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Argh, I know what that feels like...
I used to get that when I'd spend the day alone with the kids: after putting them to bed, I'd face the mess of toys in the living room, food and cooking in the kitchen, the bag of still-wet swimming stuff from earlier in the day, etc... 1/ https://twitter.com/danidonovan/status/1358811507191070723
I used to get that when I'd spend the day alone with the kids: after putting them to bed, I'd face the mess of toys in the living room, food and cooking in the kitchen, the bag of still-wet swimming stuff from earlier in the day, etc... 1/ https://twitter.com/danidonovan/status/1358811507191070723
I'd look at the mess and be completely paralyzed because it was such a mess that I didn't even know where to start.
What worked for me: If you don't know where to start, just start anywhere, it won't actually matter.
Having to start in the right place is just an illusion. 2/
What worked for me: If you don't know where to start, just start anywhere, it won't actually matter.
Having to start in the right place is just an illusion. 2/
E.g. I'd pick up a toy car and put it in the "car box". Then get all the toy cars and put them there as well.
It didn't matter whether that was the most important thing to do, but seeing the mess reduced by even that tiny bit was sufficiently rewarding to keep me going. 3/
It didn't matter whether that was the most important thing to do, but seeing the mess reduced by even that tiny bit was sufficiently rewarding to keep me going. 3/
There is no such thing as the "right" first thing to do. There's no fixed order other than the one in your head (modulo hard constraints like emptying the dishwasher before you fill it).
Getting over that helped me a ton in getting through the mess. 4/
Getting over that helped me a ton in getting through the mess. 4/
As for the food: cheat.
When the stuff in the tupper at the back of the fridge is just too gross, I dump it in the toilet and flush a few times. No need to have that stuff fermenting in my garbage.
If it's too gross to look at, stick it in the freezer for a few hours first. 5/
When the stuff in the tupper at the back of the fridge is just too gross, I dump it in the toilet and flush a few times. No need to have that stuff fermenting in my garbage.
If it's too gross to look at, stick it in the freezer for a few hours first. 5/
Once it's rock solid, it just plops cleanly (and without stink) out of the tupper. Sure, you can't flush it *yet*, but if you leave the frozen block in your toilet for an hour, then it will thaw and down it goes.
Bonus: if it's snowing outside, you don't need a freezer
6/
Bonus: if it's snowing outside, you don't need a freezer
6/
As for the dishes, same game: fill the sink with hot water and some soap and let them soak for an hour. Or four hours, if you forget.
The cool thing is, as with flushing rotten leftovers, it's only bad because you think it's bad. But it's way better than not doing it at all. 7/
The cool thing is, as with flushing rotten leftovers, it's only bad because you think it's bad. But it's way better than not doing it at all. 7/
People will only judge you for it if you tell them about it, so if you don't want that, don't tell them (and definitely don't write a whole thread on Twitter about it, geez, what will the neighbour think). 8/
Anyway, that's what worked for me.
Hope it helps, and if not, I hope you'll eventually find whatever works for you!
Hope it helps, and if not, I hope you'll eventually find whatever works for you!
