Friday, December 12, 2008

Step inside my sickness...

My dear, sweet friend, Jen, mentioned her struggle with CHAOS the other day...Can't Have People Over Syndrome... then I found this and it got me thinking... so now I'm going to come clean- literally.

I always keep my house "ready for company"- why? I have NO idea! No one EVER comes to my house! I just chalk it up to the OCD. I am a crazy uptight clean freak about my house. I have many, many, many flaws, but a dirty, messy house is not one of them: Candles burning, new, fresh plug- ins in every bathroom, beds made, sinks shining, toilets scrubbed, laundry baskets not over-flowing, wooden surfaces polished, baseboards scrubbed, no fingerprints on windows, I run the vacuum once a day and the Swivel Sweeper about 20 times a day. I have a sickness.

My mom was not a clean person and it drove me nuts! Even growing up, my room was the cleanest in the house!

My kids play, they have toys, I just 'train' them from the get go- to clean up after themselves and everything has a place- organization is definitely another aspect of my disease! I still have their pictures up and their artwork- my hallway upstairs is a gallery of some of my favorites.


I hope my house doesn't feel 'sterile'. Actually, I am very conscious about trying to make it a 'comfortable' place to be. I do like nice things and everything in my house was found for a great deal- I am cheap, and poor, but a good bargain shopper!

When you enter my house- this is what you will see- the only clutter will probably be a few kids...


Our family room: the coffee table is a toy box and the kids have always known that as soon as they are done playing , the toys go back in the box!


Walk up my steps- I wipe down the banisters daily- especially this time of year-Christmas is dusty!!!

(some of these photos are pre-Christmas that I had on my computer- I didn't want my scroogy friend, Sabrae's head to explode from having to see all of my Christmas decorations. Oh yeah, and I was too lazy to take new ones!

This is my bedroom, I make the bed and polish the furniture daily.
These are my kids' rooms... they look like this 90% of the time. The other 10%, I feel like my skin is crawling with little creepy bugs that infest my brain and make me seize (OK, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but I don't like it when their rooms don't look like this.)



I seriously do envy people that have 'lived- in' houses and don't feel the need/ urge/ tick to pick up 400 times a day. I don't expect to be able to relax in a room with too much clutter anytime soon. I am not one of those people, you know, normal. I enjoy my kids and I don't only clean, we actually have it down to a science at this point. They know what's expected and they do it.

So, in conclusion, I definitely have 'chaos', but it's in my head, not in my house and PLEASE stop by, anytime- completely unannounced- I'll be ready for you!

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42 comments:

Mrs4444 said...

It's beautiful, but I'm glad it's not contagious! (I'd lose my mind if I had to keep my house spotless!)

Deb said...

did i mention that i hate you?

oh, just teasing... LOVE the house. although it IS spotless, somehow it does look welcoming and homey.

i may just take you up on your invite one of these days. although i didn't see a bar area anywhere.

Ronda's Rants said...

Your home is great...My Hubby is a pig and a pack rat...it is a constant battle!
No...I won't show pictures!
(Maybe of his closet)

Jenni said...

Your house is beautiful!

Kim said...

It looks very comfy cozy. I grew up with a neat freak mom, but very pathetic housekeeping aunts and grandmother. Therefore, I am fairly comfortable in each setting. However, once the chaos gets to me, LOOK OUT because I become a cleaning machine!

Will you have a drink ready if I stop by? That's really all I care about.

Unknown said...

LMAO!!!! Well I'm glad that you took the time to think of my head exploding! omg!! still laughing! And believe me if I had a house like yours it would look EXACTLY the same! I took can not stand messy rooms!!! Hence the reason I don't have kids! The dogs are hard enough to clean up after and the wife... omg don't get me started on the wife! I yell at her daily..."I just dusted" "Take your shoes off I just swept" "Rinse that plate off and clean it, I just did the dishes" But to no avail.....hmmmmmm can you train my wife??? LMAO!

CailinMarie said...

goodness! will you please come teach me to think like you? my husband will think he's died and gone to heaven.
coincidentally - I just posted pics of the house - my mom came and "staged" it for hubby's company party - and for that it was clean :-)

The Mom Jen said...

Thanks for the shout out, but do you see what i'm up against?! I had the CUTEST video of K dancing once but I took it down because the carpet wasn't vaccumed and it looked like it had snowed Ritz cracker crumbs beneath her feet.

You have an amazing home, love that dress print in your dining room!!

Tiffany said...

I LOVE your house. I wish i could clean daily like you but I have to wait and clean on the weekends.

You're sure gonna be in shock when we get to the "box".

Unknown said...

I wish I had a touch of this affliction...if I came and gave you a big kiss on the lips do you think you pass it on to me...just a little.

I can not keep up, HATE to do housework, and only got a handle to the degree of manageable a few short years ago...so no pre programing the kids...they are like their dad...walk away when you are done...and hope you can find it next time.

Brooks said...

If we ever meet in person I will totally bow down to your feet. I can't keep up with anything...your house is adorable!

Deb@Mommie Mayhem said...

Teach me your ways oh great one !! I so need your cleaning mojo !!

Bella@That damn expat said...

Whenever you feel the need to go OCD on other people's houses just contact me :)

Landlady of Fat said...

Not to downplay your OCD = but I have to say -- this "over cleaning" one, I wish I had! :)

GORGEOUS house! :)

Jay @halftime lessons said...

Holy Sh*t...

Sure wish we had a dose of you around here...

Our house ALWAYS looks like a bomb went off in it.

Linda S said...

Your home is beautiful. I'm so jealous of your OCD. I would dream of one day of that. I need a 24 hour notice to "drop by" ...seriously.

my work verification says "shoob" - that's kind of cool

Legal Diva said...

