Things My Mother Tried To Teach Me

Things My Mother Tried To Teach Me October 1, 2010

Clean up as you go.

I’m pretty sure Mom had years where she pitied our future spouses because of our collective inability to even see dirt and mess, let alone clean it up. She was forever imploring me to just wipe the table after having a snack, put the book on the bookshelf instead of the closest flat surface, just how hard would it be to PUT THE CUP IN THE SINK.

I’m not any paragon of order now, but at some point over the last few years it sank in that it is a lot easier to have an orderly existence if you KEEP order, rather than just go on a frenzy of cleaning every month or so.

I make my bed in the morning, sweep and spot clean the dining room floor after meals, and put my things away when I finish with them….mostly. I even wash mixing bowls while my baked goods are in the oven.

So Mom – all your admonitions and reminders were not wasted. I’m still hearing them in my head to this day! And eventually I’ll learn to clean up as I go every time, instead of just most of the time.


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