obsessing about cleaning!

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-27-2003
obsessing about cleaning!
7
Sat, 12-30-2006 - 2:59pm

hi everyone....


just wanted to see if anyone else feels this way, or does this. also looking for suggestions.


i have been OBSESSING about cleaning the messy house i live in...i mean...i am CONSTANTLY bothered by the mess in the house...


we live w/my parents...so most of the mess is not even mine...which annoys me cause i can't clean up someone elses stuff....


christmas bothered me...yes...christmas bothered me becuase we got a bunch of stuff that we had to put away.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Sat, 12-30-2006 - 3:25pm

I have the same feelings, Heather. I attribute it to my OCD. The mess of gifts under the tree is driving me nuts! I have tried re-arranging them so it looks neater, but the girls get stuff back out again. On Christmas morning, I stood with a box & collected the wrapping paper as fast as everyone could get it off. My mom was yelling @ me to sit down & open my gifts first, that the trash could wait until later. I was so worried that a gift was accidentally missed & was put in the trash box. I was compelled to go through the wrapping paper several times *just to make sure.*


I know I have to learn to let these things go. To take some deep breaths & move on, but it's so difficult. When I brought the kids home from the hospital, I was obssessed by keeping the house clean. I recall being run ragged. I can feel for you, but have no real answers. Hopefully someone else has some tips for us. Try to enjoy your time with the baby. Accept that there will always be some mess when you have small children. You are doing your best. Good luck to you! (((hugs))) jan

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-28-2004
Sat, 12-30-2006 - 4:35pm

Hi Heather,

I'm far from a compulsive cleaner, but since my anxiety developed, the clutter and messes at home bother me a lot and often trigger worse episodes of anxiety. I think mainly because to me...whenever the "mess" gets on my nerves, it represents that whole "my life is out of control" feeling.

When I can't find something (which is frequently) or something gets broken or I just feel overwhelmed, my anxiety just seems to pour out. Occasionally I think maybe there is some transference going on too, where all my repressed anxiety about other things just floods out at the sink of dirty dishes.

We are packed into a really small living space right now which compounds the problem.

Anyway I think cleaning issues are really common with anxiety. Try not to let it get you down!

Hugs,
Dee

Avatar for peoplearenuts
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Sat, 12-30-2006 - 6:14pm

I think that I am a little obsessive about cleaning too. More about picking up clutter than anything else. A big mess does make me anxious.

The Christmas stuff drove me nuts. I did my weekly cleaning today and put away some of the random decorations we had out - now all we have is the tree. DH said we can take it down Jan. 1 if we want. Lucky for me his ADD means he gets REALLY into sorting and organizing. It's a blessing in disguise. All I have to do is put an idea in his head and he takes it from there.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sat, 12-30-2006 - 9:41pm

sheesh, my tree came down on the 26th!!
it made me feel trapped with the space it took up.

mess and clutter are not peaceful.
definetly anxiety provoking.
i am constantly cleaning, when i lived with
my mom, her mess drove me nuts.

Heather,
can you return some gifts? i also see all the gifts
as more junk, i feel like scroge this year.

kris

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-21-2006
Sat, 12-30-2006 - 10:13pm

Oh my! I can completely relate to how you are feeling! I have such a problem with that. It seems that I can never feel satisfied when cleaning! When I do the dishes, sometimes I keep the water in the sink for a while so I can wash every dish that comes along because I can't stand to see dirty dishes in the sink. I even wash dishes when I'm cooking!

What helps me is reassuring myself that it will get done in time. I let myself take a break and do my best to keep a normal "routine" of cleaning. I do my best to try not to be negative about it, and tell myself at least I have a house to live in that I can clean!

I know I'm not much of a help, but I wanted to let you know that I do the same thing!

Take care~
Amy

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Sat, 12-30-2006 - 10:36pm
I'm the same way, it sounds like most of us are!

Sheri Ann

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-27-2006
Sun, 12-31-2006 - 9:35pm

I TOTALLY relate with this feeling as well. I've got 5 youngins' and that makes it so hard to keep things clean and when my environment is out of control, I feel like *I'M* out of control. I agree with whoever said that when they look at the mess on the floor, it represents their "out of control" lives. It does feel that way. All ya want is "order" in your life and it's just not happening. It will get better, but just take each day as it comes. Heather, I see that you just had a baby, you should still be taking it easy and just taking care of you and the lil'n. :) Maybe ask people in your family, church, neighborhood to chip in an hour or so to help with house chores. There are also people called "Postpartum Doulas" who you hire to be your helper for as long as you need them, to run errands for you, cleaning, laundry, light cooking or run out to get you something to eat, help with the older children and usually help you with breastfeeding if needed.
Email me if you want any info.

Best wishes and many blessings,
Amy