What makes you feel virtuous?

You are very welcome Greengage. I’m so glad I managed to make you laugh! My experience? Not me personally, but a very dear friend of almost 60 years (wow! I know.... we are so lucky to have each other in our lives, still) and she has some slight mental health/hoarding issues and together we worked out what would help her situation. It does work Greengage which is why I said ‘trust me’. Big hugs to you lady. I’ll be thinking of you these next few days hoping you have a carrier bag in your hand. ?

Sometimes when just about everything needs sorting out and I feel a bit daunted I start with whatever is the easiest thing or the smallest room or tidiest room, get that done, admire the result and the rest will seem a bit less daunting.

Urmstongran Almost sounds like you have experience of this predicament yourself! Your elephant advice made me laugh, so much so, that I have already gone ahead and put some papers in the recycling and removed some stuff from the living room which needs to return upstairs to my 'craft room'. Thank you for spurring me on.

I felt very virtuous last week. Being a make-up junkie, I have a dressing-table drawer full of make-up, which hadn't been sorted out or cleaned for... ages. So, decided it was about time it was done, cleaned out all the grot, scrubbed the organiser tray, and disposed of quite a lot of stuff that hadn't been used in a long time.
And, the week before that, defrosted the integral freezer for the first time since installation over a year ago - a job I really hate! But thankfully, it was much easier than doing the old one it replaced, so I felt REALLY good after doing that!

Honestly Greengage. The only way to eat an elephant is by taking small bites! ? Don’t think of the big pile to tackle, don’t wait until ‘you feel in the mood’ (you never will). Just pick up a carrier bag, walk around wherever you like, no need to be specific about certain areas ‘to be done till sorted’ as that can get boring. Just pick up anything you don’t like/no longer use/old newspapers or magazines. Just one bag every day. It will become a habit and, in time, who cares how long? You will look around your home & see a really BIG difference. As your place gets tidier you will become happier. One bag. Every day. Trust me.

Urmstongran DanniRae Jalima1108 Thank you for your suggestions and support. Part of the problem is knowing what to do first! A few months ago I managed to clear most of the living room floor and dining room table which was a good start but have LOTS more to do throughout the whole house. I find the grey days don't help as they cause me not to want to do anything at all, just hibernate! And when the weather is nice, I prefer to be doing things in the garden! I think I need to get into the habit of doing one small bit of clearing each day and that should spur me on to greater things.

Greengage it can look worse before it looks better but don't let that put you off. At the moment I have a pile of old books behind me as I'm supposed to be sorting them and deciding what we're going to do with them.

I was just thinking that this morning varian - all the things I could get done on a day off from work! It's probably because I have less energy now than in those days, but also, unless the impetus is there, I tend to dawdle and go on GN.

However, if the phone rang and someone said they were popping over, I would have dusted, vacuumed and tidied up in 15 minutes!

I think it is difficult not to wake up in the morning, make a mental list of all the things you intend to do, then feel disappointed at the end of the day when you haven't done them all.

We can all remember a time (and it might have been quite a log time ago) when we could do 101 things in a day and we just have to realise we simply do not have the energy to do all that now and a much smaller list, perhaps just 10 things or even 1 thing, might actually be achievable.

I felt virtuous yesterday when I took out the Right Hand freezer drawers, sorted them and actually labelled all the things I had put in there. Why is it that I always think I will know/remember what is in the various containers, when I clearly don't? Left Hand freezer to do next, as and when.

Ironing the duvet covers and pillowcases then matching them up together so they all sit together in the drawers under my bed.

Hi Greengage I agree with Urmstongran. Just one corner of one room sorted out even once a week and you will see progress. Give yourself a treat every time you achieve this.
I am sending you my best wishes for what ever you can manage x

Oh Greengage that sounds a dispiriting way to live. ?
Would ‘baby steps’ help as in filling a carrier bag each day & throwing it in the bin? Honestly not too daunting and in the weeks/months to come you will see a real difference, to lift your spirits for springtime. Big hugs.

I felt virtuous last Tuesday, when I gave a lift home to a 90 year old man, who had felt unwell during swimming session.He was given a biscuit and tea.Low blood sugar?
He got in the car,and I reversed into a stationary car!!? needs a new bumper.Halos slipped now!

I felt (briefly) virtuous tonight when I won a raffle prize and choose body lotion instead of chocolates, which I have given up for Lent.

I'm another who never feels virtuous. Even if I get things done that need doing, there are another 101 things on the list. If I live to be 100 I don't think I will ever get straight again. I live in a mess as I am a natural hoarder. I used to ignore it but now just hate it. I am so disappointed with myself.

Oh dear, I don’t think I ever feel virtuous. Certainly doing household tasks doesn’t have that effect, I just feel I’ve wasted time that could have been spent doing something interesting.

Cleaning the oven the only problem is when I have cleaned it I hate the though of using it

Cornergran ?

Sorry, noticed the typo:-sanctimonium.

Getting through the ‘to do’ list makes me feel a bit virtuous.

But the idea of feeling virtuous reminds me of a fabulous word used by Alison Pearson in the ‘Telegraph ‘ yesterday when she referred to the perpetually virtue signalling classes as ‘the Sanctimorium’. Terrific and spot on.

Hildegard , I am the same weight as you, I am also vertically challenged, I would feel very virtuous if I could lose 2lbs, it might encourage me to continue to lose more

Decluttering drawers and wardrobes makes me feel good.

A rechargeable hand-held window cleaning vacuum thingy is an absolute godsend for cleaning the windows. I used to detest window cleaning and paid a window cleaner but after moving to a bungalow I felt I couldn't really justify the cost when no ladders are involved.
Then I purchased a window vacuum... and voila! Clean windows in few minutes and no smears.
Why did I never find one of these years ago when I spent ages doing the inside of the windows?

For me it's cleaning out the inside of my car and clearing out cupboards and drawers. Have just done both so my halo is shining brightly.