Obsessive Cleaning and Forgetting

[Questella]

Do you ever randomly have the urge to clean something out and organize it and sometimes move it then later (within a few weeks) completely forget that you did that then get confused as to where the stuff went?

It's funny because now I realize my dad has always done this same thing and I was always getting into trouble for messing with something or taking something I had no idea about. He was always cleaning stuff out and moving it and forgetting about it then only remember the original place it was. Then it would be always stupid stole it. >:

At least I know I do it and don't blame my family on my stuff being not where I last remember it being. lol

 

[tree]

Questella
Like deciding to move some important item from its
obviously poor location to someplace appropriate & safe?

And later looking for it, but now it's really really safe.
Because you don't remember where it is.

 

[Questella]

Questella
Like deciding to move some important item from its
obviously poor location to someplace appropriate & safe?

And later looking for it, but now it's really really safe.
Because you don't remember where it is.

haha right

 

[On the Inside]

My partner (NT) does that often, gets on a cleaning/organizing kick, decides that things belong somewhere else, moves them, then either tells me about it or not. Weeks later, I'll say something is missing, and she'll say "I told you we store those things here now!" in a peeved way.

Unless I have physically engaged with object/place, I won't remember.

I like to keep things where they are, whether or not they might work better someplace else.

 

[clg114]

Obsessive cleaning: No.
Obsessive forgetting: Yes.

On any given morning, I always have two or three cups of coffee around the house that I lost. But I do clean up my lost, cold cups of coffee. Sooner or later.

 

[Nitro]

I don't tolerate anyone organizing my stuff because my memory is based on pictures of where I last placed an item. I can either be very organized or use what I consider controlled chaos

 

[clg114]

I don't tolerate anyone organizing my stuff because my memory is based on pictures of where I last placed an item. I can either be very organized or use what I consider controlled chaos

I am envious. I am very absent minded. I set things down and with in a few minuets I forget where I put it. I do it most with objects that I am not really thinking about, like a cup of coffee. I set it down and when I am ready for my next drink, it is nowhere to be found. My wife says the same thing that Tree does, "you must have put it somewhere that it will be safe". She is the one who keeps the house in order and cleans.

 

[Tom]

I sometimes get obsessive about cleaning, but always know exactly where everything is.

 

[Nitro]

My food pantry resembles a grocery store,my desk looks like the aftermath of a tornado

 

[clg114]

My food pantry resembles a grocery store,my desk looks like the aftermath of a tornado

Some where on my desk, I am not sure where, there is a sign that says "A clean desk is a sign of a sick mind". Not that there is anything wrong with a clean desk, I just do not seem to be able to keep one. Our pantry is very clean and organized, but I can not take credit for that.

 

[Tom]

I think it may be an all or nothing thing about Aspie spaces, either its totally organized or totally unorganized.

 

[Questella]

My food pantry resembles a grocery store,my desk looks like the aftermath of a tornado

This exactly, my desk is where everything I can't deal with in the moment ends up... waiting for me...

My dudes's not even allowed in this area, lol.

 

[Dee317]

I spent my childhood in a dishevelled bedroom. My mother would tell me to clean it and I would have an anxiety attack. Sensory overload just thinking about where to put all of the items, but I'd spend hours organizing, and reorganizing my tape, and book collections I was an unorganized, messy adult, but would become increasingly OCD over time, with 5 people in my home, it took up all of my day to organize everyones things. This year I read "the life changing magic of tidying up", it has changed our lives. I got rid of 80%of my own items, a huge amount of my families items and now my house is simple, I know where things are, it can be called bare, BUT this has helped my, and my daughters sensory overload issues so much, that I don't care how people feel about it. People rarely come over anyway. I still lose my wallet, and coffee regularly, but I find them so much more quickly.

 

[On the Inside]

Sensory overload just thinking about where to put all of the items, but I'd spend hours organizing, and reorganizing my tape, and book collections

I still suffer anxiety around where to put things, which I usually deal with by putting things in the bare spot or in a drawer, on a shelf. When I had books, art supplies and cd's, I would spend a great deal of time keeping them in order, I would get caught up organizing, reading passages, listening , sharpening pencils, looking at old sketches. Now, I don't have much except tools, bikes and bike parts, building supplies, cooking supplies and clothes, none of which, for me, have an intrinsic order to them, and all of which get used regularly, so they are disorganized.

I do like to vacuum, and wash dishes by hand. I have a very routine order by which I complete these tasks and it pleases me.

I will have to read that book. Thanks.

 

[Dee317]

I still suffer anxiety around where to put things, which I usually deal with by putting things in the bare spot or in a drawer, on a shelf. When I had books, art supplies and cd's, I would spend a great deal of time keeping them in order, I would get caught up organizing, reading passages, listening , sharpening pencils, looking at old sketches. Now, I don't have much except tools, bikes and bike parts, building supplies, cooking supplies and clothes, none of which, for me, have an intrinsic order to them, and all of which get used regularly, so they are disorganized.

I do like to vacuum, and wash dishes by hand. I have a very routine order by which I complete these tasks and it pleases me.

I will have to read that book. Thanks.

It is worth reading, I relate to her OCD very much, and found that she is probably an aspie also.

 

[tree]

It is worth reading, I relate to her OCD very much, and found that she is probably an aspie also.

That was my impression, as well.
See Post#6: https://www.aspiescentral.com/threads/living-minimally.11967/#post-219334

 

[Dee317]

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Major points:
category by category organization
the 'spark joy' concept

Bonus: The way she describes her interests as a child,
she sounds aspie. Her interest, at age 5, was home decor & organization.

Great minds think alike! Many of her methods in the book were ones that I have developed on my own, over time. Her descriptions of organizing the school while no one was there I found hysterical, because I go to friends houses and help them organize their items. I think she felt the chaos of sensory overload like many of us aspies do and always felt the need to find calm. This is true for me at least. I was told to save everything for the future, I was doing a great disservice to my family thinking that way. Now I can have the whole house clean in 20 minutes and have time to do what interests me....constant medical based research, pinterest, and aspiescentral.[emoji38]

 

[tree]

Dee317
People invite me over to their houses sometimes
to play Sesame Street. Not to dress up like Big Bird
& Elmo, but to gather up things that are alike and
put them in the same place.

I think of it that way.
Otherwise, it would be 'cleaning house.'
I don't know how to 'clean house.'

I do know how to find things that are alike and
put them in the same location.

 

[Dee317]

Dee317
People invite me over to their houses sometimes
to play Sesame Street. Not to dress up like Big Bird
& Elmo, but to gather up things that are alike and
put them in the same place.

I think of it that way.
Otherwise, it would be 'cleaning house.'
I don't know how to 'clean house.'

I do know how to find things that are alike and
put them in the same location.

Haha! I love this response because 1, it is my own truth, and 2, for the PBS show reference, I swear many aspects of my personality are built on ideas that PBS shows have inbeded into my soul.[emoji38]