If a burner freaks out in her empty house, does anyone hear her go AAAAAAAUUUUUUGH WTF AM I DOING???

Today. Six more hours until I have THREE DAYS!!! of freedom. Three whole days. Then, I work straight through until I fly to Reno on the 24th. God, three days anxiety-free, NO JOB making me sit under a tree in the PiggilyWiggily parking lot, crying. Mmmrph. I can’t wait.

I worked more on some projects last night. Pin. Try on. Take off. Repin. Repeat. Wears me out. Somebody just buy me stuff, already. I’ve actually spent more time cleaning the house than prepping, because coming home to a clean house is AWEsome. Coming home to the same piles and mess you left is :(.  The “OMG I might be moving to San Francisco in a week!!!” panic is evident in every room. Apartment Therapy reminded me to share this one.

 

1. Clean as you go: When you are cooking or involved in a project, tidying as you go, washing prep bowls, pots and pans will make for an easy aftermath.

 

2. Fold clothes after wearing: Most of the time you can get away with re-wearing clothing without washing. Spot cleaning is usually more than enough, and so long as you neatly fold you clothes, or in the least drape them over a chair, you will prevent the otherwise inevitable lint collection/crumpling that tossing them on the floor invites.

 

3. Wipe spills immediately: Letting spills linger means more elbow grease is required to clean them up, which means more time devoted to that sticky situation than if you took action right away.

 

4. Take out the garbage… now! The fuller the receptacle, the less likely it is that things will stay put inside of it. If you are sick of cleaning coffee grinds off the cupboard floor or find yourself trying to haphazardly empty one bag into another without it spilling, it is time to rethink your frequency.

 

5. Sweep daily: This takes not time and leads to the enjoyment of grit free floors. If you don’t already, see about taking outdoor shoes off at the door to prevent tracking in dirt and dust.

 

6. Spray down the tub/shower: After every use take a quick moment to spray any soap off the sides of the unit and rinse hairs down the drain.

 

7. Rinse the coffee pot: Maybe those CLR commercials impressed you, but avoid the experimentation altogether by quickly rinsing the coffee pot after you are through with the brew. Use the water afterwards in the garden or to give your houseplants a drink.

 

8. Clean out the fridge on garbage day: Never forget to check the refrigerator for going-gross items before you seal up the garbage bag. Compost what you can and get rid of the rest.

 

 

I try to maintain daily for my sanity. Better five minutes a day than five hours. So, there you go, Burning Man tip #29486: wash all the dishes, take out all the trash, clean perishables out of the fridge, put away the laundry and leave yourself a nice, comforting, tidy living space to return to. I also like to leave a gluten-free pizza and six-pack of Redbridge to await my return. The last thing I want, after a few days of burning and a day’s drive home is to be hungry and exhausted and have to deal with it. Having a nice looking-young man cooking pad thai when you get home is another great way to go.