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My Family is Messy

8398

Well-Known Member
Today I got up, I'm often fatigued and feel like I have circulation/heart/breathing difficulties especially when trying to start my day.
I went to make food, but the entirety of the the counters are covered in random stuff and dishes. It's not pleasant, doesn't smell pleasant, and many important utensils are used and just thrown into the dirty sink. Even ones I bought like the only good knife we have. There's a pot that's likely been on the counter full of food for 4 or more days now, and that doesn't even seem that uncommon to me.

I've dealt with this my whole life. I have my mother and two sisters, my mother is the messy one, but I also think my sisters have to be as well because otherwise it wouldn't be like this all the time. It's been bad for me especially as an autistic person. I already have a difficult time with having an appetite.

I've put a lot of thought into it, because it needs to be fixed. My mother is defensive. One of my sisters is scary defensive.
The most conversation we've had about it, was when my mother came home from work and had an outburst of emotion, telling us she didn't think we cared about the kitchen messes, and that she wanted help. Which is kind of perplexing because she is always responsible for most of the mess, due to bad habits. So historically, I've been lumped in and blamed. But we had a conversation and I said that I don't want to clean up other's messes. Her response was something like "but if someone makes dinner for everyone, that person should be helped" In theory, that doesn't seem unreasonable to me but she is super messy when cooking. I would rather her not cook at all.

I only have the energy to clean up my own things. I cook, I put away things as I cook even if it was ambitious or for everyone, I would go as far to say that I leave the kitchen cleaner than when I started.
I even thought about somehow having my own set-up in my bedroom, I mean, I currently hoard my favorite utensils in there. I'm the kind of person that likes my space perfect and have quality little things like wooden spoons that make my day a little brighter. But I can't realistically do it in my room. I've thought of different ways to assert dominance over the kitchen but I feel like it would take too much energy to maintain that hold over it. I'm not naturally an organized person and I'm very low or inconsistent energy. If I had my own kitchen I would set up the foundation of everything to be easier to manage and organize, but for example, my family insists on having an entire shelf for novelty mugs even with our limited space. So much ugly stuff too haha, I guess that's not the worst of my problem.

My grandma has OCD, so perhaps my mother sort of became this way because of that. Everyone respects my grandmother's kitchen, so I have the thought about, if I could become more like her and be kind of bossy. I would rather be here, though, than my grandma's because she's scary about it. They are opposites.

I don't know what to do. It sucks that in order to make myself food today, I'm going to have to do a bunch of extra work that I don't have energy for. And out of the three of them, I don't know who's mess is who's.
 
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Do you feel you have very little importance in your home, and you are not listened to? Only answer if you wish to, l was just curious from how you described where you reside.
 
@8398

Do you want to fix this, or are you venting?

You don't necessarily have to verbally negotiate to influence the behavior of really messy people.
As the saying goes, "actions speak louder than words"

But you can't bend to their "blackmail through inaction".
And you have to accept that you'll get a certain amount of pushback.
 
When you live in your own home you get to decide the rules, while you're living in someone else's home you don't have much say in matters.
 
It's pretty futile to change people's habits and tendencies especially when they are defensive about it. One approach is to make your own bubble of orderliness within the house of clutter. Another is to simply accept the extra work needed to have clean things when you need them. Its not highly successful but it has happened that people can be lead to change by example.

I remember having one really messy room mate when I lived in barracks and I just had an imaginary line in the room and kept my side clear. It was quite obvious when you walked in the room. One side spotless, the other a disaster. But I didn't get on my room mates case about it. That would just cause friction. I just accepted what I couldn't change and affected what I could. Didn't want to piss him off anyway since he was champion wrestler. I challenged him once thinking I knew wrestling, but in less then a minute I was so wrapped up it was ridiculous. :D
 
My family used to be super messy. There would be dirty dishes everywhere and chip bags on the floor. The floor would also have food on it. I’m not sure what changed. But it could be when mom started working she became more disaplend. (sorry about my poor spelling) She started to clean more.

They clean more now for some reason and I’m so glad. But they are still a bit messy and not nearly as afraid of germs as I am.
 
