How to get through household chores

[Darts36]

Hi I was wondering if anyone could give advice how I could get back to normal doing my chores around my flat on a regular basis as I've neglected them for a long time always thinking what's the point I think this is my depression thanx

[Hidden]

Hi Darts this could have been me writing that! I have the same problem at the moment thinking exactly the same as you - what's the point? I can't get my mindset out of the negative of I don't deserve anything better and who cares anyway.

I have an added reason to do it as my boiler needs attention and I have no hot water, and can't call anyone into my mess of a flat.

I don't know about you but it's not tips on cleaning I need but how to change my mindset. I hope we get some good advice.

Bev x

[XoxNataloushxoX in reply to Hidden]

Hello Bev,

I really hope you feel better soon!

Open the windows and Breath some fresh air 😃

Start cleaning your kitchen and the rest will follow!!

You will feel so good once it's finish !!

You can do it

[Hidden in reply to XoxNataloushxoX]

I wish it was a simple as that X Bev x

[XoxNataloushxoX in reply to Hidden]

i understand that today is not a good day.

I am here if you want to chat 👍😃👍

[Hidden in reply to XoxNataloushxoX]

Thanks X I appreciate that. I hope you don't mind me calling you 'X' I wouldn't even try and attempt your long full name Bev x

[XoxNataloushxoX in reply to Hidden]

Lol,

You Call me Lady X or simply Natalie 😃

[Hidden in reply to XoxNataloushxoX]

Ok Bev x

[XoxNataloushxoX in reply to Hidden]

So tell me , Bev, Whats happening ?

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Bev

See below, Always around, Pace yourself

BOBxx

[Findingme in reply to Hidden]

Bev, your comfort and health are more important than what some repair man thinks of your housekeeping. Clear a path to the boiler by shoving all your stuff into the back room, and call the boiler service. If it is a gas boiler this is even more important so you do not get gassed with carbon monoxide. If any comments are made by said repair man, tell him, any more smart comments and he is not getting biscuits with his tea. He is there to fix the boiler, not judge you on your housekeeping. However I should imagine he would not notice if you haven't hoovered in a year anyway.

My point is, I think when we are depressed we are worried about getting approval from the world, when really we need to be doing all we can to help ourselves get better. You will feel a lot better when you have hot water again.

[XoxNataloushxoX]

Hi Darts 36,

Have you tried concetrating on small parts of your home at a time.

Start by taking out the garbage ( if any)

Then dishes , a clean kitchen always brings a smile. Do all this with music 😃

You will see how fast it will get clean!!

Good luck

[Darts36 in reply to XoxNataloushxoX]

Thank you that is really helpful

[Hidden]

I've been having the same problem, with not being bothered about the state of my house.

So yesterday I cleaned out the fridge and sat down and wrote out a goal plan for the week.

I've taken a room each day and written out what I want to achieve in each room. I've pinned the timetable up in my kitchen where I can see it.

Hopefully by the end of next week I'll have the house in a much better shape.

[deejames]

Try making a list of chores to be done on a specific day. Make the list quite small so that it's easy to get through but enough so that you make progress. Make sure there is a box to tick after each job. Whenever you complete a task stand back and contemplate it for a minute or two.

Its great that you are trying to find ways of getting things done.

I'm a great believer in having a pleasant environment to help with states of mind. A bit of order and cleanliness can make a difference I think.

Good luck with it

Dee

[Darts36 in reply to deejames]

This is really helpful thanx

[Hidden]

Hello Darts

Pace yourself, make a list of chores on a daily basis, also split a single chore into groups where you can do part of a chore and start and do another part of the chore.

So you are not doing dusting at one time for example, Work in the bathroom for example over a shortened time. Also take regular rests and give a treat etc.

Sad to say I have problems because of chronic pain, I need to accept that I am unable to do what I used to do.

When I work now in the garden, my chores generally light so I generally work for fifteen mins then take a break for upwards of forty five mins

If something is a real chore and you carry on for to long the chore becomes a bind and then nothing gets done

Be kind to yourself

BOB

Ps

I suffer Trigger Finger and my hands become painful when typing, so I spend shorter periods typing, I still enjoy answering here. So by pacing it still becomes a pleasure being on here

You know where we are

BOB

[Darts36 in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou

[loggerslot]

Hi There,

Like some have said break the list down to small things to do and work around that. if you feel its difficult then you might want to break the list down a bit further to make it easy for you but with the eventual aim that you will combine the list into briefer statements. sometimes you just need to push yourself and say "Right, lets get on with it" and only you know when you can do that because these are only mental barriers that really are not there so you need to change that way of thinking and with practice you can knock down those barriers and free your mind.

[Darts36 in reply to loggerslot]

A great help thanx

[smartiesandbiscuits]

Hi Darts36, I am no expert but when I have these feelings about my course work I try to just do one question and this sometimes leads me to doing more questions but if not, at least I did one. You could try to apply this to your cleaning and just do a little thing such as tidy one area and do a little each day. But at worrying about it can put more pressure on yourself and actually make you less likely to do it so perhaps give yourself a break... try not to think about it for a day and then as suggested, do a little tidying to see if this helps. Hope you are feeling better soon x

[Darts36 in reply to smartiesandbiscuits]

Thank you

[Hidden]

Doing anything that breaks the circle of depression is good, if you consentrate on what you are doing your less likley to think about being depressed. Remember you can beat depression. Good luck.

[Darts36 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you

[Mandy6513]

What i did was get a load of boxes and one room at a time i just picked up the whole lot of mess and put it in boxes........cleaned and polished and got is sparkling then every day i got one box out and either binned what was in it or gave it away or put it away......

I made a few children really happy with my granddaughters toys i had here and sent clothes off to the charity shop etc so not only was the work done something good came out of it for someone else other than me

It worked great for me because things got tidy quick and i honestly think when your home is clean and tidy you feel better i know i do 100% feel better when the house is ok...x

[Darts36 in reply to Mandy6513]

Very helpful thank you

[Hidden in reply to Mandy6513]

That's a good idea Mandy and one I never thought of. Thanks. x

[Mandy6513 in reply to Hidden]

Bev its really worked for me because it gives a really fast result and i needed that because as you know im not well and have to get as much done as i can when i have a good day

I tried listing things and doing a bit each day because thats what my medical team tell me to do but hardly noticed the change although i knew i had done something. I would spend so much times sorting through things i wanted or didn't want and wondering where to put things...

It was getting me down so much i literally wanted to throw everything out and start fresh which was impossible. so in the end i had some boxes in the cupboard and got them out and filled them with all the stuff in my living room and polished and cleaned then put all the boxes in the spare room.

The place was gleaming it was lovely and because it was so lovely when i got the first box back out to sort out i didn't keep much of it. The trick though was making myself get a box out every day and emptying it.

[Hidden in reply to Mandy6513]

That's exactly how I feel Mandy! I spend much too long sorting things out into keep and chuck and in the end I get so discouraged I just leave it.

Mind you it would help to have a spare room like you - all I have is a very small one bedroom flat which is barely big enough for me and the cat Bev x

[Mandy6513 in reply to Hidden]

Yeah i can see that would be a problem but if everything goes in a box there will be a bit of room to put the box If that makes sense x

[Hidden in reply to Mandy6513]

It makes perfect sense Mandy. Thanks. x