Steps to Cleaning When You’re Depressed – House Cleaning Services
It’s hard to take the steps to cleaning when you’re depressed. If you can’t even get out of bed, how are you supposed to get even one basic household chore done? However, looking around at your messy space can make you feel worse about everything, including yourself. Not only that, but the longer you wait, the more the chores build up. Ultimately, this exacerbates your depression, and makes you feel more overwhelmed and worthless than you might already.
By no means are we saying that cleaning will cure your depression. We all know that there is no one cure to mental illness (as great as that would be). However, making an effort to clean your space even a little bit each day can help you get out of the clutter-depression-anxiety cycle, and give you a sense of accomplishment. If you can relate, read on. We’re going to give you a few tips to consider.
Baby Steps to cleaning when You’re Depressed
When you’re in the midst of depression, your mind can make mountains out of molehills. Your laundry, the dishes, the dust… it can all feel paralyzing. Firstly, the most important thing to remember when you start even thinking about cleaning, is that you do not have to do everything right now. The point is, you’re trying to break the cycle in your mind. So, how do you put ‘baby steps’ into action? Well, it’s all about breaking up the big tasks into smaller, more doable ones. Remember, this isn’t about cleaning your whole home. This is about cleaning one thing. Just one.
However, if you’re having trouble getting started… start small. Like, if you’re walking through the kitchen and see a dirty bowl on the counter instead of in the sink, pick it up as you walk through instead of letting it sit there. Additionally, if you’re ready for something more challenging, try setting a timer on your phone to 5 minutes. In those 5 minutes, choose to clean one area as much as you can. Don’t worry if the area isn’t spotless when the time is up, it’s not about 100% clean- it’s about setting a goal and accomplishing it. Because, cleaning for these 5 minutes once a day will feel a lot better than not doing anything at all.
Clean As You Go
At the end of the day, conquering a mountain of kitchen-ware can feel impossible, and probably makes you cringe in pain every time you look or think about it. You’re not ‘being lazy’ by not cleaning when you’re depressed. You’re just depressed. But what if there was a way to get rid of pile ups all together? Well guess what, there is- and it’s called clean as you go. Just like it sounds, this refers to cleaning your dishes right after you use them, and putting away things once they’ve served their purpose.
Just consider, if you take care of the things you use now, you’ll have to use less effort to clean later. For example, cleaning up an egg spill is a lot easier to do right after it happens versus three days later. And not only will cleaning as-you-go help you feel less trapped and overwhelmed in the future, it will give you a sense of pride and accomplishment. For more ideas, check out our article that discloses the secret to cleaning less.
A Little Help Never Hurt Depression
Reaching out to anyone while you’re depressed can be one of the harder things to do. Reaching out to ask someone for help cleaning when you’re depressed is probably even harder. However, if you’re lucky enough to have a friend or relative who knows what you’re going through, don’t hesitate to call them up. In fact, having a friend to help you tackle that mountain of dishes or two loads of laundry might actually be…fun. And they don’t even necessarily have to help you clean. At the very least, they’ll be there for some chit-chat. Just the right amount to get you through the clean.
However, if the mess is just too overwhelming- to the point where you’d rather move out then clean…it might be time to call a cleaning service. Asking for help isn’t a cop-out. No one said you have to do it on your own. There are no rules. In fact, if you do call a cleaning service, you could take the opportunity to go for a walk or take care of errands you’ve been putting off. However, the most important thing is to do what makes you feel the most comfortable. Whether it’s cleaning up by yourself, with a friend, or hiring a cleaning service…well that’s up to you!
It’s The Steps You Take…
At the end of the day, these cleaning feats, however large or small, will give you a sense of accomplishment and something to feel positive about. You’ll be able to look at your living room, your kitchen, or your bedroom and say “I did that”. You made that happen. Even if it means you picked up the phone, called a cleaning service, and gave them the time and space to work. However, by even trying to do something small every day, you’ll notice that your space will get a little less messy over time. Plus, these tiny accomplishments give you something to be proud of.
Hopefully, the clean area or surface will serve as a reminder that you do deserve better, and you have what it takes to get yourself there. In fact, getting out of your head for even just five minutes each day can be enough to interrupt the depressive cycle going on in your head. Though cleaning will not cure your depression, you don’t deserve to live in a mess. Truth be told, cleaning when you’re depressed is possible. You are useful. You can accomplish something positive. Action is the best step to change, and baby, you’re getting close.
Hungry for more?
This post was brought to you by Maid4Condos, a top-rated residential cleaning service dedicated to the people of Toronto. Maid4Condos has been a committed partner to the Toronto cleaning and construction scene for years, and continues to provide exceptional cleaning services to clients. Get a FREE quote & book your cleaning today or follow this link to learn more of what we’re all about!
Get Social With Us:
Visit the Maid4Condos blog and follow us on FaceBook, Twitter or Instagram for more industry news, Toronto lifestyle guides and cleaning tips!
See Maid4Condos Reviews:
Share , Like & Engage On Social Media: