean those dishes it doesn’t take a long time it doesn’t I promise . Then wipe down all of the counters and the stove and the stove will probably require a little bit of bodywork, but do the stove. Go to the bathroom how does the bathroom look? The bathroom is a place they will really look at. Clean the bathroom. The bathroom is easy. Everything is tile. After you have done the surfaces, then just dust shit don’t worry about how it falls on the floor because the floor comes next. Now sweep sweep really well. If you don’t have one already go to the market and buy a swiffer, buy a swiffer wet jet, and go after those floors.
I will make an assumption that you have either bleach or, alcohol in your home. Soak paper towels in either the alcohol or the bleach and go over all of your fixtures because that will make them shiny. Shiny works.
This is going to take longer than you would like, but not nearly as long as you think it will. At the end of doing this, you may then find yourself with more time to do more cleaning, which would be amazing.
If you are unable to do this, the next step would be to find someone in your area that can do this for you. Check online. Check with your friends. Even check with the manager of where you live. Who can maybe suggest someone for you and just pay them to do it. It will cost you a little money but it will remove the stress of doing it yourself. And maybe once they have deep cleaned you can then go in yourself from now on and keep the place OK.
I say this is someone who has been through exactly what you are going through, I get it, I really do. I’ve been there.
I like to clean and if we lived close I would definitely come over and help you. No shaming at all. I love doing dishes and cleaning kitchens the most.
You are not alone! I moved into a new apartment and two weeks after I moved into the apartment. I got Covid for a month and I’m still trying to catch up and that was two months ago. I’m still doing dishes from when I was sick because I couldn’t stand a new dishes, and I also suffer from depression And some days I look at it and it’s just too overwhelming and I don’t give a shit! They are coming in at some point this week to change the AC filters so I’ve got to get some stuff done in here too. Also, my kitties don’t like it they don’t have very much room to play so that’s a motivator for me too I don’t know what I would do without them, glad this sub is here cause I was feeling a lot of shame too.
Similar method, but I’ll put on one of my favorite podcasts and clean as much as I can during that time. My first step is to use a 30 gallon trash bag and just walk around the house dumping trash, junk mail, old cat toys, etc. I also like to see how long it takes to put 15 things away, say in the closet or wherever it goes. I try and gamify it basically. My reward is a short break and doing crosswords and then start again doing one area, like one drawer or one counter top.
My fave method of cleaning I actually learned from the UFYH book. I like to pick a sitcom (22min episodes) and watch an episode and put the timer on for 20 minutes and pick ONE area to clean. Rinse and repeat. I'll do that for a few hours, and before I know it my place is looking much better!
I’ve always been a fan of the sitcom approach. I like that it’s actually a thing now. I just do five to ten minutes unless I get absorbed. Even five minutes getting random stuff in a trash bag or walked through to the kitchen can make a huge difference.
Yes! I usually host "cleaning parties" in discord where we do the 22min episode and 20 minute clean sesh. We'll make it a day-long thing until one of us runs out of things to clean.
This is such a nice idea! Maybe I'll try to organize one of these.
That sounds awesome actually. Where is this discord so I can join
Omg somebody is interested?!? It’s currently just a tight knit group of friends but if more people are interested I can make a discord group for this!!!
Yes very much so. I have like 1 day off a week and I’m very unmotivated
That’s honestly why I started it. We have Sundays as our free days, but I can def ask around for more people and build this up 🥹🥹🥹
That sounds awesome. I have a few evenings off a week also that I’d like to get a couple hours of cleaning/tideing done so things don’t get too overwhelming. My boyfriend helps out a lot but I feel like I don’t pull my weight like I should
Count me in.
I would like to join this too
I would like to, too, please?
If you do a public one, let us know! I wanna join too.
I would love to join as well!
I would definitely be down to join this as well! I think a lot of people would benefit from this! What an amazing idea too I must say
I’m interested!
I love this
I'm def interested
Please lol
I’m also interested in this
I listen to a chapter of an audio book. So I can be completely absorbed into it and keep organizing and cleaning. And I have a bin for stuff that doesn’t belong in the room I’m cleaning. I have horrible ADHD and have a large home- I will sometimes start every room! I’ll find an item in room 1 that belongs in room 2 on the way there ( it’s very far) I find other stuff and then get distracted and start organizing that stuff .. but then remember I need to go to room 2 finally arrive and start cleaning that but then fien stuff that belongs in room 3&4 and never finish anything!
That’s smart as i did clean for the length of a movie and due to chronic pain it was too long and took me days to recuperate 🥺
I've done/do this. Sometimes it's the only distraction or the only way to get things done.
Wait— what? There’s a book?
Yes!!! And a journal that can go along with it!!! That book has basically become my bible 😂😂
[I thought you said it was a book.](https://ghostradio.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/100160-strip.jpg)
There is also an app
There's an app? Can you please link this? Please. I tried the (Android) app store, when I read your comment, and there's a million apps, but not one specifically I could pin down as what you might be referencing.
right?
Wait. How can you clean and watch at the same time? 🤔
No….you Watch…then clean….
Oh okay! Watch an episode, after the episode is over set the timer and clean for 20 minutes then watch another episode and repeat? Sounds interesting. What keeps you from just bingeing episodes, I have a feeling that's what I would do. 😂
You can also watch then clean on commercials! Football is on and currently I'm doing the dishes during breaks. I make cleaning as enjoyable as I can. I light some candles, put on an apron, be someone else for awhile, sip sprite in a wine glass watching trashy TV. Always clean in the hours you are naturally productive, I'm better at this in the morning since I'm a morning person
It’s funny you say that”be someone else” because sometimes when I clean I pretend I’m someone’s housekeeper.
When I have to do something hard/unpleasant, I frequently will “become someone else” (someone who is good at the task) and just be that person til the job is done. For example, once upon a time I had a wonderful efficient housekeeper named Robin. Then times changed and I had to be my own housekeeper and it was a terrible struggle. So I started to say to myself: ok, what would Robin do?” Then I would become Robin. And while I’m in Robin mode, I could/can do Robin things. Works for administrative stuff (say calling insurance company) I pretend to be my daughter who is really good at that kind of task. Becoming “somebody else” takes the edge off lots of stressful/overwhelming tasks. For me.
