I have a clean desk but no broom

So, whatcha been doin? Been keeping busy? Digging out? Staying warm? Redheaded Snippet told me the other day that, with the sole exception of Hawaii, every state in the country has snow cover somewhere or other. I don't know if that's true, but it just might be. This is certainly the snowiest winter NJ has ever had. And I LOVE it!

I think, perhaps, I just might be a snowaholic. I am not making this up.

Anyway, I certainly have been keeping busy. Ish. The furniture sitting in limbo in my living room is starting to sap me of my will to live and really cramping my style, but otherwise I am trying to continue with the deep cleaning of my house.

I started in the kitchen because that is where I spend the most time. Not just cooking, don't think too admirably of me. The kitchen is where the computer is and I'm on it a lot, I confess.

One thing before I share my latest deep-cleaning accomplishment: deep cleaning is very frustrating and I'm beginning to remember why I avoid it. To a perfectionist, such as myself, getting something perfectly clean is a wondrous thing. It's what we ultimately want--perfection! But, alas, within a few short moments, unless you live alone (which I don't) or with freakishly neat and tidy family members (which I don't) or are simply never home (which I am not-not never home-sorry for the double negative) the perfection is spoiled. I just deep cleaned a corner of the kitchen last week and already it's looking, to my perfectionist eye, like it needs it again. And I cannot be doing that all the time! So, I just choose to let it go. And go. And go. We perfectionists would rather not do things at all than do them imperfectly. It's the curse of my life.

Any. Way. Here's my latest accomplishment, as promised:

Don't look at me like that, it's a BIG DEAL! You don't really know how bad it was because I would never have shown you.

This is as far as I would let you see (which I had already done here).  Just imagine that multiplied, like, nine times.  It was bad.  And it took me an entire day, like I knew it would.

I still have this pile of papers to file, but that's another full-day project.  I'm taking baby steps here!  And please be advised that there were two other piles of this size that went into the burn bin.

 

It took me the better part of a day to clear the desk, sort through all the mess and wipe everything down.  Even The Viking got in on the action and took apart the keyboard and thoroughly cleaned it out for me!  He said we probably could have made a lot of money if we had sold it to Science, but oh well.

Tada!  I think it looks great!  And I feel such a sense of accomplishment!  And can find things!  I even organized the drawers but my stupid camera pooped out on me just after I took the above shot.  So no drawer shots.  But I think you get the idea.

So, now, over half of my kitchen has been properly cleaned.  I still have a long way to go, but at least I've gotten started.  I was so inspired by my own progress that I devised a way to not lose track of where I am and where I'm going.  And, thus, there are little blue and green Post-its all over various surfaces in the kitchen that say things like, "Desk, Windows, Sills." or "Window, Baseboards" or  "Cupboards, Baseboards, Toaster oven."  Reminders to myself of the things that still need to be deep-cleaned.  It looks pretty crazy.  Daria, especially, thinks I'm rather barking.

In other news, my broom has suddenly gone missing.  We've looked in every room and cannot find it anywhere.  And no one seems to have any ideas.  I suspect the dog.  She always was afraid of the thing; maybe she's finally exacted her revenge by disposing of it in the dead of night.  I suppose this means the poor vacuum's days are numbered.