I woke up this morning edgy and restless. Having been away for much of the week, our home is next on the list of the Department of Health to be cited as unfit for humans and small animals.
Not only that, but there is much I don’t want to contemplate today. I feel as though if I scrub my home from top to bottom, the thoughts that are consuming me, will go down the drain with the dirty water.
Having a clean and ordered home will at least provide me the illusion that everything else is under control as well.
When I spring clean my home - which is whenever my life is spiraling, not necessarily a seasonal event - I like to begin in my laundry room. It is actually the first room you enter when you come into our home through the garage. And it’s the smallest room in the house so I don’t get overwhelmed before I even get started. I then work my way through the house with the last stop being the master bath.
Here are some of my favorite ‘cleaning’ sites to amuse you while I am scrubbing away the blues (and mold).
- Fly Lady
- Zen Habits: Best Tips for Decluttering
- Organized Home
- Organizing Your Home the Easy Way
- The Happy Living Blog
I have much to work through today. So I am off to collect all of my ‘non-green’ cleaning supplies grabbing all the throw rugs along the way to throw in the wash. It will be a busy, yet instantly gratifying day.
Be sure to stop by the Daily Photo to see my St. Patrick’s Day wish for you.
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10 Comments
I clean when I am stressed or pmsing–and the less I worry or stress the less I clean. Funny isn’t it.:) Our house is pretty messy right now so I must be relaxed.:)
I was looking through my homeschool stuff and realized I have some curriculum you all may be interested in if you decide you need a curriculum for math or science.
I wish I could find cleaning to be therapeutic, maybe I’d do it more. Instead I find that it stresses me out…I hate it so much. I wonder if it’s because I felt like a slave as a kid…doing all the cleaning all the time? I don’t know.
You probably already know this, but my 2 main coping mechanisms are cleaning everything in sight (the illusion of control when things are beyond my control) and wine, just for the pure relaxation and deliciousness!
Our laundry room not only leads to the garage, but also the guest bathroom. It drives me nutty to have that floor plan. It isn’t ever as clean and neat as I would like it…
Oh, yes, it’s that time of the year here too. I can’t wait for the 60 degree weather to fling open these windows and air out this house. I’m slowly going through each room, doing one major project at a time, hopefully to get it done by Sat when hubby comes home from Neb.
Geesh! Can someone tell me where all this dust came from? Didn’t I just clean the fireplace mantle last month?
I wish I cleaned when I was stressed out! I tend to shrink and look for an escape, which usually comes in the form of blog reading, computer games, a good book, or food and wine. All of these things combined add up to bring me a big butt and messy house, which, you guessed it! STRESSES ME OUT.
If I can clean uninterrupted, and unassisted (the help I could get from my family isn’t even close to being helpful), then I too find it theraputic. The only problem I have is that within 10 minutes, the house will look like I did nothing. AAaarrggh!
I clean like a mad person when I’m manic. It seems to help burn off some of the energy a bit. Plus, as you said, you get instant gratification.
Good of you to be able to find spring cleaning a therapy
I get stressed up when my things are messy. Sometimes I am stressed up by the thoughts of having to clean up or clear them, but when I started doing so, it feels good. And when the cleaning or clearing are done, there is a great sense of accomplishment. Enjoy our spring cleaning
is it fit for big animals? he he
good luck hon, kathleen