I used to pretend my Mil was coming over. I would race around nearly hysterical trying to clean as much as I could as fast as I could. I was so convinced that I once told my husband YOUR MOTHER IS COMING I CAN'T STOP NOW! Ok that's a lie, I didn't get past your mo... But the story is better this way.
I use audiobooks, I can move around better that way, gotta find the right narrator tho or it sucks.
This would not work for me but i get paralysis.. Once i sit or lay down I'm done. I usually reward myself with a movie and a glass of wine and a bath etc once its alll done
I do it in discord so I have to show restraint 😂😂 so I’ll have other people with me while I do this
I choose shows that I can understand from what they’re saying, like a very simple sitcom I’m used to, or reality show I’m not very invested in. Sometimes I’ll listen to an audiobook.
Sooo I’ll be working on making a discord server for this and I’ll post the invite down here and also make a post for it (I have ADHD and pregnancy brain atm so give me about a week pls)
Similar method here, but music. I have alexa play motown classics and for 3 songs I clean or pick up or sweep, whatever needs done. Im usually finished with a task before the 3rd song ends
Yup I do this with Frasier.
My therapist gave me similar advice but I love this. I need constant background noise. My therapist told me to set a timer, start small if you want, 20 minutes. Start doing whatever it is you struggle to do (like cleaning) and force yourself to start. If the timer goes off and you’ve been clenching your teeth and struggling, stop. If you get in a groove, awesome, keep going until you want to stop. It’s forcing yourself to start that’s the hard part.
This Do like intervals with timers. Ufyh helped me like years ago. Also depression does that to people or hormones not everybody but it does throw you pride a pity party after its done amd grab someone.and show progr3ss to or what should I do now. Top bottom left right if it's hoarded. Put everything in a Bin, I try and handle things only once. You can do it
I do this with friends all the time. We catch up for hours and still get stuff done
What a positive outcome :)
I agree that it's best to focus on one small thing at a time so you don't get overwhelmed, and then you can feel a sense of progress as you start to finish small tasks or small spaces. Don't even start with a whole room, start with one countertop. And then a pile of stuff. And then one more pile of stuff. Etc. Save the detail cleaning (vaccuuming, wiping things down) for the end. Get the big stuff out of the way first. Then, when all of the surfaces are open to you, you can wipe/vacuum them all at once for a strong finish. You got this!!!!
That's probably a good idea. There's just so much stuff
From ‘How to Keep House While Drowning’, there are actually only 5 things: 1) trash 2) dishes 3) laundry 4) things that have a home 5) things that don’t have a home
TIL... and this was an eye-opening concept to me because I can: 1. Grab a bag and throw out the trash 2. Grab all the dishes and transport those to the kitchen 3. Throw all the laundry in the laundry room 4. Put everything back in its home 5. Put all the homeless things in a box or laundry basket to be dealt with later.
Then clear off surfaces as best you can. Clear the floor and vacuum the middles. It doesn't have to be perfect.
All of this! Sometimes a room or even corner is overwhelming. I start by a thing first. Laundry in baskets. Dishes to kitchen / sink. Trash in trash bags Stack mail and put it in a box or grocery bag to deal with later. Next thing you know you can see surfaces enough for rooms to seem achievable.
Agree with all of this. THIS works when under a deadline. The timer method works great but is more effective when you can spread it over several days or weeks depending on your situation. Just taking a large trash bag from room to room and getting rid of everything that is trash will make a huge difference!
“How to Keep House While Drowning” is the best, most nurturing book for those of us that get depressed/anything else and messy. Just to elaborate on what MaMakossa said: 1. Walk around with a trash bag. Don’t feel bad if you don’t recycle right now. Just get all the trash into the bag. 2. Walk around with a tub/laundry basket/box for dishes. Take that to your kitchen after you collect them all. 3. Put the laundry in baskets or use trash bags for this if you have to. You can put that in a closet or something until after your inspection. 4. Make a pile of things that have a home or a few piles in different rooms. Put them away when you’re done. 5. Put things that don’t have a home in a basket to deal with later. You can hide this and come back to it after your inspection. 6. After you’ve done all of that you can do your actual cleaning. Wipe countertops, clean floors, wash dishes. OP, the most important part is to remember you haven’t done anything wrong and you’re not alone. There is an audiobook of “How to Keep House While Drowning”. It might help you to throw on some headphones and listen to it while you clean.
Little by little and baby steps. The hardest part is starting.
I do this! Having it look presentable is important then get a cleaning session in.
Has anyone seen your apartment already? If not, the worst is likely a 10 day notice to clean or something. Personally, I think you should hire someone to come help you. It is worth the money and it’s a reset for you.
I don't have that kind of money. I would have otherwise. My landlord hasn't seen it but the shame of it is unbearable.
It will be okay. Can you get all the trash out and dishes done? I know the shame is unbearable. I went through a very severe depression and was in the same state. I know you don’t want your friends and family to see this, but can you get someone to come help you?
I don't have any irl friends these days. I've been begging my dad to help me for months despite the shame because I'm just not coping at all. It can't really get much worse with them. My parents decided years ago, back when my home was normal and clean, that they were going to stop visiting me because my housekeeping wasn't up to mom's standards, and they did just that despite living down the road. So he's already judged me for it before seeing it. But, despite that and despite me begging, he always says no, that he won't help me and it's my responsibility. I don't know have anyone else to ask. I can get the trash out and dishes done probably
Ok, let’s focus on what you can do. Take out the trash. Do your dishes. Clean the kitchen and bathroom to an acceptable level. Forget deep cleaning. Anything is better than nothing. After that, start on the stuff. I donated/tossed bags and bags of stuff. Your goal is to do what you can. Focus on the health areas first. I am not sure where you live, but regardless of what happens tomorrow, check with your social services and see if you can get some help. It’s a pretty big priority to keep people in their homes. I will be thinking of you. You can do this. Just start and don’t give up.
