(shot on Ilford Delta 3200...(that is film).)
Remember how I mentioned we were downsizing?
Well, we are selling our house.
Why?
I hate this question, I want to SCREAM:
'none of your business'
I answer the same questions a million times,
Usually,
"the economy sucks."
And whatnot.
Mostly?
My kids are growing, and the economy sucks and we are blessed to be able to go back to our other house to live, and there is a yard there, I will get them a playset, I don't want my husband to die, it is a CHOICE not a have to kind of a thing (well, for now),
etc...etc...
But this post isn't about that.
This post is about:
House Keeping.
When you sell a house you have to keep it really clean.
Firstly, so you can take photos to put said house online.
Secondly, so that when people come to see your house, they will not notice what slobs you are, but rather, what a beautiful house you have...and then they will dream about it until they buy it.
(btw my house is BEAUTIFUL)
So, this past week we have been cleaning like MAD.
Spring Cleaning on Steroids.
That kind of cleaning.
So, Hubbs and I have a conversation yesterday in the car.
Me: "So, sometimes our renters aren't so clean huh?"
Hubbs: "Nope."
Me: "Are we 'clean'?"
Hubbs: "Nope"
This is when I hit him in the arm and gave him a huge bruise.
Truthfully?
Our house isn't always the cleanest.
I couldn't get this out of my head as I scrubbed the bathrooms today.
I just can't stand having the way my house looks rule my life!
I have to now that our house is on the market,
but geez.
It just is not on my priority list...it isn't terrible, but it could be better.
Why is it so hard to do keep up?
Well, I will tell you.
I am doing it all by myself.
While I love my husband so very much, and he does help me on that rare, (rare) occasion,
and his only job is to dump the garbages
(that may or may not get done weekly),
(we will just forget that his job was also to vacuum once a week, at least,
but that didn't happen either, even after and I quote:
'if you write it down for me to do I will do it.')
Uhm, ya...sure.
I am on my own for the rest of it.
Dishes
Laundry
Sweep/Mop (no easy feat with our entire upstairs being hardwood)
Vacuuming
Bathrooms
Dust
Ironing
Yard work
Etc...etc
Well folks, guess what I just realized after
9.5 years of marriage?
I have been wracking my brain for years as to why my husband cannot for the
life of him consistently help around the house.
The answer came a few weeks ago.
Ready?
Get this:
He grew up in a house that always had a maid.
(Many South American families do.)
He didn't have to do any of these things, they were done for him already.
Oi.
9.5 years of disappointment all to have it explained to me in one shining moment.
Well Hubbs,
get ready, because in this market...we could be looking at
months
of
'Nazi Kim'
and it is not going to be pretty.
So, in my defense, I have to say, if I was a maid, and only a maid, then the house would be perfect. But since I am the mom, wife, chauffeur, CEO, CFO, part time working photographer, church worker extraordinaire,
etc...etc...
Try as I might, I am not perfect in all things, but I can be perfect in some things.
Housekeeping?
Not one of those things.
So in closing may I just say:
If I don't get the help I need, I may just hire MYSELF a maid.
(This post is written with love and jest. Hubbs has heard this a million times and knows I love him to the moon and into eternity...
I would however, possibly be persuaded to love him more if he folded some laundry now and again.)
Remember how I mentioned we were downsizing?
Well, we are selling our house.
Why?
I hate this question, I want to SCREAM:
'none of your business'
I answer the same questions a million times,
Usually,
"the economy sucks."
And whatnot.
Mostly?
My kids are growing, and the economy sucks and we are blessed to be able to go back to our other house to live, and there is a yard there, I will get them a playset, I don't want my husband to die, it is a CHOICE not a have to kind of a thing (well, for now),
etc...etc...
But this post isn't about that.
This post is about:
House Keeping.
When you sell a house you have to keep it really clean.
Firstly, so you can take photos to put said house online.
Secondly, so that when people come to see your house, they will not notice what slobs you are, but rather, what a beautiful house you have...and then they will dream about it until they buy it.
(btw my house is BEAUTIFUL)
So, this past week we have been cleaning like MAD.
Spring Cleaning on Steroids.
That kind of cleaning.
So, Hubbs and I have a conversation yesterday in the car.
Me: "So, sometimes our renters aren't so clean huh?"
Hubbs: "Nope."
Me: "Are we 'clean'?"
Hubbs: "Nope"
This is when I hit him in the arm and gave him a huge bruise.
Truthfully?
Our house isn't always the cleanest.
I couldn't get this out of my head as I scrubbed the bathrooms today.
I just can't stand having the way my house looks rule my life!
I have to now that our house is on the market,
but geez.
It just is not on my priority list...it isn't terrible, but it could be better.
