Come Clean

One thing that is very very clear to me is that cleaning is not a learned trait - it is decidedly genetic.  I mean - you can learn HOW to do it - of course.  I could learn HOW to be a golfer but that would not make me think it is not the lamest sport on the planet - second only to curling.  What I am saying is that in my family cleanliness is a generational thing.  My grandmother's house was not just gross - it was frankly a den of disgusting ickiness that my siblings did NOT want to partake in once we were old enough to take the GOOD LOOK AROUND.  Now I know that I will probably get the big old slap from the momma on this one for the disrespect to the ancestors and all.  But really I loved - love and will always love my grandma.  She rocked.  BUT her house was gross.  Period.  NOW flash forward a generation (ok my momma).  My mom's house is clean.  Sanitary, but very very cluttered.  Packrat - are you kidding me you really need that? cluttered.  I love love love my mom, but really seriously she needs a life change.  Okay - again. ANOTHER intervention to tell her she can let go of the crap and be free!!!  Oh really who are we kidding?  She likes her crap and it likes her.  Nuff said.  She will die and my sister and I will have to sort out the stuff and take 47,000 trips to goodwill and she'll be eating pizza with Jesus!  That is just the fact and  I can't change it.

Now on to me and my sister.  We are different ladies - cut from two very different types of cloth.  BUT the same can be said.  We don't like crap and will be happy to get rid of it.  DECLUTTER - is our mantra.  I will go to great lengths to get rid of stuff and she will only buy really expensive things so really they tend to last - or she just goodwills and I go there and then buy her stuff LOL!

But if nothing else rings true here it is this.  Cleaning a new house just feels and looks better than an old crappy dirty one.  Case in point.  I lived in a 100 year (PLUS) farmhouse that when I cleaned it looked like a 100 year (PLUS one) farmhouse that vaguely smelled of pinesol.  It really did not look any cleaner after my 6 hour elbow grease fest - now I knew it was clean it just was not so satisfying to see.  NOW here - in my NEW house - cleaning is like WHEW - it's clean - see - see it's so squeeking clean it's pretty - don't I rock? it's so clean here . .  . Okay you get the point.  Clean is as clean does - but frankly - I like cleaning new.  It makes me happy and really what else is it about other than making me happy right?  :D