The week with my tenant has literally flown by. Angie at Miracle Housekeeping has finished the week of rent here. I shall miss her (I’ve been checking on her struggles with the Dreaded Clutter)
Clutter : Look Angie, the thing about housework is — it’s work, it’s self-generating so it never stops. No one will notice when it’s completed – it will be fouled, rubbished, slimed and scummed, muddied and trampled again in a moment anyway.
Keep it to a minimum. Clean as little as possible. The kids won’t care. If your partner becomes suddenly fastidious, hand him the mop and bucket.
I worked my bloody boots off once, flat out like a lizard drinking. My days were greatly consumed by
– vacuuming, dusting, scrubbing, waxing, buffing, polishing, shining the living rooms
– sweeping, mopping, scouring, shining, scrubbing, disinfecting the laundry, bathroom and toilets
– soaking baby clothes, cloth nappies, hand-washing delicates, picking up other peoples’ dirty clothes, putting a couple of loads of laundry through the washing machine, hanging it up, bringing it in, folding it, putting it away
– cleaning kitchen, sweeping, mopping, wiping down ‘frig, stove & all surfaces, washing dishes, cutlery etc, scouring pots, drying dishes etc, putting dishes etc away
– change cot linen, (another laundry load)make childrens’ beds, pick up clothes from floor (building another laundry load) vacuuming floor
This was only part of my day. I haven’t mentioned the main bedroom for example. Or the porch and verandah. Or for that matter, the garden.
There was the shopping of course, after balancing (hoho) the budget. Then carrying the shopping home on the bus, and putting it away. Then the cooking. Then clean again, shop again.
I haven’t mentioned my own clothing etc. Or cleaning up after the man in the house ….
And did I mention I was working 12 hours a week in the hospitality industry? I probably forgot to mention I was a university student too, getting up at 5.00 am (before the baby woke) to read up my psychology notes from the lecture of the day before (the lecture I crammed in between shopping for vegetables and picking up kids from school)
Before I go on further, I’m wondering how I ever managed it at all. How any woman manages it is beyond me. Why we do it all is beyond me …..
The kids won’t thank you for a polished floor. Or a shiny sink. You will get some satisfaction from knowing you can organise yourself. That’s all.
Stuff the lot of them