I agree with the above poster. If it’s not your house you don’t get much say in the matter. Which is unfair I know. I used to clean up after my parents a lot.
 
Thank for all the replies, I liked to hear all your thoughts.

Do you feel you have very little importance in your home, and you are not listened to? Only answer if you wish to, l was just curious from how you described where you reside.
I think they do care about me. But not enough to break habits I guess. I think they all have avoidance from bad experiences so I feel like I have to choose my words wisely and not sound like nagging.

The day I made the post, (both venting and interested in feedback) I felt guilty, like maybe somehow I was being too entitled. So I approached my sisters by making a suggestion that could only make them feel positive, I cleaned, my sister started baking and I cleaned most of her mess for her because I could tell she was tired. I don't want to be a person that does something nice only to hold it over their heads. But, it didn't do anything and it didn't take a full day for it to go back to how it was. The only thing I left her was a mixing bowl and it's a crusty part of the home now. xD
They all know I don't like it, I've pointed things out. Last night my mom asked if I was upset about the dishes and I said "yes" almost about to cry. She later tried to comfort me and she said "Should I be more stern with them?" Nobody takes responsibility, that very night she left everything she ate. She just completely blocks out the few second process of setting something in the sink, or trash.

If a stranger was coming over, they would excitedly clean everything spotless. But they wont do that for me even if it means it's a barrier for me to eat. So for the first time, I'm mad at all of them, I don't feel like talking to them.

I know that my mother is the one that pays the bills, and she is my mother. I have always given her every bit of respect because of that, growing up, I've naturally felt like I have no say, no right. Even when she's made horrible mistakes and hurt me. I was the obedient child, and I am still respectful and polite. I believe it's a positive evolution for me to be able to feel angry about something. I'm kind of in a desperate situation with my health, recent trauma, inability. If I could just be more assertive, I wonder if it could be, even positive for them a little.

It's between that and letting go completely, and making the coolest fing bedroom kitchen.
 
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I like this, you are thinking out things. I had a complete breakdown of frustration, tthenl came up with a quicker place for my friend to find out if they could get kidney transplant sooner. Sometimes we need to be fed up with a issue, situation , a person, to move forward with a better plan. Maybe you could get a little plug-in pot that heats water, get ramen, and just eat that in your bedroom. You can relax, clean-up is easy, just do that three times a week, then you don't feel a obligation to clean up their mess, you don't have to look at, until you come up with something better. Like everybody has an assigned day they do dishes. Like you could be Monday, sister could Tuesday, your mom could be Wed. But if she is the only one working, you and your sister need to help more.
 
@8398

You could certainly (100%) improve your situation. Getting exactly what you want probably isn't possible though.

Don't let people convince you that it's not possible. But don't assume it will be easy.
OTOH inaction on your part implies no change to your situation.

On the surface, you have two or three external issues facing you:
1. Your mother is naturally messy
2 &! 3. Your sisters aren't helping your mother address her natural messiness

... and perhaps some things to consider about you part:
You've revealed some relevant (but minor, "ASD-normal" personal issues too. e.g.:
and she said "Should I be more stern with them?"
Most likely interpretation (about 65%) is that she wants some moral support from you to address (2, 3) above.
If so it's a reasonable request, and probably wouldn't lead to a "faux solution" where you have to clean up after them all. The wording suggests she just wants a united front to get your sisters to step up.

Imagine having them clean up (properly) if your mother cooks, and of course after themselves. It's not an unreasonable request (assuming they're old enough).
(BTW don't start thinking about "enforcement" or any other theoretical difficulty yet - you might talk yourself out of finding a straightforward practical solution).
 
Can you live independently?
If not, then the rules they live go is what you have to deal with unfortunately.

People including myself can be messy because life can have a lot going on. We may be fatigued with emotion, too many life things or trauma have come at once, is probably typically a cause.


it's okay if they are messy, but are working job(s) to make money for everyone's survival.
If you don't have the energy to clean, then you certainly can make do for yourself at least. At least, maybe focus on making enough money for yourself so that you can buy your own food and other things, and contribute to the household expenses as well as necessary and feasible.
 

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