Thursday, May 21, 2009

Thorough Thursday

My sense is that you're all getting a good sense of maintenance, how to maximize your movements, how three minutes now, as tiring as it is, spares you hours of worry and catastrophizing in your mind.

That said, who's up for a little nitty gritty? You're still going to keep laundry, dishes, floors and spots under control (you're an old pro by now), and yesterday we got a little nitty with the door knobs (did anyone do that?), but some deeper cleaning really gives your brain a sigh of relief, even if no one knows but you. Here are some ideas for things you could do to accentuate all the obvious cleaning you're doing:

-Scrub pantry doors, hinges, and any inside area that needs it. Double entry for anyone who removes canisters and such to get the whole shelf clean.

-Wipe down your refrigerator, including that weird suction-y seam, inside, the tracks, the rods, the spilled syrup, the crumbs, and again, double entry for anyone who cleans out their refrigerator and wipes the whole shebang.

-Wipe down your computer area(s), including underneath the desk, on hands and knees, wiping down cords, power strips, outlets, all of it.

-Why neglect your washer and dryer? Wiping them down with your Kirkland Wipes takes three minutes and is really satisfying. Open the washer lid and get that grime out, don't forget knobs, and if you have a bunch of shit on top of your dryer, deal with it. Nothing mars a clean surface like IT NOT BEING CLEAN!

-DUST! This is something Jacob and I lament constantly, especially since we are cleaning freaks. I don't know whence this shit comes into my otherwise sanitary life but I wish I could shoot it, it makes me so mad. Everyday the kids and I dust everything in sight and every morning we're greeted by a smug new layer, smirking. Fuck you dust! Go! And no feather dusters, use the wipes. DO NOT forget book shelves!

-Windows and mirrors. Maybe not every window in the house, just three that will brighten your day. I always pick the one above the sink first. But do get to those mirrors, I can feel smudges.

-Strip you refrigerator down to its nothingness and redress it only with things that are essential. I have a huge blue portfolio that my kids' art work goes in, so rotate some of that out (it's okay, you're still a good mama), and let's show the refrigerator that less is more.

-Give that microwave a peek, and act now, before it becomes as easy to manage as a giant squid.


What have I done today?

-Made all beds.

-Ate, took meds.

-Swept kitchen and laundry room floors.

-Took linens and a whole mess of shit to the storage room and began visualizing our garage sale. Knocked over 755 Raffi cds, said fuck, and picked them up.

-Switched out rickety-ish bar stools for one nice one for the kids to fight over!

-Rotated two loads of laundry.

-Cleaned off kitchen coutner.

Soon a friend is arriving for a non-cleaning relating visit, so my ass is headed to the shower. Later, I am paying a visit to a Moxling who hopes that by seeing her house I will be better equipped to give more meaningful challenges. And it is sure to. When I return home from that, and my body feels like it has been sent through the shredder, I shall:

-Finish cleaning kitchen (after the dishwasher runs and Quinn empties it).

-Dust. Need I even say it?

-Fold all laundry.

-Organize the junk drawer which was the one thing that escaped me yesterday. But hey, I had seven vials of blood taken, it's a wonder I even got home.

-Coerce Quinn into vacuuming.

-Spiff up the computer areas, which amounts only to shoving things around. Everything is clean, there' just nowhere for any of it to go.

-If I'm feeling brave, peek through a crack in my kids' bedroom door. This morning, the beds were made, but this does not mean there isn't a bag of salamanders somewhere.

That's all. Your list, my list, po-TAY-to, po-TAH-to, let's get some shit done!

PS- My miracle colander hooks fell down within two hours. And fyi? It sounded like Armageddon, I'm not kidding. I don't get it, the first hooks we used for colanders lasted five years. Now we've bought the most expensive ones on earth and they just fall down. I'm so discouraged. If I were rational and sane, I would attempt to screw hooks into the cupboard, but I am neither so I'd rather set the house on fire.

As you were.

4 comments:

  1. so far today i have:

    done a light-clean in the bathroom: cleaned toilet, mirror & sink
    kept up with kitchen, it looks lovely as i type :)
    done 2 loads of laundry (in the middle of putting away the last one)
    gathered and washed all diapers and wipes
    bleached (yes, bleach! anyone who knows me will know that this is quite a stretch for me) the wipes pail & diaper pail
    made my first loaf of bread (ever)!!

    tonight i want to do the thing i slack on the most:
    vacuum

    We are in the middle of a major de-clutter/re-organization at our house, so i'm sure i will be working on that tonight as well.

    my son just informed me "there's a chicken in our house,"... i better go see about that.

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  2. I did maintenance today but none of the other stuff. My mom is visiting and it's her birthday. I did make a kickin' dinner of Caprese salad and fettucine pesto with chicken and a strawberry pie for dessert. Mmmm....

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  3. Chey, you amaze me how you get so much done in the mornings. I just can't. [insert whiny voice] I CAN'T!

    We spent the day at the coast today... no cleaning. None. Zip. And I'm exhausted.

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  4. UrbanHippieMama-You are fabulous, you must feel so good having accomplished so much. Now, the chicken I'm not so sure about...

    Megan-I know how hard you worked in preparation for your mom's visit, and I also know all the little things you'll do while she's there without even knowing it. Plus cooking that DELISH meal? You blow me away.

    Sam-I can't help it. Do you know how much I'd love to sit in my robe and read the paper?

    I support all your days at the coast, and know you'll get back on track as time allows. You are the one who amazes me.

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