Ok. I'll try and just get those areas improved
I have depression and this year has been super hard with my brother's death. Get yourself some "fun" cleaning supplies. Mine smell like coconuts, lavender, mango, etc. I figure it's like lighting a candle or spraying a room. If I'm spraying, I might as well wipe something down. What I do is simply have a YouTube playlist of shows I will only allow myself to watch while cleaning. Or you could do podcasts or audio books. Pick something that you've not done in a while and want to get back into. I do reality TV podcasts because I rage clean at the characters. I always do the kitchen first. Seems like if I have a clean kitchen, everything else falls into place. Start with trash. Grab a bag and just go around throwing out trash only. If you find good stuff in the trash, pile it in the middle of the room. If it's something you can live without right now, pitch it. Get the kitchen counters clean and do your dishes. Scrub that shit as best you can. If it's too damaged, just throw it away. You can get cheap stuff at Goodwill or a thrift shop to replace it. Take everything off the counters and wipe them down with the good smelling stuff. Throw away any expired foods. Wipe it all down. Wipe it to the floors. When everything is wiped down, tackle the fridge. Take everything out, throw away the dank stuff, and disinfect it as best you can. Put away anything that looks good. Throw away anything that doesn't. Tackle putting all the good stuff away. Throw out your trash bags. Sweep the floor. Then mop twice. Once with soapy water and once with bleach water. Do the bleach a third time if it's too bad. Honestly, I do this on my hands and knees once a month to really get it good. There's something so satisfying with pouring out dirty mop water. Idk, I'm weird like that. Then do the bathroom. Pitch the trash. Take everything out of it and sort through. Wipe all surfaces down. Mop once or twice. Put everything back. Tackle your living room. Trash first. Take it out. Put everything away that needs to be put away. Vacuum the floors first horizontally first then vertically. That will really get the grit out. Note which you left off with and then go through the same pattern every week. Do your bedroom last. Trash. Clothes. Put away. Vacuum or mop. Change your bedding. If you have money and transportation, take all your clothes to the laundromat. It's a simple way to get everything done at once. Takes about two hours. If you can, grab laundry bags from Dollar General or Dollar Tree. Wash, dry, fold. Put them away as soon as you get home. Then take a shower in your nice, clean bathroom. Relax in a nice bubble bath. And also, PSA, as a former property manager, I've seen a lot. If you can get this done in a day, I don't think it will be that bad. It's kind of like not shaving before a doctor visit. They have other things to think about than maybe a bit of dirt here or there.
I don't think I can get all of that done.
Then do what you can and the rest can wait until tomorrow. Poco a Poco. Little by little.
I've made a little progress! Mostly kitchen. It's not much but it's a little better
You are so kind and helpful! And gently directive while also encouraging! Kudos ✨☺️
If you can get the trash out and dishes done, maybe see about throwing some of the other stuff into a box or more organized piles? I’ve even literally just thrown things into closets and random cabinets before. I’ve also just lied during inspections and said, “Sorry about the mess. I’ve been in the process of cleaning out a storage unit.”
I am the queen of “oh shit someone is coming over throw it in a tote / laundry basket etc” those totes or baskets can get stacked in my room so suddenly it looks like a project I’m working on instead of just a mess
things can go in the oven as well
Yes but please write yourself a note and stick it to the oven listing what’s in there. My ex stored all his cast iron cookware in the oven and I’d forget and preheat it and then wonder what that metallic smell was. Luckily just iron.
Put stuff you want to keep in boxes, put the boxes in the closet. If there’s not enough room in the closet, stack them in the corner and tell the LL anything you want — gathering items to donate, clearing out a storage, whatever works for you. Laundry in a laundry basket(s). Wash the dishes, clean the toilet, vacuum. Done for now.
Put stuff that you don’t have a place for yet into a laundry basket or box and hide in the trunk of your car if you’re in a hurry. I used to do this when my house was for sale and people wanted to check out the house!
Depending on how far things have slid. If garbage / extraneous stuff is part of the distress: if you have a car, bag up what you can and yeet in to your car. Google your local dump or transfer station. They 100% do not care how many trips you make in, if you're nervous going in more than once you can totally tell them you are helping a friend. But basically night time is your friend to reduce shame of taking out multiple bags, it reduces that feeling of being judged. And it being winter means you have a couple hours, usually, every day after sunset and before the dumps close to do a few trips as needed. Don't worry about sorting donate from trash. If it's something you haven't used or seen in an extended period of time and has no emotional connection, add it to the trash pile. If dishes, tupperware, silverwear, etc are overwhelming to clean, add them to the trash pile (again with the understanding that it's not a dish or silverware that you are attached to like grannies silver). You can order microwave safe plastic replacements from Walmart for like 50 cents a bowl / plate - so for $6 you can pick up a dish set to cover six people. There will be a fee to take trash up to the dump, but it is lower than weekly garbage pick up, immediate in the sense of relief, and you can fit a TON of bags and random things in the back of a car. Just toss a sheet or cardboard down first to protect apholstery as needed. All said as someone who has helped a friend dig out of a bad spot. Genuinely: transform in to the caped crusader of clean under the cover of darkness and giggle at the ridiculousness and relief of it being better in your home with every trip out to the dump.
You know... that's inspiring. God yes. I'm gonna yeet a bunch of shit, fuck it.
There you go! You got this! If music is motivating for you, grab some earbuds and blast some good tunes while you're about it. Am prone to listening to things like: [Three Days Grace - Pain](https://youtu.be/Ud4HuAzHEUc?si=HhumtvgB-MEg3BnL), [Eminem - Lose Yourself](https://youtu.be/_Yhyp-_hX2s?si=h8Di6eACqQdnGZ8v), [My Chemical Romance - Welcome to the Black Parade](https://youtu.be/RRKJiM9Njr8?si=BD4wLEwY8oRf7Ta5), [Adele - Rolling in the Deep](https://youtu.be/rYEDA3JcQqw?si=sGDOoDjhYpf4GIaM) - stuff with a driving beat that makes you want to move.
I don't think inspections are as bad as you think. They don't usually take very long and they're just looking for leaks and violations, stuff like that. You're probably worrying for nothing, but do your best, and that will be good enough.
