What a Clean House Means to Me

I've noticed the last few months my personality has changed.  It's due to several things, so can't really pinpoint it to one reason.

But here is one part I've noticed a major change (which I like):

Although I live alone and hardly have any visitors, it's very easy for me to never pick up around the house until I /do/ get a visitor.

But lately I have noticed I want my house looking better all the time.  I don't want crap on the counters or table until someone comes to visit.  I prefer to even have my closet cleaned up right away.

It seems my procrastination part of my personality has definitely changed along with this.  Instead of putting off picking up, I actually WANT to clean up and have my house looking less cluttered and "spacious" all the time.

I recall reading this article a while back about how when we are depressed we tend to be "messier" and when we aren't depressed we tend to clean more and keep things nice around the house.  The article is spot on.

Hell, even with ourselves.  Depressed people barely shower and put off washing our hair, doing laundry, etc for as long as we can.

I do wonder if part of me wanting the house less cluttered is because I have more time on my hands.  I am not spending time out drinking, not spending time hungover, and so I honestly have more free time.

Also, when coming home drunk, you kinda spew your clothes everywhere in your room and closet.  Shoes are in one area, sock another, shirt and jeans lay on the floor from some weird path you wobbled along.  And then the next day or later that day you feel too badly to even think of bending over and picking things up.

Several days in a week or a couple of weeks and the areas on the floors just get piled up with things.

I hate to even write this out, but I know I'm not the only one.

So, I am thinking that the cleaner, less cluttered, picked-up house is my visual progress of my changing ways.  I have more energy and time and I love having the house not just visitor-ready, but ME ready.  I definitely feel happier and even more at peace looking around at a less-cluttered house I adore living in.