This twenty-and-nine days went by quickly. I think that has more to do with the time of year than anything else; November and December are always somewhat of a blur.
I had little to report on this month. Writing about cleaning is just as interesting as reading about it. However, I am pleased to say that this may be the first month that I have witnessed the most growth in myself. Most days my cleaning consisted of dishes and straightening up the kitchen. I also made sure to pick up clothes off the floor, dining room table, back of the toilet, and off of chairs at least every other day. Each day there was a sense of calm once things were slightly more orderly. It was the "aaaaaah" that justified my rest. Some days I was borderline excited to come home and reorganize my life, to settle in to some sort of order. This makes me wonder if I have a horrifying anal-retentive side that has been dormant for years. Help! I'm an Obsessive-Compulsive trapped inside a Hoarder's body!
The most marked difference in behavior for the last twenty-nine days is that when something falls on the floor....wait for this....I pick it up. There are only a few people in my life who would appreciate the magnitude of this seemingly simple action: my mother, my boyfriend, my two ex-stepfathers, and my old babysitter. This is my apology to all of them for years of crap left all over the house. Equating myself to the Tasmanian Devil may be extreme, but I have been known to leave a trail of refuse in my path from the front door to my bedroom.
More so than previous months, I am hoping to truly keep up with this new behavior. By 'more so' I really mean at all. I have not been consistent about headstands, dog walking, or even being positive (J. told me the other day that everything I say is a complaint. Yikes!) But this: this order, this structure, this organization, has provided a much needed sense of balance to my days.
So here's to being the person I never thought I would be.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Day Nineteen
Tonight I made dinner.
This is a once a year event. I was bored, and craving this very specific dish I used to find in the Trader Joe's Freezer Section, so decided to take out a cook book, cross reference with some online recipes...and cook.
It wasn't that great. J. said it was good for being the first time I attempted such a thing. That said, I ended up picking the food he didn't eat off his plate. I will eat anything I guess. It is slightly comforting to know that if I was single, I wouldn't a)starve or b)eat only microwavable dinners.
Anyway, so I cleaned up after myself today. I cleaned the dishes we ate off of, the dishes I used to cook, etc. This is one of the things I have been noticing about myself in the last few weeks. I have become much more conscious of picking up and cleaning up after myself. Honestly, the house is more or less tidy each day, that there is not a lot of straightening up to do. Right now I think there is more 'deep cleaning' that needs to be done, but I have been very consistent with the day to day straightening. And, what do you know? The house is generally cleaner! Shocking!
Maybe this is what it is like to be a grown up.
This is a once a year event. I was bored, and craving this very specific dish I used to find in the Trader Joe's Freezer Section, so decided to take out a cook book, cross reference with some online recipes...and cook.
It wasn't that great. J. said it was good for being the first time I attempted such a thing. That said, I ended up picking the food he didn't eat off his plate. I will eat anything I guess. It is slightly comforting to know that if I was single, I wouldn't a)starve or b)eat only microwavable dinners.
Anyway, so I cleaned up after myself today. I cleaned the dishes we ate off of, the dishes I used to cook, etc. This is one of the things I have been noticing about myself in the last few weeks. I have become much more conscious of picking up and cleaning up after myself. Honestly, the house is more or less tidy each day, that there is not a lot of straightening up to do. Right now I think there is more 'deep cleaning' that needs to be done, but I have been very consistent with the day to day straightening. And, what do you know? The house is generally cleaner! Shocking!
Maybe this is what it is like to be a grown up.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Day Twelve
Yesterday I came home and speed-cleaned the kitchen. It is amazing what some afternoon adrenaline can do. I felt like the robot maid on the Jetsons. What was her name? Rosie?
Today, I took my time. I used the four hour window, where I was required to stay home and wait for the couches to be delivered, to catch up on cleaning. I did some laundry, folded laundry, swept the kitchen, did the dishes, and worked on the tower of To Be Filed papers. I also busted out a Magic Eraser sponge. I love these so much. It is the one invention (maybe except for a vacuum) that makes me enjoy the act of cleaning. I become this A.D.D. clean freak for the lifespan of the thing. I move around the house trying to find dirty spots that I would never think to clean. For example, I clean the door frames or the area around door knobs and light switches. Especially with dogs, the lower portions of walls and doors gather mung at such a gradual pace that you (or at least I) don't notice the 2-foot high grayish-brown layer until you take a step back and really look.
