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I realized yesterday that the first 10 months of 2006, I’ve been in a fog. Or more accurately under a heavy cloud. The stress in our lives since last Jan/Feb has been so great that the everyday things of life remain so undone. Take our housekeeping, for example (please take it because I HATE housekeeping!) We have mess upon mess around here.
Now I will never be a Neatnik! It’s just not genetically possible. Ask my sister (who occasionally reads this blog about how well any of my family cleans house). We were not raised by Martha Stewart. In fact, I’m rather distrustful of people who have “too clean” houses. You know, the kind of house that looks like a model home in a new subdivision???? Just how much “living” are they doing in that house?!!? I find my friends who have laundry piled on the sofa, dirty dishes on the counter and some dust bunnies in the corner to have a much more realistic view of life. And don’t say the name FlyLady to me – I believe that woman has a raging case of OCD!
But after 10 months of neglecting the “ordinary” in our life, things are out of control, even for a slob like me. And even though it feels like I have no time to remedy this, I must start to tackle it somehow. So, I’ve set a few goals. First, I invited my family to come visit for Christmas. That gives me the pressure of a deadline. Now we can develop a list of “must dos” before the relatives get here.
1. finish LuLu’s room remodel – hang her new door, finish curtains, hang them.
2. sand and paint over the patched holes in the hallway walls – the last remnants of LuLu’s old rages.
3. have the carpets cleaned – the dog hair and dirt is disgusting.
4. clean out (and further organize) the office – which is a chronic mess now that it’s my business office, ADN office, KayKay’s homework spot and LuLu’s Ladybug Elementary all in one room.
5. clean out the basement/kids’ play area. Children and teenagers are just not good at cleaning out and organizing stuff (or at least mine aren’t – that missing housekeeping gene is showing in the next generation!). So, months of neglect has caused the areas I leave to them to become like a yard overgrown with weeds. It’s time for the trash cans!
6. haul some broken items off. Get them OUT OF HERE! A broken TV, an old kid’s desk, a computer monitor that died…and give away some other stuff…who has time for a garage sale!
And then there are a couple of “nice to do, if there’s time” items:
1. decorate KayKay’s room in the way we’ve talked about for over a year now.
2. get rid of the dog – an on-going sticky issue around here and one I’ve abducated dealing with. But gee, it would be nice if we didn’t have to go through the holidays with him bounding around the house.
3. frame and hang some photographs and artwork we have lying around.
Well, I’ve got a little over 2 months, now that the fog is starting to lift. Will I get these items done??? Stay tuned…
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P.S. – this is NOT my house!
What are you doing with a picture of my house?? JUST KIDDING.
I hate cleaning too, and have that long list of projects.
You’re in good company. Wish I could hire a handyman for you.
I agree on the dog, for reasons that you are well aware of!!!