Spring Cleaning 2024: Are You Ready?

I don’t know about you, but I really admire those houses that are put together well. For example, last week I had dinner at the home of a friend of mine. Her house is gorgeous. It’s not just that it’s a lovely house; from the landscaping to the design of the interior, everything is perfect. Not crowded with stuff, though she’s a world traveler, her home is full of personal touches. Going over there is just a relaxing experience.

Then you have my house. I look at it and see every imperfection, every bit of paint that was poorly applied. And the kitchen! It makes me shudder to think of the tons of work that’s necessary to update that 1977 dinosaur.

Over the years we’ve updated the downstairs floors, tearing out the carpet and replacing them with hardwood, and reclaimed the TV room, which was dedicated for years to my son and his daughter. Actually, the downstairs (except for the kitchen) isn’t all that bad (though there’s always room for improvement).

Making our way upstairs is another story. The master bedroom is outfitted with very old carpeting (we’re talking faded, flat and torn) and clothes are strewn about as we decide whether to keep them or give them away. Our bathroom sinks (that are outside of the bathroom proper) recently had new faucets installed, which means that everything under the sinks had to be removed. Finding the time to get those items put back under the sinks has become a challenge.

All four of our sons have moved out of the house and one of their rooms has become the “catch all.” In that room is everything from an abundance of game consoles to a roll of insulation.

You get the idea: our house is far from perfection.

And we’re supposed to be considering for spring cleaning those things that need attention– things like washing our windows, cleaning our baseboards and scrubbing with a toothbrush those pesky sliding door tracks. Yeah, right.

I have to be honest: for the last couple of Sundays, I haven’t even gotten off my lounger in the TV room. I’ve watched stupid, mindless TV for hours getting up only to pull together something for dinner. (For me, Saturdays are my busy days when I tend to the backyard, clean up the kitchen, etc.)

And though Steve and I promise weekly to tackle some of bigger tasks, it seems search and rescue needs him more and more, taking him away from home.

I try not to complain – I’m fortunate that J’s Maids comes in every other week to take care of those things that need attention that I don’t want to do (toilets, anyone?).

I’d go on but one of the (three) dogs apparently tinkled in the TV room and I need to clean it up.