Getting started on the seemingly insurmountable task of cleaning my apartment

There's messy. There's really messy. There's depression messy. And then there's my apartment. I've lived here for a year and just let things get worse and worse. The worse it gets the more paralyzed I feel. At this point none of the rooms in my apartment are useable. But every day I just have no energy to face it off and put it off for yet another day.

There's so much shame. I haven't told literally anyone how bad it is. It's a huge quality of life thing and not even my therapist knows.

God, I can't believe I'm about to admit this. I've been sleeping in my bathtub for months ever since mold mites took over my bed because of the messy dishes. That's how bad it is.

I'm asking my boss for a few days off work and tackling this. But I can't tell anyone in my life and I really need support and encouragement. It takes hours to barely make a dent in the sheer amount that needs to be done. Maybe there's someone else on here who can understand.
I'm an hour into it. That's not exactly an accomplishment. But it's getting started, which is more than I've done in a year.

If I post updates and maybe pics as I make actual progress could I maybe get some encouragement or reassurance that it's progress even though it will still be something that would horrify and disgust almost anyone?

Hi LabRat.

Messy in itself isn't really a problem if your life is so busy that you simply don't have the time to keep your apartment in order. However, should disorder start effecting your productivity and health, then that is a matter that needs fixing.

If it were me, I probably wouldn't put a time line on completing this task of getting your apartment in order, rather start out small and build from there.

Viewing this mammoth task in its entirety is what's keeping you from getting started I think. My suggestion is that you start with the fridge, or the pantry. This is a job that should only take you one afternoon to complete. Once you see how practical and beneficial having a clean and orderly fridge can be, then start moving onto other tasks.

Please don't feel embarrassed or ashamed....often life gets on top of us, and messiness registers low on our list of priorities. Just start on that one small thing...the rest will come in time.

You are not alone in this here.

An hour is definitely progress! Way to go! Starting is the hardest sometimes. Keep going! *shakes pompons*

I understand your troubles and do not feel ashamed. I have never been neat. I am 44 years old and only in the last year have I done the dishes everyday. My whole house isnt horrible but my bedroom is and the front room that used to be the kids' play room was horrible up until 10 months ago. By horrible I mean crap everywhere and spots where my dogs pooped on the rug. My husband tackled that room because we are remodeling it to be our bedroom. When I was first married at age 20 we lived in a tiny apartment and I had my son. On his first birthday we had a party for family. I did not have a dishwasher and I had overflowing dishes and mess. I gathered up all the dishes and mess in a bin and put it in the bathtub and pulled the shower curtain! I do not know to this day if anyone ever looked. About 6 weeks ago I sort of just had it. My laundry/utility room had layers of laundry that had been there forever. I just started throwing crap out. The layers were so high, I was as tall as my washer and dryer which is about a foot up off the floor. I ended up getting it done and now I am shorter than the washer, thats how high the piles were. I started working on my bedroom and now there is a path around the bed that I could vacuum. My advice is, do not sort things one by one or get caught up with getting a bag ready for goodwill donation. In normal circumstances I would donate usable things but the mess was so bad that in this instance I just threw stuff out. Remember if its buried there and has been for so long you already are not using it or do not miss it so get rid of it. Do you have money for an exterminator? You will need one for the bedroom. Do not get hung up on a timeline. Its too overwhelming and you could end up not doing anything. Go by hotspots, Tackle on area at a time. If its all you get done in a day so be it. Like, maybe try just your bed and the next day somewhere else.

You’ve got my encouragement and support! I’m here cheering you on! An hour is a fine start. Take baby steps and pace yourself so you don’t get overwhelmed. You’ll get there.

Definitely can relate and when organizing and cleaning my house I can feel easily overwhelmed. What helps me is to make a list on Saturday morning and then my goal is to complete most tasks by Sunday afternoon. No don’t always get to everything, but it helps to have a list. It took me a few years to put all my pictures up in my house after moving here. It took 5 years and still there is one room that continues to need more organization. Keep at it and it will get there.

You are definitely not alone, and there's no need to feel ashamed.


I've been in the same situation more than once. The last time I let my apartment get completely out of control, I got cockroaches so bad, that one night I was awakened by one crawling up my face.

What I do now, when it gets really bad, is to just tackle one room a day and do as much as I can with many breaks. When that room is done I move on to the next.

Good for you for starting the clean up process.

splitimage