While I was at the orthodontist office with the younger son, I leafed through the July issue of 'Chatelaine' magazine that I found on the magazine rack. One of the articles caught my attention. It had to do with enjoying or not enjoying cleaning and tidying a home. I don't have the magazine with me now so I can only offer you the impressions I came away with.
One of the opinions put forward was that educated women do not clean as well as uneducated women. It seems educated women do not consider cleaning and tidying a home as 'labour' as much as an uneducated woman might. Well, cleaning one's home is one of those thankless tasks. Never ending...never ending...did I say never ending!!!!
Before I can start to clean, I have to tidy! It seems no matter how many or how big the closets are or how many organizing bins I provide and no matter how often I sound off........ o.k., I just need to calm down a minute.
So, now everything is tidy, not perfect as that would just take too long. Now it's time to clean. How I clean depends on what's happening. Are we expecting company or not? Come on, you all agree with me, don't you?
Back to the magazine article, another opinion offered was that we see our homes as being dirtier and more untidy than others do who enter. I agree. We live in our homes and have time to see all the dust bunnies and the marks on the wall and smudges on the windows and dried whatever on the kitchen floor. I wonder how many times I walk past the above offenders before they annoy me enough to fix them!
One of the last ideas I remember from the article was the satisfied feeling we get when our home is clean and tidy. It is a solitary time, a time alone with our thoughts. I know I do like to clean, especially when no one is at home. I have the tunes turned up and I sing out loud with the music and dance. It feels good! I feel good!
So, do I consider cleaning labour or not?
http://en.chatelaine.com/english/weekend/article.jsp?content=20090504_150330_7320
Happy Thursday
ReplyDeleteI guess there was no thursday get together. The tip was all writing was in one colour.
Cleaning, I to am uneducated, must be because I like cleaning. I like to start in one room and clean it comlpetely then move on.
I also am very very organized. At any given time you can check drawers or cupboard out and
everything will be in its place. Drives some people crazy but I like it.
Truth be knowen it use to drive the kids crazy. Thats why carolin will mess her towel closet if it looks to tidy.
Have a good summer Cathy
Truth be told I don't mind cleaning all that much. I do however mind all of the effort that goes into it only to allow me to enjoy the fruits of my labout for such a short time. I seem to be cleaning 24 hours a day and someone always seems to come along to mess it all back up. My family is pretty good, they all help and sometimes tidy up after themselves. It's really just living our day to day lives that causes the mess to being with.
ReplyDeleteWell I had some time so I read the educated clean debate. I am not a fan of Chatelaine and after reading the article I for sure won’t be running out to buy this magazine. The article didn't say much I felt either way I had a friend over Monday night and we were talking about clean homes coincidentally and hopefully I remember this correctly she said. "My home is clean enough to welcome Company but messy enough to make Company feel welcome” I hope that is what my home feels to all my company that will be arriving this weekend! Got to love my sister when she comes to visit and her family, which includes 7 children!
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