I stayed home all day today to attack some of the little chores that I've had on my to do list for awhile.. Some of them seem really stupid but not only do I feel incredibly zen while doing them, they make me feel better about my world and the world at large. That is the curse or the blessing of the OCD person. But for those of you will a few minutes or hours or even a day to spare --- When was the last time you

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU…?

Feb 12, 2012by tracey Comments

I stayed home all day today to attack some of the little chores that I’ve had on my to do list for awhile.. Some of them seem really stupid but not only do I  feel incredibly zen while doing them, they make me feel better about my world and the world at large. That is the curse or the blessing of the OCD person.

But for those of you with a few minutes or hours or even a day to spare —

When was the last time you washed your make-up brushes?  I know many of you out there don’t wear make-up,  but for those of you who do, when was the last time? They say you should do it once a week. Me, I’m lucky if I do three times a year.

A little mild soap, Let them soak a few minutes, Scrub each brush one minute. Then let them sit out and dry. Bye Bye bacteria.

Do you have bottles of cream that have been in your bathroom for years, products you don’t use anymore, bottles with next to nothing in them? Do you lose time each morning trying to find things? When was the last time you cleaned out your medicine or cosmetic cabinet.  If it’s a cream and it’s a year old and you don’t use it toss it. If you only have a tiny bit left, use it tonight then toss it. If you don’t like it and it makes you breakout, give it away. Then make all the bottles line up and you will feel like a new person. Or maybe I have just been reading Into the Gloss too much.

 

Opening it and being greeted by all that order make is like a tranquilizer for me.

Do you have suede boots or shoes that look all flat and dull. When was the last time you took a suede brush and gave them a little TLC?  In fact do you own a suede brush? If not they are like three bucks – get one!

Two minutes per boot, it's like active meditation.
Very old. Very cheap. Very useful.

 

Do you keep promising yourself next time you see a shoeshine person you will stop? When was the last time you actually saw a shoeshine person? When was the last time you shined your shoes?  Do you wait until they are so bad someone says something about them?  Sit down turn on some music and shine away.

 

These there things work for all my leather goods.

 

Ready for West Point - OK maybe I have to lose the bows.

Did you know your cell phone and your computer  have as many germs as toilet seat?  I swear to God I heard that. And think about it, it sort of makes sense. When was the last time you cleaned your computer or your device?  I try and clean mine once a week. I don’t always do it.  But I do keep one of those air canisters next to my desk. Today I scrubbed the whole thing and did Glenn’s and Lucy’s. Taylor will be home next weekend, I will need to spend real time on hers. Seriously, good idea to clean it off every couple days, if you don’t already. Just sayin.

 

You don't need all these, the air spray for the keys, one thing of screen cleaner or the wipes and that great little blue thing that looks like a baby mop cleans the keys.
You could eat off it. Which actually sometimes it looks like I do.

 

Now this might strike you as a really OCD thing to do, or I have been spending too much time reading Real Simple, but when was the last time you took everything out of your desk drawer, took everything out, didn’t just move stuff around. Then after it’s empty take some solution and a paper towel and scrub the inside and all the corners? I have to admit, I had not done this for maybe – ever.  Today I did.

It looked like this.

 

That may not look like a lot of black shmutz to you, but any black shmutz is a lot of black shmutz to me.

 

Voila ~ I also got rid of some stuff while I was at it. Now I open it and this wave of calm washes over me.

Nothing is more relaxing to me than folding sweaters. I mean it. I wold rather fold sweaters than get a massage.  When was the last time you refolded your sweaters, not just so they look better and are easier to see, but to just rid yourself of stress.

Before

 

After

 

I’m so relaxed after my day of cleaning I’m going to go take a bath and go to sleep. Oh, wait I can’t take a bath, I hand washed some sweaters and they are drying in the tub.

When was the last time you washed your sweaters by hand?  There does come a point when enough is enough. I am yet to find that point.