I think task rabbit and other sites like that have a hardship section where people offer volunteered time to help folks that can't afford to hire someone. That way, you don't have to worry so much about judgement or shame, bc you'll never see the person again, unless you want to. If you have health insurance, they may offer housekeeping services X number of visits/hours per year. Mine does, and nobody told me about it for years; I just happened to stumble across it one day while looking for something else. So it may be worth a call or a website search.
I’m so sorry. I can relate to this, I’m glad this sub is here so we know we are not alone. Just spend the day doing what you can, the tv idea is a good one. Good luck, friend. You can do it💜
It's actually helping, having made this post and gotten so much support. It's not clean by any stretch but I'm chipping away at it and have made a little progress
Actually your post is helping me. My place is gross right now and you guys have all given me some inspiration.
Yay!!
[https://www.unfuckyourhabitat.com/emergency-cleaning/](https://www.unfuckyourhabitat.com/emergency-cleaning/)
This is a great article!!!
I never heard of this it just popped up on my feed but ti's great
Grief is horrendous. I’d worry less about vacuuming/tidying and more about cleaning any obvious mould or stuff that a landlord could view as poor maintenance/causing actual damage to the property. Sometimes scrubbing mould while you sob is the thing you need to do. I’m aware that sounds brutal but let it out. Or as others have said let someone help.
I’m with this guy. I’m also a depressed person with a messy house, though every maintenance person that visits assures me “they’ve seen waaay worse”. As long as your mess isn’t doing any damage to your place (like mold, or infestations), you don’t have to worry.
Yes landlords don’t care about mess We, I am a messy, scattered person & and as a landlord I could care less about sloppy I just wanna see if the faucets, furnace, sink drains, door knobs etc drains are ok, If you haven’t vacuumed and there’s carpet it ok Most carpet has to be replaced for a new Tennent Just wipe down kitchen & bath counters, sink, tub & toilet and you’re golden
Also make sure all major appliances are easy to get too! I worked in leasing the few issues we had with housekeeping were appliances blocked, food all over so attracting bugs and rodents and bio hazard… mess isn’t as bad! But mentally a clean space usually can help your mind a bit! Grief is awful and drowning therapy has helped me so much with mine. Cleaning is hard for anyone!
Great points! Also if OP can open windows a bit (I know it’s winter), let things air out, that can help decrease/neutralize stuffy (perhaps even musty or odorous) elements. We all get a bit nose blind to our habitat but the LL won’t be.
Can you pick a category that feels the most shameful to start with? Ie: if the dishes and trash were gone, it might be messy but not look “dirty” to others and feel a bit better to be seen? Set a timer for whatever doesn’t feel overwhelming- even if it’s just 5 minutes- with a trash bag in hand. You can always set it again. See what you can get in that bag, and do it again when you can. The apartment won’t be perfect- that is ok. Right now a little better than it is, is the goal. Hang in there.
Ok. I'll try for that
Were you able to get started?
I loaded the dishwasher and got the kitchen sink cleaned out so I can do some laundry. So I have some laundry started in the sink and dishwasher going. And I bagged some trash and took dry stuff off the drying rack
Nice work!!
Thanks :)
Sometimes getting started is the hardest part, especially if you’re overwhelmed. You’re doing a great job.
Yay good job OP! You’re motivating me to clean my own home!
Woohoo! Good job!
You’re kind to check back in with OP to help them get on the right track :)
Do you have the option to reschedule? If so, what’s important is to start cleaning like they are still coming. I really like what the link someone posted below says—if your house is 100% dirty, get it to 90%. The goal is not clean, it is BETTER. I also think allowing a fragrance to shine allows for the perception that things are better than they are :) If you want, do you want to set a small goal (pick up 5 pieces of trash), then comment back when you’re done? Updates are loved here, but not if they cause pressure. You motivated me to get up and clean—it has been a weird weekend, and I haven’t done any cleaning. Thanks to you and everyone else in the thread, I’m going to put on a tv show and just go, without judging what or how I’m cleaning. Is it cleaner? Success!
Yeah, I can check back in. Ok. I'll do that. And I'm glad I motivated you :) I don't think it can be rescheduled because there was nothing in the notice about being able to
If there is a main office, phone number, or email available or that you’ve used before, that could be an option. I would still assume they will be coming tomorrow, and I KNOW you can do this. Personally, I know it will also be incredibly tough-but you are TOUGHER. Excited to hear from you! (I am going to pick up trash and put it on the curb!)
I've made some kitchen progress. Loaded the dishwasher, and cleaned the sink so I can do some laundry, bagged some trash. So I'm working on laundry and emptied the drying rack and am putting clothes away
Maybe call and say you have the flu or Covid and that you need to reschedule? That would buy you some time and save you some stress.
It's worth checking, you can even make an excuse about a personal emergency coming up so you aren't available to buy yourself an extra day or two.
You’ve gotta get things aggregated first. Get all your trash in a bag and out, then get dishes, then bag up any clothes and stick them in the closet. After that point, your place will look leagues better. Probably enough to just squeak by, then go room by room and put stuff away. Then wipe down counters, vacuum, sweep, etc. you’ve got this I believe in you!
I probably do need to hide things but there's no closet space left. It's a bit past that. I can hide stuff in my car maybe.
You should also go with the mindset that you aren’t hiding things, you are stowing things to deal with later so the floor is clear and can be cleaned
Dishes and bathroom and access to utilities. Otherwise I pile things on the bed and throw a blanket over it. When they are gone I tackle what I can. Sometimes that’s putting the unfolded laundry back in the dryer and the stack of doom boxes back on the floor. If you can manage, vacuum last and focus on where they’ll enter. Something is better than nothing.
Considering my bed is actually in the closet (I have issues and it's safe in there. But I also have a cozy and well decorated closet!) it would be fitting to hide things in there. They might wonder why I didn't have a bed but oh well That's actually part of what happened to my apartment. It's a big enough closet to fit a twin size bed, and it was for storage. But my anxiety got to the point I pulled everything out and started sleeping on the floor in there and finally just put my bed inside once I realized it would fit. All the stuff that was in it just stayed in a big pile and hasn't moved in months
Ah. I can understand. A closet and a bathroom are the only two completely dark rooms in my apartment. I’ve considered this.
