Finding meaning in the cleaning

October 6, 2015

Cleaning your home is relentless. There’s always another job to do. There’s always another mess to tidy up, clothes to wash, or stray items to pack away. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and disheartened. You start to wonder why you even bother. Then you get down on yourself. Other people can manage to keep a […]

Filed Under: Clean, Reflections on Housework

A new way of thinking about housework

January 16, 2015

I was reading the book Living Well, Spending Less by Ruth Soukup from the blog of the same name, and I had a dawning moment! The book is about the 12 secrets of the good life, and weaves Ruth’s personal story into how she’s found the path to contentment (and it wasn’t a smooth road). […]

Filed Under: Clean, Reflections on Housework

Tools for the Modern Domestic Engineer?

May 20, 2014

A while ago, I came up with the tag line for Cook Clean Craft "Tools for the Modern Domestic Engineer". I loved it as it captures my background as a chemical engineer and the in-jokes about housework engineers have. But the more I think about it, the more I realise this blog doesn’t live up […]

Filed Under: Clean, Organisation, Reflections on Housework

The Dissatisfaction of Infinite Housework

October 15, 2013

The biggest frustration of housework is the feeling that the job is never done. There is always something more to clean, organise or tidy and the washing just keeps on coming. Two small kids at home makes it worse. No sooner have I cleaned under the dining table (or anywhere else they inhabit), and the […]

Filed Under: Clean, Reflections on Housework

Return to Clean

August 10, 2011

I took an unplanned blogging break, for no reason other than months of children-induced sleep deprivation catching up on me (and Masterchef Australia filling my small amount of “recreation” time). Baby Little Miss and Toddler Little Man have been ganging up on me to minimise the amount of sleep I get! Things are on the […]

Filed Under: Clean, Reflections on Housework

Benefits of Cleaning

May 11, 2011

It’s easy to think of cleaning as a thankless, endless, monotonous task. But for Me Me Me Month, let’s look at some of the benefits of cleaning. Clean House = Relaxing House Clutter, dirt and grime stresses me out. Looking at it makes me think of the work I should be doing. A (mostly) clean […]

Filed Under: Clean, Reflections on Housework

Do unto yourself…

February 9, 2011

…as you wish others to do. Do you ever let crumbs drop onto the floor thinking “it’s me who has to sweep/vacuum them up”? Do you ever wipe your grubby hands on your clothes thinking “well, it’s me who has to clean them anyway”? Do you ever leave bits of food in the sink thinking […]

Filed Under: Clean, Reflections on Housework

Messy Perfectionist

February 2, 2011

A post over at Home Sanctuary really resonated with me this week. Rachel Anne talks about how perfection can stop you from actually doing anything: “perfectionists like to do things the Right Way.  We know how things should be done. We know that we should scrub the grout with a toothbrush and bleach whenever we […]

Filed Under: Clean, Reflections on Housework

Happy Australia Day!

January 26, 2011

Happy Australia Day to my fellows Aussies, and anyone else who wants to join in the celebrations! So what am I doing to celebrate this fine day? Catching up on housework. Normally, I like to get out and about on public holidays (just like everyone else), but the state of the house has been getting […]

Filed Under: Clean, Reflections on Housework

Kitchen Cleaning Confessional

April 11, 2010

I don’t want the cleaning part of this blog to give you the impression that I’m perfect (although from the posts I’ve made so far, I doubt you’d think that’s the case). It is also a place for me to confess my sins, offer penitence, and then hopefully not make the same mistakes over and […]

Filed Under: Clean, Reflections on Housework

Cleaning – Why?

March 16, 2010

I’m no expert in cleaning. In fact, at the moment, I’m quite the opposite. I’ve really dropped the ball where cleaning is concerned. The house is tidy enough, but nowhere near clean. I’ve had a month or so of low energy levels and general feelings of doom and gloom, and the first thing I stop […]

Filed Under: Clean, Reflections on Housework