Today's theme is baby steps. Actually, that's really the theme for these next few weeks. You see, I despise cleaning. I hate it, I really do. I think one reason why I hate cleaning so much is because it was never ingrained into my mind as a necessity. We had chores off and on growing up but never anything substantial or set in stone. Instead it was implied that we should be doing things around the house, but it really only mattered when people were coming over and everyone rushed around to get things looking acceptable. That's exactly how I am now!
Well, how I was. I'm not that person anymore :)
Anyway, today was about baby steps. I did not get done as much as I wanted to get done today. I slept in late with my youngest son, and since my husband was off work we all lounged around quite a bit. I made a fantastic dinner that took over an hour to prepare (I'm a huge fan of 15 minute meals, not hour plus meals). It was delicious, but as you can expect, it absolutely trashed the kitchen.
The kitchen. The kitchen is the bane of my existance. This is how you might have found my kitchen sink on any given day, and this picture is on a relatively CLEAN day where I already did one load of dishes, believe it or not.
I hate cleaning it but I hate it being messy. I want all of my pans and pots to be easily accessible and clean, all the time, but I don't want to organize or clean anything. Something has to give here. Because of this I have instituted a new policy:
No Dish Left Behind
The ideal behind this new policy is that every dish deserves to be clean and in a cabinet where it belongs. Or, rather, that I need to make sure that every dish is clean and put away before I go to bed at night. It works better if I do this before I leave the kitchen after dinner.
So today I cooked, ate, then cleaned. Usually I cook, eat, and then relax because HELLO I just cooked and ate! I deserve to relax!
Wrong!
I've found that it is easier to stay motivated when you're already moving. After you eat, you get up and put your dishes in the sink anyway, right? So why not load the dishwasher (or start washing dishes) right after dinner? It's not a new concept; people have been doing it for ages and for some reason it has only just now started to sink in for me.
The bottom line is that if I say I'm going to do it later, I probably won't do it later. I want to wake up in the morning-every morning-to a clean kitchen. The only way to make sure that happens is to clean it properly every night.
Well, how I was. I'm not that person anymore :)
Anyway, today was about baby steps. I did not get done as much as I wanted to get done today. I slept in late with my youngest son, and since my husband was off work we all lounged around quite a bit. I made a fantastic dinner that took over an hour to prepare (I'm a huge fan of 15 minute meals, not hour plus meals). It was delicious, but as you can expect, it absolutely trashed the kitchen.
The kitchen. The kitchen is the bane of my existance. This is how you might have found my kitchen sink on any given day, and this picture is on a relatively CLEAN day where I already did one load of dishes, believe it or not.
I hate cleaning it but I hate it being messy. I want all of my pans and pots to be easily accessible and clean, all the time, but I don't want to organize or clean anything. Something has to give here. Because of this I have instituted a new policy:
No Dish Left Behind
The ideal behind this new policy is that every dish deserves to be clean and in a cabinet where it belongs. Or, rather, that I need to make sure that every dish is clean and put away before I go to bed at night. It works better if I do this before I leave the kitchen after dinner.
So today I cooked, ate, then cleaned. Usually I cook, eat, and then relax because HELLO I just cooked and ate! I deserve to relax!
Wrong!
I've found that it is easier to stay motivated when you're already moving. After you eat, you get up and put your dishes in the sink anyway, right? So why not load the dishwasher (or start washing dishes) right after dinner? It's not a new concept; people have been doing it for ages and for some reason it has only just now started to sink in for me.
The bottom line is that if I say I'm going to do it later, I probably won't do it later. I want to wake up in the morning-every morning-to a clean kitchen. The only way to make sure that happens is to clean it properly every night.
Oh, and before you ask... yes, that dish towel is dirty. It's drying and on it's way to the laundry bin :)
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Hi Amber! I love your new blog! I am a neat freak but I enjoy watching people strive to make changes in life. I could possibly be at the other end of the spectrum; I am too worried about cleanliness and clutter. I am constantly throwing things out, much to the dismay of my family.
ReplyDeleteI noticed in your profile that you are a teacher. I teach third grade at an inner-city, Title I school. My days are often difficult. I was wondering what grade you teach and if you are public or private? My questions stray from the point of your blog, but I was curious about a fellow educator.:) (Also, my school is REALLY OLD and gross, which FREAKS-ME-OUT!)
Thanks for the questions! I recently graduated from college but am now working on my certification (just a few more classes!). I have applications in at several local private schools, but right now I sub in the high schools and middle schools full time. We're hoping that by fall next year I will be a "real" teacher!
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing because when it comes to working in the public school, I am absolutely a germaphobe. And the school I work in 95% of the time is a nice, clean school... but students are still germ carriers! I couldn't live without my hand sanitizer. But then I come home and am just too lazy to clean. That's what it boils down to-I'm lazy!
I imagine your days are difficult. I greatly respect elementary school teachers as it is something I could never do in a million years. Inner city and title 1 schools need great teachers though!
Thanks for the response! You are so sweet. Let me say, from someone who has been teaching ten years, that you ARE a real teacher! Substituting is hard, challenging work and you aren't paid nearly enough! I love subs! They have saved my bootie many times.:)
ReplyDeleteAs far as germs, I'm just 35 and I feel like I have had every virus known to man! So far, this year I haven't been sick-though I probably just jinxed myself to heck and back! I keep numerous bottles of sanitizer around and my kids sanitize often! Especially after bathroom trips!:)
Congratulations on your graduation and best of luck landing a job! There are days when I would gladly give you mine! ;)
Hey! It's Cassie Bee!
ReplyDeleteI wanted to tell you that I have this silly idea that I absolutely have to go to bed with my kitchen clean. The rest of the house can be a falling down disaster but the counters, sink, etc MUST be clean. Might be even a little OCD about this LOL!
The reason for it is that it's the first place I see when I get up at dark thirty and I want to sip my coffee in that quiet peace before I start my day. Clean to me equals good chi and peaceful thoughts! On the very rare occasion when the kitchen isn't clean before I go to bed, it seriously messes with my zen in the morning. And you know a crappy morning is hard to let go and tends to follow you throughout your day.
No Dish Left Behind had me laughing!
ReplyDelete--zappa
Just found your blog through Emily's, and I am so following you!! I need to do this exact same thing this year (the whole house cleaning and decluttering project, not just the kitchen :).
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I've gotten pretty good at, is a "clean as you go" policy in the kitchen. If I'm going to be in there cooking anyway, I use every spare second to clean up as I go. I have the dishwasher empty and ready to be loaded, and I put things in there as I use them. I wash large bowls or pans while waiting for something to simmer, etc. Sometimes(not always) it works perfectly. By the time dinner is ready, the kitchen is spotless, except for the actual dishes we use to eat, and maybe a pan and cooking utensil or two. Even if it doesn't work perfectly, there is still MUCH less to do after dinner, when I want to relax too!
Thanks Jen!
ReplyDeleteThat's actually what I've been trying to do of late. When I'm cooking, I don't just leave the mess. It's so crazy how simple all of this really is when it's broken down! I can't believe how much time I wasted when I could have been condensing things to finish quicker. The boys eat much slower than I do, and since the table is right in the kitchen, I just get up and finish cleaning while they finish eating. The kitchen is cleaned before we even leave it!