oh geez...where to start. well, i found ss last summer when my house was at the worst it has ever been (haha have come close recently to matching it). ended up making lots of progress but slipped up BIG TIME.
looking back i see that i was so focused on attaining a level of clean that i just cannot maintain with an 8 y/o. also did things like sanitize every last toy in the playroom (and trust me there were LOTS) instead of cleaning my son's room or my nasty grease-dust encrusted ceiling fans.
i've come to realize my house is either really clean or really nasty. someone on here mentioned that it might be because i don't feel the satisfaction of cleaning something that's not very dirty yet - and i do think that's a part of it.
i also have the perfection mentality - when i was growing up, i can't tell you how many times i heard "do it right the first time"...hahah...this often led to just not doing it if i knew i didn't have the desire/energy to do it "right".
another realization is that although i was never diagnosed, i exhibited all the classic symptoms of OCD in early adolescence. (just a ponderence, but could untreated OCD actually becomes the opposite of itself after a period of time?
)
to top off this nice mental stew, i am the daughter of someone who's entire childhood happened during the depression. my dad is a hoarder and as i learned more about that condition i realized that being exposed to those fears of not having something when you need it made a big impression on my developing mind.
wow...as i write this i'm having quasi-flashbacks to childhood. having company over was a luxury - the house was never "good enough" in my dad's opinion...(the schmidthouse he always said) - even though it was actually very presentable. having my dad take away my pencil eraser in 2nd grade while doing homework - "think before you write it down". a garage eternally packed full of "junque" - you know, excess stuff that we couldn't get rid of because "someday it will be worth a lot of money".
i know i'm rambling...sorry. i guess i'm trying to tell you that i'm here not only to establish some sort of level of maintainence, but to do some digging to discover the root of my problem. and don't get me wrong...i love my dad to bits - always was a daddy's girl, so maybe that's why i ended up with so many of his neurotic ways
ugh...i just feel like a jumbled up mess! i feel like i have multiple "housework" personalities...neat freak, slothy slob, and speedy squaloree (clean to dirty in 2.2 days). hahah!
as for the not-pertaining-to-housework part of me: single (and believe me i put the single in single mom) mom of an incredibly sweet and smart 8 y/o son; senior pr major in college; avid reader; addicted to kim and aggie and their british words for filth; and oh so many more quirks
some of my goals for the next year: to land a fabulous job before i walk the stage at graduation; move to wilmington, nc where i can spend free time enjoying the ocean and SUNSHINE. in order to actually accomplish these two goals i know i have to get my stuff in order and be in an established routine. i just helped my mom pack up for a move and i don't want to have any of that flurried panic packing when i move.
whew! I DID IT!!! haha...hope it's at least a little entertaining while still being informative
oh...and i appreciate all of you so much!
