Housecleaning – the necessary evil.

 I’ve packed my bags, cleaned the floor,

Now watch me walking, walking out the door.

Eurythmics,  Would I lie to You?

It’s Spring time on the damp coast and inevitably, my mind briefly flits on the idea of spring cleaning the house.  And I do mean briefly.

It is a deranged mind that loves house cleaning.  To be perpetually obsessed about ridding the world of dust bunnies or banishing bathroom mold is a bit sick and twisted.

Love it clean but….

Admittedly I love a clean house.  I live walking across the kitchen floor and not having my socks stick to it.  It’s a good feeling.  BUT I loathe cleaning.  When I was younger, I had more energy and therefore cleaning wasn’t a big issue.  Now that I’m older, and perhaps a little less enthusiastic, I prefer to spend my time doing other things that interest me.

Men

My house isn’t filthy, but it certainly ain’t spotless.  With 2 men in the mix it never will be.  Men just don’t see dirt the way women do.  A stack of dishes in the kitchen can keep piling up.  Even though the dishwasher is completely empty, it will never occur to a man that perhaps some of those dishes could move from the counter into it.  Remnants of last night’s popcorn feast could be strewn all about their feet and yet somehow the young men remain oblivious to the carnage at their feet.  To live in ignorance can certainly be bliss sometimes.

And if I do clean?

Very occasionally, the mood to clean will strike me.  If, after some deep breathing and self-talk, the feeling doesn’t pass, I choose one task and ONE task only to tackle.  It’s usually a big one, like floor washing or bathroom cleaning.  But I set a goal of one item.  If after that task is done and the momentum of achievement sways me to try another task, so be it.  But thankfully that is a rare moment.

Two kinds of Clean

I’ve found 2 versions of spring cleaning:  one is Martha Stewart’s and the other is a list from a Danish magazine Hendes Verden (Her world, 2007).

Martha’s Clean

In her magazine, Martha’s list is very thorough and admirable AND 4 pages long.  If you go to her website she has 10 (!?!?!) cleaning check lists. Keep in mind that she has an army of staff to help her with her houses and therefore she likely only handles one task herself.  Nice help if you can get it but in my house, getting any help cleaning is particularly painful and therefore rarely attempted.

Martha Stewart Spring Cleaning Checklist

Danish Clean

Now the Danish version is the epitome of practicality, which is what Danes are known for.  Danes are likely the happiest nation on the planet because they don’t try to set overly ridiculous achievement goals.  They set the practical and if, in achieving the practical, they achieve greatness, that’s fine.  Otherwise achieving the practical is just fine and leaves time for coffee.

 Hendes Verden Cleaning  (English)

 My Clean

If you want to visit me, you can drop round anytime.  If you want to see my house, you need to make an appointment.