Spring Cleaning Part IV: Secret Admirer

In the movie  "Little Women" (I don't think the same quote is found in the book) Jo March says: "With all this transcendence there is much emphasis on perfecting oneself.....I am afraid I am hopelessly flawed."  As I have mentioned, tidiness has always been a flaw of mine.  I have been devoting a lot of energy, thought, and sweat into improving myself in this area.  I feel like my efforts have been in vain, although my husband assures me I've made great strides.  In my ridiculous quest for a catalog-worthy home, I've surreptitiously observed other people's strategies for housekeeping and I'd like to pay homage to those who have inspired and taught me the most.  Although I don't expect, or even desire, to imitate these people completely, I do admire their strengths and observing them has encouraged me in continuing to improve myself.

The Giving One:  This person (couple really) is a true minimalist.  Their children's toys fit in one small toy box.  Their furniture is nice and leaves the room open and inviting.  Almost everytime I've gone over to their small apartment it has been nearly spotless despite the fact two very energetic kids under five spend all day there.  Quite frequently, I find myself being offered toys, furniture, etc. by The Giving One.  While I will hang on to a mangled, stained towel thinking it would make a great cloth diaper soaker should I ever find the time to actually sew the diapers, The Giving One has absolutely no problem shedding surperfluous items.  Nothing they own is junk or cluttler. Everything has a purpose, and usually an immediate one. That which they give away is in good condition - they just don't have a need for it, or perhaps room for it, anymore.  The giving is done more with relief than regret.  I think we could all with more of that in our lives.

The Naturalist: This person is naturally inclinded to be neat.  I can only it is a result of an need to overachieve and control her surroundings.  I have the same need, but this person seems much better at actually obtaining it.  An amazingly high-functioning person, she holds a job, has a child, pursues hobbies and has an immaculate house.  I have noticed that she plans things in great detail and with careful thought.  (Contrast that to my haphazard lifestyle with one half of my mind doing laps in another universe while the other half is trying to figure out where I put that glass of milk. Amazingly, this planning stuff seems to be effective.  Huh.  I'll put planning on my to-do list for tomorrow.)  But, what I admire most about this person, despite her seeming inability to fail, is her compassion and empathy for others.  The Naturalist exudes kindness and is very slow to pass judgment on another person, regardless of their shortcomings. 

The Nike: A winged Goddess and the anti-procrastinator.  This person's house is also always very neat.  I realized why following a dinner party at our house.  I am inclinded to clear the table - to make room for the Scrabble board - and pile the dishes in the sink.  Why do dishes while there is fun to be had?  Wouldn't it be rude to hole in the kitchen and get that task done?  The Nike took me back in the kitchen and helped me do them right away.  She taught me that a lot of the tasks I put off can be completed more quickly and painlessly than I anticipate if done immediately.  What's a few more seconds per plate to rinse and load that beautiful dishwasher of mine?

The Meh: This person has a lot of stuff, her house is not particularly organized, but she doesn't care much.  Her house isn't terriblely disorganized; it is usually tidy, the floors clear and so fort, but, toys are often spread the entirety of the house, shelves are stuffed with random artifacts of life, and clothes piled in corners of bedrooms. The Meh spends a reasonable amount of time cleaning but doesn't let the cleaning prevent her from pursuing more enjoyable activities.  The Meh doesn't agonize about her imperfect housekeeping and even sees it as a badge of an interesting life.

The Fellow Organizationally-Challenged Pack-Rat (TFOCPR): I think I admire this person the most.  The TFOCPR is a person who, like me, attracts stuff.  Also like me, this person has a desire to change the current state of her house.  This person is married to another TFOCPR: one that doesn't want to change.  With not much encouragement (and actually quite a bit of resistance), this person has incrementally but significantly improved her tidiness quotient. I have witnessed the effort she invested in making a personal change in habits and am elated to see her success. From Olympic athelete to a child mastering the alphabet, there is something magical about seeing someone work hard to and succeed in  improving themselves, no matter the details of the struggle.   TFOCPR, I salute you!