I have been MIA for a little while, sorry! Things have been a bit stressful in my world, and have finally feel like they are starting to calm down. Luckily, I was able to get away for a couple of days with a good friend earlier this week. This particular friend, Michaela, is so much like me in so many, many ways; especially the cleaning way! When we were chatting on the 4 hour ride to New Hampshire, and reminiscing about how we met 7 years ago as freshmen in college, the topic of stuff came up. Stuff that we both have too much of. Stuff that we both will not get rid of. She was telling me a story about a conversation that she had with her mom, and it sounded very similar to one I had with Nick.
Mom/Nick: What are in the boxes you have in storage?
Michaela/Me: I don't know, stuff.
Mom/Nick: So, can we throw them away?
Michaela/Me: No!
Mom/Nick: But, you don't even know what's in them!
Michaela/Me: I know I need it!
It made me laugh and almost feel better that at least I was not alone. We then began comparing the stuff that we have in our closet that doesn't fit anymore, and the random other things that we know we don't need to keep (like the things we "colored" to de-stress during finals!). We both decided that we should try and help each other with getting rid of clothes. I can be cut throat with the stuff she can't wear anymore, and she could do the same for me and we could still keep our friendship intact!! I loved spending time with her, and knowing that I am not alone in my struggle!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
A Clean Car...
...makes for a less stressful commute! And, guess what? I actually got around to cleaning my car the other day! It had sure been a long time coming. Since I am in my car for about 3 hours a day, it becomes cluttered quickly. There were things in there from when I moved...in November (and yes, they are technically still in there, but the trunk doesn't count. out of sight, out of mind)!! Not only that, but when I get out of school, I just stick handouts and notebooks and stuff on the seat, they then slide off and get lost in the abyss. In some ways, my car is like the only place I don't mind being dirty. It's a 1993 civic, and honestly, if I am going to go anywhere with anyone else their car will usually be a better choice, because it's clean and not the size of a matchbox car! And, since I drive so much during the day, Nick usually drives when we go somewhere. So really, I am almost the only person that ever rides in it.
So, my sister and I went over to our parents house, put on some tunes (the John Mayer pandora station, if you were wondering), pulled up a trashcan and the hose and went to town. It certainly helps to have someone else there cleaning with you, and it was a beautiful, warm Sunday that just screams car wash day! It feels good to be able to fit more than one person in it if I wanted to, and to finally have all the winter grime off the paint!
So, my sister and I went over to our parents house, put on some tunes (the John Mayer pandora station, if you were wondering), pulled up a trashcan and the hose and went to town. It certainly helps to have someone else there cleaning with you, and it was a beautiful, warm Sunday that just screams car wash day! It feels good to be able to fit more than one person in it if I wanted to, and to finally have all the winter grime off the paint!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Small Victories
Well, I am feeling a little bit better about my cleaning ability today. Yesterday was a wash because I live with my super distracting boyfriend, and we had to watch Deadliest Catch and the episodes of Boy Meets World that we had on our DVR. But, he told me to just relax and worry about things tomorrow, so that's what I did!
Tonight, right when I got home, I put on some cleaning music and went to work on the 30 minute clean up (which was actually 40 minutes today!). I started in the kitchen (loading the dishwasher and wiping the counters) and ended in our bedroom (picking up trash...mostly tags from new clothes..and polishing the nightstand and dresser). While nothing is really immaculate, I did get something accomplished and I feel good about that. If I do work on one mess at a time, and keep that mess clean, then I should have a clean house in no time!!
Tonight, right when I got home, I put on some cleaning music and went to work on the 30 minute clean up (which was actually 40 minutes today!). I started in the kitchen (loading the dishwasher and wiping the counters) and ended in our bedroom (picking up trash...mostly tags from new clothes..and polishing the nightstand and dresser). While nothing is really immaculate, I did get something accomplished and I feel good about that. If I do work on one mess at a time, and keep that mess clean, then I should have a clean house in no time!!
Monday, May 10, 2010
Discouraged...
I didn't get any cleaning done this weekend. And, that is frustrating and discouraging. Of course I had school all day on Saturday, and Sunday was Mother's Day, so those could be excuses. But that's all they are. There is no reason why I couldn't have squeezed a 30-minute clean up in there! I watched Manny, my 5 year old brother, for my Mom yesterday at my house. He was perfectly fine just watching Scooby-Doo. I could have easily been in the next room straitening up, but I just sat on the couch with him. School is starting to pick up, and I have a lot of work due in the next few weeks. If I don't get in the habit of making a little time to clean everyday, then I will just get even more overwhelmed.
Today, as soon as I get home, I will go directly into the bedroom, put on the 30-minute cleaning mix, and clean until it stops playing. I need to do this for my own sanity today, because it is truly the last thing that I want to do...I think that's why it's so important that I really do it.
Today, as soon as I get home, I will go directly into the bedroom, put on the 30-minute cleaning mix, and clean until it stops playing. I need to do this for my own sanity today, because it is truly the last thing that I want to do...I think that's why it's so important that I really do it.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
The Great 30-Minute Clean Up!
Ok, so maybe the title is a bit of an exaggeration, but I did actually get some cleaning done yesterday!
Nick was away on Tuesday and Wednesday night and although my original plan was to clean on both nights, that didn't quite happen. Tuesday night wound up being me sitting on the couch watching "The Young Victoria", which was a wonderful movie, but long and distracting! So, I decided that Wednesday would be the day. Driving home on my hour+ commute I made a game plan. Since it was Cinco de Mayo and I had been having a serious craving for refried beans, I decided that I would make some bean dip, and spend all the time that it was in the oven cleaning!
