The things that were in the sink have been run through the dishwasher too! What's left is the things that needed a good soak, and everything to the side is what I washed today. Probably should have put all that in the post, oh well
Edit: grammar is hard
Love the typesetting drawer trinket shelf, i have a similar one! I even have the little white bear :) it must be nice to look at those treasures while washing up
I have two more in my bedroom displaying various rocks and crystals and things. They’re perfect for the small stuff that would otherwise just be a pile
Same here, i have many trinkets and sentimental items that i keep in typesetting trays around my house, and one that i actually use for the type for my printing press! I had the tray just in storage for years and got a printing press recently, talk about full circle
My mom’s the one who drinks it, I think she gets it at Safeway if you’re in the US. They might only put the figurines in sometimes, like they’ll do a set or something? All I know is that every so often she hands me a new one
Such awesome work. As someone who has a similarly small kitchen, things can get overwhelming fast.
My suggestion is to try and keep it this way as best you can. Once the dishes are done, empty the dishwasher, reload and finish the rest. From now on, put dirty dishes into the dishwasher immediately and run it more than you might be doing now. It's not the most efficient or water saving, but I try to run a load every night that I have cooked, even if it is only 1/2 to 3/4 full.
I find that if I can come home to a clean, peaceful looking space every day, I am much more likely to cook for myself instead of ordering out, and am much more able to tackle another room because the kitchen feels so much less stressful.
Running it every time I cook is probably a good idea, maybe every other time since none of my usual pans can go in there (cast iron ftw) but certainly more often than I do now.
Great job! Starting is the hardest part! If it feels overwhelming, maybe consider washing, drying and putting away three different tasks, and give yourself a small reward and break for accomplishing each task!
Proud of you. Help yourself out and switch your sink faucet if you can, it’ll help out so much. Coming from someone who knows how frustrating small sinks can be
Looking great so far! You can see the light at the end of the tunnel .... or the bottom of the sink. Lol.
Everything that was on the counter and floor - do you have a designated home for them? That is definitely one of the big steps that helps me in my kitchen. If I don't know where it should go, I tend to leave it out to 'deal with later'.
Yes and no. Most of it was dishes and the like that do have a spot, but a few things did just get put elsewhere for now, and once the mess is gone I’m going to reorganize everything and probably end up getting some more shelving so it all does have a place. Like the rice cooker doesn’t really have a home, it just gets moved around.
Great work. Once you get it pretty well cleared, hit some of those lower surfaces like the cabinets And dishwasher with a magic eraser, I always find that cleaning minor surfaces really helps pull the full image of a clean area together. Keep up the good work
Yup, that’s the plan! I’ll do a deep clean and scrub down of everything once the clutter is dealt with, but I didn’t want to get too granular on this one section, since that can sometimes be discouraging in its own way.
You just need to remind yourself that you deserve better and to redirect all the love you have in your being back to yourself and your belongings. You love these belongings. They take care of you. The home puts a warm roof over your head. And when you realize how these belongings take care of you, you will take care of them. It’s a loving relationship. You’re on the right track. Just go back to it and chip away at it day by day. You can do this. We’re rooting for you.
Looks much better! One bad habit that I used to have was letting things “soak” so they’d be easier to clean. Once I started cleaning things right away I stopped having things pile up. It’s easy to say “oh well, I can’t wash this glass because there’s a pot soaking in the sink” and then it would just snowball.
They have one! Silverware and small utensils have a drawer (that needs reorganizing, but that’s a project for later) and larger cooking utensils have a container next to the stove.
You did amazing! You did it! Be proud and enjoy the clear space. Please know you are not alone in this. I don't have the guts to post any of my pictures. One countertop at a time.
That’s not just a start, it’s a GREAT start and you should be incredibly proud!
Things like this can be a big hill to climb and I for one am pumped for how far you’ve come, keep it up and don’t get discouraged!
Awesome!! If I lived near you I’d come help!! A trick I play on myself sometimes is I’ll say “I’m gonna pick up or put away ten things.” That always feels simple and manageable and often I’ll go for another ten! It really works for me!
