Clean Sweep

There's just something immensely satisfying about cleaning and cleaning out.  Actually, I've always been a bit of a neat freak as well as a list maker.  Over the years I've managed to relax my impossible standards, somewhat, on the size of my lists and the scope and meaning of "neat" or "clean".  Although I'm not always in the mood to clean the results of my efforts never fail to bring about that satisfying feeling.  I love a neat and clean home.  No matter the chaos or messiness of daily living that swirls about me,  clean surroundings provide a necessary calmness that keeps me sane.

Since school's been out I've been binge cleaning and purging.  My to-do list on these tasks is ambitious.  So far, I've made huge strides in whittling down the list.  The above photo shows the result of the first of my two major projects:  the attic.  I've been wanting to do this for several years, but it was more than I could manage by myself as there were large items like no-longer needed baby furniture that needed discarding.  When my 17-year-old grandson said he was coming to visit, I recruited him as my strong man.  So, Saturday morning, between my daughter, my 3 grandsons and me, Project Attic was accomplished and crossed off the list.  This coming week is my 'bulky waste' pick up by the city trash collection.  We get one free bulky waste pick up per month during a predetermined week.  Mine, coincidentally, is the last week of the month. 

Next month I plan to tackle the second major project:  the garage.  Due to the amount of stuff that needs to go from there I might need to make this a 2-month project so I can get things hauled away for free.  Perhaps I'll wade through one side of the garage in July, the other in August.

In the several weeks since school's been out, in addition to the attic, I've overhauled my closet floor, my bathroom as well as the boys'.  Also, I've cleaned out kitchen cabinets, drawers and reorganized the laundry room.  My feeling of accomplishment on the clean-sweep front is soaring! 

Of course, one project leads to another and I've already added new vistas to THE list:  hall closet, boys' rooms and closets, dining room....... I can keep the feeling coming the rest of the summer.

hmmm....if I run out of places to purge I can always clean the blinds, wash the outside windows, meticulously dust  EVERYTHING..... 

I get goose bumps just thinking about the realm of cleaning possibilities!!  :)