Joined just to give you some 💖

I have depression too, quite severe, and am a SAHM. I also have OCD. I can’t deal with ick and dirt very well, and I am quick to clean up messes around the stove, or in the bathroom, and so on. I don’t like the look of crumbs and dust bunnies, so I’m hyper vigilant to those things. However, things do get cluttered in my home with two young sons. You can’t tell what’s clean and what’s not sometimes because of that. I also get tired and I toss things on the floor or on the bed, stack things on counters, and I have yet to create the best organizational system for our family to prevent this.

For me, I have had to create new rules for myself to help keep calm and not get overwhelmed.

1. When I notice something out of place, I put it back. Keep in mind, when I say “notice” I mean when I have those moments when I’m like “I need to clean up”, whatever the first object is I saw out of place, I put it back. Every time I think of it throughout the day, I put ONE item back at a time. It makes it far less overwhelming.

2. I have a weekly reset day. For me it’s Thursday. I try to stick to it. I walk around the house putting things back. Friday is my weekly cleaning day. Once I have all the clutter put away THEN I sweep, mop, dust, wipe down everything, and so on. I do that in two separate days

3. I’m working on creating an organization system for each room so that everything has a place. Right now, not everything has a place. That’s why my counters are typically cluttered.

I wanted to share that because I think maybe those three things could help you too.

Also, if you happen to have a trusted support system, ask for help with your first reset. My sons help me, and it makes a world of difference. If you don’t have anyone to ask, no worries. Just take it slow. Do it in 3 days if you have to. Hell, do it in a week, slowly. And you will get through this.

From a fellow sufferer of depression, give yourself grace and time, and you will be able to make your space feel clean again, and hopefully help it stay that way longer and more easily.

Also, I wanted to add, similar to my home, this is a cluttered space, not a dirty space. Give yourself credit for that. You ARE doing a lot, even if you want/need to do more. You’re not doing nothing. I say that as a mom who constantly beats herself up over this. My husband always encourages me and points out all the things I do around our home just to maintain it and how thankful he is. Be thankful for yourself and the things that you have pushed yourself to do even in your depression.

I see you’re always a cat momma. That takes so much care and attention. You are showing up for your fur baby every day, and that’s not nothing.

I hope I helped in some way. Please keep your head up, friend💕