Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Time to Clean

With summer around the corner and the sun shining, it’s impossible to hide the grime on the windows. I’ve been putting off washing them—too many deadlines. But I really do need to carve out some time for cleaning.

I’ve made a deal with my husband: if he washes outside, I’ll do the inside. I also need to clean my office, which is a disaster. Of course I know what every pile holds, but the mess gets to me. We’re about to get new carpets, so I don’t have much choice.

I used to be so meticulous, washing the kitchen floor daily and never letting the clutter pile up. Now it’s more important to write than keep everything neat.

Sometimes I shake my head at the changes in me and wonder where that tidy woman went.

Who out there is like me?
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30 comments:

Kathleen said...

I have decided that cleaning is a cycle for me now...I clean, let it get dirty/messy again and have a big cleaning day where everthing I see is cleaned again. I used to clean, like you, on a daily basis, but I don't have the time! Yes, it is great to have everything sparkling clean, but not at the expense of wasting these gorgeous pre-summer days inside! :)

8:29 AM
Michele Dunaway said...

I think I've told this story before, but if not:

I gave up cleaning a long time ago. By age 24, I had a cleaning service. If not, those floors and toilets never got done. (They can get gross with just me living there.)

In high school, I had to get "married" my family living class. The questionairre asked, "Who will do the chores in your house? Husband? Wife? Both?" My partner and I filled in "Maid."

The teacher wasn't amused. I wanted to be able to tell her all these years later that yes, for the bargain price of $75 a session, I have a cleaning lady come every two weeks and scour it all. She even does my laundry and puts away my dishes.

My home is where I work and relax, when I get home from the teaching job. It also contains two kids and five cats. I just can't do it. So instead of doing things like theater tickets, expensive dinners out, etc., I've prioritized a service.

Makes life nice. She comes today. Thank goodness. The floors have snow cone mix on them from yesterday.

Michele

8:30 AM
Anonymous said...

Kathleen-
I'm glad you understand. :-)

And Michele-
We do have a cleaning woman, but she's there once every two weeks. And she doesn't do windows!! Or clean out the fridge ...

9:01 AM
Christa said...

Every time my sister comes down I make sure the house is clean. She has this habit of nitpicking. Since she is coming on Thursday morning to pick me up to stay at her place for 10 days I've been on a cleaning binge. Every time I do this I ask myself "why make sure to place is super clean if I'm not going to be here anyway." I never had an answer so I just keep cleaning every time.

9:07 AM
Anonymous said...

My parents and grandparents have that neat as a pin outlook. Nothing is out of place. My two sisters are the same. Sadly, I am not. I am a collector of so many things from nesting dolls to teddies to books. Books are piled everywhere as are all the rest. I can't even hire a cleaning lady as the surfaces are covered with things. I wish I felt better about this but my family says no one lives like I do. Good to hear that there are others out there like me.

9:20 AM
Minna said...

I hate cleaning, but I try to keep my home relatively clean.

9:25 AM
Anonymous said...

Christa- I a way, this is good. Your house gets cleaned, right? I recently saw a play called The Clean House. Two sisters, one who lives to clean. The other, too busy to clean. It was a weird play, but parts of it were great.

I'm sure you feel great when your house is clean, right?

10:32 AM
Anonymous said...

Linda- Tell them you're the creative one. :-) Ha!

10:33 AM
Anonymous said...

Minna- I hear you!!

10:33 AM
PatriciaW said...

How do define "clean"? There are some things that have to be done daily, like make sure the bathrooms are relatively neat, the kitchen cleaned up, the dining area tidied, toys put away, and the trash taken out.

There are things that would be nice but if it's not done...? Like make the beds, fold the clothes, straighten the closets, dust, etc. When I wake up and feel domestically inspired, I go for these kinds of things. Otherwise, I do my best and life is pretty good.

Then there are the biggies like clean out the refrigerator (and vacuum behind), wash walls, clean carpets, wash windows, etc. These requiring planning and all get done eventually but probably not as often as they should. I try not to stress about them.

I'd much rather read and write than mop and dust!

11:31 AM
Anonymous said...