I got home and put the thing in the oven and had another idea. I decided that music would really motivate me, so I put together a 30 minute playlist of the most upbeat songs I have in my iTunes. I told myself that I would clean (really clean), for the 30 minutes that the music was playing and go from there. And you know what? It was actually fun! I found that loading the dishwasher was much more enjoyable while "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" by The Temptations was on, and scrubbing the stovetop to "All I Wanna Do" by Sugarland kept the pace of my scrubbing aerobic! The most interesting part of the playlist was "All My Life" by the Foo Fighters. It was the last song that was on, and I had moved to the bathroom at this point and all you could here in my house was "done, done and on to the next one...".
And I was done! The kitchen was clean, and the bathroom (aside from scrubbing the shower) was done, too! I rewarded myself with some delicious bean dip (my horrible eating habits are another mess for another time) and this month's issue of Real Simple Magazine (which, by the way, had a whole bunch of ideas from people that hate to clean on how to de-clutter their homes...so really, it was more like research, ha).
Today, I am feeling accomplished and think that I can for sure put aside time on most days for the 30-minute clean up (or even 15-minute in a pinch)!
Nick was away on Tuesday and Wednesday night and although my original plan was to clean on both nights, that didn't quite happen. Tuesday night wound up being me sitting on the couch watching "The Young Victoria", which was a wonderful movie, but long and distracting! So, I decided that Wednesday would be the day. Driving home on my hour+ commute I made a game plan. Since it was Cinco de Mayo and I had been having a serious craving for refried beans, I decided that I would make some bean dip, and spend all the time that it was in the oven cleaning!
I got home and put the thing in the oven and had another idea. I decided that music would really motivate me, so I put together a 30 minute playlist of the most upbeat songs I have in my iTunes. I told myself that I would clean (really clean), for the 30 minutes that the music was playing and go from there. And you know what? It was actually fun! I found that loading the dishwasher was much more enjoyable while "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" by The Temptations was on, and scrubbing the stovetop to "All I Wanna Do" by Sugarland kept the pace of my scrubbing aerobic! The most interesting part of the playlist was "All My Life" by the Foo Fighters. It was the last song that was on, and I had moved to the bathroom at this point and all you could here in my house was "done, done and on to the next one...".
And I was done! The kitchen was clean, and the bathroom (aside from scrubbing the shower) was done, too! I rewarded myself with some delicious bean dip (my horrible eating habits are another mess for another time) and this month's issue of Real Simple Magazine (which, by the way, had a whole bunch of ideas from people that hate to clean on how to de-clutter their homes...so really, it was more like research, ha).
Today, I am feeling accomplished and think that I can for sure put aside time on most days for the 30-minute clean up (or even 15-minute in a pinch)!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Time: How Do I Get More?!?
I had a wonderful weekend. It was my little sister's 12th birthday, and opening weekend for the musical that she is starring in ("The Secret Garden" put on by The Falmouth Theatre Guild). She was great, and it was also wonderful to have family up visiting from North Carolina (specifically my sister, cousin, aunt and uncle). It's weekends like this where I find it extra hard to make time to clean.
And that's another big problem for me; time. I am busy, it feels like all the time. Yet, I find it hard to get everything I need to done! I commute to work and school, so Monday - Saturday I am in my car for at least 2.5 hours. That sucks. When I do get home I just want to eat dinner, spend some time with Nick, and go to bed. Then on Sunday, my one free day, I want to go shopping, see a movie, visit with friends and family, drive around the beautiful place I call home, lay in bed, basically do whatever I want. But that's the problem. There will always be something I would rather be doing, but cleaning is something I will always have to do.
Remember that nice, clean and organized dorm room I talked about in my last post? Yeah, this is what happened to it when I stopped making the time to clean it!
And that's where I'm at today. Prioritizing my time. Nick and I got some cleaning done yesterday after visiting with family and friends, and it felt good. The living room suddenly feels so much more relaxing when it's been vacuumed! Here is my test for the next couple of days. Nick will be away for work until Thursday, so my plan is to use these couple of nights when I will literally have nothing else to do to clean. I will maintain where it is clean-wise now, and I hope to at least tackle the bathroom while he's gone! Wish me luck!
And that's another big problem for me; time. I am busy, it feels like all the time. Yet, I find it hard to get everything I need to done! I commute to work and school, so Monday - Saturday I am in my car for at least 2.5 hours. That sucks. When I do get home I just want to eat dinner, spend some time with Nick, and go to bed. Then on Sunday, my one free day, I want to go shopping, see a movie, visit with friends and family, drive around the beautiful place I call home, lay in bed, basically do whatever I want. But that's the problem. There will always be something I would rather be doing, but cleaning is something I will always have to do.
Remember that nice, clean and organized dorm room I talked about in my last post? Yeah, this is what happened to it when I stopped making the time to clean it!
And that's where I'm at today. Prioritizing my time. Nick and I got some cleaning done yesterday after visiting with family and friends, and it felt good. The living room suddenly feels so much more relaxing when it's been vacuumed! Here is my test for the next couple of days. Nick will be away for work until Thursday, so my plan is to use these couple of nights when I will literally have nothing else to do to clean. I will maintain where it is clean-wise now, and I hope to at least tackle the bathroom while he's gone! Wish me luck!
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