What's a girl to do. . .

when she's overly stressed, still very sad and can't get herself motivated: she cleans her house from top to bottom.

I have mentioned many times my penchant for house cleaning. Cynical may call it a curse, but I call it my saving grace. Our home is by no means immaculate, but I do like to keep it tidy. I am sure my definition of tidy is far different from yours, so please don't judge me.

I often clean house as a way of burning off energy, a way of putting order in my life and a way to clear my mind. I suspect it is the same reason that some people garden or bake. I am not accomplished at either, so I tend to go with activities that involve the vacuum and 409.

So, last night when I entered the door of our home, I donned my official cleaning attire, grabbed a rag and went to work. I settled down several hours later feeling as if I had accomplished something. My desk may be full of half-completed projects at work. I still needed to write thank you notes and the car still needs to be washed, but at least my floors were swept, we'd sleep on clean sheets and my bathroom smelled fresh and clean. It's the little things in life that make me happy.

It's amazing what physical order does for a mindset. It's amazing how much clearer you seem to think and how you are able to prioritize your thoughts when you feel your home is in order. It may seem shallow, but I have to think there is a connection.

Now that the cobwebs are free from my corners, I can free my mind of them as well.