Sunday, July 31, 2011

Leaving Clean Trails

All around Austin, people are sleeping. They have been asleep for hours.

As usual, I have not. I have been cleaning my apartment. I am moving out, and everything's gone. The thing to do -- the last thing you do whenever you leave a place -- is to clean it. My mom taught me to leave a place cleaner than when you found it. I know that's a phrase a lot of people use, and perhaps it's because lots of moms teach it. In my case, it was definitely true. In fact, when my mom was helping me clean this afternoon, she said, "Do you want me to clean the oven?" Seriously? Who cleans ovens when they leave an apartment?

So I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned today. When the vacuum broke, I did what any Snow woman would do, and I fixed it so I could keep cleaning. I dusted my windowsill; I spackled the holes in the walls; and I swept the fireplace.

It's a nice principle -- to leave clean things behind. But it's exhausting. I'm tired, and I think I'm getting sick. I can't quit thinking, though, about the things I haven't gotten to yet, such as sanding and painting the spackle; doing a final vacuum all over so the carpet vacuum pattern is the same in every room; calling management to request minor repairs; cleaning the refrigerator; dusting all the floorboards . . . There's just not enough time. Thank goodness; if it weren't for time limitations, I think my obsessive cleaning would take over my life. :/


(Incidentally, why does packing and moving always seem to happen at night? Is it just my family who does it that way? Or do you? I really want answers to this question, so leave comments!)



Thing I'm thankful for: Outback salmon and broccoli

6 Comments:

Blogger Jason Kesler said...

Where are you moving? Another place in Austin?

8:53 AM  
Blogger Carrie said...

hmm, my packing and moving always seems to happen in the morning, sometime between 7 and noon. i've never even considered NIGHT packing and moving! what a strange concept for me!

could it be this? when you're renting, most places require an early morning checkout and people like you are just on top of things the night before whereas people like me prefer to take as long as possible, right up to the last second. just a thought.

11:34 AM  
Blogger cardlady said...

Even though you told me I didn't need to, it wasn't much to go ahead and clean the oven. NOW it is all the way clean! I never do stove tops without doing the whole OVEN too! We go for days cleaning and ends up night is when we finally finish, before the next day.
I should have stayed longer to help with the floors. Sorry the new vaacumn broke! Take it back to Target and get another! Or buy a dyson or Kirby the next time. Better yet, I will find one on ebay! LOve YOU Chickadee! Glad to help.MOM

2:42 PM  
Blogger cardlady said...

I love this post. Leaving clean trails IS what we do. Nicely written, Sara. See you soon, in AUSTIN again! Thanks for the compliment of doing what I taught you.

2:44 PM  
Blogger Melanie said...

I just had to move out of my apartment too and most of my packing was done at night. I even stayed up all night Friday night so I could move most of it Saturday afternoon. I always start packing during the day, but can't stay as motivated until it's late at night!

12:34 PM  
Blogger Lexia said...

Did you whistle while you worked?

I had to laugh at this comment, "people like you are just on top of things the night before." BAHA! HA! Us, on top of things?!? Try procrastinating to the very last second.

6:29 AM  

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