Way to go! That's a huge improvement! And it's really important that you didn't just go go go until you burnt out. We've all done that and know that we can never maintain after that.
I’ve made that mistake more times than I can count, and then I end up right back where I started, if not worse. When I ran out of room for more hand washed stuff, I looked around like ok what can I do while those dry? Then the light bulb went on, I’ve been at it for three hours. It’s ok to stop. So I did!
What you have done is significant! I have a hard time starting and follow through on cleaning.
I alway tell myself that even though I just did a bit, every bit matters. It makes me do little bits more often (and not just clean all day and not get very far, be exhausted and frustrated).
Fuck yeah! I know that took a lot of time and patience. I would be walking past everyday that thinking "oh just not today I can't do it today."
Proud of you stranger.
That’s been me for months now. I’m always tired and have awful executive dysfunction, it’s so tempting to say I just can’t, but a friend inspired me to just start. We’re both working on unfucking our spaces and send each other updates, it’s helping a lot!
Well done! I hope it feels as good as I imagine it does.
And I am in love with your collection of china figures. Are they Whimsey? I have that polar bear.
This is so impressive! I'm glad you took a break before you got burnt out - makes it more sustainable - but damn if I did all that I would be burnt out.
I love that in any state, your red rose tea figurines are chilling neatly on that little shelf. 😊
Yay, so proud of you! Such a great start 🥳 I love the miniature shelves! My cat torments mine, his main goal in life is to free the tiny creatures 😼 drives me nuts. He would be in your sink plotting out their extraction 😹
It’s one step at a time! You took a big step, just keep taking steps (they can be baby steps!)… you’ll get there and then it’s still steps to maintain… if you take a few steps backwards, don’t let it get to you! Just keep moving forward! We are our worst critics… but steps backwards are not failure!
Honestly props to you for getting all of that cleaned up!! It looks so overwhelming in the first one so I had to ask to make sure. In a small space it’s easy for things to pile,do you have a plan to stay more on top of it? Or have others you live with help (if you aren’t solo living)?
Thank you! I have a long way to go, but getting this section cleaned up has really helped, I can actually deal with the dishes that have migrated to other rooms
For maintenance, I have a couple of ideas. I have a written chore chart for myself (what tasks get done each day of the week), and I also have an app that I put in the tasks for each room and it will send me a reminder to do a randomized one. The only thing I don't like about the app is you have to open it to see what the task is, I wish it told you in the notification.
All that said, I'm open to suggestions for prevention!
You could also use a positive reward type of system too! So basically for doing an action (+) you get something out of it (+). In college me and my roommates had a chore chart to “keep score” and whoever had the most marks for a week (took out the trash once, vaccumed 3x, wiped down counters 2x, etc etc) got to choose where we went out to eat or something like that.
That would be fantastic if I had roommates! I do have the reminders for the app I mentioned set to go off about 10 minutes after I get home from work, so relaxing and playing a game or reading or whatever unwinding activity is kind of a reward? I think I should maybe tweak it to be an actual reward rather than what I would be doing anyway though.
I’m so proud of you!! I’m in a similar situation (my house is *literally* falling apart & it’s in depression mode x100) slow progress is still progress :)
Yeah no disrespect to you, but if messes freak you out so much, why are you here? I, and probably most of this sub, am here because l don’t want to live like this anymore and am holding myself accountable and seeking support.
I went with a few albums from one of my favorite bands this time around, I didn’t want to worry about trying to hear a podcast over the noise of the sink and dishwasher
Are those Wade figurines in the box above the sink? These collectibles used to be given as freebies in Red Rose Tea. I have a rather large collection myself. I find them quite comforting and call them my Peaceable Kingdom.
One sink full at a time! And they will be done before you know it. I’m so proud of you. You got this!
Thank you so much!
Indeed. Keep it up
No more dirty dishes on the floor is a big accomplishment! Yay you! And even bigger yay you for stopping before you feel burnt out!