So, I did a lot of spot cleaning (hence the A.D.D.) where I never really focused on one spot for very long. Rather, I hopped around the house and each time I would notice a new smudge, I'd abandon the one I was working on to tackle the next. In retrospect, I don't really know how efficient, or productive, this is in terms of cleaning...but nonetheless, I made it through one layer of grime today.
Today, I took my time. I used the four hour window, where I was required to stay home and wait for the couches to be delivered, to catch up on cleaning. I did some laundry, folded laundry, swept the kitchen, did the dishes, and worked on the tower of To Be Filed papers. I also busted out a Magic Eraser sponge. I love these so much. It is the one invention (maybe except for a vacuum) that makes me enjoy the act of cleaning. I become this A.D.D. clean freak for the lifespan of the thing. I move around the house trying to find dirty spots that I would never think to clean. For example, I clean the door frames or the area around door knobs and light switches. Especially with dogs, the lower portions of walls and doors gather mung at such a gradual pace that you (or at least I) don't notice the 2-foot high grayish-brown layer until you take a step back and really look.
So, I did a lot of spot cleaning (hence the A.D.D.) where I never really focused on one spot for very long. Rather, I hopped around the house and each time I would notice a new smudge, I'd abandon the one I was working on to tackle the next. In retrospect, I don't really know how efficient, or productive, this is in terms of cleaning...but nonetheless, I made it through one layer of grime today.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Day Nine
Wow. Only day nine?
It's not that it seems like a particularly difficult project, but it just seems like so much more time has gone by. I think maybe I have been slightly lenient on myself this month, in terms of what counts as cleaning. The thing is, even the smallest efforts of cleanliness are significantly more than my typical efforts.
For example: the other day I came home and the dogs had gotten into some rotten plums off the counter (okay, so the rotten plums are the first problem...) and consequently, there was squished plum meat and juice all over the kitchen and dining room, along with the remaining plum. Usually, I would probably pick up the plum, but then move on....leaving the sticky mess to gather dog fur, dust, and shoe gunk. This can attract ants ("ants! why the hell do we have ants?" I might cry) and/or create a large, oddly shaped, black, sticky, blob on the floor. SO, instead of letting all this, somewhat knowingly, happen...I picked up the plum. I wiped up the floor, with water. I cleaned the mess, I didn't just pick it up. That is a big deal for me!
Another example: I am the brand of lady that takes off her clothes in the bathroom to take a shower and leaves them on the bathroom floor indefinitely. Like, until the next time I do laundry or maybe I need to wear something again. I have been very conscious of this lately and have made a point to remove my clothing from the bathroom floor each day. Again, I realize that to many people, this is ridiculous...but these are that patterns I find myself in. I spend weeks accumulating piles of stuff, dirty clothes, dirty dishes, and a collection of random objects that belong in the garage only to spend a weekend deep cleaning it all. This is exhausting, and truthfully, it doesn't all get cleaned. Generally, it is just the areas that guests may wander through.
So, there have been some days where I have am engrossed in deep cleaning and others are where I complete the day-to-day necessities that I pointedly ignore. They both count, according to me, because the latter is a true necessity while the former is just good practice.
P.S.
Our next house is going to have a dishwasher.
It's not that it seems like a particularly difficult project, but it just seems like so much more time has gone by. I think maybe I have been slightly lenient on myself this month, in terms of what counts as cleaning. The thing is, even the smallest efforts of cleanliness are significantly more than my typical efforts.
For example: the other day I came home and the dogs had gotten into some rotten plums off the counter (okay, so the rotten plums are the first problem...) and consequently, there was squished plum meat and juice all over the kitchen and dining room, along with the remaining plum. Usually, I would probably pick up the plum, but then move on....leaving the sticky mess to gather dog fur, dust, and shoe gunk. This can attract ants ("ants! why the hell do we have ants?" I might cry) and/or create a large, oddly shaped, black, sticky, blob on the floor. SO, instead of letting all this, somewhat knowingly, happen...I picked up the plum. I wiped up the floor, with water. I cleaned the mess, I didn't just pick it up. That is a big deal for me!