Patricia- I love your attitude! Maybe I'll clone it for myself. :-)

1:01 PM
Jennifer Shirk said...

I used to be one of those "neat freaks", washing the floors almost every other day.

Therapy has helped a lot with that. LOL! And having kids.

1:30 PM
Anonymous said...

Hmm.... therapy. For me, writing is the best therapy ever!

1:49 PM
Christa said...

It does feel good to have a clean house and the feeling of accomplishment only prblem with that is I don't want to mess it up. Like cooking would be a big no-no cause it will mess up the stove.

3:21 PM
Anonymous said...

I used to be orgainized I don't what has happened either - Beth Reimer

3:38 PM
Anonymous said...

Beth- Do you think we've gotten lazy? Or are we simply having more fun?!?!

4:08 PM
catslady said...

I detest cleaning. My mother (84) lives to clean and all my memories go back to that so I'm sort of the opposite lol. I do what I have to do when need be. I figured reading and playing with my kids was more important. Heck - anything is more important lol.

4:25 PM
Cherie J said...

I feel your pain! Since I had my baby girl 7 months ago I have less time to clean then I used to. Between her and her 3 1/2 year old brother my hands are full. I sometimes wonder how woman I know manage to juggle it all because I am struggling.

4:41 PM
C.Gwynn said...

Ann, I use to be meticulous like you. There was never a spot or finger print on the inside windows from kids. Every room was organized, dusted, swept and no clutter. It stayed that way daily. I still had plenty of time daily to play with the kids, take them to the park, cook, wash clothes etc. I guess I could keep up because when they were small I didn't work outside the home. I went to work and the kids had school activites and over the years the house became disorganized and dusty.

The youngest has been out of school for 5 years now and I still don't have the drive to bring the house back to it's former glory.

I think the energic young tidy woman that use to live here moved out and an older lady that wears out easily moved in. Maybe one day I can find the younger lady and have her come back!

Is anyone else too tired to care?

11:44 PM
Estella said...

I only do what absolutely has to be done!

7:08 AM
CrystalGB said...

I try to keep my house livable. I am not a clean freak.

8:38 AM
Anonymous said...

Oh, Miss Reader! I feel your pain.

The lesson from everyone, I think (loosely interpreted(, is to not stress over a little bit of mess. Life's too short! :-)

9:36 AM
Unknown said...

I used to be organized and neat I don't know what happened either

10:23 AM
Anonymous said...

I keep children in my home so I try to keep the important things done: the floors, bathrooms and kitchen. But I dusted last week for the 1st time in over a month, and the closets never get clean and I am the Queen of Clutter! I go thru stages where I say I can't stand it anymore and I spend one whole day doing nothing but cleaning, but those days are rare! :} I do feel better when my house is clean, but the world doesn't stop turning because there is a layer of dust on my coffee table!!

12:24 PM
Anonymous said...

I don't clean. I just accept the mess and move along.

I am reminded by a teacher in middle school's desk slogan: A sign of a genius is a messy desk!

Of course, I almost wrote that was a Desky mess.

1:20 PM
Cheryl said...

I used to be better at cleaning. Not a great housekeeper, things weren't spotless but it was tidy. Then came kids and work and single motherhood and I've had to change my priorities and accept that I can't do everything
so I just do the best I can. The housework will still be there when the kids are older but there won't be another chance to enjoy their childhood before they're too old to want to hang around with mom.

Cheryl

7:51 PM
Anonymous said...

I'm the opposite, I used to be messy but now I can't stand a mess and have to clean it right away, I have a grown daughter who lives at home and she is very messy, sometimes it gets very intense around the house over this.

5:33 AM
Maureen said...

I am always behind on my cleaning but I do enjoy having a clean house so I am always trying to keep up.

5:43 AM
Unknown said...

Oh I am.. LOL I used to be tidy but one day I quit... I have three kids and a husband who think that I am their maid and cook, not to mention secretary for the phone. With three kids and two jobs They need to help a bit more.

7:51 PM
Anonymous said...

I have so changed over the years and find other things more important than a spotless house all the time.

robynl

1:22 AM

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