The Bees’ RV: Just Hide the Mess

A long, long time ago, when my folks were newlyweds living in Chicago, my Grammy called them to say she was coming over for a visit. They both worked full-time, and it had been awhile since they'd done much housework. Panic set in. My dad told my mom he'd take care of the kitchen, so she could tackle the living room. Mom was surprised, but grateful.

Before long, Daddy announced he was done. Mom couldn't believe it. How had he gotten all of those dishes done that fast?

"Oh, I didn't wash them. I just gathered up everything in the kitchen, and put it all in the bathtub. Mother will never look behind the shower curtain."

Every time I think of that story, I smile. My housekeeping hasn't progressed much beyond the "hide the mess" stage of my young parents.

Just this week, for instance, I walked into the kitchen to survey the damage. Mail had been stacking up for days. There were piles of paperwork from Chuck's mom's assisted living center. An assortment of things I'd brought from the Utah house still needed to be put away. A tower of clean dishes loomed over the dish rack.

From the kitchen, I squinted at our office. (Squinting is what aged people do who don't think they need real glasses.) Oy vey. Piles and piles and piles of paperwork were stacked in and among photography paraphernalia; batteries, chargers, flashes.

Waiting in the parking lot at the vet's office.

The stress of the week had taken a toll on us. Sunday, my father-in-law passed away on his birthday. Bristol had an ear infection. It snowed, which normally thrills me, but do you know how much mud two dogs track in on a rainy or snowy day? I had a toothache; I needed to find a local dentist. I lost my diamond from my engagement ring. Insomnia was my nightly friend, and saw to it that I was up by three most days. There seemed to be so many things vying for my attention, I even forgot Bristol's appointment at the vet, and they had to squeeze us in later. Life seemed to be a whirlwind. To say my house was looking neglected would be an understatement.

What do you do when your house is a wreck? This may seem counterintuitive, but I decided to invite family to dinner. Chuck's brothers had been here all week taking care of Mom, and they had had their fill of eating out. I knew it would take a little effort, but I figured it would be worth it to have us all together, and for the house to look tidy again.

Chuck double-checked with me to make sure I was up to the task. I think he thought I'd bitten off more than I could chew. As long as I could squeeze in a little nap in the afternoon, I figured I could make the house presentable, and I would make a simple supper; chili and cornbread.

A simple lidded basket I had bought at the thrift store was my saving grace as I tossed things in it to take to other parts of the house. Once I'd sorted out where everything should go that was cluttering the counters, I put the basket to good use. I filled it up with all of the extraneous stuff that covered the horizontal surfaces in the office, and put the lid on the top. VOILA. Chuck's family would never guess how far we'd let things go. Unless they read my blog. (Now you know the truth, Linda and Tom!)

Bonus tip: keep the room dimly lit, and your guests might not notice you didn't have time to mop or vacuum.

The best motivator ever for me to tidy up is inviting guests to our house. It is a win-win situation. We get to enjoy the house after company leaves, and the memories of our visit bring us smiles for days to come. None of our friends or family are coming to inspect our homes anyway. They are there to visit us.