I really love your artwork hallway. That is a great idea. And it all looks so 'professional'. I am sure the kids are very proud of all that work so nicely displayed.
My house is clean too- maybe not quite to the extent yours is, but still I know your OCD. My dad was military and we had cleaning to a science as well. :)

t said...

See, I knew I liked you. I am a type-A OCD chick with a cluttered mind. I'm freaky if my house is a mess. Fortunately, Mr. Handsome's home is the same way. It's amazing we like getting nuts in bed. OK, TMI...but my home is always neat. I think it's messy when something's out of place. The kids know to put stuff away after playing. Yes, we do have a BLAST in our house...but it's always organized. I love that we can actually do stuff other than have weekend cleaning days because I keep up with the house daily. It's a bad obsession...I sweep my sister's house when I go over because it makes me nutty. I just enjoy a neat house. My parents were pack rats and it took us weeks to filter thru it all when they passed away. I'm not sure if I missed something or threw something valuable away because there was just SO much stuff. :(

Hooray for you. I'll keep with my crazy mind and neat house. You rock.

Debz said...

Oh lord. If your gonna come to my house, you have to let me know. Just you. Anyone else can cme over anytime. But not you. I have dust so thick on some of my furniture, you could write your name in it. I have no excuse fo rit either cause I don't have little ones here, I just plain ole don't like to clean. I wouldn't want to send you over the edge. So if your planning a visit; I require at least a weeks notice. I have to be "ready" for you.

You have a gorgeous house Tena. If you have to go to the "box" with Tiffany, your gonna be in serious shock.

Pamela said...

I would love to live in your house or even just visit. My house can get messy and I wish I could keep a better handle on it. But I actually have a lot af anxiety when I go to someone's house and it is messy.

Jill said...

I too am an OCD personality - married to an even stronger OCD personality. My husband goes bonkers if the house is messy, cluttered, kid infested.

Tiffany said...

I think it looks great. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the pink bedroom especially.

It totally looks comfy and welcoming... I think clutter everywhere is distracting and not welcoming at all!

SOUP OF THE DAY said...

The picture of your kids' art ... Wow. Those are some amazing pictures! Your kids have talent, and I'm not just saying that. I'd buy all those of they were for sale! which I know they're not, but if they were :)

Leon1234 said...

Hey, how are you?

Deb said...

Your house looks great! I used to keep mine that way, and then I started treating my OCD/issues (aka going to a shrink) , and now I just don't have the motivation to keep it like that anymore. So, I do get you. I remember what that was like. Sigh. I do like a clean house.

I love how you did the kids artwork!!

Susan said...

Your house is beautiful. I am the same way but because my mom was as well. She kept a very neat and clean home and thus I picked up on it. I'm also big into moving furniture. It drives my hubby and kids crazy :) I just did this weekend while cleaning. My house is way small and I work full-time and raise teenagers but am still able to keep it clean!!

Unknown said...

Your house looks awesome! I aspire to that--truly. That is one sickness I wouldn't mind having. At all.

~Christy

because I said so said...

not surprising that your house is fantastic.......

are you for hire? Do you like North Carolina? Could you make it before my company gets here this weekend?

I USED to be like you....then I got married and had the minis...I had to let go. I don't like it, but I'm managing.....one day I'll get my house and life back

Annie said...

You have issues. I have issues. Yours are bigger. My OCD is way more mild than yours is, whacko! :)Dusting daily? I'm obviously in recovery!

Sue Wilkey said...

O. M. G..

Your head would explode if you saw my house right now. After this comment I am erasing all history of this post so my husband never sees it.

xoxo, collette said...

I seriously wish I had your "disease"!!! I NEVER have the urge to clean. You have a gorgeous home! =)

Unknown said...

Yup, you don't want to drop by our place. Yours looks grand.

just a girl... said...

that dining room is too cute.

Crazed Nitwit said...

Completely gorgeous house. You never want to stop by here. :P

Dreams and Designs said...

Wow, great house and cute kids. FYI we are kindred spirits! If I had the patience to go through my old blogs and find the one with photos of my house you would agree. I don't, so you'll just have take my word for it!

Dreams and Designs said...

Ok, I just googled it and found the link. This was just a few months after we moved in so it looked a little bare, but you get the idea!
http://gostorm.blogspot.com/2008/01/flip-that-house.html

LuckyMe said...

You're home is beautiful and not at all sterile. The artwork looks great!

Jen said...

I read this post a couple of days ago but didn't have a chance to comment. Then I went on with my life but I kept thinking about it. Isn't that weird? I kept thinking that I really need to be more like Tena and get this house whipped into shape. I'm so envious of your OCD tendencies. Seriously, could you please send some of it my way. I am such a scatterbrain that I can only keep my house looking decent for about a day before all hell breaks loose.

Sheila said...

Tena, your house looks great & very comfy. Can you come to my house & do a boot camp for me? My house is not dirty, but I do have a prob with organization. I could learn a ton from you.

Anonymous said...

Tena, tell me, tell me please-do you ever feel like it's not clean enough? I feel like I do nothing but clean, polish, sweep and dust. I know it is 'clean', because everyone who comes by-and we have often drop in's-tell me the house is perfection and I NEVER FEEL THAT WAY. Ever.

Carri said...

You have a beautiful home. I hope to one day have the smae but now we are in a cramped two bedroom apartment with two adults, two kids, two dogs and a hamster so until I am working full time I dont see a nice spotless house in my future. I do however see a cleaning lady LOL. But seriously your home is gorgeous and I wish I could come over because it looks extremely relaxing and inviting.

Julie said...

I wish I had your disease..you'd probably pass out if you walked into my house. I'm too tired to keep anything that clean.