I Have to Admit - I'm Not Good at Housework

Got any tips on getting these things to work on their own? I hear there are robot vacuums; do they work with cat toys strewn about the house?

Does anyone have something that they hate to admit they’re not good at? I like to think I’m good at anything I put my mind to, but there is one thing that I just can’t get the hang of.

Housework.

I’m terrible at keeping up with it. I like to think it’s because I’m a creative and so easily distracted (anyone else with me?) Don’t get me wrong, I love to have a clean house, I’m just really bad at making a good habit of it. I’ve always loved a cleanly swept floor. Dusting I’ve always hated; what’s the point? You dust and then the next moment you turn around, and it’s back! It feels like such a waste of time, and I’m passionate about time management. Then the light hits it a certain way, and out comes the duster; I fall for it again.

Thankfully my husband and I work well as a team here. It’s even more important now that we’ve got a second cat, as cat hair seems to get everywhere! Every time I see a new mop or broom ad, I think “perfect! This is what I need! It’ll solve all my cleaning problems!” But it’s never the case.

I will go on a deep cleaning kick every so often, but other than regular sweeping and dishwashing (no, we don’t have a dishwasher), housework is not my forte. My parents found a cute heart-shaped folk-art plaque decades ago that said “I’m Not Martha Stewart” and bought it for me. I have it in my creative space to remind me not to take life (or myself) too seriously.

Clutter, however, is one thing that really irritates me, and I found a great resource for that. I heard a webinar once with Dana K. White, who has a website called “A Slob Comes Clean” which is geared towards creative people like me. I was captivated! After listening to two of her audiobooks, I went on a decluttering rampage. My husband was afraid to sit still for too long in case I swept him up with all the detritus that had been collecting around the house. Now the main rooms of the house have a place for everything, feel a lot more tidy and are much easier to keep clean. I could do another de-cluttering of some of the newer things that have arrived (online shopping is far too easy and shouldn’t be done without supervision) and will probably do one in the next month. Time to break out her audiobooks again for inspiration!

Overall, my creative space / office feels so much better. Everything now has a place to go so it feels less cluttered.

I finally cleared out supplies I didn’t need, and donated five rubbermaid bins full of yarn to a seniors’ home — some of which I’d had since the late 1980s — where they were glad to receive it and made quick use of it. Yes, I had over four decades of collected yarn stored in my craft space. I have a much smaller collection now, and the rule is if it doesn’t fit in the container, something has to leave to make room for it.

Now fabric … well, that’s a different story and a bit of a challenge, but I promise, I will use all the fabric I’ve got! It’s just so pretty.

What about you? Are there any other housekeeping delinquents out there like me? Feel free to send me any tips, tricks, or hacks you’ve got — I’m all ears!