I have made this thread so that we can go in our own tact with keeping our homes to be good surroundings to live in when we are depressed. Hope you want to join me in making it better to live with depression because we create a repetitive pattern for cleaning and more (it becomes a habit and good habits helps our depressions). Doing things together is more helpful than doing them alone, even if we go in our own tact.

I have tried and tried, but the only "thing" that has worked for me is the Flylady system. I want to retry it and hope to not be alone.

Here is a link to FlyLady's welcome letter. You don't have to buy anything or do anything other then doing "baby steps" for the next 31 days. Let us discuss the steps when we are ready, talk about difficulties and how to understand these steps, if FlyLady is the system we want to use for ourselves.

31 Beginner BabySteps | FlyLady.net

I have to admit that I liked her system better the way it was before, because she sent daily reminders at 7:00 am, 8:00 am ... and continued with that through the day. We can send such reminders to ourselves if we want to.

Please remember that you don't have to be a FlyBaby to use this tread. If you have your own system that is OK.

I started the thread and I feel some kind of responsibility to make the first post.

I have more than enough to try to make my mind ready for this, so I will not do the first step today. I say to myself: "Tomorrow or one of the first days I will start at a program that will make my surroundings more attractive to live in with my depression."

To all the readers:

[sugarbeeMe]

I’ll try!! We can do a baby step! My whole life has been based on baby steps!! ❤️

this is a good idea!.

I'm in too!

[sugarbeeMe]

Ok everyone! Let’s go shine those sinks! Set timer for 2 or even 1 min. Then we can all take a break. We got this!

[cryingontheinside]

This is a good thread . I haven't checked out the link yet but I will I've been struggling to keep my home clean for the past 5 months . My daughter wanted to visit last weekend . I wasn't expecting it because she previously told my mum she wasn't going to visit me for a while because when I was really low I had told her how I was feeling - that I really don't enjoy life. When I looked around at my home it was so bad I couldn't let her come and stay in this mess so I told her she can come next weekend instead and I've been doing a little bit of cleaning everyday since with her as my motivation. I even told her I will take her out for a meal when she comes which is going to be hard for me because I'm agoraphobic and have social anxiety , but I know I don't break my promises and I will do it and we will have a good time. Now I'm gonna go and do a bit of cleaning. It's going to be harder because I currently have no hot water. I'm in a pay and go meter for gas. I thought I had put enough money on it but I didnt realises they charge me for using the meter and that took away most of my credit . But like I said this is a really good thread , I will definitely be using it . Thank you for thinking of it !

[hprodf]

Really cool thread, this is very applicable in many things in our lives.

On cleaning specifically, I've done two things which actually keeps me motivated to do it.

1) Positive Association: So basically I listen to music or podcasts when doing the cleaning, so the chore has positive associations to help me feel more motivated to do it.

2) Gamify: By this I basically mean I set myself silly challenges when doing the chore, as it helps me effectively make it into a game.

It seems to help, but I like the suggestions in the link.

Oh wow—thanks for the link. I had no idea she is still around. I used to read her many, many years ago—it had to be more than 20 years!

I don’t remember what it was—emails? Newsletters?

Same little cartoon lady.

[Shazerac]

I love Flylady. I had forgotten all about her.

Thank you to all who have answered!

I'm sorry that I have not followed you up, but I, myself, have not been able to follow the "Lady". I have thought it over and have come to this conclusion for myself: Zone-cleaning was once a very helpful tool for me, but now I need different strategies.

I have set up a plan that is so: Bedroom, living-room, kitchen, bathroom, other. Instead of the zones I try to work one day (one or two hours when I have the energy) at one room according to the list until it is OK. Let's say that I use two days in a row to clean the bedroom and then become so depressed that I'm not able to to do something for the next days, I goes on with the next room on the list when I feel better until it is cleaned, even if it takes me more then one day.

So it goes on and on, one room at the time ...

If you think that is an idea you can use, please feel free to borrow it. If you feel that Flylady is better for you, use her and use this thread to keep each other updated.

I want to continue in the accountability thread instead

Good wishes for your cleaning whatever strategy you find useful!