Tips for a Tidy Home – Living with MS

Living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can be very challenging. The symptoms of MS can make it a struggle to perform basic household chores and completing those everyday tasks can seem hopeless! However, cleaning and decluttering the most lived-in areas of the home can offer surprising benefits for people living with MS.

You can fight the fatigue, reduce stress, and increase positive emotions – with the help of these simple tips and tricks along your way…

One Room at a Time:

Don’t try to clean the entire house all at once!

Monumental tasks can seem insurmountable if they’re thought of as one huge job. Instead, break up the job into a series of smaller tasks.

Try to schedule a few minutes per day over several days, and keep track of your progress. Attend to a certain room or section of your house on different days, if possible. For example, dust one room a day rather than the entire house. Declutter one kitchen cupboard or shelf at a time rather than trying to organize the whole space at once.

Dishwasher:

You should obviously use the dishwasher as much as possible for any cups, flatware, and dishes. But something you perhaps hadn’t thought about is that the dishwasher can be used to wash more than just dishes! Things like toys, medical equipment, and tools can be cleaned in the dishwasher, too. Baseball caps that would be ruined by a washing machine are perfectly fine in the dishwasher. Just be careful not to put anything in that might melt in high-temperature hot water.

Ergonomics:

Invest in reachers and grabbers that can help with odd jobs  around   the   house.   Some   are   spring-loaded,   and   others  are mechanical.   Most   have   a   “trigger”   that   you   pull   to   activate the grabbing action. These can help you get to items on the floor or other hard-to-reach areas that would otherwise be challenging to grab. You never want to risk falling just to get your hands on a certain item, and this kind of tool can definitely help minimize that risk.

Cleaning Supplies:

Try to keep your cleaning products in a convenient and accessible location. Having all of your supplies on a cart with wheels can make transporting these items around your home a little easier. When it’s time to purchase cleaning supplies, try to buy heavy-duty cleaning products that don’t require extra scrubbing to remove dirt and grime. Pick up rags and cloths that do a better job with minimal scrubbing, and try to use tools with a handle for grip control. If possible, try using a cordless or lightweight vacuum cleaner to avoid tiring out before you meet your day’s goal.

Cleaning Services:

In some cases, hiring a cleaning professional to do the deep cleaning needed around your home is an even better option. Oftentimes, local cleaning companies offer specials or discounts. You can also shop around for online specials. If you are on a fixed budget, try to schedule cleaning once a month to keep expenses down. Make sure to give the cleaner detailed instructions or a list of tasks that you cannot personally reach or access around your home.

Decluttering and cleaning are often where we expend most of our energy, which is described quite well in the MultipleSclerosis.net article titled Every Little Thing.

The mental and physical health benefits we receive from living in a tidy home are worth some extra effort. Small modifications here and there can certainly add up to significant overall improvements in your daily life!