Why is it so hard to do keep up?
Well, I will tell you.
I am doing it all by myself.
While I love my husband so very much, and he does help me on that rare, (rare) occasion,
and his only job is to dump the garbages
(that may or may not get done weekly),
(we will just forget that his job was also to vacuum once a week, at least,
but that didn't happen either, even after and I quote:
'if you write it down for me to do I will do it.')
Uhm, ya...sure.
I am on my own for the rest of it.
Dishes
Laundry
Sweep/Mop (no easy feat with our entire upstairs being hardwood)
Vacuuming
Bathrooms
Dust
Ironing
Yard work
Etc...etc
Well folks, guess what I just realized after
9.5 years of marriage?
I have been wracking my brain for years as to why my husband cannot for the
life of him consistently help around the house.
The answer came a few weeks ago.
Ready?
Get this:
He grew up in a house that always had a maid.
(Many South American families do.)
He didn't have to do any of these things, they were done for him already.
Oi.
9.5 years of disappointment all to have it explained to me in one shining moment.
Well Hubbs,
get ready, because in this market...we could be looking at
months
of
'Nazi Kim'
and it is not going to be pretty.
So, in my defense, I have to say, if I was a maid, and only a maid, then the house would be perfect. But since I am the mom, wife, chauffeur, CEO, CFO, part time working photographer, church worker extraordinaire,
etc...etc...
Try as I might, I am not perfect in all things, but I can be perfect in some things.
Housekeeping?
Not one of those things.
So in closing may I just say:
If I don't get the help I need, I may just hire MYSELF a maid.
(This post is written with love and jest. Hubbs has heard this a million times and knows I love him to the moon and into eternity...
I would however, possibly be persuaded to love him more if he folded some laundry now and again.)
I'm so worried my children will turn out the same way... I LOVE the perk of having a maid, but when I ask my daughters to put something away and they tell me no, that the maid will do it, I really wonder what I'm doing to them. Good luck:)
ReplyDeleteKim, I think if anything you will necessitate them needing a maid when they are older. He tries...but it just isn't in his soul. Good luck...and you better believe if I could have a maid, I SO WOULD!
ReplyDeleteMy husband had a maid. His mom. Who gets upset when I get on Mike to do chores. Apparently it's my responsibility to pick up after him.
ReplyDeleteI think we should all pitch in together and hire a maid and have her rotate. She can commute from Utah to Pennsylvania right?
Having a housekeeper totally rocks. As soon as I can justify it financially again, I am so going to get one. In the meantime I have a hubby that really does pitch in and that makes a huge difference.
ReplyDeleteOh Kim, I can totally relate to the "Nazi" part of house selling. I was like that too, and it's exhausting. I always wondered how other people manage to have their houses always sparkling, and came to one conclusion. It's like the quote that always hung in my mom's "hobby room" (which, you guessed it, was far from tidy):
ReplyDelete"Dull women have immaculate houses."
I'm thrilled to no end to know that your house isn't perfect, cause if it were, I'd have to hate you, you are so perfect!
Kim, you are awesome! I think you totally deserve a maid. But think that The Flav could totally fold laundry and maybe even clean a bathroom or two :-) Sometimes they just need a huge nudge to do it. So glad that my hubbs watched his dad do the dishes every night and at least does that. And since I completely suck at laundry lately he has to wash clothes or else go to work nakie. lol He chooses the first. Thank heavens.
ReplyDeleteHaving to keep your house clean for showings is a pain in the butt for sure! We rented a storage until and took ALL, with the exception of a baby doll each, the toys and excess stuff there. It made a huge difference when if came time to clean up. And then we got really good at quick cleaning to make it look nice not necessarily sterilized if that makes sense. We got in the habit of always cleaning up after everything we did so that we could have the house ready in 1 hour or less, usually just sweeping and vacuuming. Good luck! Love ya!
ReplyDeleteSelling your house sucks!!! I turned into a Nazi as well. I hope it goes fast for you!!!
ReplyDeleteI laughed out loud when I read this, Then I made my husband read it because it was as if I had written it about him. I added a hallelujah and an amen to the end of it. He didn't find it as funny and true as I did. Wish we could find them some motivation. I have a friend who has a note hanging outside her front door that says "If you came to see us come on in! If you came to see our house make an appointment!" Hang in there. Hope it happens soon for you!!
ReplyDeleteand THIS is why I do have a maid. Housecleaner. Maid is so old school ;P
ReplyDeletevanessa from inevergrewup.net
I couldn't have said it better myself! LOL! Maids...that is why we have children!
ReplyDeleteI will never be able to sell a house because I won't keep it clean enough! I'm messy, too. Oh well!
ReplyDelete