My husband called yesterday to let me know that his dad is going to come spend the night tonight. Do you know what I said?
Get ready . . .
“Okay.”
Seriously. That’s what I said.
And what’s even more shocking, it’s what I was actually thinking, too!
No internal inappropriate language or anything.
Our office/guest room is ready. The half-bath in that room is clean and doesn’t even smell a little bit nasty. I don’t even have to plug in a glade thingy to try to cover up an odor.
He can walk in the kitchen to get a drink of water, and I won’t even try to beat him in there.
Now, if he tries to open MY bedroom door, I’ll knock him out. But hey, you have to have some boundaries, right?
I just did my normal daily checklist today, and I’m ready. I may do an extra 5 minute walk through right before he arrives, but otherwise, I’m just going to have a normal day. Six weeks ago, this news would have meant stopping everything for the 36 hours between my husband calling and his dad arriving in order to frantically throw clutter into closets.
Today I:
Made bed. I actually didn’t do this immediately upon getting up as I have been. But when I walked into my room after going to a school assembly, I immediately noticed it wasn’t made and screamed. Yes, I tend to be dramatic. I’m just proud of myself for noticing, since that has always been my problem.
Cleaned kitchen.
Swept kitchen.
Did 5 minute walk through.
Checked bathrooms for clutter.
Ran a load of laundry.
Wiped down bathroom counters and toilets last night.
That is awesome that you are so relaxed about your guest! 🙂 I'm still guilty of having to run around like crazy when I know someone is coming.
Congrats! I know this is an old post, but this circumstance is what made me realize things had to change. My fiance’s mother passed away recently, and he called to tell me that some of his assorted family might have to stay with us. I completely freaked out. I cleaned like mad for 3 days, and the place still wasn’t ready for guests. Luckily, nobody had to stay with us, but it was a major wakeup call. Hopefully, once I get over this flu, I am going to start your method of learning good habits. My goal is to have a nice house by the time I get married later this year.
Jeez, I can’t wait. Right now it’s move stuff that has no home to my bedroom for company. I hate the thought of sorting everything, and getting rid of things I wouldn’t part with…if I had enough room, but I don’t…so out it goes. And then one day…in the not too distant future…I’ll be where you are. 🙂
I now know this feeling and it feels so good! My Mum is arriving in 2 days and usually at this point, we’re rushing around like mad dumping piles into bags and stashing tubs of clutter in the master bedroom. But this time, we’re already at the point (or maybe even better) where we usually are when she arrives, so instead I’m tending to some long overdue details – hanging curtains over the laundry room cabinets whose doors I removed about 8 years ago, installing lighting and decorations that have been sitting around forever, and (gasp!) actually cleaning! I think she’ll be quite impressed!
This retired grandma is finally getting things under control, house-wise, at least! Dishes were done regularly–as soon as there were “enough” to justify the hot water and soap usage. (I am thankful we never had enough dishes to go longer than three days without washing them, but I can feel for your impossible mountains.) The laundry was done at least once a week since it is just the two of us. (Sheets are washed on the 1st and 15th of the month.)
Foot-mopping has been my lifesaver when it comes to the kitchen floor–it is such a CHORE to get the steam mop out and run it over the floor and then I have to wash the mop head…
But I am about ready to put mopping on the once a week list since I read “How to Manage Your Home w/o Losing Your Mind” and decided to try washing the dishes EACH night. Tricky when you have only 3 ppl and not all of them eat every meal at home… I skipped last night and it really messed me up!!! I washed them this morning and they sat in the drainer until they were mostly dry (yes, I need the space more than I need a dishwasher–and I have birds and trees and such to watch as I wash AND everyone is trained to make sure the dishes have no food stuck to them when they stack them on the dirty side of the sink so handwashing rarely takes even 10 minutes, including wiping counters, stove, and placemats…)
If I went ahead and put them away, it would mess up tomorrow morning…so they were stacked on the clean side all day while we ran like crazy and so I will be able to get back into routine in the morning!! (The games we play to keep our minds happy!!!)
Everything else was done after the out-of-kilter start: made the bed, swept the Kitch/DR/Bath floors, wiped the bathroom, checked the other rooms, fed the animals, and got ready to leave on our bike ride.
Tomorrow I can start with putting those dishes away and be back to my comfortable routine!! (The day was so crazy there are only the breakfast bowls and spoons, a knife and two lunch plates to wash tonight!)
Thank you for sharing your discoveries for the rest of us to fashion into a routine that works for us!! It is so freeing to have the house ready for almost anything by breakfast!!!
“Now, if he tries to open MY bedroom door, I’ll knock him out”. This made me laugh so hard that my four year old asked me what was wrong! I love your humor!