Clean enough

My house is not as clean as many homes that I have visited. It’s a cheerful place to visit, but it has not ever been spotless. I make sure the dishes get washed and put away; the laundry gets washed and dried. Sometimes we put away the clean laundry and sometimes we get dressed in the basement next to the pile. People bathe. We wash our faces and our hands, and the bathrooms get cleaned more often than any other room besides the kitchen and dining room.

I’m particular about putting away the food after we’ve eaten; I don’t allow mud clods to be tracked in, and when they do anyway, we clean them up. We don’t have pets, and I try really hard to discourage vermin. But no one takes their shoes off except when going to bed. Coats lay where they’ve been forgotten; books and papers are stacked about. It’s a sign of literacy, and forgetfulness. The windows are clean enough. Most of them have no curtains, because that would be another bunch of cloth to clean and I’m not going to do it. Besides, I love natural light. It’s cheerful, and I can see the birds and trees, the lilacs.

One of my windows has been broken for two or three years. I’m finally paying to replace it. This is a considerable expense, and when I priced them this year they were 10 percent more expensive than last year. There’s a LOT of deferred maintenance, simply because it costs money.

When you feel like judging someone for their home appearance, remember:

Most public spaces have paid maintenance that landscapes and cleans and mops and shines windows for them. Most private homes do not.

Dirt happens. Things break. People get busy with other things than shining their own windows.

Give some grace. Offer to help. Introduce yourself and smile at your neighbors. Be kind. It will go a long way in helping you understand and be patient.