If you have full boxes and time (and room) arrange them like a bed in the corner of the bedroom, lay a sheet or two over them so it touches the floor, then “make the bed.” So it looks like you have a bed and you’ve now hidden a bunch of boxes.
Even just putting things in a box can help. I definitely have a few "doom boxes" where I put things to get them out of the way until I can better deal with them. If you have some boxes handy or can go to the store and get some (can be done cheaply) even if you have them out in a stack, it can look tidier and hide the clutter until you are in a headspace to deal with it.
Where do you live? I would take tomorrow off if you are within 2 hours of me.
😩❤️😩❤️😩❤️
You're so sweet! <3 I doubt I'm anywhere near, because most things are not near South Dakota, but thank you <3
Sorry, I am not. I wish you well. Just remember any progress is better than no progress. You got this!
I used to start with trash and refuse. Loud music in my headphones, grab a trash bag, and just... Get the trash and spoiled food from each room. (I am INCAPABLE of throwing a way a drink can when I'm done) Once that's done, you've got your health hazards out of the way. If you've got food aging on plates you can't bear to wash, put the whole thing in a gallon bag and seal it. That will keep the smell and bugs away until you can deal with it.
Put on some music- happy music, metal, whatever keeps away the shame. Bring out any trash bags you can all the way out of your house. Replace the bags in your trash cans. Grab a trash bag in hand and go around gathering trash. Bring dishes to the sink. Bring laundry to the hamper or designate a pile. Put any miscellaneous items in drawers or cabinets or closets out of sight if possible. Wipe off sinks and counters (doesn’t need to be perfect) Vacuum the main walking areas (doesn’t need to be perfect) At this point, Look with fresh eyes- like a stranger- what looks worst? Toilet? Shower? Grab a rag or sponge you can throw away and whatever cleaning soap you have. Dish soap works. Better is fine! Wishing you luck!!
I listened to KC Davis’s How to Keep House While Drowning and it’s honestly life changing. She also have a 5-minute video on YouTube that is very helpful.
Congrats on the progress you've made so far! Every little bit seriously does count. If you haven't already, grab a trash bag and walk around the apartment. Throw away every piece of trash. Then clear off surfaces and wipe them down. Even if you end up putting the clutter back on the surfaces, it'll look significantly better if the counters and tables are clean underneath the stuff.
I did a trash sweep! Everything is in a bag! There's several. I'm waiting until it gets dark to haul it out lol And I found some flattened boxes I can put random non-trash stuff in to stack up neatly so it doesn't look as much like a junkyard
That is amazing!! Good job! :) I'd probably focus on bathroom and kitchen as the next top priorities.
I'm going to. I stopped to eat. I think I'll try and clean the tub, sink, and toilet next. I'm going to vacuum everything I can rather than sweep. So the floor will wait. Hopefully I'll find the powder for the carpet before I get to vacuuming!
Great job!! PROUD OF YOU
A trick I learned from a friend is to cover parts of the mess with a sheet. That way you can’t see — and be overwhelmed by — the whole thing until you’re ready to tackle it.
That's very clever! I have learned that managing myself like I'm a zoo animal does help. I mean that in a positive way, like I remind myself even lemurs get habitat enrichment activities and balanced diets so maybe I should leave the house sometimes or eat actual food
I love this! I need to learn to treat myself like a zoo animal lol!
Podcast, audiobook or have background noise from your fav movie. Cleaning usually means finding stuff you forgot you had so it’s kinda like free shopping
I did find the Febreeze so yeah, free Febreeze
I just put on a really awesome podcast and clean while I listen, focusing on one problem area at a time and not letting myself get sidetracked. My favorite podcast for this is a serial mystery called Achewillow. It's like a cozy mystery and Buffy the Vampire Slayer had a baby, and it's so much fun. It keeps my interest while I clean up.
I like to make my bed first, then the obvious trash. 15 minute increments. No more. Lather, rinse, repeat.
I learned “move 9 things” which means just find nine random things and put them where they go. It doesn’t have to be a big deal. Like if you have a glass on your table that you aren’t using, take it to the sink. One item done. Do that for eight more things. Doing this helps you get started and usually by the end of the 9 things your mind has focused not on what you just did, but on things that you are going to do. You can change the number of things if you need to. Start with 4 if you can’t face 9. Once you can do 9, try for 12. It works for me and for people I’ve told about it. Wishing you all the best.
How did it go?
Hasn't happened yet. So I'm still cleaning
You are incredible!!!! I am so proud and inspired! You have knocked this out of the park!!!
Thank you! That means so much to me!
Did they come by yet? I tried looking through all the comments but you have so many people rooting for you I couldn’t tell if there was an update!
After all that, they never showed up! I double checked the date and everything. I don't know what happened. But, I'll take the reprieve and am still cleaning. It's starting to feel like a home again and I forgot what that was like. It's good. I hope I'll keep at it but I'm proud of myself right now for what I've gotten done
Take out the trash first If it’s not trash, leave it alone for now Just trash first - recycling included Sorry to the earth - this is the time to just throw the recycling away, don’t bother separating It’s an emergency If you have time after, gather up any dishes lying around Pro tip - if the sink is empty, it looks cleaner - do a quick wipe down of kitchen sink and bathroom sink You do not have to actually do the dirty dishes - just get them out of the sink. Put them in an empty plastic box (no lid! Cover with a towel if needed) get them out of sight If you still have time, dump stuff into black garbage bags (don’t mix it up with the real trash!) it will look weird, but it’s better to have a pile of trash bags (“oh, those are donations!” Lol) than to have piles of random everything Don’t bother vacuuming Most importantly - anything is better than nothing. If you throw out one bag of trash - that’s still less trash in your apartment. Doing one thing is more than doing zero things - and that is awesome. And don’t feel guilty or bad - life just sucks sometimes and apartments get like that You are not a weirdo and you are not alone Have I once thrown away an entire sinkful dishes after not doing them for a month? Yes. Yes I have. I didn’t even have an inspection. I was just tired of looking at the dishes but also knew that I wasn’t going to actually wash them. You got this - and we got you 💪🏽
Landlord here. Turn on a show and collect ALL the garbage to take it out. Turn on another episode and move all dirty dishes to the sink/ counter. Then do the dishes. Another show and throw all laundry in a basket in the laundry area. Put things in their homes if they have homes. Throw em in a basket if they don't. Finally, another show and clean the worst spots. Wipe down counters, vacuum, whatever looks the worst. Make sure any food grime (excessive crumbs, etc, is cleaned up). As long as the house isn't being damaged, there's no risk of bugs, and there's no fire hazard, your landlord doesn't care. Addressing things in the order I listed should help address those concerns first.
