(no subject)

[mereilin]

When I spend all day trying to make the house look better only to have it look worse than before, this is proof to me that I am utterly incompetent.

The truth of it is that there is too much to do, and I keep getting distracted by all the unfinished things. The other truth of it is that everyone in this house, including me, is perfectly happy to ignore the mess most of the time.

The other hard truth of it is that it's getting dark now, at 4:30 (one of the things I really HATE about New England), and it feels like the whole day is over. The house is still a mess, and I feel like a failure.

Comments

[whobyfire78.livejournal.com]

*HUGS*

You are NOT a failure. I realize that's little comfort from an online acquaintance 1000 miles away, but it's the truth nonetheless.

[katfur.livejournal.com]

Sunrise/sunset times on the east coast /are/ ridiculous, aren't they?

[mereilin.livejournal.com]

This is why, if you look back, all my entries for December of every year are depressing.

It's being so far east in a particular time zone, I think; my folks are in the same time zone but that 500 miles southwest makes a HUGE difference.

We're through the worst of it now. I just need to hang on until February. :P

Hope your holidays were great and that you manage to get enough quality time with Sarah this term!

Um, No

[daurdabla.livejournal.com]

Incompetent you are not. Method you need. Assistance and cooperation you need.

(Yoda on housework)

"Gonna rewind your mind and rethread your head."

--Zonker Harris.

If I may make a suggestion (and I know how you feel--my house is often much worse than I'd like. I've never felt like I'd be comfortable having my parents over for a visit, for example. One of the few advantages to their being in Florida...), how about getting a commitment from Handsome Husband that you and he will keep *this* area (even if it's nothing more than the stove) pristine for a month? Nothing left on it, and it's always clean before bed.

Involve the kids; tell them they can harass you about it if there's anything left on it for more than an hour--they'll love that. Warn them that they will be in trouble if they leave something there too.

If you're able to make that happen, then next month you can expand that to another spot, possibly an adjacent one. If everyone buys in (and to be honest this will be mostly you and J., since the kids are used to the house as it is, and see that as "normal"), then eventually you'll expand "neat and tidy" to the whole house, or at least the common areas. The kids may want some "mess flexibility" in their rooms.

Challenge arises when the household's adults have wildly divergent ideas about what's an acceptable level of clutter and mess. That's our issue, and I may have to come to terms with the idea that I'll never have a whole house as tidy/clean as I would like.

If you're looking for moral support instead of suggestions,

Please follow instructions as you read them.



Put your right hand on your left bicep.


Put your left hand on your right bicep.

Squeeze.




e-hug! Hope this helps.

We've spent ...what?... maybe a total of four hours in one another's presence, but I did really enjoyed talking with you, and don't like to "see" you sad/stressed.

Re: Um, No

[sashafenn.livejournal.com]

I'm as domestic and tidy as a squirrel driving a bulldozer.. So that brilliant advice is something I will be taking on board! I think I'm going to start with my hall table... because thats the place that people see first if they come to my house.