The other night I had a handful of people over for some writing.  It is, after all, National Novel Writing Month, and there’s a great group of writers in my little town who are making the novelling attempt.  There are young and old, but I’m pretty much the oldest in the group, with others down to around 20 years old.

One of the younger ones, who I usually pick up and take to writing things because he doesn’t have reliable transportation (no cars in the family), said when he came in my house “Wow.  It’s been a long time since I’ve been in a clean house.”

All I could see was the cat foot spilling out of the bowl and the mold growing around the grout in the shower.  And the dirty socks that hadn’t made it to the hamper, and the handful of dirty dishes in the sink.

This kid is polite, grateful, and a lot of fun to be around since he has a really great sense of humor.  It makes me wonder what he lives in.  I know that his parents both work, and that things are rather tight for them financially due to some medical issues, but still.  I was raised to think that one could always afford soap and a bit of elbow grease.  I have a vacuum cleaner, a mop, and a broom, and I know how to use all three.  My cleaning supplies come from the Dollar Tree.  I’m a stickler about clutter in the main part of the house; I am fully aware of how important first impressions are.  Simply picking up and putting away can make all the difference, and I try to keep counters/tables/floor picked up.

But clean?  No, I don’t think it’s all that clean.  Perception is everything, as a former boss once said to me.  And I guess that is true.

But I feel bad for anyone that has to live in discomfort due to lack of cleanliness or an overabundance of clutter.  I am not perfect, but I try to keep things picked up and put away and make it a place I want to be in.  I have to live here, after all.  It should be a place I want to be.  And taking care of it is part of making it a place I want to be in.  It may be “just a rental” and not the greatest rental I’ve ever lived in, but I want to, and can, keep it decent.  Even if all I can afford is cleaning supplies from the Dollar Tree, and a few baskets for organizing from the local thrift shop.  It’s better than letting it all go to hell.

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