As mentioned in yesterday's post, I've gotten away from my routine of daily housework. Not the "habit" stuff -- I still clean my kitchen, sweep my kitchen floor, keep up with laundry, cook three meals a day, etc. But for several weeks the cobwebs have been gathering in the corners and the dustbunnies have actually poked their heads out from under the furniture. Surface cleaning? Fine, I'm great at it. Deeper cleaning? I confessed yesterday to letting it go.
Yesterday I pulled myself up by my bootstraps, gave me self a stearn talking-to, and got about the business at hand -- seriously cleaning the two upstairs bathrooms. This isn't just the swish-swish of a Flylady task, this is getting out the rubber gloves and bleach and giving the entire room a good going-over. Top to botton, stem to stern - it all got washed down with bleach and/or windex. Both rooms "spahkle" as my New Hampshire friends would say (OK, I say it on occasion too.)
And it felt GOOD to begin to get things back under control. It felt GOOD to see those two bathroom sparkle again. It felt good to put clean sheets on the bed (that still smelled wonderful because they'd been hung out on the line to dry), and know my husband and I would both enjoy "clean sheet night" tonight.
I remember now why I do all this. First, I love my house to be clean (which should not be mistaken for "I love to clean house"!). But second, I love my husband to come home from work and say, "Hey, the house looks nice." I love to have friends drop in unannounced and not feel embarassed that there's dishes in the sink or beds unmade or yesterday's sewing project spread all over the family room.
This is the Zen of housework. It's really not about the work. It's about creating a clean, welcoming environment for your family and friends...and for yourself. It's so much easier to sit out on my deck with a cup of tea and good book and enjoy a sunny afternoon when my house is clean! It's easier to enjoy some time sewing or quilting, knowing that my day's To Do List is completed.
I recently found a blog called Home Sanctuary that thinks very much along these lines. Each weekday she posts a simple task to do that will help make your home a sactuary for your family. Most tasks take as little as 5 minutes, and can be as easy as picking a few flowers to put on your kitchen table, or a little more time-consuming like cleaning out your silverware drawer. Check her out and see if it helps you get into the Zen of creating a home.
Do you have anything you do to help make your home a sanctuary?
Yesterday I pulled myself up by my bootstraps, gave me self a stearn talking-to, and got about the business at hand -- seriously cleaning the two upstairs bathrooms. This isn't just the swish-swish of a Flylady task, this is getting out the rubber gloves and bleach and giving the entire room a good going-over. Top to botton, stem to stern - it all got washed down with bleach and/or windex. Both rooms "spahkle" as my New Hampshire friends would say (OK, I say it on occasion too.)
And it felt GOOD to begin to get things back under control. It felt GOOD to see those two bathroom sparkle again. It felt good to put clean sheets on the bed (that still smelled wonderful because they'd been hung out on the line to dry), and know my husband and I would both enjoy "clean sheet night" tonight.
I remember now why I do all this. First, I love my house to be clean (which should not be mistaken for "I love to clean house"!). But second, I love my husband to come home from work and say, "Hey, the house looks nice." I love to have friends drop in unannounced and not feel embarassed that there's dishes in the sink or beds unmade or yesterday's sewing project spread all over the family room.
This is the Zen of housework. It's really not about the work. It's about creating a clean, welcoming environment for your family and friends...and for yourself. It's so much easier to sit out on my deck with a cup of tea and good book and enjoy a sunny afternoon when my house is clean! It's easier to enjoy some time sewing or quilting, knowing that my day's To Do List is completed.
I recently found a blog called Home Sanctuary that thinks very much along these lines. Each weekday she posts a simple task to do that will help make your home a sactuary for your family. Most tasks take as little as 5 minutes, and can be as easy as picking a few flowers to put on your kitchen table, or a little more time-consuming like cleaning out your silverware drawer. Check her out and see if it helps you get into the Zen of creating a home.
Do you have anything you do to help make your home a sanctuary?
1 comment:
The thing I hate the most-dusting. I love pretty things-I just hate dusting. You are right I feel so much better when my house is clean.
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