Thursday, August 30, 2018

Domestic Chaos

Given the absence of guests or cleaning woman, I can descend rapidly into my own kind of chaos. My housekeeping is reactive rather than proactive. For instance, I always figure a geographical cure will fix me for once and for all. Downsizing so extremely into a one-bedroom apartment as I have done would be a superb motivator, I thought. A brand new me, organized and ready for anything.

Well, no. In analyzing my behaviour I come to the conclusion that it is a case of not putting stuff back where it belongs when finished with it. I never seem to be "finished" with anything and am highly visual. I like to "see" items - my knitting, my wools, my books on the unread shelf, my clothes, my shoes, my food.

Now to the clothes. A purge is desperately needed. I made a "rule" for myself many years ago that if not worn in a year it gets donated. Also one item comes in and another gets donated. The latter formula has been neglected so my closet needs to be investigated thoroughly and dealt with. I have (unfortunately) a rather large bathroom and I use a clothes rack there to dry some of my more vulnerable items rather than throwing them in one of the communal dryers. I deal with those only when under threat of a visitor, it is far to easy to walk around them and think, oh yeah, well tonight. Tonight never comes. I have a toolkit in my hall that I can't seem to find a home for. Drives me a little batty as I step around it and shake my head. And unhung pictures are still an issue though shrinking a little in quantity.
I do keep the kitchen relatively tidy as it is small and awkwardly designed. For instance there is an enormous built in pantry which in concept you'd think would be just great for everything foody. But in practice it's another story entirely. Note the sets of shelves on the left (I brought these from the utility room in my house) as is was just a wide open space for what gawd knows. I have taken it apart several times and bought step-shelves to go on the right-side shelves but I've never seen such a poorly designed space. I may have to break down and get someone to install pull out wire drawers so it could hold everything in an organized but visual way. There is a serious lack of counter-space and only one sink. We take our double sinks for granted don't we? I did. So dirty dishes left lying around can impact the tiny space in the kitchen making of me an (almost) instant washer-upper.

Joanna, my cleaning woman, my saviour, was here yesterday and did the needful: dusting, vacuuming, sweeping, mopping and counter-shines.

Into every life should fall a reassuring Joanna, garrulous but now under control somewhat, a woman who takes pride in bringing order to domestic upheaval.

18 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh...you've described me but in a way I never thought of before! My housekeeping is also reactive and things only get put away (or at least hidden from view) when I'm expecting guests or the housecleaners are due. I've known that I'm "visual" but never connected it with my housekeeping style.

    One trick that works for me is to set a timer for an hour, then tidy up and finish tasks until it dings. I can get a lot done in an hour. I also try to live by the motto "Don't put it down, put it away." ("Try" is the operative word here...it doesn't always work.) Thanks for new insight into myself!

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    1. Yes I use a timer also, for both pleasure and duty :). But I do love the stuff I'm working on or projects surrounding me. I find them stimulating, particularly lately as I have many creative ideas unfolding. *Sigh* Others seem to designate areas. If I had a second bedroom I would do so but then I'd have to walk in there and have ideas.I like to have them where I am if you know what I mean and I think you do!

      XO
      WWW

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    2. Setting a timer for anything (other than when boiling an egg or baking a cake) is anathema to me. Knowing the clock is ticking sets me on edge, makes me nervous. When something needs to be done I just do it - eventually. May it take as long or as short as it does. At least I don't end up a quivering wreck as an arbitrary "deadline" looms.

      As to "don't put it down, put it away". Absolutely. Amply illustrated a few months ago when I'd done some vacuuming, leaving the vacuum cleaner in not exactly the most ideal place. I knew - instinctively - that I had just set up a death trap. And what do you know - about an hour later, completely forgotten about snare, entering the room with a plateful of artfully arranged food I trip over said contraption. It sent me flying, landing face first on the softness of a chair's cushions (lucky me), whilst balancing the platter. Luckily, no sauce was involved. You know something, WWW? There are people out there getting paid to set up stunts like that for comic effect.

      U

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    3. I tend to be an abuser of time, U, I get engrossed and forget important things like maintenance for one, so a timer I find cheerful and alerting! Different strokes.

      Most accidents are caused by careless placement of items and not returning them to their "folds." You are lucky. A friend just caused extreme damage (multiple fractures) to herself with the careless placement of a stool.

      I am glad yours was comical rather than tragic :)

      XO
      WWW

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  2. Well, being tidy and organized can be difficult. Good for you that you have a cleaning woman.

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    1. Yes, she is remarkably reasonable ($25 with the odd wee bonus from me) as I am tagged on to "The Skipper" a single man in the floor below me who has had her for 20 years. I only wish I had an equally enchanting nickname.

      XO
      WWW

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    2. $25, oh my! I can't imagine anyone doing anything for $25 any more. You have an amazing deal there, don't let her get away.

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  3. I have my island of order and tidiness within my room but have had to learn to live with chaos in the rest of the house with the son and heir and daughter in love totally incapable of either. Our char tries her best but very often finds that the only thing that she can dust is the old reprobate on the recliner.

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    1. Oh you had me laughing there, Ramana, reprobate in the recliner indeed. At least you keep your sanctuary the way you like it.

      XO
      WWW

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  4. I'm definitely a reactive too, these days - in relation to housework. I do stuff when it hits me in the eye, no matter how inconvenient or ridiculous the time happens to be. When younger I used to try to emulate my mother's housekeeping style - a day for every operation - Monday wash-day, Tuesday living room dust and sweep, Wednesday, bedroom cleaning, and so on. I managed to follow a similar regime for a few years early on, but gradually it all slipped away. These days I'm never 100% sure what day it is anyway - my blog does help me keep track, but the days and weeks seem to go so quickly now.

    On my bucket list: employ a cleaning lady! :)

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    1. I'm with you on this T. My mother had some sort of system but truly only focussed on feeding and clothing us. She made our sweaters and even my brothers' trousers, etc.

      Yes you should treat yourself to a shovelling out. It really enhances the spirit more than anything else (eh look! someone else cares about my sinks!)

      XO
      WWW

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  5. I could never live anywhere that didn't have a dishwasher. I cannot stand dirty dishes, etc, left out in sight. Even our tiny 525 sq foot San Francisco studio had a dishwasher.

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    1. I thought the same DKZ but the kitchen is designed not to have one. I've never been without a dishwasher since the 70s so this is a huge void for me. I looked at drawer types and other similar models. The best one I saw was a combination convection oven, range and the dishwasher beneath. The building owners would never allow me to do this. *Weep*
      XO
      WWW

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    2. I housesat for a friend in San Francisco who lived in a 1920s third floor walkup--no dishwasher. It was only for one week, but I was ready to weep when Terry came to pick me up. I washed every cup, every spoon, every dish, as soon as I finished with it. Let it dry in the dish drainer (which took up the majority of kitchen counter space) and put it right back where it had been before use. It was tedious. My OCD kicked in heavily in this apartment as the woman was not very tidy and there were few empty surfaces. Actually there were none. The lack of a dishwasher was just the breaking point. I had to tell her, when she returned, that I would not be able to do a 3 month house-sitting for her later in the year.

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  6. I didn't have a dishwasher for the first year I lived in this house. I missed it, but just got used to washing dishes. I tend to vacillate between being messy and neat.

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  7. Reactive seems to be what I've become in my old age. I think I might be wise to have someone come in periodically to lighten the upkeep load a bit. But first, I need to get everything in better shape!

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    ReplyDelete
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    ReplyDelete

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