Monday, January 21, 2008

Nine Months of Crap

Back when I was in Law School, I lived in the dorms.  This meant that, at the end of each year, I had to pack everything I owned into boxes to be put in storage over the summer.  And at the start of the next year, I would make all sorts of promises to live neatly and tidily -- but, inevitably, the crap would accumulate by the end of the school year.

I experienced this in my first apartment, too.  I could keep the accumulation of random stuff down to a minimum for about nine months -- but somewhere between nine months and year, the place started to change from "my nice new apartment" to "something totally lived-in."

I mention this because it's been about ten months since I took my condo off the market.  During the five or so months that it was listed, I was totally Ms. Perfect (and her Invisible Cat).  I ran the Roomba every morning.  I folded my towel when I got out of the shower.  I even kept the shampoo hidden in a drawer.  Trash was never permitted to overflow the bin.  Dishes never piled in the sink.  Counters wiped.  Floors swept.  And everything was put away -- my desk was empty.  Empty.  The usual accumulation of unpaid bills and unused coupons was hidden away in a cabinet.

And when we pulled the listing, I still kept things largely clean.  OK, sure, the shampoo bottle now proudly remains in the shower.  And a pile of stuff I needed to access moved from its hiding place in the closet to the shelf above my desk.  But, mostly, things were still tidy.

But now I've passed that magic Nine Month barrier, and, as usual, things have gotten out of hand.  The shower hosts not just one shampoo bottle, but two shampoos, two conditioners, two different liquid soap bottles, and various other showering acoutrements.  (And remember, there's only one of me.)  The pile on my desk has turned into five piles.  And I run the Roomba about once a week.  (Yes.  I am too lazy to push a button to vacuum daily.)  Because it has been more than nine months, cleaning up to re-list the condo is like starting all over again.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't know how I found you but you sound like me. Life's too short to keep everything tidy.  Mind you there is four of us and five cats, not to mention the whole neighbourhoods kids as well.  My husband always asks me why I have two different sorts of shampoos and shower gels.  I like choices, what can I say.
See ya.
Carolxx

Anonymous said...

If I kept everything in my home sterile or even basic tidy....I wouldn't have a life. Truly don't beat yourself up. Still sounds like it's clean to a majority of other homes across the web. (Hugs) Indigo

Anonymous said...

Sometimes I feel like I start over every WEEK!  
Lori