A while ago Mrs. Mac did a homemaking survey asking us about our housekeeping habits. I wrote a blog in response and didn't like it when I was done so into the drafts it goes. And so too might this one! But if anyone has nothing better to do I'll share a little bit about my homemaking habits, good and bad.
I work full time outside of our home and unfortunately I am not blessed with a hyper-metabolism. In other words, when I get home I am more or less wrung out. If I make dinner and load the dishwasher I'm having a good day. And so in general my housekeeping duties by default end up on a weekend schedule. I know it would make more sense to do a little each evening and have the weekend free but I am forty one years old and haven't done it yet so I am guessing this is how it's gonna be 'round here for the next forty one years.
I do all of the laundry each Saturday morning. It's usually around seven loads. I get up pretty early even on my days off so I start the first load while everyone else is still asleep. I have a first floor laundry so that helps. Again, it should also enable me to throw loads in all week but I don't do it.
On Friday evenings I do strip our bed and put on clean linens, I throw the sheets into the washer on Friday night so I'm a step ahead in that department. I used to change the sheets on Saturday mornings but the Mr. sleeps in so I was frustrated and having that chore hanging over my head. I wash socks and undies first because it's my least favorite and I want to get it over with, towels last because they are easiest to fold and put away. How's that for useless detail?
I dust and vacuum as well on Saturday, I dust the entire house, then sweep the hardwood rooms, then vacuum last as opposed to a room at a time. I am likely to clean the bathroom on Thursday nights so I guess I kind of lied earlier. The Mr. has practice on that night so I've nothing better to do and it relieves me of this least favorite item on Saturday. The Mr. usually grocery shops on Saturday morning. While he's gone I finish up my housework list so that when he comes home I'm pretty much done and we go out to lunch and enjoy our Saturday afternoon.
I straighten the house each evening because I absolutely hate awakening to an unkempt house. This is my pet peeve, going to bed in an orderly house and waking up to pop cans on the coffee table, cereal bowls in the sink. Although I know there is no intent in it, it still makes me feel disrespected.
And here is where I feel very sorry for myself for a moment or two. My homemaking standards are much higher than the Mr.'s and by that I mean, he has no standards whatsoever. He would be perfectly content and never complain if the laundry was never caught up and he was forced to wash pants, underwear, socks and a shirt each night for the next day. He is not impressed that his sock drawer is always full of neatly rolled and bleached socks. He is not impressed that I weed out the socks with holes when I launder them, he'd wear them with holes. He'd go to K-Mart and buy a new bag of socks if he ran out because they were all dirty and never think twice.
He could care less about clean sheets and a neatly made bed. Dust is invisible to him and floors only need attention if company is coming over, and that just means a quick once over not anything involving a mop or a bucket of water. Similarly, he'd just as soon circle the house on Saturday morning on the way to Kroger putting pop cans into a giant garbage bag after a week's accumulation as opposed to the nightly pick-up. Bathroom cleaning? Huh?
He no longer generates a particularly horrific mess as somewhere around year ten he grew weary of my alternating screaming and crying. To his credit he does make something of an effort not to live like this is a frat house. Anymore.
Probably because I'm used to it and he helps when I ask him to; I don't mind doing the majority of the chores. He does the groceries which I don't like to shop for. He cooks about half the time and loads the dishwasher.
But you will never hear the guy tell you what a nice home I keep because he doesn't notice and doesn't care. And yes, that bothers me. It has taken a long time for it not to bother me tremendously because keeping my home is something I do not only for me but I like to consider it a gift to my family. Unfortunately this particular gift doesn't impress the recipient. I suppose that means I do keep my home for me. I no longer ask him how the house looks begging for a compliment and I have learned to sit back in a neat living room and just enjoy a cup of tea. Knowing how much more difficult it could be, I'm grateful that he isn't actively working against me (anymore!) But still...
Coming soon; I keep a my car clean, his is a pig sty. Wanna guess what happens when he uses my car?
5 comments:
ha! still under construction... hahahaha-nothing counts! they get clean clothes & dishes & food and a space at my desk!
And I'll betcha you count your blessings through it all!
If you feel better having done it, then in turn he gets a happier wife and though he may not realize this is the cause, I'm sure he's thankful!
I'm married to a 90% of the time neat freak. He only leaves out a small fraction of the junk around our home ... cleans and does laundry as time permits. Clean car, clean desk, shirts all hung neatly going the same direction (hangers & shirts). His mom used to darn his socks, I throw them away when they get a hole. No cooking though and he tends to go grocery shopping while craving twinkies and ding-dongs. We all have our burdens ;)
Empty cans in the living room?...
always.
Do I have room to complain?
I guess perhaps if I'd pick up the 55 socks on the floor next to my side of the bed....
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