If You Don't Have a Maid

I discovered something about myself-well actually my husband laughingly observed, "You're a messy person, and it drives you crazy."

It's true, things are left on the floor, laundry and dishes pile up, but I cant stand it! After a few days I kinda go insane and have to clean everything or at least tidy up- if i dont, there is no way I'll be able to focus on my homework.

So now that I'm in my own home- that I take a little more pride in than my dorm room- but am still stuck with much of the same responsibilities and time restraints, I've begun learning and remembering what mom used to tell me and i thought i would share.

1.) If the kitchen is clean, and the table cleared off and pretty I feel better. We dont have a dish washer, so it's not as simple as hiding the dirty dishes away, our goal is to wash dishes everynight (though, like tonight, that doesnt always happen).

2.) Taking a quick ten minutes to power clean the clutter does wonders for the room and my sanity.

3.) No time to clean the bathroom? Putting out clean towels and wiping down the counter with the old hand towel is a quick way to freshen up.

4.) Make/ straighten the bed clothes every morning. It makes the room automatically look cleaner and its nice to get into a fresh bed after a long day.

5.) Fold your laundry on the bed and vow to not put it on the floor that way it has to be put away before bed. (your hubby should put his away too-less work for you!)

6.) open up the windows for 10 min (and maybe turn the heat off to save $) to freshen up the air. Smell is one of our most mind triggering senses, if it smells clean it looks cleaner :)

7.) if its too cold outside, spray some air freshener or light a yummy smelling candle.

8.) Vacuum once a week. Dirt and crumbs attract bugs which attract spiders. Ewww. And, if the dirt, crumbs and dead skin (yes, dust is mostly dead skin-again, ewwww) build up long enough, it turns 'sticky' and is harder for your vacuum to clean up and your carpet wont last as long. Everything else stays cleaner in your house the more often you vacuum- you have to pick up clutter to vacuum and dust and tracked in dirt dont travel very far. (I really like vacuuming, can you tell?)

9.) Set aside time once a week to put on some tunes and clean for an hour or more. Not only does everything look nice but you feel accomplished too.

10.) have a dish rag or hand towel your about to throw into the laundry- wipe something down with it first. it takes like 10 seconds and keeps things cleaner. PS- Clorox wipes/cleaning wipes are your friend.

Oh, and its a new era, have your husband do a couple chores. Jeff is great about always taking out the trash-he will jump up off the couch if he even hears me tying the trash bag and wont let me do it. And he's always happy to do something if i ask. I like to do most of the chores right now. I figure that since I'm not working yet and he is, at least the house can be clean when he gets home.

It seems like the era of the "house wife" died for a while but is making a slow come back. I'm not saying that women will ever be confined to the home again, but it's not looked down on as it was while the feminists were makin' a big stink. I find a lot of joy in having the house clean and dinner started for Jeff when he gets home from work and I'm praying that someday I'll be able to be a stay at home mom. It's a worthy calling and, i've heard, just as much work as the 9 to 5. 

I fell like it’s a rite of passage for a wife to have her own apron. Since no one gave me one for my wedding, I went and bought one for myself. Yes, I am a house wife- hear me roar! ;)