Character is often defined as ‘how you act when no one is watching’. Cleanliness, while adjacent to godliness, is an often-overlooked component of character. For good reason, too – it’s quite silly and nearly pointless to connect the two, which is of course why I’m blogging about it right now.
Cool Mum and Cool Baby just left on a jet plane to Florida for a few days. Every time I have extended time alone, I promise myself that I won’t let the house/apartment go. I want to keep the dishes clean and my clothes off of the floor. I don’t want to live in filth and disarray. And even though no one is here to help or keep me accountable, I want to be mature enough keep the place clean.
You’d think that since the family member who poos his drawers has left town, it might be easier to keep things tidy. I invent new ways of making messes (DISCLAIMER: none of which involve poo).
CM usually comes home to a clean place, but not because I kept things clean. It’s because I scrambled, doing everything short of playing skeet with the dishes, to get it presentable. The place is sort of a mess already (it was like that when she left!), so hopefully I can improve on what she remembers.
Do you let the place go when your family/roommates are gone?
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I’m usually the one gone, and I don’t do much of the cleaning around the house anyway. So it doesn’t really make a difference. Besides, my mother is a clean freak. She cannot tolerate any kind of mess for more than 5 minutes.
If you ever visit us in New York, be sure to bring her by our apartment!
Oh and Cool Mum/Baby should come to Miami and visit me for my birthday
They’re staying in Central Fla this week. If you come through there, let us know!!
I waffle. Sometimes I keep it clean and feel so good about myself and responsible. Then there’s the majority of the time.
Mmm…I could dirty some dishes with some waffles. (notice restrained usage of the ellipsis)
Oh, we let the place go no matter who’s home. That’s why we try to have people visit at least once a week. Otherwise, we’d revert to what I lovingly call “frat house” status of mess and filth. I am much happier when the house is neat and clean – I just need a little (big) push in that right direction. (Also known as the panic of my parents arriving in T-20 minutes.)
Yes, the “Invite Someone Over So We Have to Clean the Place” trick. Works every time!