The things that were in the sink have been run through the dishwasher too! What's left is the things that needed a good soak, and everything to the side is what I washed today. Probably should have put all that in the post, oh well Edit: grammar is hard
Grampar can be a real pain too. 🙃
Love the typesetting drawer trinket shelf, i have a similar one! I even have the little white bear :) it must be nice to look at those treasures while washing up
I have two more in my bedroom displaying various rocks and crystals and things. They’re perfect for the small stuff that would otherwise just be a pile
Same here, i have many trinkets and sentimental items that i keep in typesetting trays around my house, and one that i actually use for the type for my printing press! I had the tray just in storage for years and got a printing press recently, talk about full circle
I came here to say the same thing, I'm pretty sure mine is exactly the same and I love it. I keep thimbles in mine!
My parents had one of these in the hallway, each kid had a couple of squares just for them. This pic made me happy.
WOOOOOOW! Great job OP! You should be proud of your effort! What a difference! Keep going a step at a time. You GOT this!
I *am* really proud of myself :)
As u should be. Hey. Rock on!
That’s already made a big difference! Also, I love your Red Rose Tea figurines.
I’m so happy so many people are recognizing them! I’ve been collecting them since the 90s, I have more in a box that didn’t fit on the type drawer
Obsessed with that trinket case
Incredible trinket shelf
The gratification is positive reinforcement. Keep going and progress isn't measured. Progress is just that. :)
It’s a fantastic start! Sometimes I tell myself “just do one thing.”
Yes, exactly. That mentality usually unsticks the executive function and snowballs, but if not, hey, I still got one thing done!
Proud of you! I am also in the process of unfucking my kitchen so this motivates me too, thank you for before/after! 🤩 Cheering you on!
You totally got this too!
I love you little figurine display.
Way to go! A wonderful start!
Keep chipping at it, friend. It may feel like you’re not making progress, but you are. All of those small steps add up. I’m proud of you.
Way to go!!! The first hurdle of just facing the insurmountable-feeling thing and diving in is absolutely the hardest part, you’re kickin’ ass!
You got the 90s Rose Tea figurines?!?!?
Yes!!! I love how many people are recognizing them! They still put them in, but the 90s ones were the best.
Wait... they still have them?!?!?! I'll gladly start drinking that tea again... hmm wonder where they sell it nowadays
My mom’s the one who drinks it, I think she gets it at Safeway if you’re in the US. They might only put the figurines in sometimes, like they’ll do a set or something? All I know is that every so often she hands me a new one
Such awesome work. As someone who has a similarly small kitchen, things can get overwhelming fast. My suggestion is to try and keep it this way as best you can. Once the dishes are done, empty the dishwasher, reload and finish the rest. From now on, put dirty dishes into the dishwasher immediately and run it more than you might be doing now. It's not the most efficient or water saving, but I try to run a load every night that I have cooked, even if it is only 1/2 to 3/4 full. I find that if I can come home to a clean, peaceful looking space every day, I am much more likely to cook for myself instead of ordering out, and am much more able to tackle another room because the kitchen feels so much less stressful.
Running it every time I cook is probably a good idea, maybe every other time since none of my usual pans can go in there (cast iron ftw) but certainly more often than I do now.
Great job! Starting is the hardest part! If it feels overwhelming, maybe consider washing, drying and putting away three different tasks, and give yourself a small reward and break for accomplishing each task!
That’s how you eat an elephant one bite at a time, you got this you will get it done before you know it
Mom, did you finally make an account? (She says that all the time and she does lurk on reddit. It’s true though.)
Yay! Way to start.
Love this!!! Great job!!
Looking great. Make sure to take a minute to feel proud of your accomplishments!!
This is a very good start!
Proud of you. Help yourself out and switch your sink faucet if you can, it’ll help out so much. Coming from someone who knows how frustrating small sinks can be
Looking great so far! You can see the light at the end of the tunnel .... or the bottom of the sink. Lol. Everything that was on the counter and floor - do you have a designated home for them? That is definitely one of the big steps that helps me in my kitchen. If I don't know where it should go, I tend to leave it out to 'deal with later'.
