Cleaning Like Crazy

I'm hosting a pre-Halloween lunchtime soiree tomorrow for the Paper Crafts peeps. (Photos most assuredly to come.)

I live really close to work (4 miles away--so nice!), so sometimes we have potluck lunches here at the house. It's great to get out of the office every now and then for an afternoon partay!

I've put up the Halloween window (I can't wait to show you that!), made Alice Golden's Mexican Bean Soup (straight out of Paper Crafts Gourmet--the latest and greatest book from Paper Crafts magazine--but more on that later!), and the rest of the victuals will be rounded out by my fun friends.

As I was making my preparations, I noticed, yet again, that I am more motivated to deep clean my house when I know that I'm going to be having company. I'm quite religious about the maintenance housework--the vacuuming, dusting, bathrooms, and other basic chores. But the mopping, the scrubbing of the kitchen counters (white Corian--shows everything, hides nothing!), windows, and other deeper tasks,  not so much--but always when company's coming.

And besides, it always gets done, eventually, but I'm much happier about it when I know that a party is just around the corner.

How 'bout you? What is your primary motivator for getting your household chores done? Are you motivated internally or are you externally propelled?

For me, it all comes down to this: When the sun is shining and the birds are chirping and the breeze is calling my name, I'll take that excuse to be out in the world over mopping my kitchen floor. Any time. Any day. Any way.

Thanks for stopping by today! Pictures of the PC party and the Halloween window to come...stay tuned!

Comments

[Marilyn Moore]

Cleaning? What is that? Seriously, my husband does all the deep cleaning in our house. I do get a little into cleaning if people are coming to a gathering of some sort. However, we clean after a visit from Paul's son and wife and two boys from Oregon (ages two and four). Keaton and Sullivan are a wrecking crew!!

[Karen Hill]

Sorry to be off-topic. I tried to email you something at a comcast address I had for you. Is that still a good address? Is there a better way to send you some information?

Tnx.

p.s. cleaning - mine's sporadic, DH is no help at all.

[StacyC]

Deep cleaning for me is motivated by the desire to put up my Christmas decorations :) So this weekend was the last of the big cleaning - the furniture and carpets. Needless to say, my fingers, back, and arms ache from removing dirt from every part of the house. It looks beautiful and is now officially ready for the holidays. But I'll wait until mid-November to start decorating :)

[Alice]

Glad you like the soup! I hear you on the cleaning...our house always looks pretty good, unless you happen to look around the edges of the floors...