Any advice on tackling a BIG cleaning job?

I was sick for 3 months (from an antibiotic resistent UTI), mostly bedridden, and my room is overwhelmingly messy now. Since I live in one rented room, that is my total home area. Also, due to my advanced age (75), if anyone gets a look at my room, I'd probably wind up being labelled with senile dementia and be put into an institution permanently. So I really need to clean it up here! But my age and recent illness have robbed me of both physical and mental energy. My get up and go has got up and went, as the saying goes. Yesterday I started my dreaded cleaning project and was exhausted after about 2 hours. Just sorting out clutter (plus 3 months worth of mail) and carrying bags of trash out really wore me out. I have come to realize I'm going to have to do this a little at a time.

Anyone been in this situation? How did you deal with it? Any suggestions?

Please don't suggest I get someone else to do it. I have NO family. I have little money. My friends live far away and are my own approximate age. This is a job I will have to do myself.

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hartfire

Just be patient with yourself.
Instead of doing two hours and ending up exhausted,
just do one and a half per day.

Give yourself a set of priorities, and aim to accomplish one each day - but if it's not done within your time limit, just finish it the next.

Don't try to spring clean. Just do the basics at first until things are restored to a relatively acceptable norm.

Get out for a little bit of gentle exercise each day. Just walking in a nice place would be fine. Only do as much as is comfortable, but make it last five minutes longer each day.

For instance
1. Check bills and pay, or arrange a payment schedule and reminder system.
2. any old food in the fridge goes to the compost, worms or chooks, dirty dishes rinsed and stacked ready for washing, dirty clothes and linen chucked in the laundry, sort and put out the rubbish bins.
3. wet areas: (might need one or more sessions for each) kitchen, laundry, toilet and bathroom.
If the whole is too much, just do the most important bits and come back to the rest on another day.
4. dry tasks: go from top to bottom (because dirts falls), cobwebs, dusting, sweeping or vacuuming, mopping if necessary. One room at a time. Choose the room you like to spend most time in to do first.

Once all those basics are done, compile your list of spring cleaning and sorting tasks. Keep it small, one cupboard or minor task per day. If the fridge is to big, do one shelf at a time.

Give yourself a reward for every task done - like relaxing with music, book or movie, time on the phone with a friend, a long bath, a luscious peach, burning a stick of incense.