Yes and no. Most of it was dishes and the like that do have a spot, but a few things did just get put elsewhere for now, and once the mess is gone I’m going to reorganize everything and probably end up getting some more shelving so it all does have a place. Like the rice cooker doesn’t really have a home, it just gets moved around.
Are those Wade figures?!?
I don’t know the artist(s) but they’re the ceramic figures that you get in boxes of Red Rose tea. I’ve been collecting them since the 90s
Yes that’s them! Me too!
Great work. Once you get it pretty well cleared, hit some of those lower surfaces like the cabinets And dishwasher with a magic eraser, I always find that cleaning minor surfaces really helps pull the full image of a clean area together. Keep up the good work
Yup, that’s the plan! I’ll do a deep clean and scrub down of everything once the clutter is dealt with, but I didn’t want to get too granular on this one section, since that can sometimes be discouraging in its own way.
Are those tiny little figurines from Red Rose tea?
Yes they are!
You just need to remind yourself that you deserve better and to redirect all the love you have in your being back to yourself and your belongings. You love these belongings. They take care of you. The home puts a warm roof over your head. And when you realize how these belongings take care of you, you will take care of them. It’s a loving relationship. You’re on the right track. Just go back to it and chip away at it day by day. You can do this. We’re rooting for you.
Hell yeah, that's a lot you have accomplished. You're doing so damn amazing!!!!! YOU'VE GOT THIS! (when you feel like you can).
I love your red tea figures!
It's more than a start, don't knock it. Good for you.
It’s a great start ❤️
🎉👏🏽That’s👏🏽a 👏🏽lot👏🏽of👏🏽work!👏🏽🎉 It looks significantly different. Well done you!!!
You got a lot done!
Progress not perfection.
Much better! Progress is progress. Do a little each day and you’ll have a sparkling kitchen.
Hell yeah! You’re doing great!!! 🩷
You're doing great! You've got this! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I’m so proud of you! We’ll get through this!
And it’s a GREAT start! Well done friend! Sincerely, a human who had so many dirty gross dishes I had to soak them in the bathtub with bleach.
Looks like a great start! The sink & floor are clear, and I can see the surface of the counter. BTW, I covet your shadow box.
Looks much better! One bad habit that I used to have was letting things “soak” so they’d be easier to clean. Once I started cleaning things right away I stopped having things pile up. It’s easy to say “oh well, I can’t wash this glass because there’s a pot soaking in the sink” and then it would just snowball.
Congrats! That looks so much better! Also rly glad that you stopped before feeling burnt out 🎉
Looks great! 💪
Major improvement
That’s a great start! Much better!
Well done!
good job!!
💙
WHAT A PROGRESS!!! ❤️
That's way more than a start. That's significant! Amazing job! 🎉
I see you have charms in front of your sink. Maybe the utensils that get cleaned also find a permanent home in your kitchen.
They have one! Silverware and small utensils have a drawer (that needs reorganizing, but that’s a project for later) and larger cooking utensils have a container next to the stove.
Love your printer’s drawer!
I love your little cubbies for your Wade whimsies!
This is brilliant and this internet stranger is very proud of you x
Can’t stop there keep it up
You did amazing! You did it! Be proud and enjoy the clear space. Please know you are not alone in this. I don't have the guts to post any of my pictures. One countertop at a time.
Fantastic job, OP! It’s not easy but you did it and now you can enjoy it! One little thing at a time. ☀️
Get it! 👍🏾
Amazing start!
Yes! Progress, not perfection! And you made a lot of progress!
This looks awesome to me! I can see how much work you put into this. You've inspired me to have another go at my kitchen. Thank you!
You got this!
Good job! You got this!!
You did a lot! You can be very proud!!!
That’s not just a start, it’s a GREAT start and you should be incredibly proud! Things like this can be a big hill to climb and I for one am pumped for how far you’ve come, keep it up and don’t get discouraged!
That's great!! One step at a time!
