Desperate Measures

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There are shows on TV that have organizers come and clean up someone's house. You can use their strategy on your own, perhaps, if it isn't too overwhelming for you. Essentially, you go through your stuff and separate it into three piles: stuff to throw away, stuff to give to Goodwill or the Salvation Army, and stuff to keep. You can do this room by room or by choosing one small area at a time so you don't feel overwhelmed.

Once you have a pile of stuff to throw away, you just bag it up and put it out on the curb with your regular garbage. The stuff to give away you box up and drive to the Goodwill (or you can call them and they may pick it up, especially large things like furniture or appliances), and then you're only left with the "keep" stuff to put away.

This is easier said than done, but you can make it a little easier by coming up with arbitrary rules. For instance, if you have clothes that you haven't worn in two years, they can go (unless it's your only fancy dress or pair of shoes that you will need if a special occasion comes up). Basic necessities like tools or pots and pans go automatically into the "keep" pile, etc.

Could be right.......every time I tidy up my own mess, it reverts within days. I've long thought that what's really needed is a change of habit in myself, so that I tidy up as I go along, but it's much easier to just clear it up every so often. Still, a serious clear-out might be more long-lasting, if it were far-reaching enough.

I got the same problem too. Every time I try and tackle it I only end up with semi sorted piles of stuff.

Multiple Categories - once that happens I'm lost.

The lady from work and one of her girlfriends came over and helped me clean most of my house. It looks much better now and I am happy with how it turned out. I live alone in a fairly large house so I still have three more rooms to do, (the worst ones.) They said they will be back next week to finish.
They did a great job, but things did not work out socially as I had hoped. They were all business and left immediately when there was no more to clean. I had asked the lady to cook dinner for us, but they left without eating the food that she cooked. I ate a home cooked dinner by myself. It was the first home made food I have had in a year that I did not cook for myself. Logically, I should not be surprised they did not stay to eat, but emotionally I am.