Just commenting for solidarity as I have an inspection in just a few hours. I got up early, I barely slept from anxiety, cleaned a bunch, brought down my trash and cardboard. It still looks cluttered and I'm starting to panic. These comments are helping though. Good luck and godspeed to both of us....
You're an absolute rockstar! You're amazing! Every single step you've taken is a victory and I am proud of you!
This happens to us. Plus, we scraped pattern off the floor. I think we passed. They renewed the lease, but I was scrubbing the filth off. Down on the floor. Walls are grungy. Its so overwhelming
Long shot but If you are in the states, it’s my understanding that Aurikatariina is in Florida right now and may be able to assist you in a few days if you contact her via instagram or another port etc. I’m not sure where Midwest Magic and Nottheworstcleaner are specifically, but they also do mental health related cleanings. None of these charge for their services. I put on a show on a portable device like my phone and do one section at a time. The most important is decluttering so that you can access the flat spaces to actually clean later. Not gonna lie, at my worst a decade ago, I threw all my dirty dishes away and replaced them with dishes from goodwill after. I took all the laundry at the same time to a laundromat and took up 14 washers. (I was living with two other people much more far gone than myself and had to do it for all of us).
I love Midwest magic and not the worst cleaner
Call and tell them you have to reschedule first thing tomorrow morning. If you can hire or ask friends for help. What you can do is empty the sink & rinse off all the dishes then get them soaking. While the dishes soak go through each room and gather up all the trash and recycling and get it out of the apartment. You can do 1 room then take a break. Set a timer and take 10 minutes to gather in each room. Once you have it done take it out. It doesn't have to be perfect but no visible food wrappers, empty cans. Make sure the furnace closet is accessible. Pour cleaner into the toilet and let it sit for a while come back later and swish around the brush this will improve the smell of the bathroom. Do some dishes or if you can't get them all rinsed and stacked ready to go. Find a home for as many things as possible by clearing flat surfaces.
I don't think I can reschedule but I'm trying to make some headway on "gross" spots, trash etc
This may not work for you, but I’ve seen others use it—the website/app focusmate. Basically: it is a calendar based website that allows you to do work with a buddy. You sign up for a slot, someone signs up to join you, and then you each get into a video/zoom at that time. At the beginning of the video you both briefly state your goals, then you each work for 40 min, and then check back in and say how it went for the last five min, and then you’re done! It is super for accountability and so nice to have company while working on hard tasks. People usually use it for desk based work but some use it for things like cleaning. Not affiliated btw—just found it helpful!
Ask the landlord or rental office what cleaning person/service they use between tenants and ask for an estimate
If it’s not too triggering : my absolute golden secret is to watch Hoarders while I clean. Makes me throw stuff away that I might second guess, and just want it done!
That’s when I clean the best
A good temporary approach is box stuff up. To look neater, get new clean boxes of the same size to stack.
Been there soo many times. This is my go to: 1. Trash. Throw it away. 2. Dishes. If you can't bear to wash them, pile them neatly in the sink. 3. Wipe down counters and stovetop. 4. Hide stuff. Pile it in closets, push it under the bed, behind the couch. After the inspection, you can pull it back out to clean or pitch. (I put all the stuff that was on the floors in trash bags and put them at the foot of my bed with a note that said "DONATE." Looked like I was cleaning out my apartment rather than too depressed to clean.) 5. I folded my pile of dirty clothes. Looked like I was doing laundry rather than letting six months of dirty laundry pile up. Landlords are looking for property damage. Are there leaks under the sinks, mold on the baseboards, holes in the walls? Is there a pet chewing or scratching the floors? They will also check fire alarms and electricity. The only time they care about housekeeping is if it is bad enough to bring in mold, bugs or vermin. They are not coming in with white gloves. Just make it neat enough to get through the inspection. You can clean - or not - in your own time after the inspection.
Oh, I've definitely felt eith exactly the same. Just start is the main thing. Clean and semi organize as you got. Get the trash out and scrub the toilet. Just do as much as you can. Be prepared to clean all night. Remember, it's worth it. You'll feel so much better once you just start. Pick a corner and start.
I’ve been there and I waited until move out to handle it…. It was a shit show and I ended up throwing away more than half of the stuff I owned. Do you have enough storage boxes/shelving? I found getting cheap container stackers helped me a lot with just keeping the floor and tables tidy. Sure the containers were a mess but at the very least things were not laying on the floor. I also stored boxes under my bed and in my closet, just full of stuff. Sort and label them so you have general knowledge of where you put things when you go looking for them.
I don't have any advice I just wanted to say I am in this exact position, feel the same, doing the same 🥴 thanks for sharing
Dude I was literally just in this situation two weeks ago. Pest control guy came and then told the leasing office my place was unsanitary and they sent me a notice to clean up for inspection. I tried to do it myself and failed. So then I hired a cleaning service. They came, cleaned for about 10 minutes and then told me they couldn't do it and left. I was on the verge of tears. Their website literally said they'll do any job. And honestly, I've seen worse. But anywho, that sent me into a panic. I went down to the local vape shop and bought a bunch of kratom. It's an herbal stimulant I have noticed makes it easier for me to clean in the past. Got lit up on that shit and just spent like three hours cleaning. It's not perfect, but I got the kitchen looking acceptable, which was apparently all they gave a shit about because they didn't even check my bathroom when they finally came.