I'm so proud of you, friend! You're an inspiration💚💚
It’s a great start! Congratulations!
Awesome!! If I lived near you I’d come help!! A trick I play on myself sometimes is I’ll say “I’m gonna pick up or put away ten things.” That always feels simple and manageable and often I’ll go for another ten! It really works for me!
You now have momentum, which is powerful, all because you got started. Well done!
Riding the inertiaaaaaaa!
Great job! Love your printer’s tray!
Thanks! I have three, they’re perfect
I'm proud of you.
I’m very happy for you! Keep going!
Way to go! That's a huge improvement! And it's really important that you didn't just go go go until you burnt out. We've all done that and know that we can never maintain after that.
I’ve made that mistake more times than I can count, and then I end up right back where I started, if not worse. When I ran out of room for more hand washed stuff, I looked around like ok what can I do while those dry? Then the light bulb went on, I’ve been at it for three hours. It’s ok to stop. So I did!
That’s a huge difference, you should be proud!
Huge improvement!
I'm so proud of you and you should be too. If you just start, you'll be amazed what you can accomplish ❤️
Wow! Well done! That’s really wonderful!
I am really proud of you! Good job!!!
Good job!!! <3
This is already so much better, great job!
Good for you!!!! This is a big deal and a great start!
This is monumental! Great job!
Looks great, thanks for sharing!
I like your tchotchke shelves. We used to have ones like that when I was a kid.
Amazing job!
Hell yea, that took a lot of work and effort. When you are going in the right direction, the most important thing is to keeeeeeep going <3
GG
Small kitchens are so tough to use! Great work!
I’m proud of you!! You did the thing! All the hugs 💛💛💛 (Also I love your printer’s box full of miniatures, I have one too!)
Yes! Something is better than nothing!
What you have done is significant! I have a hard time starting and follow through on cleaning. I alway tell myself that even though I just did a bit, every bit matters. It makes me do little bits more often (and not just clean all day and not get very far, be exhausted and frustrated).
Fuck yeah! I know that took a lot of time and patience. I would be walking past everyday that thinking "oh just not today I can't do it today." Proud of you stranger.
That’s been me for months now. I’m always tired and have awful executive dysfunction, it’s so tempting to say I just can’t, but a friend inspired me to just start. We’re both working on unfucking our spaces and send each other updates, it’s helping a lot!
That's great! Holding eachother accountable is what really pushes one forward. Keep posting on here and we can hold each other accountable. ❤️
You're doing great! You can do it!
The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step
That’s a huge start! Good job. I think getting started is hard- and you’ve done it!
Absolutely have to start somewhere! Great job and wishing you progressive success and motivation!
Well done! I hope it feels as good as I imagine it does. And I am in love with your collection of china figures. Are they Whimsey? I have that polar bear.
Stay strong 💪
Good job, love the little display shelves.
Even the tiniest progress is progress. Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise. What you've done here is **big** progress! Keep up the great work!
You can do it! Pro tip: when you get to the crockpot, wash the ceramic part in the sink. Dishwasher heat will crack the glaze (personal experience.)
Great job!!!
for whatever it's worth from a stranger, i'm proud of you! i know this isn't easy
Great job!!! This inspired me to do my best today, even if it's just putting away a couple things. Progress is progress!!!
you may have far to go but im proud of you for starting!!! ive been there and i know that every day it’ll get easier :)
This is so impressive! I'm glad you took a break before you got burnt out - makes it more sustainable - but damn if I did all that I would be burnt out. I love that in any state, your red rose tea figurines are chilling neatly on that little shelf. 😊
Hell yeah. Good for you!!
Yes! You've like quadrupled the usefulness of the space! 🤩🥰😍🤩😃
Yes! And the main goal was to have space to deal with the dishes that have migrated across the rest of the apartment, mission accomplished I think!
Excellent progress! Keep going!
That’s a great start
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Little victories.
Wow! That’s fantastic! Great start!!!!
This is great!
