Resistance to Cleaning

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I've struggled all my life with keeping my living space tidy, though keeping it hygienic hasn't been a problem. I always assumed it was depression and/or laziness, but now I feel like sensory issues are to blame more than anything.

In any case, what are some good tips for overcoming this?

I need to keep a schedule to make sure I get things done. Every day I have half an hour reserved for "household chores". That includes cleaning, washing, organizing.... Just all the household stuff.
It works really well, because after a while it becomes routine, and it doesn't take many days to run out of stuff to fill that half hour with. So I might have days where I only spend five minutes doing dishes, and then I have 25 minutes of free-time. Or what's more likely, I fill that half hour doing things that might have been neglected otherwise. Like fixing the bike or some broken clothes, rebuilding the fence, or even cleaning the windows. Never thought I'd do that willingly.

Now, that half hour is more than enough for me, who lives alone in a very small space. I can't say how much time you might need. I just know that I have a much easier time doing a little every day, instead of putting off the cleaning for weeks and when it finally comes to it, it takes hours to get it all done. But it requires that I follow my schedule to keep it up.

I think you mean resistance to tidying, or organizing. It takes me years after a move to remember where I keep things. If any corner of something is visible in a pile, I can find it faster than by searching through the drawers. I maintain a workshop, so I have many things. I don't know how to be consistent about filing - I won't know if something was classified by colour, function, shape or material when I go looking for it. However, some groups are easy, like "hammers." "Scissors" includes glass cutters, though, as it seems easier to remember than creating a "rolling blade tool" subsection.
I've been here eleven years now, and am still arranging things for more convenience. The first improvement is a space where all the gloves, hats, and other outerwear go. Then, the most-used kitchen things get habitual resting spots. It is a gradual process. Reducing the number of things helps too.

I'm currently working on that by trying to keep to a system until it becomes routine.

Usually the pattern has been get my room all organized and clutter free. Then in what seem like a very short time it looks like a disaster area again.

So just constant daily maintenance is what I have been doing/trying so far.

Always hang up your coat after taking it off
Always put your dirty dishes in the sink when you are done with it
Always throw away garbage when you make it.
Always put anything away when you are done with it.
Always wipe up crumbs whenever you are done making yourself something to eat and put the trash can back.
Always put your shoes away when taking them off.
If the trash is full, take it outside and put in a new trash liner
If the sink is full of dirty dishes, do them If the dishwasher is full with clean dishes, empty it
If you see any dirt on the floor, sweep it up.


Cleaning is a daily thing and it takes a few minutes to do it all and you will never have much cleaning to do if you keep it picked up daily and do all this daily.


BTW how does sensory issues keep someone from being tidy?