However, in my defence, I've been conducting a bit of an experiment; how long does it take for the Trouts to break down and pick up a duster and do some of the cleaning. I stopped tidying, vacuuming (which didn't seem so bad after Gimpy Dog stopped shedding), dusting. I even, dare I say it, only did minimal, absolutely necessary cleansing of the bathrooms. Conclusion: Their tolerance level for filth is even much higher than I expected. So in the interest of our health, I have started to clean.
And proper cleaning too. Washing windows, washing walls, washing curtains (it took 3 times through the machine to clean my sheers - that's kinda gross), taking the heavy curtains to be dry cleaned, moving furniture to vacuum underneath. I bought myself this:
so I can work away during the day and not have to wait for Himself to help coz then I end up cleaning on his timetable. It is the most awesomest thing ever - I managed to move a stupid heavy sofa-bed by myself.
Part of this whole cleaning extravaganza is tidying up the clutter - not just moving it somewhere else or shoving it in a drawer but actually dealing with it. I've taken the advice of those professional organizers. Get 3 or 4 boxes marked Garbage/Recycle, Donate, Keep. The Garbage box is very full. I came across a bag of photos - old photos from the 60's but I don't know what to do with them. They're pictures of I people I don't know, (not old relatives but friends of Luddite Grannie's), events I wasn't at, not my memories. I'm not even sure why I even have them. I feel uncomfortable throwing them out but what do I want with them? As I move on to the next room, this will be a question that will arise again I'm sure.
I had to move my china cabinet,
and for the briefest moment, I considered moving it without emptying it because by this point I was thoroughly fed up with the whole endeavor, but with my luck the door would fly open and all my shit would fall out and smash on the floor. At least all those 2 dozen wine glasses that never get used got a quick dust off. (Who the jesus needs 2 dozen wine glasses? They're different sizes - red wine, white wine or water goblets. Who knows? I don't remember anymore. I just grab the biggest one for my wine.)
So I've got the living and dining room cleaned in preparation for the carpet cleaners. Next up is the family room. I'm giving myself a full week to work my way through it.
Wish me luck.
First of all, good luck!!
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I just laughed until I almost cried. Because I *just* got done cleaning-no-CLEANING-CLEANING my own kitchen. Which was FILTHY and DISGUSTING and LET US NEVER SPEAK OF THIS AGAIN levels of OMG, WUT?!
Because, see, I was also waiting to see JUST HOW LONG it would take for the Denizens, particularly the so-called adult male of the species, to do it. "Are you going to clean that like you said you would?" I would ask from time to time (<= this is cheating, of course, but I'm not THAT scientific of method) "Oh. Ya. That's right. NEAREST CHILD! COME CLEAN THE KITCHEN FOR YOUR MOTHER!!" (Child duly arrives, puts three things haphazardly into the dishwasher [unrinsed, preferably with noodles still clinging to them], turns it on, and walks away. MY WORK HERE IS DONE.)
I finally snapped. I can handle clutter. I can even manage to ignore a certain amount of dust. But this...this was...FILTH. Huh-uh, can't do it, science be darned, I DON'T NEED TO KNOW THAT BADLY. (-_-)
Thanks for stopping by. I have to do the kitchen as well but it can wait until after the carpeted rooms are done. It's gone this long - a few more unidentifiable spills won't matter. At least not to this lot.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck!
ReplyDeleteI am not a cleaner either, apart from the kitchen...
Good luck indeed. I loved your thoughts on not emptying the china cabinet. I made a mistake involving a box of heavy china plates once and the bottom fell out. Not good and expletives a-plenty as they landed on my feet.
ReplyDeleteYou and I are in a parallel space right now. I have semi-sheers on all the windows that get washed once each season. I also have three cats and a dog who SHED...between the dogs and the two adults in this house, and judging by the amount of hair I clean up every day, ALL of us should be BALD. I washed the walls under the windows today. The place where the dog drool leaves streaks. Why haven't I noticed this before.....gads!
ReplyDeleteI emptied the china cabinet the other day. If it wasn't getting used, it went out to a box for donation. I told me daughter ages ago that she could have this ancient bulky antique diningroom furniture. Get in the truck and get up here and get it. I still have it. It's going to the basement soon, I swear. The seven or eight foot long buffet cabinet is already in my bedroom collecting more junk. I'm sick of it!