I've been on a rampage to organize trouble spots in our home recently. I have been working on the office (I've shredded 6 plastic bags worth of paper to give you an idea of my hoarding abilities). In general I keep a pretty clean home. Our office as always been our down fall (and basement). The paper I shredded was all filed (minus the junk mail I collect and shred every few months... that I keep in a paper bin).
UPDATE: I've removed the last portion of my cleaning entry. I did something I am not very proud of, I linked a blog entry to my own in an effort to point out my own character flaw (of being a neat freak). This fellow blogger was quite upset with me because she feels I was disrespecting her (which was not my intent). In an effort to smooth things out I have pulled the link.
16 comments:
Must be in the air! To clean that is! My gosh, that women's house looks like one of my cleaning jobs! I don't get it either. I don't know how anyone can live like that. What we do is called discipline not ocd! Nothing like a clean house!
I'll admit, I was shocked to look at those pictures. I judged. I was harsh.
Then I looked around MY house...
Yeah.
I need a little de-clutter action here too.
Our accumulated mess is mostly kids stuff. I hate kids stuff.
I feel better now looking at those pictures- I am not judging- I just feel better is all. my craft room- I call "craft tragedy" these days.. That took serious guts to post pictures of her house like that- very humbling of her- she seems a little obsessed about weight loss not house cleaning.. I need more house discipline for sure...any thoughts/tips for me..
wow ladies.
I use my blog as a motivational tool for both my weight loss and in my efforts to get more organized around the house. I take pictures when it is at its worst (post holidays always being one of those times) to help get me spurred on to take action. If you really read my blog you would also come across plenty of nice clean shots.
We are not naturally organized people but we are GOOD people who work hard to have a lot of love and fun in our home.
Everyone has their strengths and their weaknesses.
I'm not obsessed with weight loss I work hard to maintain my weight and improve my fitness and have hundreds of daily readers who come looking for advice and motivation. I find being a real, flawed, accessible person makes me more relatable to my readership.
Mrs. F. - I actually enjoy reading your blog. I will admit when I am in the throws of weight loss I am a bit focused. My friend, Amanda, can tell you that so please do not take offense to her comment. As far as the cleaning comments from myself and others... I am in the throws of nesting. I think EVERY house has areas of improvement. If you checked out Tam-e's blog you would notice she talks about her basement (play area for her kids) yesterday. I chat about my office and basement. My friend Amanda mentions her craft room. We truly respect the fact that you put yourself out there with some of those pictures. We appreciate your honesty! So I apologize if we came across judgemental (which I was). Oh... and please don't stop blogging. I read your entry about considering the idea of stopping... You humanize motherhood very well in your blog (you don't try to be super mom or slick over anything...honesty is refreshing).
I think Mrs. F should develop some thicker skin if she thinks THESE comments are harsh or if she intends to continue posting pictures like that on the internet for all the world to see!
I mean, there's fabric softener on the kitchen counter for Chrissakes! Someone has to put SOMETHING away at some time in your life Mrs. F. Even if you resent the fact that it might have to be you.
I would never dare claim to be without flaws, and housekeeping is definitely one of my weaker points, but I would also never put down and dirty pictures of my house on the internet without at least being aware that I would be opening myself up to criticism.
I'm a work from home mom with two little kids and one on the way. My husband doesn't do dishes for me or clean the kitchen or clean anything really.
Cleaning house is a one woman show here at my homestead and I suck at it. I'm resentful at having to do it all myself, I'm lazy about doing even minor chores and frankly I'd rather spend my time doing something else.
But because I stay home to raise my kids, keeping house is on my list of tasks so I have to do it.
Period. End of story.
Whining all day about it doesn't magically clean the dishes for me. Sadly, I've experimented with this ad nauseum and it always fails to work.
Jessica,
I kind of think you missed the whole point.
I think it is perfectly reasonable to expect my adult readers to treat me with respect.
I see you still seem to need to find fault with me. I'm really sorry that that is the case. Genuinely. I have really appreciated your friends' thoughtful apologies. And Tam-e you get mad props for having the balls to post it on my site!
Despite all that I will leave you with this housekeeping tip (ironic coming from the likes of me right?):
When washing a dolls wig (like an American Girl, etc) use wig shampoo and the dip the hair in Downey. I do this in the kitchen sink. This will restore the hair's original luster.
Maribeth,
I would like to request that you take the link to my blog out of your post.
Thank you.
Mrs. F: I will remove the link. My blog entry was intended to make fun of me and my OCD ways. That was the intent and maybe I went too far by using your post. I have been trying to gather my thoughts on this most of today. I saw your original comment on my post this morning and responded on my comments section and left for the day. When I came home I saw your blog and your video. I knew your video was directed at me. So I went back through and re-read what I wrote and I think you took what I said out of context. My few readers (which happen to be my friends) know what a freak I am about cleaning. My husband makes fun of me about the toothpicks and toothbrush when I am trying to get that little spot and nothing can quite reach it. See... I am a clean nut. And I was pointing out how extreme I was by using you as an example of my somewhat opposite. Now since I've never commented on your blog and only recently started reading a few weeks ago I guess I shouldn't have done that (linked you). I will gladly remove.
Maribeth,
I appreciate that. I really don't want to make this into a big deal. My point was more that linking to my post as a negative example (or opposite I suppose although their was clearly some negative judgments being expressed) brought your readers to my blog to judge one post and do so in a negative light. As was expressed in their comments.
I purposely didn't link to your blog or speak directly to you as I didn't want you to get negative comments from my readers. I also wanted to make it clear to OTHER readers where I am coming from and hopefully prevent this from happening in the future. You will note that on many bigger blogs they have notes about respectful comments and whatnot.
I will say that it absolutely it hurt my feelings that you and your friends would be coming to view my blog with the intent of criticizing it. Just as it would hurt your feelings (or your friends) if they came upon a blog that was criticizing them. I make myself vulnerable to my readers because I'm trying to be genuine and heretofore I've been treated with great respect for doing so.
I really have appreciated your apology and Tam-e's apology. Really.
I just wanted you to remove my link so that should you have more readers I could prevent them from meeting me through a negative lens.
When I see people coming from another blog I always check in so I can thank them for the link. So you can see I was more than a little surprised to find what I did.
Mrs. F. - Makes sense. I didn't look at it from your eyes (bringing some of my readers over to view yours with a negative light). I should have thought it through more. Let's call a truce. I hope the purging is going well (I am excited to see the results). And when I feel the need to say something, I will say it directly not through my own blog!
Have a good weekend Mrs. F. And hope Kid is doing well (yes I knew about her surgery... I actually have been reading!).
Take care!
Maribeth,
She is doing better, thank you. :)
I'm over it and I do appreciate you taking the time to retract your link.
Thank you.
Ah...so much to say.
But, the fork is in it.
Fork.
In.
It.
Yes.
Amen...
Hi, I am wondering where and what the moms day out group you go to is?
Angie (I checked out your blog before I responded with the info... you have a beautiful family). The MDO my daughter attends is http://www.srumc.org/templates/System/details.asp?id=34530&PID=409745
I hope this helps you. This particular MDO does not have parent participation (it is not a co-op). I love it and it is a fantastic program.
May I ask, how did you find me?
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