With no children, there is no responsibilities. This has led to a freedom of sorts that was starting to reflect in our household. We don’t have the responsibility of setting a good example so we just do what we want to do. This translates to no cleaning habit and ritual.
This may sound like an ideal way to live, but it is more like living like a teenager than an adult.
My therapist has said this could also be a sign of my depression level. I just think that I am lazy and have no need to do something I really don’t want to do. Although I may be flippant about our household and the cleanliness, it does cause some level of anxiety.
I didn’t enjoy coming home. We would do the obvious things, like the dishes, but there was a sense of disorder the minute I would enter. The disorder was an indication that deep down I don’t enjoy living like this. I also don’t want to live in a show room ready household.
So starts the new cleaning ritual.
On evenings when we are free, the TV is switched off from 7pm to 8pm and our phones are put down. We don’t have a cleaning schedule, we just set aside an hour to do what needs to be done.
My husband, who had trained as a chef in his youth, does the cooking. I will put on music and start cleaning. This division of labour fosters a sense of teamwork, because there is no comparisons made on who does the most.
This simple change in routine has kept the pug hair to a livable level. Pugs shed constantly and as they are on everything the hair gets everywhere. Our toilet is clean, the bathroom is non-squeamish, the bedroom floor can be seen and the clutter is slowly moving out.
It sounds so simple to just set aside an hour and do adulting. I am lucky in having a supportive husband who agrees that we need to up our game a little. I am consistent as soon as the alarm goes off on my phone, I turn off the TV and turn on the music. This is a signal to the household that we are going to clean and have fun while doing so.
The consistency of applying this new habit, has resulted in running out of things to clean. The time has gotten shorter, we no longer keep at it for an hour as there is no need.
We are now able to do our weekends away and continue with the holiday feeling when we come home, because home is clean.
I now enjoy coming home, and feel less stressed at home. On some level I have even started craving the cleaning hour as I derive a sense of intimacy with my husband. We are both working towards a home environment that we are happy with.
I won’t be the first person that will type that all you need to do is to start doing. However, it is that simple. The key for me is to be flexible, if I am not home for cleaning hour then there is always the next day.
A new day with a new cleaning habit and ritual.
The objective of cleaning is not just to clean, but to feel happiness living within that environment.
Mari Kondo