Cleaning House
Old photos- bonus
This morning has me bustling about tidying up. I have found more energy than normal and am taking full advantage of it.
Last night I had the second part of my sleep study. Sleep apnea runs heavy in the family. I have had it since my late twenties. This will be my third machine since I started wearing a cpap at night. I must say though after my bouts with aspirating pneumonia and the recall of my old machine, I haven`t been in compliance with wearing one in many years.
The Pulmonologist explained to me that it could be very beneficial for me given my diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia. So, I will once again attempt to keep it on and use it steadily. My description- it`s like putting a plunger to your face hooked to a vacuum hose, while draped in a full head harness. Attractive? I think not. 😜 Of course not that that matters these days. 😂😉
My dear brother tells me all the time that the house is clean enough yet to me there is always something needing to be done. While I was puttering, I got to thinking when did my compulsion with having a clean house start? Hmm 🤔
Let me think… hmm… yes got it!
When I was pregnant for my oldest my nesting instincts kicked in and I was efficient enough to tell my then husband what drawer and how many shirts down he could locate an item he was looking for. Then like all new moms with sleep deprivation and constant feedings and such, things got away from me.
That`s when Gramma B. had happened to stop in. I was mortified. My apartment looked as if a tornado tore through the place. She stayed that afternoon and helped me get things in order. The embarrassment I felt is one thing that drives me to try and keep a certain decorum to the appearance of my home. I may have been poor, but my dwellings were clean. Maybe not spotless, yes lived in but clean. I will say, most often than not, when I let things slide a day or two here or there is the day company comes. It never fails. And now it takes me all week to complete what I could do in one day, all those years ago.
Oh, I`ve heard from more than one person. “Our home is lived in, it`s not for show.”
Now, I have never been wealthy enough to “show” anything. In fact, it took me well into my thirties to afford a new couch. Not one that was at goodwill or given to me free or spotted on the curb. Yet, I take pride in keeping a somewhat orderly home. And now with LBD setting in, having a place for everything and everything in its place may help with maintaining normalcy.
Before my brother came to live with me his room was my catch all room. Never to be entered by anyone other than me. When he asked to come live with me, I hired help and downsized and revamped that room to include his own walk-in shower and commode. Downsizing was freeing. The burden of old unused items collecting dust was heavy with emotion and footage of usable space.
I do believe it is time to downsize some more. Clothes, I`ll never get back into. And if I were to once again don a size 8, the clothes I have put away would be dry rotted.
The point of today’s article? There are times in our lives when we need to let go of- release to a younger generation- give to those who have less, rather than pile, hoard and collect things we no longer a use or purpose for. That doesn`t mean to the landfills, better for the items to go to a home/person in need.
That then leads me to my next thought (my mysterious mind) what if within losing my memory, I was to focus on retaining the most important and cleared out all the useless, outdated bits. Could I then hang on longer to the ones I hold dear?
What one thinks about while cleaning house. What occupies your thoughts as you do the mundane of housework or other tedious tasks?
✨Be the Light 💖