Cleaning

I am a bit obsessed with cleaning.  Not because I like the process, but because I like the results.  I also can't relax with a mess around me.   Apparently, though, the rest of my family is just fine with a bit of a mess, so I constantly find myself cleaning and cleaning and then cleaning some more.

Having spent all day working in our home office I emerged in late afternoon to find the kitchen in this state (it actually looked worse in real life), the kids happily watching TV, and the husband on his computer.

I knew I had a window of opportunity before I had to make and serve dinner and dash out to the gym, so I went to work.   I am no Fly Lady but I am with her.   You have to clean as you go, you have to stay on task, and you should try to only handle things once (the value of this one I learned early on in my corporate career, works equally well for emails, reports, and dirty dishes).  

Exactly 30 minutes later (I timed it), the kitchen looked like this.   With the floors vacuum-cleaned and everything put away in their permanent places, including the Christmas tree (touch it all only once).   I did get some help.   My husband helped put away the Christmas things and our four-year-old put the empty apple strawberry crusher pack into trash all by herself.   Hey, I will take any help I can get!  :)

The dinner time is coming, so this won't last.  But it sure is nice to look at…. :)