Clean Isn't Normal

My weekend open house went pretty well minus the one crying jag I had while scrubbing the white trim.  That was pre-open house, so I didn't scare away any potential buyers with my tears of frustration.  I can't believe how quickly a house gets dirty!  I feel like I just finished painting the stupid trim 5 minutes ago & there are already marks everywhere.  I spent so much time crawling around on my hands & knees, killing my back, carefully not getting any white on the walls (or wiping it up quickly) & the place looked fantastic!  Six weeks later?  You'd think I handed out black crayons to a pack of monkeys.

I have more people coming by today, so I've been trying to keep the house as clean as possible, but ya know what?  Clean is not normal.

I realize I'm not the most coordinated of people.  Dragging boxes downstairs so I could haul them to storage did result in some accidental marks on the walls.  Apparently every time I vacuum I add a few new dings too.  Piggy is being highly uncooperative & refuses to stop shedding & in the kitchen, I'm incapable of mixing a jug of iced tea without splashing a couple of drops.  But in the grand scheme of things, I'm not that messy.  I don't even have kids.  Or monkeys!  How in the world do people keep their homes clean while still living in them?!

I answered my own question last night when I went over to PrettyP's apartment for dinner.  She is the only neat freak I know, the kind who can't sit still during even her favorite TV show.  She is constantly doing something *productive*.  She takes odd joy in Steam Sharking her kitchen tile.  She has a lot of stuff crammed into a small apartment, but everything has its place & is always in it before she goes to sleep.  Still (still!) her place is nowhere near open house ready.

So I'm back to cleaning today, but the weight of it doesn't feel as heavy.  I may have to throw on American Beauty for some inspiration.  I will sell this house to-day!