Tuesday, January 09, 2007

So far so good

I know it may not seem like much, but since the turn of the New Year I have been taking great pains to keep the dishes washed and kitchen clean.

To those who have spent any time in my house, that probably comes as quite a shock... but it makes me very happy to walk into my clean kitchen and not have to wash dishes or otherwise clean it before I fix a snack or meal.

Prior to this the mess would pile up until I forced one of the kids to clean it and wash dishes... the dishes were always put away haphazardly, and different kids cleaned with differing levels of actual success. Sometimes the dishes were so poorly washed they had to be re-washed.

I decided that I'd rather just do it myself, to my own standards, and put things away where I want them and the way I want them... so I won't have anything to complain about. When my kids have school, they get up at ungodly hours to catch the bus or other ride, then come home exhausted to nap. In the evening when they awaken, hungry for dinner, they have homework to complete. So I try not to burden them overly much with the chores. After all, I'm barely employed: why should they do chores so I can sit around watching movies and eating bon bons?

Okay. So I don't eat bon bons... but when I get my kitchen clean it gives me such a huge sense of accomplishment each time... I'm hoping I can gradually spread this to the whole house. Baby steps, as the flyladies say...