Confessions of a Clutterbug

NOTE: This entry is rated PG for language.  Please do not read if easily offended :-)

Before my daughter was born, I had my cleaning all organized out and had grand plans to keep to my 4-week cycle to keep my home clean and in order after the baby arrived.  HA!  Yeah, I know you other moms out there are laughing.

Then, GBaby arrived.  I was trying to figure out life with a newborn.  The first two weeks were ok because HandyMan was off work and home and taking care of stuff for me- he was so great.  Then he went back to work.  I was home, alone, with a baby:  in February in the Northeast (not the most motivating of months).  My philosophy on housekeeping quickly changed to I’d rather do a half-a$$ed job of cleaning than have my house look like a$$.  There you have it.  I have no idea how to clean up this philosophy without loosing the poetics of it.

So I took to the “quick clean”.  Grab cleaner & rag and hit all the surfaces in the bathroom.  Done. Bathroom’s clean.  Throw all the dishes in the dishwasher, rake everything off the counters into a stack in my office (my catchall hiding spot). Done. Kitchen’s clean.  Pull the comforter over the sheets; throw all clothes lying around into the laundry bins.  Done. Bedroom’s clean.  You get the idea.

After a little while I had to focus on one area every so often and really clean it. I’d pull out the broom, mop, vacuum, cleaners and rags and evict all the dust bunnies and dog hair.  So far it’s working.  I try to clear the kitchen counters, sink and dishwasher every night before I go to bed and get the toys up off the kitchen floor but often exhaustion wins.

If you drop in, you’ll find my home comfortably lived in and most of the dustbunnies and cobwebs banished.  If you give me notice I may actually “clean” before you come!