How to Clean My Room?

[dvdnvwls]

Originally Posted by BellaVita

Is this a trick question?

No, I'm just kind of dense, and/or socially-perverse. If there are things that belong on the floor, then IMO they should stay on the floor. If you "put them away" into somewhere they don't belong, and then you end up putting them back on the floor where they do belong, then you just wasted your time and energy shuffling your items when you could have been doing something useful, or something fun.

Don't clean up yet; this will only take a couple of minutes.

Look at the stuff that's on the floor. What categories do the things belong to? Why is it those things that ended up on the floor? Is there a better place for them - or is there just a different place that's actually no better?

Example: There's a big huge pile of books on the floor near my bed. There is a better place for those: I have a bookshelf. (Sideways, in six pieces, but I have a bookshelf.)

There's also a pair of slippers and a pair of shoes on the floor near my bed. There is NOT a better place for those: when I go to bed it's easy for me to put them there, and it's easy to put them on again when I get up.

So, put things in better places, where they really belong, or else don't waste your time. Putting stuff that doesn't belong on the floor, into another place where it also doesn't belong, is a really dumb game.


OK, now comes the deep philosophy.

Unless you have a lot of hooks dangling from the ceiling, pretty much everything in your house is on the floor. Think about it.

[ana futura]

Originally Posted by dvdnvwls

So, put things in better places, where they really belong, or else don't waste your time. Putting stuff that doesn't belong on the floor, into another place where it also doesn't belong, is a really dumb game.

I really have to disagree with this, at least for me.

I suppose it depends on the nature of your mess, but my floor tends to just be a giant pile of crap. Taking once piece out of the pile and putting it away, one at a time, just sucks. I will never find the motivation to finish, because everything happens so slowly. If i can quickly sort into piles by type, and then put those things away, I think it goes much faster, and I can see the progress, which is hugely important for me.

Smaller messes, like my kitchen counters, or the living room floor (which never gets as messy as the bedroom) i will do each piece at a time, straight to where it goes. But in cases of overwhelm, where it looks like 15 closets threw up, the piles make it much easier.

Or maybe that's not what you were saying?

I assume that in BellaVita's case (like mine) nothing on the floor belongs there. It is just a 2 foot high pile of crap that all has a better place it should go. The problem isn't knowing where the thing goes, it's keeping yourself on track while you put the things away, without giving up or getting immensely depressed in the middle.

[dvdnvwls]

If the piles are sorted by category, and there is some kind of logic to where they end up, then we're not disagreeing very badly.

[dvdnvwls]

ana futura: I also think it would be easy to prove that your place is better organized than mine. Maybe that clinches it.

[ana futura]

Originally Posted by dvdnvwls

If the piles are sorted by category, and there is some kind of logic to where they end up, then we're not disagreeing very badly.

I think i actually didn't really understand what you are saying.

[dvdnvwls]

There are people (not you) who will simply jam stuff into boxes/closets/etc just to "get it off the floor". That's what is pointless IMO. Except if Someone Special will be here in five minutes and there's no other way.

[ana futura]

Originally Posted by dvdnvwls

ana futura: I also think it would be easy to prove that your place is better organized than mine. Maybe that clinches it.

No way, no one is less organized than me. I'll send you photos.

I have mad organizational skills though. I have the know-how, just not the self discipline to not throw things on the floor. When I do clean up, things look awesome. For a day. My biggest problem is that i am unlearning some hoarding behaviors, which takes time.

[ana futura]

Originally Posted by dvdnvwls

There are people (not you) who will simply jam stuff into boxes/closets/etc just to "get it off the floor". That's what is pointless IMO. Except if Someone Special will be here in five minutes and there's no other way.

Oh, okay, got it. Yes, i save that technique for house guests and moving only. I have about 20 of those boxes waiting to be gone through at the moment.

[dvdnvwls]

Originally Posted by ana futura

No way, no one is less organized than me. I'll send you photos.

I have mad organizational skills though. I have the know-how, just not the self discipline to not throw things on the floor. When I do clean up, things look awesome. For a day. My biggest problem is that i am unlearning some hoarding behaviors, which takes time.

You and I obviously qualify as "very different from each other", and yet in some small ways we are like long-lost siblings.

[ana futura]

Originally Posted by dvdnvwls

You and I obviously qualify as "very different from each other", and yet in some small ways we are like long-lost siblings.

I assume that you are like my partner, who can not organize for crap, but is also somehow always cleaner than me. She just can't figure out how to arrange things in a logical fashion and vertical space is an absolute mystery to her.

So when she puts things on the floor it's because she really doesn't know where to put the thing.

When I put things on the floor it's because i just threw them down in a heap, because actually putting things away would require me to take two minutes out of my busy day doing nothing.

[stef]

bella:
is all of this stuff you want to keep?
if not get a big shopping bag for things to donate and a medium garbage bag, sift through everything: keep, donate, throw away
put all of the keep stuff on the bed and sort thematically. dont think too much about the categories, that doensnt matter.
its never goignto be oerfect forget about that! the idea is to be able to find things when you need them.

[ana futura]

Originally Posted by stef

bella:
is all of this stuff you want to keep?
if not get a big shopping bag for things to donate and a medium garbage bag, sift through everything: keep, donate, throw away
put all of the keep stuff on the bed and sort thematically. dont think too much about the categories, that doensnt matter.
its never goignto be oerfect forget about that! the idea is to be able to find things when you need them.

Oh god, but the agonizing about the keeping and the giving away! That adds a whole extra week onto the process

And then there is always the chance that the give away bag will make it's way out of the car and back into the house in a moment of weakness!

When i do sort things out to get rid of I always have to have a "maybe" pile so I don't side tracked on especially difficult choices. But that's cause I'm anxious.

[ana futura]

I'm actually cleaning my room as we speak. My number one piece of advice would be to not be on ADDF.

[dvdnvwls]

Originally Posted by ana futura

I assume that you are like my partner, who can not organize for crap, but is also somehow always cleaner than me. She just can't figure out how to arrange things in a logical fashion and vertical space is an absolute mystery to her.

So when she puts things on the floor it's because she really doesn't know where to put the thing.

When I put things on the floor it's because i just threw them down in a heap, because actually putting things away would require me to take two minutes out of my busy day doing nothing.

No, I'm totally unlike your partner, and much like you.

[InvitroCanibal]

10 steps to cleaning your room


Step 1
Throw everything out that you do not need.
Step 2
Yes..everything, including that old shirt you never wear but may someday wear, or those random wires laying around but you forget where they go, or all the pieces that seem to be missing their place or spot.
Step 3
You should have cleared counters,shelves, and desks at this point, if not, see steps 1 and 2. At step 3 wipe all the shelves down, I like using Windex personally. Great duster. Don't breathe too deeply
Step 4
Find the vacuum...it has to be here somewhere right?
Step 5
You found the vacuum, good....now... that thing works right? ...Crap...
Step 6
Go to the store and get a vacuum
Step 7
Put your dog (or cat) through hell by running the vacuum. Use this time to make vacuuming enjoyable by chasing your dog or cat with the vacuum, but don't vacuum up the cat.
Step 8
Yes you're not done yet...put the vacuum away, put away the trash bags, take out the trash, load the dirty dishes in the dishwasher, put away the old ones that are still in the dishwasher etc.
Step 9
Nope nope, still not done, you need to make your bed, change the sheets and covers..if there are sheets and covers, do laundry etc
Step 10
Take a moment to relax and enjoy the space you found out exists in your room. Also consider cleaning that weird stain on the side of the wall....that thing is gross..whatever it is

Ahhh everythings done, see feels much better doesn't it?

Where's the cat!?