cleaning.

I think the day that 2011 came, was the day I developed a clean gene. I have NEVER cared what a mess I made, or left, or lived in for that matter. When I was in high school I would frequently come home to a note on my door that said something like this...

"Britt. If you don't clean this room up before the weekend. You WILL be on restrictions!!!!! That doesn't mean putting everything under your bed!!! I want clothes picked up off the floor, trash thrown in the trash can, towels in the hamper, and bed made up!!! Consider this your last warning!!! -Dad"

Ha. Seriously, I really did get notes like that, written on that yellow notebook paper and taped on my door, just about every weekend. My sweet Dad was trying to prepare me for the future. Then I got to college and lived with THE MOST ORGANIZED friend that I have ever had, Cathleen. Her side of the room was IMMACULATE right down to her color coded notebooks neatly organized on the shelf and her perfectly folded blanket on the end her bed. My side looked like a tornado had just rushed through.

Then, Matt and I got married and I realized I needed to step up my game. I made an effort to keep the sink cleared out and pick up towels of the floor, but 10 empty water bottles beside the bed and a dust pile on the floor didn't phase me. And it STILL didnt phase me, oh, 2 months ago!! But all of the sudden, bam! I can't STAND clutter and mess!! I want everything clean. Im not like an OCD neat freak, about germs and dirt, etc. I am just getting annoyed with CLUTTER. I hate opening the cabinet under the sink in my bathroom and stuff just scattered all in there. (note to self: clean all cabinets before the end of this week!)

I think it all has to do with one little tip I saw on "Enough Already!" last week. You know, that show on Oprah's new network, OWN, that is comparable to Hoarders, but not as extreme. Just the guy goes in there and helps them get organized. The one thing that's stuck out in my mind since I saw the show is when he said .... "All flat surfaces should be clean. That means, floors, countertops, nightstands, dressers, etc. Nothing with a flat surface should have things on it" I.E. Clothes on the floor!! Water bottles on the night stand!! Mail piled on the counter!! Only things that belong there, like picture frames, lamps, etc. should be on the flat surfaces.

Now EVERY flat surface I see with something that doesn't belong makes me go crazy! Today I cleaned everything .. like dusted, pledged, windexed, etc. and tomorrow and thursday i am going to ORGANIZE and declutter flat surfaces. and i KNOW i will feel so awesome when im done.

So any of you messies out there, that think you'll be like that forever, no fear. you will like everything neat, eventually. Did any of you experience this change?? oh and what are you favorite cleaning products?? I have to know, now! So far I only have one... Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Window Spray in Basil...aaaaaah! I think I want all Meyers stuff.













Happy Cleaning and De-Cluttering

-B