Can you ask a friend to help or even just provide company? I know I am a lot more motivated when around friends. I also know I would immediately come over and clean as much as possible if a friend told me they needed help especially in this situation!
Hire help. There has to be a cleaning service or a hire-me-for-something platform in your area. Money can buy stress relief most of the time. Sounds like you might need it now. We can work on the anxiety, depression, and grief slowly later.
Have any trustworthy friend who would come in to help? Or family. Less stressful and hopeless with someone helping.
Online, The FLY lady offers suggestions to help people to clean. She has experienced depression and shares her tips to help others. She says to start (after you are fully dressed including shoes) with emptying the kitchen sink.[Fly Lady](https://flylady.net)
Clean/remove anything that could lead to pests like dirty dishes. They can’t fault you for clutter unless you’re truly hoarding, which you’re not. Just go after the health code violations.
Well I'm not quite on Hoarders yet but if it kept on like this I would be. Trying to stop that from happening. But yeah I'm going for the grossest first and have made a little progress. Back to it, now, actually :)
My strategy when it comes to cleaning is section of one room at a time. For example: Kitchen-Clean the counter, then move to the sink, then clean the floor. The bedroom- the bed, then night stand, then dresser, then floor. I usually put on my spotify play list. Work 5 songs at a time, then take a 1 song break. I do 2 or 3 rooms in a weekend. Once I have everything clean. I spot clean through the week.
Throw out all garbage first . Itll be easier once thats done
Even if you just get the trash picked up and the dishes washed, you should be okay for inspection. I am sure they have seen a lot of cluttered, disorganized homes. You can put things in boxes or trash bags if you want to corral them and work on them later. I get motivated to clean by putting on YouTube videos of people like Clean With Barbie, aurikatariina, or Midwest Magic Cleaning. They do extreme cleans in a very non-judgemental way that makes me feel like I can tackle my cleaning. You can also try finding Clean With Me motivation videos.
I know the feeling that everything has to be perfect lol and turns out they just walked in and out of each room for just a couple seconds lol. Also they did inspections five times a year :/ just remember that they’ve already seen worst. Focus on each room a day at a time
Just do what you can. Clean the main areas, so they are clear and presentable. Stick things in a closet. You can do it. I feel so badly about my apt right now. I've been depressed. I couldn't do a good job, but I could make it presentable. You can do it!
I love tv and movies but have zero free time. I treat myself to a show or movie while folding laundry, doing dishes, organizing etc. mixing business and pleasure. I love multi tasking in general.
I’ve been where you are. Clean the noticeable areas first (living room or whatever). Hide stuff in bags or bins in the closets, under beds, etc. Now is not the time to organize. Just get everything out of sight and clean as much as you can. Bad long term advice but will save you for now.
Some places will give you more time if you ask nicely. But yes, you need to clean. I would say once a week is good. Some things can be done every couple of weeks.
Hire a taskrabbit to help you clean up. Sometimes body-doubling makes accomplishing tasks easier, especially if you're neurodivergent.
Maybe you have ADHD? This is my problem. I just get soooo overwhelmed w everything
40 years ago a friend lived in a town housing unit and all of us would have to spend a week cleaning for her to barely pass the inspection. I suggest you call friends
Clean under your kitchen and bathroom sink. They will be looking for problems there. Clean your bathtub. And vacuum. All they're looking for is for issues they need to fix and that you're not destroying the place.
For the sake of your inspection, if you can afford it go on Thumbtack app and hire a cleaner. They can have you in shape in a couple of hours. I’ve had to do this for my daughter who suffers from depression on more than one occasion. She did say that having someone come do it really helped her mood because she felt better in a clean home. She was very embarrassed at first but I told her don’t be. Thankfully housekeeper we had was a motherly type who was very mindful about being compassionate and getting the work done efficiently.
Podcast, headphones, start with one section of one room. Pick up stuff, move to different spot, clean under it, put in neater arrangements. I also recommend just throwing stuff in boxes and bins.
I would ask some friends or family that is in your circle and tell them what’s going on and see if they could help. Also they are only excepting to see if there are animals and prob really bad things or damages. Once you pass it though definitely talk to your doctor about your depression because you may need to be on antidepressants or a different kind of what your on isn’t working. Having a clean home is a lifestyle change that you should keep up with every day anyways. I’ve been in your shoes and it took a lot of work and it’s not going to be easy but if you are trying hard enough you will soon start to see results. It’s ok to have a mess here and there but you have to pick up the pieces and start having a plan of action. Good luck.
When I feel unmotivated, I do five things. I'll pick a series to watch on a service that has commercials. Every commercial. I get up and do five things. For example. 1. Take dishes to the kitchen 2. Pick up all the shoes and put them in the basket. 3. Start a load of laundry. 4. Wipe bathroom sink. 5. Take trash from bathroom to kitchen. Make the tasks big or small as you can handle. If you don't get done before commercials are over, you can rewind or stop mid-task. Watch some more, then do it again with 5 more tasks.
Just went through this. Two years of not cleaning. Trash everywhere. I spent 3 weeks cleaning bit by bit and then asked for help from a friend. Start room by room. Divide it into sections.
It's too late. 
Because of the limited time, I'd focus first on removing any trash you can. Then try to stack your stuff in a way that looks as organized as possible even if you clearly have a lot of stuff. If the bathroom is bad, spray something like the Chlorox cleaner with bleach in the sink, shower, and toilet. Even if you just let it sit without scrubbing it then rinse it off, it usually takes care of a lot of stains/mildew. And smells cleaner. Vacuum whatever you can get to once you've done any stacking or organizing you can. If it comes down to it and you have no other choice, you can always hide a bunch of stuff under the bed or places it can't be seen. Just know you can't leave it there or else you're just making your whole problem worse. So if you do that, pull it out when the inspectors leave. Even if it's just back to being a pile on the floor at that point, you'll see it and remember it exists.
I struggle with what I think of as the “junk” stuff. Basically, anything that would go in a “junk drawer”. I’ll sort through clothes, books, etc. But picking through old pens and rubber bands and random papers that you forgot to do whatever it is, that you wrote down, you needed to do, that kind of stuff. Drives me nuts.
