I wouldn't count myself as a hoarder, with mountains of dusty miscellanea lying around. I also never leave old food out or allow the toilet to become a bio-hazard. However, I wouldn't consider myself a "clean" person. There are often some dirty dishes on the counter, a pot that has been "soaking" for a bit too long, and a pile of clothes on the ottoman. It's not that I don't care, I am just plain lazy. :)
I live alone, and that means that I can really live however I like and just clean up for company. The funny thing is that I prefer a clean home. I actually am just sitting down from putting away a two day old pile of clean laundry, emptying and reloading the dishwasher, and sweeping the floor. The condo looks so amazing after just 15 minutes of effort. I really don't know why I don't do this more often.
Sometimes when I read blogs I am jealous of how clean and put together their homes look. And then every once and awhile they post a "real" shot of what they consider a mess and I just laugh. I think a lot of time in the blogging world (whether you write one, or just read them) you get this impression that these people live perfect lives. Everything is photographed to perfection and there are beautiful stories of happy marriages, polite children, and skyrocketing careers. It is tough in this world of the internet (hello Facebook stalking!) to really gain a perspective on how other people really live. It can be tough to be going through a rough patch and see all these happy, perfectly manicured people parading on about something amazing in their life. My friend and I actually have a running joke about bloggers from the Southern States and the perfect lives they portray.
This isn't made to be a downer of a post. More of a perspective into how the modern world has changed us. Do we strive higher because of these constant online comparisons, or do we just feel down? I would definitely have to say that by letting people into my house through the internet, I have a lot more pride in my home and it stays a lot cleaner. Plus I make more of an effort to make it a home through decor. I also like to share happy news so I work hard at my life making my life better and more interesting. So I would have to say I'm in the "strive higher" camp.
How about you? Do you constantly compare yourself to others? Do you keep your house clean, even without company (because if so, you are welcome to come clean mine!)?
Sorry this is such a rambling post. I am just sitting here in my sweats, drinking my second coke zero, eating Easter candy, and watching How I Met Your Mother and I guess that makes me introspective. Hey- keeping it real!!
Ha ha! Yes, I hear you with the super perfect pictures...keeping it real for here. I do like a clean house and 15 minutes can make a HUGE difference in how a place looks!
ReplyDeleteseriously! I need to get off my butt more
DeleteI try not to hop on the comparison train, it usually leads to 'get down on yourself town.' I'm definitely nut a super 'clean' (organized? Neat?) person but that's mostly because if I tried keeping up with the boys I would go insane. If you can't beat 'em join 'em.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part, I try to end up with a 'strive higher' mentality, but have to be realistic because I know my 6yro isn't going to fall into OCD-neatness over night. Nor will I magically be transformed into the picture perfect housewife who is Martha Stewart, Grace Kelly and Mary Poppins rolled into one.
what? you dont hand sew ruffled aprons and then use it to bake gluten, soy, milk, egg free cupcakes that have 15 different expensive ingredients? strange ;)
DeleteI try really hard to keep it real on my blog and post about both my successes and my failures. I do this because I know how hard it is to read blogs and feel like others are always more "perfect" than me.
ReplyDeleteAnd to answer your question, I'm not a super clean person. My house isn't disgusting or growing mold or anything but it's usually a little messy, could use a good vacuum and is definitely lived in.
ya i didnt vacuum yesterday and I probably should have. I hate carpet
DeleteWell, I like a clean house (apartment), but am lazy - especially about putting things like clothes/books/junk/old New Yorker magazines away. I'm trying to be better, and become one of those people who cleans a little bit every day or few days, so that I don't have to have those epic all day cleaning marathons. But I don't compare myself or my home to other people - everyone has their own lifestyle and comfort, and this is mine. A super clean and organized home skeeves me out as much as a messy one, because it doesn't seem real or lived in. Even with a blog, my apartment isn't a museum for show, it's a place where we live!
ReplyDeleteI feel ya. I read somewhere that we shouldn't compare our "behind the scenes" to someone's "highlight reel."
ReplyDeleteWhat people portray on the internet is their best version of themselves.
I struggle with comparing myself to others ALL THE TIME. But I'm learning to take my perception of their reality with a grain of salt.
And yes- I love a clean home but am just too lazy to do it. I should take pictures tonight of our apartment to show you how bad it can get- no decor, moving boxes still not emptied, piles of clothes in the hallway (sorted, waiting for someone to wash them. ahem.), stuff piled on the counters. Glorious.
Robert and I try to keep things pretty neat, but recently our house has been sort of a series of piles. Piles of books/magazines/mail, piles of project supplies, piles of clean laundry... We've both been too busy to care. (With the exception of the kitchen. We try to keep that spotless, because ew.) Robert cleaned while I was at work yesterday and HOLY CRAP! So nice. Now we both need to go through and get some more bags of stuff we don't use ready for Goodwill
ReplyDeleteI try not to portray our lives as too perfect on the blog or Twitter. (Did you SEE the porch floor under our outdoor sofa? That is after scrubbing it!! I'm so ready for a new floor out there. Or at least our new rug.) I get bummed out thinking about people's "perfect" lives, and I appreciate their "keeping it real" posts, but at the same time I'm not really ballsy enough to show our house at its messiest...