I am lazy. But now that I am a housewife, I have no excuses. I don't have to go to class, I don't have any kids yet, and my job is from home. If the house isn't clean, that's on me. My single-style of housekeeping was letting dishes pile up until you couldn't reach the faucet or they were all used. The bathroom? Only cleaned before moving in and right before moving out. The bedroom had a path to the bed, with clothes piled up everywhere, dirty and clean. I had a hamster cage in the closet for a while. With a live hamster, Caligula. I don't even want to mention college.
But Jon is a much neater person than I am. It bothers him to have clutter around and things piled up. So I make an effort to keep things tidy, clean, and smelling nice. This has been more of a struggle than I thought. When I am motivated, I LOVE to clean. Especially when I am avoiding other things, like translating. I go on cleaning sprees that last the entire day and usually end in a few fanatical bruises. After moving in with Jon, things had to change and I had to start a regular cleaning schedule.
Now that we are married, I try to clean once a week. It is a real struggle, especially when there are so many wonderful things to bake, bunnies to play with, and the occasional translating job to do. Besides, I am lazy. I watch the dishes pile up and dread doing them, so they slowly fill the sink.
But, I am making a real effort now, because I can see how happy it makes Jon to see a clean and tidy apartment. I do dishes once a day. I keep the tables clear of clutter. I fold my clothes the day they are washed, and keep a hamper. About once a week, I redo the couch coverlet, vacuum everything, mop all non-carpeted floors, clean the bunny cage, scrub down the kitchen, and do my best to clean the bathroom.
I do not use any chemicals, other than 7th Generation Toilet Bowl Cleaner. At least that's natural. Otherwise, I use a spray bottle with half white vinegar, half water. Sometimes I use baking soda or baking powder. Vinegar does wonders! And we are still alive with vinegar being our only anti-bacterial cleaning agent! It even smells good. Makes me crave french fries.
There really isn't any other need to use a chemical. I use a natural cold water detergent for washing clothes. My dish soap is awful, but it was a necessary purchase at a time when I couldn't find anything that I wanted. The next time I need to buy some, I will get Mrs. Meyers' Clean Day. I will probably also get their laundry detergent and toilet bowl cleaner. I house sat for a lady that use their dish detergent, and I was amazed by how well it worked, and how little I needed. It even degreased dishes. Did I mention that it comes in basil scent?
So, even though I would rather sit down with a cup of spicy cocoa and watch a Bollywood movie, encouraging myself to clean the entire apartment once a week has been extremely rewarding. It also helps that I get a treat when I'm done =)
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Tonight's dinner: mussels in a white wine sauce with crusty bread. I made the bread yesterday, and had frozen cooked mussel meat, so dinner took me about fifteen minutes. I have barely had any spare time for two days now, and this is my treat for getting a lot of grown-up things done. Not having a lot of time doesn't mean you can't have a wonderful meal!
But Jon is a much neater person than I am. It bothers him to have clutter around and things piled up. So I make an effort to keep things tidy, clean, and smelling nice. This has been more of a struggle than I thought. When I am motivated, I LOVE to clean. Especially when I am avoiding other things, like translating. I go on cleaning sprees that last the entire day and usually end in a few fanatical bruises. After moving in with Jon, things had to change and I had to start a regular cleaning schedule.
Now that we are married, I try to clean once a week. It is a real struggle, especially when there are so many wonderful things to bake, bunnies to play with, and the occasional translating job to do. Besides, I am lazy. I watch the dishes pile up and dread doing them, so they slowly fill the sink.
But, I am making a real effort now, because I can see how happy it makes Jon to see a clean and tidy apartment. I do dishes once a day. I keep the tables clear of clutter. I fold my clothes the day they are washed, and keep a hamper. About once a week, I redo the couch coverlet, vacuum everything, mop all non-carpeted floors, clean the bunny cage, scrub down the kitchen, and do my best to clean the bathroom.
I do not use any chemicals, other than 7th Generation Toilet Bowl Cleaner. At least that's natural. Otherwise, I use a spray bottle with half white vinegar, half water. Sometimes I use baking soda or baking powder. Vinegar does wonders! And we are still alive with vinegar being our only anti-bacterial cleaning agent! It even smells good. Makes me crave french fries.
There really isn't any other need to use a chemical. I use a natural cold water detergent for washing clothes. My dish soap is awful, but it was a necessary purchase at a time when I couldn't find anything that I wanted. The next time I need to buy some, I will get Mrs. Meyers' Clean Day. I will probably also get their laundry detergent and toilet bowl cleaner. I house sat for a lady that use their dish detergent, and I was amazed by how well it worked, and how little I needed. It even degreased dishes. Did I mention that it comes in basil scent?
So, even though I would rather sit down with a cup of spicy cocoa and watch a Bollywood movie, encouraging myself to clean the entire apartment once a week has been extremely rewarding. It also helps that I get a treat when I'm done =)
_________________
Tonight's dinner: mussels in a white wine sauce with crusty bread. I made the bread yesterday, and had frozen cooked mussel meat, so dinner took me about fifteen minutes. I have barely had any spare time for two days now, and this is my treat for getting a lot of grown-up things done. Not having a lot of time doesn't mean you can't have a wonderful meal!
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