I have been prepping my home for the last five hours and I’m exhausted. Couldn’t really do it sooner because I was working. My family always make me feel bad when there is cat hair or dust somewhere. Is it okay to put the bar a little lower? Would it be okay to just do less? What are your own standards about cleaning?
I used to be super messy until like age 30.
What helped me keep on top of things was placing a nice wooden broom in every room so it’s always within reach when I feel like doing a quick 2-3 minute sweeping session. Quicker and less noisy than a vacuum, so I usually clean at night.
Tables and kitchen counters get wiped with a sponge cloth that I keep by the sink. Having a dedicated spot for it so it’s always ready to use was key. Spills have to be wiped right away so they don’t harden and get tougher to clean, and then while you’re at it anyway you might as well clean the area around it as well.
For crumbs and other dry messes on the kitchen counters I have a dedicated dustpan. Usually use that once a day after slicing bread. Never supposed to be used for floor sweepage or anything that isn’t food.
I have a set of exactly one spoon, one fork, one butterknife, and a bowl that I always keep outside, and those are used for every meal I eat. This prevents piling up of silverware and dishes, because I got to clean those after/before every meal. I always dry them with a cotton cloth after washing. Prevents water stains and keeps the cup I have the silverware in from becoming unhygienic.
This system (and smoking a ton of weed for a few years which made me develop some mild OCD-like behaviors) helps me keep on top of most cleanup chores.