Melbourne

When I get like this it can help to dump everything in the big tub just to be able to vacuum… but then you have to sort out the tub or it just sits there. But it gets it out of the way so you can do it later.

Another way to gradually and easily declutter is to hang a plastic or paper bag on a doorknob and throw in a single unwanted item anytime you happen to find one. (I kept one on the wardrobe handle to immediately take anything I tried to put on and then decided not to keep.) Then when the bag is full donate. You can have multiple through the house.

Clean laundry I just pile into the ‘clean’ basket to pull from as needed or shove handfuls of the appropriate clothing into each drawer. I don’t always have the ability to put things away but I can shove them in the ‘general correct area’ or ‘contained’ and move on to more urgent tasks. I can always put them away properly later if I have the opportunity.

Disinfectant wipes or baby wipes are good to wipe up something sticky before sweeping or quickly go over a dusty or dirty surface as a stopgap.

I still hate the countertop dishwasher I invested in because it doesn’t clean to my standards but that is currently being used as the alternative to having a pile of rotting depression dishes.

Before I’d fill the sink with boiling soapy water and everything dirty, let it soak until it was just tolerably hot to wash… but if not done that runs the risk of a sink full of swamp water.

Stick vacs are not always great compared to full sized vacs, especially cordless ones. Cordless battery ones can run down fast and be weak. But they also are a lot easier to just grab for a quick pass when you have 5 seconds worth of motivation. You can use them on hard floors too, just swipe over the whole area.

When I empty the bin and have to replace the bag, I often put on multiple bags at once while I’m already doing it. It sucks but that way the next time I lift out the rubbish it’s already lined again ready to go. If I don’t do that I procrastinate and rubbish starts piling up on the counter…

Buying roach baits or making them from a 50/50 mix of sugar and borax in tinfoil ‘bowls’ helps if you’re living in an area where they tend to invade.

Pottering around semi-aimlessly cleaning in one area can help. Doing it drunk or high may help (though I unfortunately can’t have substances).

You don’t have to get it all done at once either. You can do 10 minutes or UFYH has mini challenges. (Watch out for the ads on the site tho, yeesh. I need to update my adblocker.) https://www.unfuckyourhabitat.com/