I’m taking it for granted that, with a few rare exceptions, pretty much everyone hates housework. So why doesn’t everyone hate clutter too?
Horrible Housework
I think many people suffer from a misapprehension. They complain about the housework and defend their clutter. They hate housework because it’s difficult, tiring and dull. But what makes housework so hard? Clutter. All that clutter gets in the way, slows you down and makes every job harder.
Take vacuuming for instance. Pushing a sucky thing across a carpet doesn’t sound that hard does it? Well, it’s not that hard; until you have to clear the floor, move furniture out of the way and unblock the tube when something unsuitable gets sucked up it.
It’s Not the Dusting
Dusting involves the same problem. It’s not the dusting that’s problematic, it’s moving all the ornaments and clutter from the surfaces, that takes the time. And then you’ve got to put it all back again. That is if you can find the polish and the duster in the first place, among all your clutter.
Panic Stations
Why are we thrown into a panic when we’re expecting a visitor? Why do we hate people calling around unexpectedly? It’s not really the cleaning that’s difficult, it’s shifting all the clutter, finding a temporary home for it, and then putting it all back again. No wonder so many people have a junk room, and what a waste that is!
Hate Clutter
No wonder we hate housework. Our rooms are crowded, our floors are crowded, our furniture is crowded, every flat surface we own is crowded; crowded with clutter. It makes housework hard and it makes living hard too.
Love Housework
Get rid of your clutter and your housework will take half the time, half the effort and half the angst. You may even learn to love gliding the vacuum over those empty floors, smoothing a duster over your spacious shelves and dusting those airy corners, once your clutter is gone.
