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chaosqueen
Hello and welcome to the forum! How do you make yourself keep doing this? Easy! You report to us! We have been there and we can help and support you! Have you considered packing up things into bags and just have the bags ready to go? And have you made it a routine yet to check the night/morning before pick up if there is extra room to fill it up?
Sounds like you miss your shower. How do you feel about making that your first goal? Regaining access to the shower?
We are here for you!
Now is the time
Thanks for the welcome. Maybe sharing my progress IS the key to make myself keep going… I hope so. Yesterday: Tossed two bin bags.
Today: Tossed a bin bag, 10 bottles and a small stack of magazines. Cleaned 20 kitchen things AND put them where they belong.
(I have quite the stack of rinsed plates and cutlery on the kitchen table that needs actual cleaning. Also have empty water glasses and tea mugs all over the apartment.
:oops: )I do miss my shower. Especially this time of year. I just don’t have any space to put all the stuff that is in there. YET!
I have tried that before – choosing a specific area to clear. However it always turns into a much bigger projekt than I though – and then I give up after a bit because it’s going too slow.
Sometimes at night I make plans about which areas to works on. I end up with a whole list and feel full of energy. Then when I start the next day I just end up moving stuff around because I don’t know where to put it.
Recently I have managed to sort out the bathroom mirror cabinet (which still looks good if bit dusty) and a window sill (bit messy again) like that, but most of the stuff just ended up somewhere else.
I have decided that for now the only plan I will have is either tossing two bin bags or one bin bag and some magazines/clothes/whatever EVERY SINGLE DAY. I simply have so much stuff and nowhere to put it, so a lot must go before I can start actually making any areas look good.
I will start every “session” by asking myself where I want to work today, rather that having it planned out. Might help keep the motivation?
Most of us have/had the problem of just shifting things around. From now on that will change for you! If I were you I would start with the obvious. Like picking out the trash and getting it bagged. Taking in out in your daily increments and on pick up day make sure to max out the bins capacity.
As you do this you will become more aware of what needs to be done.
Regarding the bathroom. How about keeping that cabinet and windowsill under control for starters? And deal with 1 item from the shower ever day?
You did a great job! Keep it up and you will see change soon. Maybe take a picture now so you can compare in 4 weeks!
You have some great ideas. Thanks. Just removed the water glasses and mugs from the window sill – washed them and put them back in the kitchen cabinet. Washed a few more things from the kitchen table too. Not counting the things I have used today (which has also been washed), I have washed 31 items and put them in the cabinet. Feeling a bit proud of my progress. The kitchen table might actually be cleared the next time I feel like working there.
Might be a bit weird to count stuff, but it helps me see the progress.
Also have another bin bag ready to take out tomorrow morning when I leave for work.
About a week ago I cleared an area (mostly by moving everything elsewhere) in front of a cupboard I haven’t been able to access for a year or so.
Had a look in there today. Lots of stuff I had even forgotten I had. Some of it I need to toss. Most of it probably. Found a few things that I was quite happy to rediscover though. Will be nice to have some actual storage space when I get it cleaned out.
bluesyjay
Hi now is the time and welcome writing in here really helps to keep making progress, it keeps you accountable
and it also helps to ease the shame and kindle motivation
and in general there is a lot of support, and the sharing is so important
I agree with Chaos Queens great tips so no need to add more for now,
don’t overwhelm yourself with too much
just keep it simple and steady
focus on what you feel is the thing now
you could put the trash bags in front of your door so you remember to bring them out every day
and the idea of tackling one item daily from your shower area really works, it is not too much to be scary but it helps build momentum and you actually make progress and chip away at it
best wishes on your progress!
Check the threads and you will find that many of us count to stay motivated! So count away and share those numbers! Xadta
Welcome! As CQ rightly says…you are amongst friends if the counting helps :lol: You have taken the first steps on your journey which is amazing! I would only choose to echo sentiments shared already and agreed no need to get overloaded yet. It does take time and you will need to be ready for that but you’re working through and things can only get better
Definitely a good idea for you to just attack each session, sometimes you might have a specific goal in mind and sometimes you might just think ‘I’m going to make some progress no matter what it is’. Does not have to be a pre-defined plan, and life along side will change what your priorities are too so flexibility always helps.
I shall say good luck for now and good work so far, do keep us updated and we will help wherever we can.
oh yes! counting helps! :lol: it can make it a game / give a sense of achievement, and/ora a goal to move towards…
keep us posted!
Thank you so much for helping out. This really motivates me. I got home today feeling a bit hopeless as usual, read a bit on the board, turned some music on and managed to clear and clean the kitchen table. 
That table is right beside my door, so it’s pretty much the first thing I see when I get home every day. Hope that will be a motivator too.
Got that bag from yesterday put in the bin this morning too.
Nice day today.
Woohoo good work! Those little lifts really can motivate. Now the real challenge…….can you keep that table clear…. :o :lol: So true Xadta. It being right beside the door, things tend to end up there when I get home. :roll: Know the feeling, I tend to use the floor…. :lol: :roll: but I’m trying to get better. I now have a dedicated ‘stuff’ basket on each of two tables (both which are clutter magnets). You could not tell looking right now but so far maybe 70% of the time they are helping…I’m working up to 100!great progress!!! a little a day keeps the clutter away!!
kaizen
Welcome, Now is the time! Sounds like you’re off to a great start! A clear table top!!! How exciting! I lost mine over tax time, so I will try to join you in reclaiming it. I really love when it’s clear & I can put maybe a plant or some candles (or NOTHING!!!) in the middle.
A bag or 2 of garbage a day is really BIG. It just won’t show right away, so you have to keep believing. That’s why posting here for encouragement is sooo good. You don’t always SEE the changes — but they’ll accumulate if you keep at it. And if you get discouraged & stop — hopefully you’ll show up here & join everyone else who has to BEGIN AGAIN every now & then!
Nana
Just a few suggestions – go through your kitchen and sort out the nicest plate etc to use, throw away anything chipped and take the rest to a charity shop – I took mine to the dog rehomeing charity as anything not fit for humans went onto the shelves for dogs. Use small bags for rubbish as they seem to take up less room in the bins, and squash down the things already in the bin if it is almost full – I used to have a tray which made an ideal squasher which I kept by the door. Try to work on things which are going to have the most visible impact – if there is a heap then remove the things which need to go elsewhere rather than trying to sort through everything. Keep at it and there will come a day when two heaps can be made one, and reveal some floor!! Great incentive to keep going.
Are there bins at work or the shops? Taking a few bits with you every day could leave more space in the bin at home. As it is a shared bin, make an extra effort on the day after it is emptied so as to get your bags in first.
Good luck, don’t give up.
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