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[Imaoldhippie]

IMO this is highly overrated.  We live in our home and so there are things "out of place", who cares?  I dont care if and when someone drops by, if they dont like it they can clean it or dont come back.  Life is to short to worry about such trivia.  Just live YOUR life, except yourself the way you are and go on.

[queendiva]

Trash and recycling bins must be within easy reach. Feed them often!  Junk mail never even enters my house. Goes from mailbox to recycle bin in the garage next to entrance door to the kitchen. Agree that only house shoes/ slippers are worn indoors.

@FlowerBear : Keep a trash bag and a box in every room right now. As you walk through, pick up items and feed each generously. In short order you will be able to remove both as you will have removed clutter. Bag for trash, box for donate. You should spend at least 20 minutes a day cleaning, organizing or tidying up. That's 5, 10 or all 20 minutes at a pop. Super easy. 

Do not leave a mess anywhere before going to bed. Start each day in a home that's neater than it was the day before. Your stress level will magically be reduced!

People whose homes appear neat, tidy, presentable and clean do not have much stuff in each room- that's what makes it appear that way. You don't even notice dust bunnies and pet hair.

If you have children, start them early. Toddlers can make a game of picking up their toys. Preschoolers can empty and put away silverware from the dishwasher. All able-bodied family members must help and be held accountable. It's everyone's home, but you are the general of this "army". 

I will readily admit that managing a household of one (and a dog) is a lot easier than it was for four, though perhaps not as much fun. Just do a little more and a little better each day. You will see results. Kinda like dieting, in that regard. Neither is much fun, but worth the effort and self-discipline.

[house_cat]

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@CinNC wrote:

@rms1954 I live with somebody who has similar habits.  I get very frustrated at times but then keep telling myself not to sweat the small stuff. It's also my BF home and not mine.....legally speaking. There is also a history of ADHD in the family and I wonder if that has something to do with his inability to pick things up. 

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@CinNC 

It most definitely has something to do with it.  My husband has ADHD and constantly loses things. One of the reasons he loses them is because there is no rhyme or reason to where he leaves things.  It helps that I'm a super-organized person.  He thanks me all the time for keeping his life in order.  He's adopted some of my habits and they help him a great deal, but it's a constant struggle for him.

[chrystaltree]

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@house_cat wrote:

I'm a list maker... always have been.

For years, this is the list I've used. I have it laminated and delight in crossing things off with a dry-erase marker.  I made my own list, but there are many of them on Pinterest and other websites, available to download.

However, like everyone else, I'm getting older and the heavier jobs were becoming harder and harder to tackle.  DH decided recently to hire a cleaning lady who comes twice a month. It has only been about three months and I'm telling you that it's absolutely life changing.  The amount of free time I now have is worth every penny.  I understand not everyone has the means to hire help. For many years, it was unthinkable for us.  Sometimes, though, it's a matter of rearranging priorities. We don't eat out often or spend money on theatre, concerts or other entertainment - for us, those are not priorities. 

Tidying up is a breeze, compared to cleaning bathtubs, showers and floors.  Maybe when I retire I'll start doing it all myself once again. If not for DH, who just happens to be much messier than I am, a good cleaning once a month would be sufficient.

Wow that list brought back some memories.  I always hated housework, really really hated it.  It was a necessary evil so early in my marriage, I realized I had to "just do it" and I had  schedules similar to that.  If I didn't do it on schedule, we would have lived in a chaotic mess.  I had a daily schedule and monthly schedule for the big jobs.  Hubby had a schedule for the yard work because he worked two jobs and went to college at night in those crazy early days so his entire life was lived on a schedule.  If I close my eyes, I can see those schedules taped to the fridge and the mud room door. 

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[JYWilliams]

My house is neat at all times.  I strip my bed on Friday. I do all my other cleaning on Saturday. I vacuum a few times through the week. Wash dishes before bed. And do laundry a few days a week.

[FlowerBear]

Everyone Thank You SOOO Much for all of the ideas, suggestions, advice and humor!

I cannot wait  to work on doing these.  I dont like clutter and have only myself to blame 😏!   I clean up and the next day things are a mess, dishes piling in the sink, etc!

 
Cant blame kids, have no kids, Cant blame hubby, we divorced recently.

So it is all on me to keep things neat and tidy lol.

SO many great ideas!  

[queendiva]

@FlowerBear : awesome! You are now the queen of your castle! 

Get rid of anything and everything that does not work for you or bring a smile to your face. Start small, but start! And visit with us on the thread What have you purged today. We have been supporting one another for years now and welcome you to join us!

[Mominohio]

Part of the trick is to have fewer things. Most people today have waaaayyy more things than they need or even want (not casting stones, I'm right there too!). The more you have, the harder it is to keep up with it, keep it organized, and clean. So for starters, I would ask yourself just how much 'stuff' do you really need or want, and if you feel you can trim it back, do so, and see results.

The other part is to have a place for everything and keep everything in it's place. It takes discipline and routine to do it, but if the desire for organization and cleanliness is real, it becomes less of a chore, to get those desired results.

[jeanlake]

Terrific answers - I'm reading and nodding. Keeping on top of laundry and putting away same day has helped me. I also have a list -- on this day I attend to this task, etc. I try to stay on top of it.

[AngelPuppy1]

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@rnmom wrote:

@AngelPuppy1 -you and your dear mom sounds like exactly what I do too, With the exception of vacuuming because I have lots of dog hair, I probably don't "clean" nearly as often as I should. But I also make the bed every day, make sure dishes are clean, make sure toilets are wiped out, put things away that are out on the counters, make sure clothes are put away etc. The house isn't perfect, especially in the summer when hubby and kids are home messing things up as soon as I put things away, but I'm never usually too embarrassed by the state of the house. Except for the dog hair. I can never seem to get that all up and when the sun hits the floors just right, it looks terrible. 

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@rnmom 

Yes --- I forgot to mention that I also have a small stick Shark that I use every morning and sometimes a couple times a day if things get tracked in!  It does help to keep things from getting so out of hand!  And with our fur babies, the sweeping is more necessary!!