Monday, March 1, 2010

The Ugly Truth

Lately, I've been feeling pretty good about the apartment because even when it seems like a complete disaster, which happens about every other day, I can generally get it cleaned up in less than an hour. If I get to mopping, it takes maybe an hour and a half. This is not to say there aren't areas that could still use work (there's a dust bunny on the ceiling of my bathroom that mocks me every time I take a shower), but it's clean enough that I don't feel it weighing on me.
There are a couple of notable exceptions that take little nibbles at the sense of calm my "clean" house gives me.
Our bedroom has the door closed more often than not these days, but I can still see my way to the end of that one. I think I need to hang some shelves to get a little more room for the odds and ends of the room. I always have a growing pile next to the bed of half-read magazines, books, a notepad for things that I remember in the middle of the night, etc. One might suggest that a nightstand would be a good place for these things, but I would counter that one does not have a thirteen-month-old wreaking havoc on all of the low surfaces in the house.

The linen closet needs some purging as well. I have the medicine cabinet of a Florida grandmother. Lots and lots of drugs, all in Costco quantities, extra shampoos, enough toilet paper to supply the troops, and way too many linens, and yet not enough of ones that I use.
One problem in the linen closet is that I really need to learn how to fold laundry in general,and sheets specifically. They never stack into neat little piles for me, but instead are always precariously perched, ready to spill out at the slightest touch or perturbation. But this area too, I can envision clean and tidy. I just need a spare afternoon to devote to it.

The place I struggle with the most, that I can't seem to make progress in even when I spend hours and hours on it, is the kitchen.

Brace yourself - there are pictures.
The mess that ate the wall

Pantry or bomb shelter? Or did a bomb go off in the pantry?

Apparently, I really like wine and picnics (which is true, actually).

So much food, so little to eat. 
My refrigerator has been taken over by condiments and add-ins (capers, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, etc)

The sink area collects the most junk. The random lid without a jar, a fondue fork, dirty bibs.

If you have finally stopped screaming in horror and continued to read this, you might ask "why on earth did you show this to me?" The answer is a two part paradox. First, I showed it to the world, and therefore to you gentle reader, for accountability. Now that I've shown the "before" pics, I really, really want to get some "after" pics up here. Second, I don't really care what you think, because the blog is more for me than it is for you. Hence, the paradox. I need an audience for accountability to work, but then, I go and say that I don't care about that same audience. Sorry, I'm just complicated like that.

The timing of this kitchen overhaul was prompted by a website. I am taking part in the Kitchen Cure hosted by Apartment Therapy's cooking website the kitchn. People all over the world pledge to clean their kitchens together over 4 weeks. The website serves as an online personal coach by giving you weekly assignments, and people post pictures and discuss problems/accomplishments in true support group fashion.

I haven't done anything like this before (the online project thing, I have cleaned before), but I'm hoping to have greater success than my normal efforts by publicly airing my dirty laundry. Let's just hope I don't stoop to showing my actual dirty laundry.

1 comment:

  1. I'm very impressed that you're doing this! I need to tackle my closets (among other things!). I look forward to seeing the After. I think you're doing well with the space that you have. I love your apartment, and yet I know that when you move into someplace bigger, you're really going to enjoy the space (I speak from experience).

    :))

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