Equus verses my filppin' house!
Wipe your paws elsewhere!
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,672
Maybe you could just set a goal of one room at a time. It will seem less overwhelming that way. Or you could commit to just cleaning out your closets and drawers to start with.
And when you clean your closets, why not buy matching hangers and then paint the wooden pole they hang on a lovely shade of lavendar? Designer Alexandra Stoddard calls little touches like this in the home "grace notes." We could all use a little more grace in our lives, even if we have to create it ourselves.
And when you clean your closets, why not buy matching hangers and then paint the wooden pole they hang on a lovely shade of lavendar? Designer Alexandra Stoddard calls little touches like this in the home "grace notes." We could all use a little more grace in our lives, even if we have to create it ourselves.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Litterbox City
Posts: 5,691
yep - that's exactly what i am starting to do. one room at a time. i did get my bedroom almost finshed. painted and got a new quilt and rugs. just have to finish painting the closet doors. i have to stop thinking of the big picture or i will get too overwhelmed. funny, i was thinking about lavender for my bathroom - something different. thanks!
Supply Manager
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Cleaverville
Posts: 2,898
FD...I think you need to be giving us lessons. I do it...and I have a lovely home. BUT I admit to resenting it a lot like Equus. I love the creative part...it's the maintainence. I am all about having spaces that are "grace notes". But see above about maintainence.
Wipe your paws elsewhere!
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,672
I used to resent doing most of the cleaning myself until I realized that a clean house was important to me, and other folks simply had different priorities. But I'm lucky in that my daughter and boyfriend are relatively neat. They may not scrub floors, clean toilets, or wash curtains, but they help out with the laundry at times, help me carry in and put away the groceries, put their dishes in the diswasher, don't leave clothes on the floor, or leave things lying around for me to pick up. They do help with the dishes, vacuuming, and caring for our four dogs and rabbit.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: uk
Posts: 3,054
Four dogs and a tidy house? RESPECT!!!
I don't think we'll ever get as far as grace notes, but I'll settle for a bit of 'character' as long as it's basically clean.
I know I'm making excuses but I forgot to mention dead bugs in sample pots, a mummified frog, ant farm and six assorted microscopes! It wouldn't matter how hard I scrubbed, 'orderly' isn't going to happen in our house but that's okay with me I've no regret in my choice and it isn't as though I missed the fact D is chaos on legs.
On the downside it's a cleaning hell, on the upside there's always something around to amaze a guest from a 1910 book on pharmacology to a butterflies wing. On a good day they may even have the pleasure of electrocution from an 1800's electromagnetic cure for nervous disorders!!
It's a terrifying place when it moulders though!!
I don't think we'll ever get as far as grace notes, but I'll settle for a bit of 'character' as long as it's basically clean.
I know I'm making excuses but I forgot to mention dead bugs in sample pots, a mummified frog, ant farm and six assorted microscopes! It wouldn't matter how hard I scrubbed, 'orderly' isn't going to happen in our house but that's okay with me I've no regret in my choice and it isn't as though I missed the fact D is chaos on legs.
On the downside it's a cleaning hell, on the upside there's always something around to amaze a guest from a 1910 book on pharmacology to a butterflies wing. On a good day they may even have the pleasure of electrocution from an 1800's electromagnetic cure for nervous disorders!!
It's a terrifying place when it moulders though!!
Madame Former...Mistress of Neatness and Orderliness
On a tear
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Volcano Country!
Posts: 3,221
Alanon ruined my home.
Yep. When I was sick, I would obsess about the house... everything done the "right" way... MY way!
Oh! And the anger I would need to get me through.
I work full-time, 2 kids at home (who needed to be as perfect on the outside as I was because they reflected ME, don't ya know). Soccer, scouts, football, dance... one kid of each flavor and going in twelve directions at once and Mr. Big working nights and sleeping days.... Yep. Anger was the only way to ensure the laundry, the dishes, the vacuuming, the laundry, the sweeping and dusting got done on a regular basis. Add in the need to reorganize closets, desks and drawers every so often... hell, I couldn't AFFORD to not be angry!!!
Resentment was my FUEL!!! "Pigs!! Filthy Pigs!!!" was my BATTLE CRY... or battle mutter, anyway.
Then I did something REALLY stupid. I found Alanon. I started putting things into perspective and began to notice that my need to clean had something to do with fixing things on the outside... while the inside bubbled and roiled.
The inside isn't done yet... but I've given up my crazy cleaning to work on it a bit.
Yep. When I was sick, I would obsess about the house... everything done the "right" way... MY way!
Oh! And the anger I would need to get me through.
I work full-time, 2 kids at home (who needed to be as perfect on the outside as I was because they reflected ME, don't ya know). Soccer, scouts, football, dance... one kid of each flavor and going in twelve directions at once and Mr. Big working nights and sleeping days.... Yep. Anger was the only way to ensure the laundry, the dishes, the vacuuming, the laundry, the sweeping and dusting got done on a regular basis. Add in the need to reorganize closets, desks and drawers every so often... hell, I couldn't AFFORD to not be angry!!!
Resentment was my FUEL!!! "Pigs!! Filthy Pigs!!!" was my BATTLE CRY... or battle mutter, anyway.
Then I did something REALLY stupid. I found Alanon. I started putting things into perspective and began to notice that my need to clean had something to do with fixing things on the outside... while the inside bubbled and roiled.
The inside isn't done yet... but I've given up my crazy cleaning to work on it a bit.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Ireland
Posts: 152
Since our puppy arrived I've discovered the joys of almost daily floor cleaning..how do you do it FormerDoormat?? I thought I was pretty ok at cleaning before but boy, mucky paws are a killer!
Equus - funny, I can clean like crazy when I'm in the mood and hate clutter but my RA goes on cleaning 'binges' in a rage that's more to do with the state of his head than our house. Once I hear him referring to it as 'this kip' I scarper. It's no fun being around someone who's in a raging cleaning frenzy, and nothing you do to help is right or fast enough.
So now I just leave him to it.
I'm sure D's doing his best, and you love him to bits, don't let him resent you the way I resent my husband when he's in cleaning mode.
I have enough resentments about other things so this one I've decided to pass on!
BTW your house sounds fascinating!
Sophia
x
Equus - funny, I can clean like crazy when I'm in the mood and hate clutter but my RA goes on cleaning 'binges' in a rage that's more to do with the state of his head than our house. Once I hear him referring to it as 'this kip' I scarper. It's no fun being around someone who's in a raging cleaning frenzy, and nothing you do to help is right or fast enough.
So now I just leave him to it.
I'm sure D's doing his best, and you love him to bits, don't let him resent you the way I resent my husband when he's in cleaning mode.
I have enough resentments about other things so this one I've decided to pass on!
BTW your house sounds fascinating!
Sophia
x
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: uk
Posts: 3,054
Quote:
electrocution from an 1800's electromagnetic cure for nervous disorders!!
Does it work and can I borrow it?
electrocution from an 1800's electromagnetic cure for nervous disorders!!
Does it work and can I borrow it?
When I bought him one of these (in better nick I might add!!) for his birthday I never expected he would increase the power using a tiny spring from a lighter and then procede to electrocute the dinner guests!! They didn't appear less nervous afterwards - if anything they were more nervous....
Who knew?
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