Today I should be cleaning. Unfortunately I would have to be one of the world’s worst housekeepers. I understand that doing a little bit every day should make the load lighter but other than washing the clothes and dishes, it’s a bit beyond me. Usually I just wait until it gets out of control or visitors are expected and then set to like a woman possessed for three days and get things into shape.
I’ve tried all the handy hints that have been offered to me to help establish a routine. One suggestion is to get up and put your shoes on straight away. This is meant to make you feel like you are busy and going out, so you will be less likely to laze about on the lounge eating bonbons instead of spit-polishing the shower. This doesn’t work for me because I hate wearing shoes. Plus if you can’t feel the grit under your feet it is all too easy to ignore it. (Found this one out the hard way, when the children got stuck to the kitchen floor.)
Another plan was to put on a timer and just spend ten minutes at each task. The idea is that because you have limited time, you work faster and get things done quicker, plus you don’t lose interest because you are moving from one job to another. I was just left with about 20 jobs half done at the end of the day.
I have friends who schedule cleaning and won’t go out at all on Cleaning Day. If they do have to let it go for some important event, it throws their whole week out. I’m all “Well I was meant to be cleaning out the fridge today, but hey, you want to go look at paint charts? I’m there!” If life was animated, this would be the point where you’d see a me-shaped hole in the dust.
As for ironing – (yes, I’m looking at you, Mr Abbott) – ugh! My husband happily irons his own shirt every morning while watching the news. Everything else gets hung carefully to avoid wrinkles, and I am often to be seen madly scrunching at clothes in shops to check the material for creasing tendencies.When we were moving I seriously considered knocking back a perfectly good house because the local school’s uniform had pleated tunics. Luckily we found a better house near a wash-and-wear school!
What lengths will you go to to avoid cleaning?
I’ve never been much of a housekeeper (I have my mother to thank for teaching me excellent habits: as children she actually encouraged us to draw on the walls with crayons!). I’m even less so since my own kids came along. Lowering your housekeeping standards has so many benefits: more time doing fun stuff like enjoying your kids, reading great blogs or being with friends. It also makes you more popular: no-one feels comfortable visiting a super-clean house. It’s unnatural! BTW I think you need to meet a friend of mine to compare notes: http://notdrowning.wordpress.com/free-champagne/
I have ripped up the carpet in my hallway ready to polish the boards – 4 months ago. Now nobody thinks I’m messy, because we’re obviously ‘renovating’.
Oh I do love visiting super clean houses. It’s like a trip to the museum or art gallery! Just don’t want to live there.
Love the NDM!