This is what I'd suggest:
- Group like items
- Get stuff off the floor
- Throw away garbage
- Even if you don't clean your dishes right away, put them in the kitchen in or near the sink
- Clear surfaces as much as possible & intentionally place a few nice things on those clear surfaces, but...
- Also, have places where messiness is OK - like I have a big table that has a bunch of shit on it and it's my desk and computers and art supplies and notebooks and stuff and it's never clear and that's how I like it.