Don't know how to start, but... I no longer know what to do in this situation.

I've been chronically ill and disabled for several years, and live with others in a state that I'd call charity case. (That background is important -- that, and I have neuropathy, which means I have trouble feeling things on the floor with my feet and sometimes lose my balance. I also have asthma.)

A few years ago, I was somewhat less mobile than I am now, and also more cognitively impaired, in that my short term memory was worse than it is now (it's still not right) and I had lots of 'brain fog' and couldn't think clearly.

As time has passed, I've slowly improved. Not normal, by any stretch of the imagination, and still too dysfunctional to work. But as I've improved, I began to get bothered more by the state of the household I've been living in because I began moving around more, and stepping on stuff underfoot, and bothered by more things because they were now in my face (whereas earlier, I spent most of my time in the bedroom).

I've asked others to please pick up after themselves, hang up wet towels, get dirty clothes in the hamper, and in general, keep the place tidy but it falls on deaf ears. I've said it's a safety issue for me, and I don't want to trip over things in the middle of the night on the floor, or in the day if I lose my balance randomly. I've also pointed out that wet towels tend to mildew, and molder, and then it can affect my asthma. On top of that, I've said that I find a messy place depressing, and keeping things organized improves my mood.

All of my requests to help keep the place clean do not matter. I ask people to clean up after themselves, and they say "uh huh" or "sure" but they never get to it, even though it would take their able-bodied butt a few seconds to do it.

If it's something that can affect my health negatively, I eventually end up hanging up the wet towel, etc. but it's physically hard on me, takes me longer to do, hurts, and leads to more fatigue. Then the other person might get upset, and ask, "Where'd my towel go? You moved it", and I explain why. But there's never any change in behavior where they decide independently to hang up their own towel before I get to it, even though I'm slow and don't even get to it right away.

A friend suggested that I be passive-aggressive, and just stay in my room and not lift a finger to pick up anything. After all, it hurts me, and no one appreciates my efforts, and they seem to be upset when I touch anything at all. I told them that doesn't help me any, as it makes the house more unlivable for me as a whole (lessens my independence, because using the kitchen and bathroom would get harder) and would set back any chance of my improving my health back because even the small amount of movement I get each day is better than being confined to the bedroom all the time.

If I did zero picking up, it wouldn't get done. No one here seems to care, really, how clean things are except me.

What I do here is minimal compared to what many people do in terms of household tasks. I can handwash a load of dishes and it often takes me all day. I can wipe crumbs off a counter and make coffee. I don't mind it, mostly, because I want to contribute to others, and repay them for their charity. (And then, as I've mentioned, I hang up wet towels and pick clothing off the floor.)

No one here ever vacuums or dusts or cleans the toilet/bathroom, or does any of the 'heavy' cleaning a lot of people do. They actually hired someone to come in once or twice a month to do these things, because they hate housecleaning so much. But inbetween these visits, things can get very messy, and the housecleaner doesn't do anything about piles of stuff or clutter -- she just cleans around them.

I really don't want to think what this place would be like if there was no housecleaner. I think it'd be pretty scary.

I'm not sure what to do. Not sure how to offer others incentives to pick up after themselves. And I'm feeling physically hurt when I do these tasks, even if they're small - and emotionally hurt because I feel unappreciated for the effort I make. It leads to resentment.

And... there's anger here and depression, because those who live with me do not understand that it is many times harder for me to do what they could do in seconds -- if only they'd just do it and not complain. I'd be overjoyed to be able to work and/or go to school, and have no problem cleaning up the house with no complaint if I were a normal, healthy person. But I'm not.

Someone might suggest I move out. Before we go there, two things: I'm not in a position to move out, and love someone who lives here. I'd like to find a way to improve matters without considering that path.