MsCromulent

I second the Flylady suggestion.

Boylan

I third Flylady. She provides great structure to the whole cleaning thing. Even if you can't meet all of her suggestions, you'll always know where to start again.

Don't worry about your lack of knowledge of house cleaning. I know stuff but still don't do it! lol.

As you are finding out, thanks to the Internet you'll find answers to questions you never had.

I say chillax on this one.

Best regards.

immri

Hi, just wanted to say you are so not alone in this, I understand completely how you feel and how overwhelming and embarrassing it can be, but it really shouldn't it's not a reflection of you. I'm 24 and before the last few months I'd probably never cleaned before. The list lastdayone made was perfect imo and similar to what I've got for myself
I think people underestimate the amount of info you actually need when starting something like this that you've never done before. It's not just instinct! People actually learn this stuff and it's perfectly normal to feel a bit left behind if you never saw how to do things
So don't be embarrassed!
Id also add that things like kitchen counters and dining tables should be wiped down after every use I've found, and showers are easy to clean while you're still in them, before the grime builds up
Goodluck

mayabee

I like to set a timer for a short period (20 or 30 minutes) and work on a task until the timer goes off. If it's a big job, take a 10 minute break and then work for another 20 or 30 minutes. It is easy to get overwhelmed but having a defined period to work always helps me stay focused.

Tamerua

I grew up in the same home and actually left as soon as I could because of it.. And at one point had to move back because of finances. But! I have something for you! Insight!

Start with the place that you feel most comfortable in, where you spend the most amount of time and where you go to relax. That is the first room you tackle and once tackled, that is the once room that will be your clean sanctuary.


Then, room at a time based on function. Bathroom and kitchen. And I would do a task list, post it somewhere visible. Dishes daily, counters and stove stop daily, vacuum and toilets angling weekly.

Check out fly lady, when you are more organized. It gives tips on breaking it down.

Kasia71

Don't feel like a moron NightNDay
I grew up with an OCD mother. My house was immaculate to a level that my friends didn't like coming over cause it was so perfect it didn't feel homey & comfortable. I had chores, routines, requirements...and it was always a battle for me. That battle is still there & I have 3 kids now and a husband that are a job in it self to keep them contributing to it...always having to be micromanaged. My drinking certainly has not helped...I feel like I'm drowning in it....plus I have a very busy job that is often 7 days a week. And then.....I added to my chaos! I love doing remodeling projects and am quite good at it (one of my bath remodels was featured on DIY Network)...so excited to get started on the latest home project I ripped a room apart moving all of it's content into another....framed a wall...hung drywall...and their it sits for months and months....my house is in disarray...I have no time to get it done along with the normal chores. We live in a dusty disaster area. Sometimes I feel ADD cause when I do have a day to get something done I spin in circles doing this and that but never feeling like I make a dent in the chaos. Very anxiety inducing! My hopes on Day 5...without cocktails I will have a lot more hours to get my act & home together.

Marcher13

NightNDay something super-straightforward to start with might help, have a look at this daily checklist from Real Simple. That list is realistic, it gets the essentials done and doing a little every day goes a long way to making a comfortable home. If you also plan the meals (and make sure you have the ingredients) and do a load of washing you'll be doing well.

BTW PM me anytime. I've been keeping house for 40 years and working full time so I've learned to be efficient.

BunnyLove

I can relate. My mom is the perfect housecleaner and even though I had cleaning chores growing up and know EXACTLY how to keep a clean and organized home, I can never keep my place the way she does. I try, but I tend to have "moments" where I get sick and tired of being sick and tired (just like the drinking thing) and then I finally do something and it takes me hours and hours to get things in order and cleaned. I guess I need to get on a program for that too

DontRemember

I grew up the same way..My place has it's good days and bad days. I like to focus on one room at a time and clean from top-bottom..Then I'll go a month without cleaning my floors. I keep a "tidy", not, clean house. I'm a bachelor though!

beach20

You are ok. I am a cleaner. My family is not.
They are hoarders.
Start with one topic...clothes, sinks, toilets or whatever.
Do that and finish.
Go the next topic.
Once you are done with each area,
Go back to each area and get the cleaners for each area
One thing at a time.
Start small.
You will be amazed.

whenimdone

My family were the same...hoarders of stuff and animals. I used to be able to sit at my kitchen table and rest my feet on the magazines and junk mail piling up underneath. I'm not the most organized person in the world, so I always keep a swiffer handy, duster/wet cloth, stove top wipes, and glass cleaning wipes. Dishes I do daily (although that can be challenging) and laundry is an ongoing battle (I do a load a day, washed and folded). Whenever I clean my son asks: Who's coming over? with deadly seriousness. My house is never going to be immaculate, but with a half hour's notice it can pass muster. The downstairs, anyway. Two hours if you want the upstairs or basement tour.

heartcore

I set a time expectation (like 40 minutes - adjust if necessary) a day. I play music or just work in silence & think, and it doesn't matter what cleaning or organizing thing I do, but I have to work straight through. Sometimes (maybe once or twice a month) I'll set a long period (3 hours) & do it intermittently on a Saturday. That's when I would scrub out the tub, wash sheets, change out the beds, clean the bathroom. The dishes & counters are daily. I sweep the floors about once a week.

I've always loved cleaning with a timer. When my 40 minutes are done, I just stop. Easy-peasy. My little house looks "lived in" (piles of papers & books), but clean.

Hope4Life

I like LastDayOne's list. I'll add a couple simple idea's.....

Remember the old saying - "A place for everything and everything in it's place".

By keeping stuff organized you end up with a cleaner environment around you. Get a couple laundry baskets that fit in your closet. When you take your clothes off before you shower, throw them in the baskets. you could even use one for colors and one for whites or stuff for the gentle cycle.

Place a bowl on your counter, dresser or desk to place your keys and wallet in when you come home, that way you always know where they are. Keep your bills together in one spot with your check book so you do not forget to pay them (unless you pay automatically or over the internet).

If cleaning an entire room is overwhelming to you, start with a small section.... like the coffee table or the kitchen table. Recycle old newspapers and magazines and put the one's you want to keep in a magazine rack. Try to eliminate clutter, it makes it a lot easier to dust. If you like a lot of small decorative items, get a display case to organize them in.

PURGE! Get rid of anything you no longer need. SIMPLIFY! Less is really more.... unclutter your life and you will feel better about the situation. Donate old clothes you no longer wear or have grown out of. Toss stuff that is worn out or broken and eliminate unneeded items just taking up space.

Once you get more organized and get the house looking better, it will be a much smaller effort each day/week/month to keep it looking good.

Good Luck!

BunnyLove

Oh, I forgot to mention that my mom bought me a little wood sign that says "The house was clean yesterday. Sorry you missed it." She knows I'll never be like her