Photo Credit: Ann Taintor

I hate chores.

I also hate chaos and clutter.

This is just one of many dichotomies about me that annoys the hell out of my husband. He doesn’t mind chores, but he also doesn’t get nearly as bothered by clutter. We’re kind of an awful pair when it comes to that. Ill-matched, at best.

I’d just as soon get rid of nearly everything we own and live in a “tiny house” than deal with any more clutter. I like clean surfaces and tight bed sheets (I’m the person that would iron and steam sheets if she could). I like the smell of lemon bleach and the sight of an empty kitchen sink. I like seeing a freshly mopped floor and a clean front entry.

However, I am about the last person that will ever volunteer to complete these tasks.

I really hate chores.

Except for two. There are two chores I will do every single day and never complain.

I will iron and I will vacuum. I will especially iron if I can use starch and I will definitely vacuum just so I can see those lovely tread lines. I was ironing our cloth napkins the other day and when my husband asked what I was doing, I said, “I’m ironing. I freaking love doing this.” I had to explain no less than three times that I was definitely serious. I was absolutely enjoying ironing my napkins.

I honestly wish I knew what it was that irritated me so much about clutter. Then maybe I could figure out why I have an aversion to chores. Or maybe the two are entirely unrelated. I don’t know. All I do know is there is a lot of money in therapy to be spent on this!

But every now and again, like today, I’ll get in some crazy mood and just start cleaning and go on a mad binge for at least an hour. I did a 30 day cleaning challenge about a year and a half ago and my kitchen has never ever been as clean as it was that day. I mean, it was spotless and the counters were completely bare. It was quite the sight to behold. Maybe I should do the challenge again. But a year and half ago, I had a four-month-old. Now I have a two-year-old and she is a tiny, walking tornado of toys. Keeping things uncluttered and cleaned is a whole different ball game now.

I try to let go of my aversion to clutter. I really do. But every several days it just comes to a head and makes me want to have a “going out of business” sale with my house. It actually makes me a little excited about moving to a much smaller house next year and not being able to take a lot of our things with us.

I like having space. I don’t like filling the space with stuff just for the sake of filling the space.

And I hate cleaning up the things.