Cleaning one corner makes the rest of the room look messier. That’s just the start of the job.

Improving one part of anything raises the standard you judge the rest by, so early progress frequently feels like things getting worse. The contrast is evidence that something worked, though it arrives disguised as discouragement. This catches people at exactly the point where quitting feels most reasonable.

When the mess seems to have grown after you started, count that as a sign you are in it rather than a sign you were wrong. Keep going corner by corner without standing back too often. Save standing back for the end, when the comparison is finally on your side.