Can We Talk 2

Immaculate Home? Please!

Do you make your bed in the morning or leave it unmade? What do you think this says about you?

}          As old as I am, I still struggle with this one daily. I don't have a showcase home. I would never take anyone through my house to "show" it, because it's functional, not decorated. So no one will ever see my bed, but me.

         When I was married, I did make the bed every day, so that I could not have to come home to a messy bed. He was very messy, so I didn't want the room to be any worse than it had to be. In fact, whenever I shared an apartment with a roommate, or a dorm room, I always made my bed immediately on getting up. I always make my bed when staying with a relative or friend. It's when I'm the only one to see it, that I am reluctant to take the time. I suppose I feel responsible to other people.

         I usually wake up very slowly. I hit the snooze alarm several times, so I have to set it about 20 minutes earlier than I need to be up. Getting my eyes to stay open and getting my feet onto the floor is my first chore of the day. I straighten the covers over the bed before I even get up, to make it go faster. Once, I'm on my feet, it's tempting to go about my business of getting ready instead of turning around and fixing the bed. If the pillows are in place and the bottom half is smooth, does it really matter, if the top is neatly tucked and flattened? No one will know but me.

         I argue with myself that it doesn't matter if the blanket is heaped up or the pillow is on the side, I'll fix it at bed time tonight! But there's this nagging voice in my head that says, "You need to be orderly and organized! Do this right, and do it now, or you'll be sloppy all day long!" So how did this neat freak get into my head? It must be in control right now, because I'm going through a neat phase. The bed is made every day, the counters are washed every day in the kitchen (not just when needed), etc. I'm certain the lackadaisical me will come back unless I undergo a major personality change.

         For decades, I had a refrigerator magnet that read, "Only dull women have immaculate homes". Obviously, I was never a dull woman!