taryneast comments on The True Rejection Challenge - Less Wrong

43 Post author: Alicorn 27 June 2011 07:18AM

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Comment author: pthalo 27 June 2011 12:42:19AM 5 points [-]

Things I really need to do but can't seem to make myself do them:

there are clothes rotting in my washing machine. I had a migraine and couldn't hang them up, and the migraine lasted about a week, and now there's fungus growing on them. I've read online that this can be fixed by washing them 3-4 times and then hanging them in the sun to dry. Adding vinegar to the washing machine can help. The washing machine is right next to the bathtub, and I can't bathe properly because the smell is overpowering and makes me dizzy and light headed.

1) I'm still sore and constantly on the verge of a migraine. There's no guarantee that if I start a load I'll be able to hang it up.

2) Medicines sometimes help the migraines but not very much. I mostly have to ride them out. It may be a week yet till I can be sure that I can hang it up to dry.

3) There are noise restrictions in my building, so I can't make lots of noise after 8pm. This means that I'd need to get up early in order to wash the clothes. I got up early for a few days, but it made the headache worse, and it rained anyway, so not much sunlight.

4) I think the real reason is that when I do eventually take them out of the washing machine (having been washed X more times), I will have to touch them with my hands.

5) I can't really afford to replace them. Some of the items in the washing machine I could get over losing (I do have other shirts), but others are items I don't own enough of as it is.

6) i am very allergic to bleach and have trouble breathing if i walk through an area where it was used within the last half hour. so i cannot use it on my clothes. but vinegar should do the trick.

7) if i leave it much longer, the fungus will eat holes in my clothes. and leave stains. but some of the articles of clothing may not be too stained any may be wearable around the house, once they are fungus free.

Similarly, the floor in the apartment is filthy. Absolutely filthy. Covered in all sorts of stuff. It's a really hard carpet to clean (you have to brush it to coax the dirt out before you can vacuum it, or the vacuum doesn't do anything). But vacuum cleaners are loud and the noise would drive my pain levels up even higher. i can't vacuum, because i would have to devote an entire day to it (literally. have done so in the past and it still wasn't fully clean, just cleaner), and i dont have the stamina for a day of it. this is really the same problem as the laundry except that it's less bad and less urgent.

Comment author: taryneast 27 June 2011 04:20:32PM *  2 points [-]

Re: vacuuming when you are physically unable.

I strongly recommend an iRobot vacuum cleaner (roomba). It will vacuum for you.

By the sound of it, your carpet is badly ingrained with dirt, so the vacuum will not get it all out in one day - but if you set it to vacuum every day (which few humans would normally do voluntarily, but the roomba doesn't mind) it is highly likely that over time it will improve until "clean" it a normal state for it.

Comment author: Chroma 28 June 2011 07:22:27AM 2 points [-]

Another benefit: Having a robo-vacuum on a schedule forces you to get in the habit of picking objects (papers, clothing) up off the floor.

But pets, smoking, and moldy clothes? Ick. A robot vacuum isn't going to put a dent in that.

pthalo: Think of your pets. They probably don't enjoy living in that environment. You owe it to them to make your home pleasant.

Comment author: taryneast 28 June 2011 03:15:59PM 1 point [-]

Another benefit: Having a robo-vacuum on a schedule forces you to get in the habit of picking objects (papers, clothing) up off the floor.

Yes - though I'll admit that I discovered the "floor mess" easily becomes "chair and table mess" without having to actually put the things away... Still - it's a step in the right direction. :)

Comment author: AdeleneDawner 29 June 2011 03:54:52PM 2 points [-]

"floor mess" easily becomes "chair and table mess" without having to actually put the things away...

Here is someone's solution to that problem. I haven't tried it, so I can't personally vouch for it, but it seems likely to work in most cases.

Comment author: taryneast 30 June 2011 08:06:32AM *  0 points [-]

Looks pretty awesome, actually. Quite a sensible progression, and looks like it would indeed be a good way of keeping up with the most important bits.

Though I must say, I have much more than just one laundry-basket of "stuff" to put away - and nowhere to put it away (only one cupboard in my little flat right now). When I get back to Australia and normal-sized apartments, I'll be able to keep up with that part, and will simply adapt it for now.

This related one seems good for sorting out mess: the taxonomy of mess

I wonder how frequently she goes through this progression, and how long it takes her. It sounds like it's her weekend schedule. Part of what puts me off housework is that there are so many other things I'd rather be doing... I know that's the same for everybody, but still.

Comment author: pthalo 28 June 2011 05:01:20AM 2 points [-]

woah, that is so totally cool. Expensive -- more than a month's rent and utilities combined, but seriously cool.

Also, they sell them in my country -- even in my city, and the webpage says they have a promotion thing where you can borrow it for a night and then take it back the next day for free -- under the idea that a person would be sold on the idea and wouldnt want to go back to their old vacuum cleaner. So, basically, I could get my carpet cleaned for free, and then give it back. If the thing would clean it thoroughly (and I'd be willing to babysit it for a night if it needed to be emptied frequently), it's possible that it could get enough of the ingrained dirt out that i could make reasonable progress with regular vacuuming.

Comment author: taryneast 28 June 2011 03:04:53PM 1 point [-]

I like that idea. Yes you could do it in a night. It'll seem frustrating if you watch it (because it ha a random walk algorithm)- so don't. Just let it do its thing and empty it every so often. It will clean your floor so thoroughly that you'll be surprised.