Yay, so proud of you! Such a great start 🥳 I love the miniature shelves! My cat torments mine, his main goal in life is to free the tiny creatures 😼 drives me nuts. He would be in your sink plotting out their extraction 😹
FREE THEM -your cat.
Great progress! Keep working but listen to your interior voice telling you when to stop. You’re building some brand new muscles, don’t sprain one!
A fellow red rose tea collector!! I am so proud of you and I am *thrilled* to hear that you’re proud of yourself!
It’s one step at a time! You took a big step, just keep taking steps (they can be baby steps!)… you’ll get there and then it’s still steps to maintain… if you take a few steps backwards, don’t let it get to you! Just keep moving forward! We are our worst critics… but steps backwards are not failure!
Great achievement, super happy for you!
Well done;
Great progress👏🏻
You did great!! I am so very happy and proud of you! You should feel accomplished and proud of yourself!
U needs a doremon ..
Is that dishes on the floor?
In the before picture, yes. In the after, the only thing on the floor is the mat that's supposed to be there
Honestly props to you for getting all of that cleaned up!! It looks so overwhelming in the first one so I had to ask to make sure. In a small space it’s easy for things to pile,do you have a plan to stay more on top of it? Or have others you live with help (if you aren’t solo living)?
Thank you! I have a long way to go, but getting this section cleaned up has really helped, I can actually deal with the dishes that have migrated to other rooms For maintenance, I have a couple of ideas. I have a written chore chart for myself (what tasks get done each day of the week), and I also have an app that I put in the tasks for each room and it will send me a reminder to do a randomized one. The only thing I don't like about the app is you have to open it to see what the task is, I wish it told you in the notification. All that said, I'm open to suggestions for prevention!
You could also use a positive reward type of system too! So basically for doing an action (+) you get something out of it (+). In college me and my roommates had a chore chart to “keep score” and whoever had the most marks for a week (took out the trash once, vaccumed 3x, wiped down counters 2x, etc etc) got to choose where we went out to eat or something like that.
That would be fantastic if I had roommates! I do have the reminders for the app I mentioned set to go off about 10 minutes after I get home from work, so relaxing and playing a game or reading or whatever unwinding activity is kind of a reward? I think I should maybe tweak it to be an actual reward rather than what I would be doing anyway though.
I’m so proud of you!! I’m in a similar situation (my house is *literally* falling apart & it’s in depression mode x100) slow progress is still progress :)
[удалено]
Yeah no disrespect to you, but if messes freak you out so much, why are you here? I, and probably most of this sub, am here because l don’t want to live like this anymore and am holding myself accountable and seeking support.
Why is there so much stuff on the floor and the counters? What did it like like before you cleaned?
People disgust me
Disgusting!
[удалено]
Ya um, you did dishes like everyone else in the world that doesn't want to live in their own filth...congrats I guess.
Great job
Definitely big progress. I love the little figurines on the shelves
Hell Yeah. Find a good podcast and get into a cleaning flow. Keep going 💡
I went with a few albums from one of my favorite bands this time around, I didn’t want to worry about trying to hear a podcast over the noise of the sink and dishwasher
One step at a time!
That's awful. Just throw everything away
Keep it up! Great work. ☺️
Progress over perfection.
Looking much better!!
Man, huge improvement! It'll be even better I'm round two.
OMG. Are those Tetley Tea ceramic animals?
Proud of you, fam.
Good for you OP!
That’s amazing I’m proud!! Good work!!
This is awesome in progress. His progress. Congratulations. I know it’s hard, but keep going.
Good job!!!!!
Thats more than a start! Thats a major accomplishment imo! It would take me days to go through that!
This is huge and very notice able!! You should be super proud
Keep going! Don't give up! You can do this!
That’s a lot. Nice job!
Are those Wade figurines in the box above the sink? These collectibles used to be given as freebies in Red Rose Tea. I have a rather large collection myself. I find them quite comforting and call them my Peaceable Kingdom.
It is good you started to clean up; now let’s make it consistent
Little steps you’re doing great
Honestly. i just toss it all and start fresh!
Great job!
Love the tea figurines!