Day 112 of 365 - Reflective Cleaning
I actually don't mind cleaning. It's one of those concrete, productive tasks that show immediate results and give me satisfaction. However, I do have criteria for my ideal cleaning scenario. I prefer to do it when I'm home alone, and with no interruptions.
As pre-teens, we three younger girls in my family were assigned housecleaning duties. Growing up in a large family, and in a house that was not all that big, there was always cleaning to be done. I don't remember now whether we had a method for determining our individual jobs. Regardless, I was initiated early and developed a liking for seeing surfaces tidy, shiny and clean, if even only for a short time.
I grew up in the 60's, when so many newly manufactured products came onto the market, including various modern forms of cleaners like furniture polish in spray cans, Spic and Span, Comet Cleanser and the like. That made cleaning more interesting, feeling like you were testing out something new. This was heavily influenced by TV and magazine advertising of course.
Nowadays there is a mind boggling array of cleaning products to choose from. Ironically, the tide is beginning to turn back to using more natural or 'green' cleaning products now that we know the environmental dangers of others.
Some people like to make housecleaning playful and fun, by turning on music, singing and dancing around as they do it, either alone or with their housemates. Not me. As far as I'm concerned it's still work. Perhaps in the past I would sometimes put on some kind of music but I have not done that now for years.
In recent years, I've spread out my cleaning tasks a bit more. I used to have a 'cleaning day' when I attempted to get everything done on that one day. But now, I find that much too tiring, so I divide my jobs up. I suppose as I get older, my tasks may be metered out more and more.
I prefer to clean in a quiet home, without outside distraction, especially while doing the bigger jobs of cleaning bathrooms or washing floors. Because those tasks are thoroughly done only once every week or two, they provide me with some reflection time.
It has become a time for me to review what's going on in my life and to ponder different situations. Sometimes it is a time for problem solving, sometimes planning, sometimes ruminating over an event. For me, there's something about the combination of physical effort and thinking that makes it seem more productive. Then, when I'm finished, I can sit down for awhile and appreciate the results of my efforts, give myself a pat on the back for a job well done.
That's what I'm doing right now, having written this post after cleaning my bathrooms. I've been enjoying a cup of tea and combining a seated rest with computer time. Cleaning, it's something we all need to do, and also contributes to our health and vitality. Nothing outside the box there. More like inside a green cleaning spray bottle. :)
As pre-teens, we three younger girls in my family were assigned housecleaning duties. Growing up in a large family, and in a house that was not all that big, there was always cleaning to be done. I don't remember now whether we had a method for determining our individual jobs. Regardless, I was initiated early and developed a liking for seeing surfaces tidy, shiny and clean, if even only for a short time.
I grew up in the 60's, when so many newly manufactured products came onto the market, including various modern forms of cleaners like furniture polish in spray cans, Spic and Span, Comet Cleanser and the like. That made cleaning more interesting, feeling like you were testing out something new. This was heavily influenced by TV and magazine advertising of course.
Nowadays there is a mind boggling array of cleaning products to choose from. Ironically, the tide is beginning to turn back to using more natural or 'green' cleaning products now that we know the environmental dangers of others.
Some people like to make housecleaning playful and fun, by turning on music, singing and dancing around as they do it, either alone or with their housemates. Not me. As far as I'm concerned it's still work. Perhaps in the past I would sometimes put on some kind of music but I have not done that now for years.
In recent years, I've spread out my cleaning tasks a bit more. I used to have a 'cleaning day' when I attempted to get everything done on that one day. But now, I find that much too tiring, so I divide my jobs up. I suppose as I get older, my tasks may be metered out more and more.
I prefer to clean in a quiet home, without outside distraction, especially while doing the bigger jobs of cleaning bathrooms or washing floors. Because those tasks are thoroughly done only once every week or two, they provide me with some reflection time.
It has become a time for me to review what's going on in my life and to ponder different situations. Sometimes it is a time for problem solving, sometimes planning, sometimes ruminating over an event. For me, there's something about the combination of physical effort and thinking that makes it seem more productive. Then, when I'm finished, I can sit down for awhile and appreciate the results of my efforts, give myself a pat on the back for a job well done.
That's what I'm doing right now, having written this post after cleaning my bathrooms. I've been enjoying a cup of tea and combining a seated rest with computer time. Cleaning, it's something we all need to do, and also contributes to our health and vitality. Nothing outside the box there. More like inside a green cleaning spray bottle. :)
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