How I do things

I leave in less than a week for a long-awaited trip to Florida with my sister and sisters-in-law.  It will be so much fun and most humans getting ready to go somewhere would prepare for the trip by gathering up items to pack.  I decided instead to work on the bathroom grout project.

I have a long history of odd behavior when it comes to upcoming vacations or trips.  I have been known to go into cleaning frenzies, tackling refrigerator coils and the area under the stove.  I'll organize closets and vacuum cobwebs.  When I do this it means I leave packing to the last minute, usually the night before I leave, which moves anxiety to the front burner.  Still, I usually get done what needs to be done.

It's similar to when I have an upcoming event at my house, and I need to clean.  I will inexplicably begin in a spot that will never be seen by anyone at any time for any reason.  I'll wipe out the back of the cabinet where I vertically store my cookie sheets and cooling racks.  My kitchen floor can be crusted with drips and tracked with mud from the dog and I'll wipe out a cabinet or organize my recipe folder.

A perfectly sane person would tackle these odd tasks when they arise or are noticed.  My brain saves them up for when I have no reason to perform them and no time to do so.

I like to think I work well under pressure, which may be why I behave this way.  It may also be that when I have a house full of people, I take some pleasure in knowing that there are hidden spots in my house that are as clean as the visible spots.  I typically clean something weird, and then I get down to business and clean what really needs attention.  It's like a jump start for me.

Cleaning weird spaces also allows me some time to focus and think.  Maybe it lets me prepare and plan without actually doing anything about it.  Working on the bathroom grout has kept me occupied although it's really pretty mindless.  (That said, I must pay attention to detail because I don't want to sit on my toilet at some future date and see poorly finished grout lines.)  When I think of something I need to bring or do before I leave, I write it down.

Huh.  I think I just learned something here.  Maybe my bursts of cleaning (and accompanying insanity) give me time to think before I act, and get something done in the process.  Who knew.