Any food or cleaning helpful hints?

What I did when I lived alone was setting a timer to ensure I was pacing and not doing too much and increasing the pain. I would clean for 10 minutes, break 5 minutes, clean 10, break 10, clean 10, break half an hour. I could handle two sets of this per day 80% of the time.

If I tried to finish a full task I sometimes would overdo it and be out for a day or more. Getting rid of clutter helps too, less to clean.

I also have a friend from church that would come out on bad weeks for basic cleaning and would come every few months for the deeper cleaning I couldn’t get too (especially scrubbing the shower)

And vinegar and water was my cleaner, I can’t handle a lot of the smelly ones.

I also live alone and have little energy for housework. Here are a few things that have helped me. For meals, I often use my crock pot. Even if you're not feeling well, you can throw in just a few things (make it up) and have a nice cooked meal that will last a few days.

For housework, I've tried a few "hacks." Vacuuming can be difficult, so I bought a roomba. I also bought a cordless vacuum I love. I can usually do the house on a charge if I'm quick (or split it between 2 days). It's a hassle to keep plugging and unplugging. To make kitchen/bathrooms look nicer longer, I wipe around with a paper towel (or towel) every time I use. The sink looks nice for 1-2 weeks. I also "donwsized" my clutter. The less I have, the fewer things I have to move when I clean. Not sure your budget, but maybe every few months hire someone for an hour or two (?).

Finally, I asked myself what needs to be clean for me to feel like the "house is clean?" Or to put it another way, "What makes me feel like the house is dirty and messy?" Basically, it's the kitchen, bathroom, cat's litter box, and walking past an unmade bed. So I take the trash out and on weekends and (if I'm not sick) I make the bed, then check the kitchen and bathroom. If that's done, the vacuuming and other chores can wait. I wish you the best.

Vinegar and water work extremely well! I'm so allergic to bleach and most cleaners have bleach in them. I find if I make a list and have things to check off I feel like I've accomplished something. Even if it's just wiping down the bathroom sink! It's an accomplishment.

The frozen vegetable steam bags are awesome. Bake chicken (a mixture of mayo and parmesan cheese on top). You have many meals! Chili in the crock pot is great too.

Good luck!

Bleach slays me. So does vinegar. I use plain soap and water in the kitchen and bathroom. I make the rounds cleaning some each day when I am not laid out with the ice pack.

Meals. We have to do everything from scratch since I'm so sensitive to MSG and preservatives. I will make a batch of pasta, which only takes an hour, freeze it (pasta freezes well), and then that just needs to be boiled and served with sauce (heat and serve--can also be frozen.) I eat mine with a little olive oil and chicken breast.

SOUP! Soup is a great meal that freezes well. So is chili. We currently love chicken vegetable soup with squash and carrots and rice and beans. Yum. I make a huge pot and it makes 10 servings. Freeze in canning jars and throw a frozen jar in a pot on the stove to reheat.

Homemade pot pies?