Tuesday, November 17, 2015

How Clean Does It Need to Be...

This past weekend my mom stopped in for a quick visit which was really quite wonderful. But in a way very nerve wracking. Now having to be an adult and call myself one means that I have to make sure she doesn't see me and the house we live in as an expansive teenage room.

With that I dug in a bit deeper as to what was causing so much anxiety.

1. I've been working non-stop lately along with another outside responsibility that was taking up hours of my day. All the hours of all the days. It almost feels like I come home to fall asleep and that's about it.

2. We do not communicate as to what has been done as much as we should. Sometimes we will even expect the other person to get a hint and help out or compliment on a job well done. Sometimes I'll notice it weeks later and wonder about how it got done and whether any little elves were involved.

3. Three pets does not lend to a clean house. End of story.

So my question was how clean does the house need to be before your family comes over? My mom stated that everything looked pleasant. Highly doubt she was lying, and I know the candle right when you walked in the door cleverly hid some of the pet smells.

Perhaps living in the house and knowing each and every nook and cranny that hasn't been cleaned leads me to have vivid nightmares of all the dust bunnies that share our abode. Yet, they don't seem that troublesome at all yet.

Cleaning worries to get off your chest? I've finally finished my outside commitment which has allowed me to gain a better balance in my life. There was a cleaning fest one morning and all fears were calmed. 

Monday, November 2, 2015

Lately...

Getting something out has been tough the past week. There are countless drafts, a few revisions here and there and it feels as though nothing is still coming together.

Why is that?

I'm not searching for perfection but nothing that I write or tinker with really projects what I've been thinking or doing lately. And it's nothing that exciting at all.

A lot of it has been packing my lunches on a day to day basis. Making sure that the laundry is done and dishes are clean or put away. There are some basic chores that fall to the wayside every now and then, but nothing that a good moping every now and then cannot remedy.

And for some reason those are the most important moments of simple living. Getting the small stuff that many disregard. Those small actions day after day are the ones that save the most. Wearing slippers and turning the thermostat down during the winter months. Cutting out the coupons for household items that are needed despite trying to go without them. It can seem tedious at some points, but in reality it isn't. Being able to find joy in them has made me appear complacent from the outside, but inside a lot more satisfied with the ebbs and flows.

As to money matters, I'm hoping with steady paychecks for the foreseeable future, I'll be able to make getting out of debt a priority and not just an afterthought. It seems that budgeting after the money is gone is what has been happening lately, which is a habit that needs to end here and now. Making a small hole for car repairs and savings will really save me in the long run.

As for the simplicity route, a lot of activities have been building up, which might be good, but can also lead to too booked of a schedule. My mornings have been filled with errands that can be done quickly and efficiently due to the lack of crowds. Grocery shopping is no longer on my most hated list. One thing I would like to transition to is enjoying the quiet aspects of a winter morning, cup of coffee in hand and pen in the other. Whether it be journaling or studying, less movement would probably be best for the season.

And of course the holidays! Perhaps a few more decorations this year will liven up the atmosphere? But more to put up means more to take down. We will see about that...



With the fall winding down and winter approaching, what is it that is still on your to do list for the year?