Never knew how good clean smells

There is something to be said about cleaning. I sleep better knowing that nothing is out of place and even all the cabinets and drawers are organized. I wasn't always like this, just ask my mom.

Growing up, I used to lothe the sound of the vaccum at 8am on Saturdays. We would spend the whole morning cleaning. It was pure torture for me. My room was always like a small tornado swept through and put everything in piles under my bed and in my closet. The room itself was pretty ok but if you looked under or behind anything..... beware. Mom went through a system of charging me for out of place items and if they stayed out of place too long I think they went missing. I would get my allowance on Fridays for the chores I had done during the week with deductions for each item out of place. My money would come with a written bill. Items all had their prices like a quater or dime for certain pieces. Looking back it was so clever and funny. It is a wonder I had any money at all....ever.

Then, on to my first appartment. My roommate Natalie and I had our rules. Our rooms were our territory. Whatever was in there was ok, just keep the doors closed. The living room was cleaned about once a month or when the dust was so thick you could write your name, whichever came first. The kitchen...oh the kitchen. I remember my roommate's mom calling to say she was coming around and I remember all of the dirty dishes going into the oven. I don't know whose idea that was but it was genious. From then on, we could "clean" the house just by simply putting all the dirty dishes in the oven. I also remember us leaving pots and pans out on the stove til they got all fuzzy inside. Neither of us would want to clean it so we would just throw them away and buy new cheap ones. Sad. Sad. Sad.

Over the years I got better. After my son I had a little two bedroom duplex that I kept pretty clean. His room was spotless as was the living room and kitchen but my closet in my room was always waist high with clothes and shoes. Then, I moved to Turkey....the land of crazy clean houses.

I moved here in late 2003 and my house was always clean and presentable for guests except for maybe in the cupboards or a little dust behind the couch. Still this is the cleanest house I have ever had. The week my daughter was born we got a new cleaning lady. We'd had two come in before her and they did ok but Meral is the best. She comes in and cleans once a week. She moves all the furniture, cleans the floors on her hands and knees (she has never once used the mop), and helps me organize the cabinets. Now, for the last 6 months I have become cleaning crazy. I can't sit down if there is something out of place. Every inch of our house has been organized and cleaned. I can spot a fluff ball from a mile away. It is great.

I am reborn. I never knew how good clean smells!