Another example: I am the brand of lady that takes off her clothes in the bathroom to take a shower and leaves them on the bathroom floor indefinitely. Like, until the next time I do laundry or maybe I need to wear something again. I have been very conscious of this lately and have made a point to remove my clothing from the bathroom floor each day. Again, I realize that to many people, this is ridiculous...but these are that patterns I find myself in. I spend weeks accumulating piles of stuff, dirty clothes, dirty dishes, and a collection of random objects that belong in the garage only to spend a weekend deep cleaning it all. This is exhausting, and truthfully, it doesn't all get cleaned. Generally, it is just the areas that guests may wander through.
So, there have been some days where I have am engrossed in deep cleaning and others are where I complete the day-to-day necessities that I pointedly ignore. They both count, according to me, because the latter is a true necessity while the former is just good practice.
P.S.
Our next house is going to have a dishwasher.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Day Four
About being clean:
So, on Tuesday I did a lot of straightening up (in addition to my sweeping.) When I went to sleep, the kitchen was in order. When I woke up Wednesday morning, there were remnants of late night snacking all over the counters. Spoons, butter wrappers, a half eaten oatmeal crisp concoction, dishes, etc. I spent the first few minutes of my day simply cleaning up after someone else. I do this often enough, but that day I really noticed it simply because it was cleaning I was doing due to someone else's mess. That is not as gratifying! It also made me think that this is what it must be like to be a mother; constantly picking up after your child. You must get in a groove, especially with a newly mobile toddler, and then it just becomes what you do, it is part of your routine. Bleh! No thank you.
Anyway, Thursday morning I awoke to dog barf all over the house. Again, visions of motherhood flashed through my mind, albeit a sick child in the middle of the night would be an entirely different experience than this. Anyway, I was - once again - inadvertently asked to clean up after someone else. Hmm mm.
So today, I did some cleaning for us. For the house, to make way for the new couches. I was feeling rather annoyed by the mess I needed to make in order to achieve...well, order. The mess isn't gone, but there is some organization to our T.V. room that wasn't there before. That is a good feeling.
And on that note, today I was inspired (or reaffirmed) by a co-worker, who announced to his class (of Kindergartners) that their job this weekend was to go home and clean their rooms, especially under their beds. He ended his speech with, "A clean room is a clean mind" or something to that effect. It was just what I needed to hear to inspire me to come home and get to work. It is true, when my house is clean, I feel a sense of clarity and peace that is muddled when there is clutter about. I wonder how different my life would be if I was always clean? I usually arrive at the conclusion that the stress of maintaining a clean house would create more angst, wrinkles, chest clenching, and anxiety than the mess itself. Sort of like giving up sugar: is the stress of the commitment worth the health benefits?
I'm intrigued by all of this. I am also looking forward to a happy balance between tidiness and peace of mind.
So, on Tuesday I did a lot of straightening up (in addition to my sweeping.) When I went to sleep, the kitchen was in order. When I woke up Wednesday morning, there were remnants of late night snacking all over the counters. Spoons, butter wrappers, a half eaten oatmeal crisp concoction, dishes, etc. I spent the first few minutes of my day simply cleaning up after someone else. I do this often enough, but that day I really noticed it simply because it was cleaning I was doing due to someone else's mess. That is not as gratifying! It also made me think that this is what it must be like to be a mother; constantly picking up after your child. You must get in a groove, especially with a newly mobile toddler, and then it just becomes what you do, it is part of your routine. Bleh! No thank you.
Anyway, Thursday morning I awoke to dog barf all over the house. Again, visions of motherhood flashed through my mind, albeit a sick child in the middle of the night would be an entirely different experience than this. Anyway, I was - once again - inadvertently asked to clean up after someone else. Hmm mm.
So today, I did some cleaning for us. For the house, to make way for the new couches. I was feeling rather annoyed by the mess I needed to make in order to achieve...well, order. The mess isn't gone, but there is some organization to our T.V. room that wasn't there before. That is a good feeling.
