As a housekeeper I clean each day for about 40 older folks. I have learned many many wonderful lessons....all based on common sense. Here is one I will share.
The folks who have cluttered up and knick knacked apartments are generally depressed. These folks do not leave their apartments much to socailize or eat with others. The folks with neater, less cluttered and simplier apartments...tend to be cheery and more upbeat. Most of them socailize and eat with other friends in the dining room. They tend to be friendly and talkative with others....and have a wonderful outlook on aging, even the ones with out much family around.
I noticed that with the messier folks I have a hard time cleaning after them and the neater ones...it is joy to clean for and things get done quicker and things look nicer. Their environment seems happier all around.
Lessons learned for me...keep it simple.
I used to watch alot of home shopping when I was a young married stay at home mother, home with babies and basically depressed living with my ex-husband. I felt I had to have every candle...every basket....every holiday this or that to make my house a home. I went to every home party under the sun and felt I had to buy to make friends or have friends. Silly I now know. Well I have grown and matured and been thru so much....I have a whole new view on living simply and with less. I am far more happier and more content and basically a much more happy person. Plus it is better to save the money for when you are OLDER. Living in the here and now is not smart. We have to save for when we are too sick or too old. I personally will never look to the government for much at all. The burden rests on me. If you think it is expensive now wait for when you are older and you have to possibly pay big bucks to have someone help you shower or use the potty.
If you are living cluttered try to stop the madness now and get yourself some help and get rid of stuff. Or stop buying stuff to feel better. It really helped me to come to that realization. Plus I have a clutter free mind and heart. Talk about true joy. No amount of money can purchase that.
I feel badly for some of the folks I clean for......they are so stuck in their clutter vortex. It is horrible trap to be in at any age.
So learn a lesson or two today, save your money, spend less, stop buying silly trinkets and live without clutter.
Keeping things simple
October 2nd, 2007 at 06:33 pm
October 2nd, 2007 at 07:21 pm 1191352916
I spent the last 25 years of my life in clutter - mine and other people's. It's liberating to have my own place and not deal with all that. I had no idea how depressed I was until I got out of the situation. It seems there were others who knew I was depressed but they also knew I wouldn't listen to them so they said nothing.
Striking out on my own has been hard and it's not going to be easy for awhile and I know that. But there are some distinct advantages and I try to focus on those. I just love my simple and clutter free home I have now.
October 2nd, 2007 at 08:46 pm 1191357961
October 2nd, 2007 at 09:39 pm 1191361142
October 2nd, 2007 at 10:03 pm 1191362601