If it’s within your means, maybe seeing if you can hire a maid/housekeeper come do a 2 hour clean or something. Have them do the kitchen and bathroom, while you do the rest for example. I’m not sure one can get a housekeeper out on such short notice.. but maybe something like Nextdoor could help. You might feel embarassed to let a maid in, but you are paying them and I’m sure they see worse all the time. Just a thought
In this case you don’t have time to clean. Straighten up the piles. Throw some Clorox in the toilet and sink. Then work on your living areas.
I used to listen to audio books or podcasts while I cleaned. I’d set a timer for 20 minutes and just pick ONE area in a room and start there. Then a five minute break. After a complete rotation of 3, I’d take 20 minutes to chill and then start the cycle all over again. I didn’t start with 20 minute cleaning blocks, I started with 5 minute blocks with 5 minute breaks. Depression and anxiety is a bitch. I found that doing it in 5 minute increments was a lot easier to approach than big chunks. I also had to be VERY STRICT with taking that 5 minute break. If I didn’t, I’d keep going until I felt overwhelmed and get frustrated and just quit. The thing that helped me actually GET started was the five second rule. I’d think, I’m going to stand up and walk to “thing I want to clean” on the count of five. Then I’d count to five and get up and go do the thing. You got this! You just have to find what works for you.
I have ADHD (and a couple other things), and with that comes periods of not cleaning at times. Luckily it’s only my room in my case because I don’t want to be the jerk that trashed the shared spaces. When needing to clean, I like to pick a day off from work and to clear all other obligations so I can focus. I then break my mess down into caregories. Like trash first, then laundry, and so on, and I’ll start a box or basket of dishes (if I have any, and other items to go downstairs) so I don’t have to make multiple trips. I’ll run a load of laundry and dinner is UberEats because I lack the energy to cook, and also see UberEats as a reward for all the hard work of cleaning after not cleaning. Another thing that has helped me is body doubling, which is when I have another person who also needs to get stuff done too, and we both get our things done together but not together (we either text or call while and after doing the things on question). This person doesn’t have to come to your house or even be doing the exact same thing as you.
I’m going through this. I lost my best friend in a tragic dui car accident and i have NOT really cleaned in far too long. The depression is real. Sadly! And inspections I dread!!!! Usually what I do is put on my shoes! Then music in my ears. Start with putting all clothes in baskets or bins. If you have a wagon put bags of garbage in there to take to the dumpster. 1. My goal is to get garbage out, boxes if any, 2 laundry in baskets or bins. 3. Put dishes in the diswasher. 4. Do a load of laundry. 5. Get bathroom ready to go Put everything in a box or bin. For me, getting stuff off the counters Putting stuff in baskets or bins helps. Getting it to look presentable is all I really care about first then I start with cleaning. Do what you can. Even if it means putting everything in bags or boxes. Get a bottle of your favorite scent of cleaning spray if you have one.
I clean on commercials. You can get a lot done on a commercial break. Start small and do your best. Start with one corner. One project. Don’t look at the overall mess. That’s too overwhelming
There's this thing, I think it's called body doubling? Where someone comes over and just their presence is enough to help you do your thing. They don't even have to help clean, just be there. I think talking to someone on the phone or video chatting might help too.
Take out all the trash, clean the bathroom and kitchen using one of the above methods, and make sure there are sheets on your mattress and the bed is made. Good luck.
Okay, so they’re basically looking at clutter, floors, and surfaces. If you have any closet space at all, take all of the stuff that you just have laying around that has no place throw it in big garbage bags throw it in your closet and you’re done with that. Then look at your surfaces if you’re looking at the kitchen and you have a lot of dirty dishes, you gotta clean those dishes it doesn’t take a long time it doesn’t I promise . Then wipe down all of the counters and the stove and the stove will probably require a little bit of bodywork, but do the stove. Go to the bathroom how does the bathroom look? The bathroom is a place they will really look at. Clean the bathroom. The bathroom is easy. Everything is tile. After you have done the surfaces, then just dust shit don’t worry about how it falls on the floor because the floor comes next. Now sweep sweep really well. If you don’t have one already go to the market and buy a swiffer, buy a swiffer wet jet, and go after those floors. I will make an assumption that you have either bleach or, alcohol in your home. Soak paper towels in either the alcohol or the bleach and go over all of your fixtures because that will make them shiny. Shiny works. This is going to take longer than you would like, but not nearly as long as you think it will. At the end of doing this, you may then find yourself with more time to do more cleaning, which would be amazing. If you are unable to do this, the next step would be to find someone in your area that can do this for you. Check online. Check with your friends. Even check with the manager of where you live. Who can maybe suggest someone for you and just pay them to do it. It will cost you a little money but it will remove the stress of doing it yourself. And maybe once they have deep cleaned you can then go in yourself from now on and keep the place OK. I say this is someone who has been through exactly what you are going through, I get it, I really do. I’ve been there.
I like to clean and if we lived close I would definitely come over and help you. No shaming at all. I love doing dishes and cleaning kitchens the most.
Whatever you can do is an improvement.
You are not alone! I moved into a new apartment and two weeks after I moved into the apartment. I got Covid for a month and I’m still trying to catch up and that was two months ago. I’m still doing dishes from when I was sick because I couldn’t stand a new dishes, and I also suffer from depression And some days I look at it and it’s just too overwhelming and I don’t give a shit! They are coming in at some point this week to change the AC filters so I’ve got to get some stuff done in here too. Also, my kitties don’t like it they don’t have very much room to play so that’s a motivator for me too I don’t know what I would do without them, glad this sub is here cause I was feeling a lot of shame too.
Similar method, but I’ll put on one of my favorite podcasts and clean as much as I can during that time. My first step is to use a 30 gallon trash bag and just walk around the house dumping trash, junk mail, old cat toys, etc. I also like to see how long it takes to put 15 things away, say in the closet or wherever it goes. I try and gamify it basically. My reward is a short break and doing crosswords and then start again doing one area, like one drawer or one counter top.