And on that note, today I was inspired (or reaffirmed) by a co-worker, who announced to his class (of Kindergartners) that their job this weekend was to go home and clean their rooms, especially under their beds. He ended his speech with, "A clean room is a clean mind" or something to that effect. It was just what I needed to hear to inspire me to come home and get to work. It is true, when my house is clean, I feel a sense of clarity and peace that is muddled when there is clutter about. I wonder how different my life would be if I was always clean? I usually arrive at the conclusion that the stress of maintaining a clean house would create more angst, wrinkles, chest clenching, and anxiety than the mess itself. Sort of like giving up sugar: is the stress of the commitment worth the health benefits?
I'm intrigued by all of this. I am also looking forward to a happy balance between tidiness and peace of mind.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Day One
I had no idea what to do this month. I was really looking for some inspiration, something to bring meaning to this month's '29'. I had a few backup ideas, things I was milling around when I decided to start this project, but none of them seemed right this month.
We just bought a living room set this past weekend. It consists of a couch, love seat, and chair. This was a sort of a big deal in that it was one of our few 'grown up' purchases. Figuring out how and where this new seating will fit into our house has been tricky...for a few reasons. First, we have very few things in our house that are nice. Most of our furniture has been found on the side of the road or purchased at a thrift store. There are few pieces from Ikea or that have been inherited from others but nonetheless we have sort of a hodge-podge of stuff. Lots and lots of stuff. I have been worrying about how the furniture will look. I begin by sitting in one room, analyzing how our other stuff should be moved around, what can be moved into storage, and what can be thrown away. Usually I love rearranging furniture. I find it refreshing to purge a bit and establish a new perspective in a room. Therefore, I was surprised at how daunting it was to tackle figuring out how our new setup would fit in with the mess. That is what it all feels like: a mess. I find myself trying to figure out how make it all fit and it seems that the only solution is a house with more storage, a bigger house, a clean house.
Ugh. The only one of those things I have control over is the clean part.
So, I grudgingly am committing to do a bit of cleaning each day. This may seem - well, I don't know what it may seem like - but to anyone who knows me, this is not my strong suit. I am a clutter-bug, I am a pack-rat, and I am mess-leaver. I am the one who drops something on the floor and doesn't pick it up. I leave cabinet doors open, I let stuff go bad in the fridge, I have a pile of coats and scarves on the dining room table because I can't seem to take them to the closet each day. Really, cleaning happens when we have guests over, so maybe once a week? God, that's embarrassing.
Okay, so, a little bit each day. This is going to be very, very, very hard for me.
Today, I swept.
We just bought a living room set this past weekend. It consists of a couch, love seat, and chair. This was a sort of a big deal in that it was one of our few 'grown up' purchases. Figuring out how and where this new seating will fit into our house has been tricky...for a few reasons. First, we have very few things in our house that are nice. Most of our furniture has been found on the side of the road or purchased at a thrift store. There are few pieces from Ikea or that have been inherited from others but nonetheless we have sort of a hodge-podge of stuff. Lots and lots of stuff. I have been worrying about how the furniture will look. I begin by sitting in one room, analyzing how our other stuff should be moved around, what can be moved into storage, and what can be thrown away. Usually I love rearranging furniture. I find it refreshing to purge a bit and establish a new perspective in a room. Therefore, I was surprised at how daunting it was to tackle figuring out how our new setup would fit in with the mess. That is what it all feels like: a mess. I find myself trying to figure out how make it all fit and it seems that the only solution is a house with more storage, a bigger house, a clean house.
Ugh. The only one of those things I have control over is the clean part.
So, I grudgingly am committing to do a bit of cleaning each day. This may seem - well, I don't know what it may seem like - but to anyone who knows me, this is not my strong suit. I am a clutter-bug, I am a pack-rat, and I am mess-leaver. I am the one who drops something on the floor and doesn't pick it up. I leave cabinet doors open, I let stuff go bad in the fridge, I have a pile of coats and scarves on the dining room table because I can't seem to take them to the closet each day. Really, cleaning happens when we have guests over, so maybe once a week? God, that's embarrassing.
Okay, so, a little bit each day. This is going to be very, very, very hard for me.
Today, I swept.
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