Yeah, that’s my line, too. Clutter is annoying but isn’t urgent. Food, water, and bodily functions need to be cleaned up ASAP or they will become biohazards. And also watch for bugs to catch them before an infestation becomes established.

And if you’re still lazy, the most important part is managing moisture. If things are wet enough, your house itself will get moldy. That musty basement smell is mold. If you smell it outside of the basement (and it’s not just a draft from the basement), check under your sink and your plumbing. That’s how I realized my tap had a leak when it was turned on.

If your garbage often stinks, try a garbage can without a lid so that the moisture in food thrown out can evaporate instead of getting trapped with the garbage. Though the smell can also sink in to the plastics used for some cans, so if it’s gotten pretty stinky regularly before this, taking the lid off might not help.