by Regular readers of my blog know about my cleaning rituals, but for those who don’t:
Every May and November I clean my apartment from top to bottom. Although I’ve given these yearly rituals the rather ordinary names of “Spring Cleaning” and “Holiday Cleaning,” I look forward to them the way other people look forward to vacations. I’ve managed to infuse the thorough burnishing I give my home with all the clean-slate promise these generally hopeful seasons can bring. Twice a year I feel like I’m getting another chance, and I make it fun. While I’m scrubbing the place down or laundering every piece of clothing I own, every simple pleasure is granted and indulged. I light my favorite scented candles. I freely eat whatever I want. Dark chocolate, potato chips, bread, cheese, more bread, it doesn’t matter. I work so hard I always come out calorically ahead. The cats also get all the catnip and extra treats they desire.
These cleanings typically take three or four days, and all throughout there is music. The music of my childhood, (Snoopy’s Christmas) music I fell in love to (Baby, Now That I’ve Found You), my favorite music to belt (Oh Darling) my favorite music to dance around the apartment to (Rhythm of Love) and all my favorite choruses (everything from the Bach Mass in B Minor and many, many others). For at least three days straight I’m singing. Afterwards, when my apartment is sparkling clean, I’ll buy myself a very modestly priced new outfit; I’ll carefully scrutinize all the new nail polish colors and get a pedicure; have my hair done; find the most affordable flowers of the season and fill my apartment, and only then will I finally sit on my couch and bask and bask and bask.
This year, spring cleaning is going to be super-duper. I’ve made appointments to get the windows, rug, and couch cleaned. Woohoo!
People lining up to eat at Red Farm, where I will be sitting outside, doing a thousand loads of laundry. I am the 1%!
I’m jealous. We just renovated our kitchen, and the whole house seems covered in a layer of sheet rock dust. I love my new kitchen but long for the days when I had a small one bedroom apartment with a Seinfeld kitchen that was manageable and I could get spic ‘n span in under an hour.
I long to have my floors re-sanded, but I can’t face exactly what you are facing.
My apartment also needs a fresh coat of paint, but I’ve been putting that off too. But the mess from re-painting is not as bad, so I will get around to that eventually.