The Benefits of OCD

I joke about having OCD but I do believe I'm on the spectrum somewhere. I can't rest if I know the dishes need to be done or the laundry switched. I hate leaving the house with the bed not, at least, straightened.

This is a good skill/habit/problem to have most days. When I had the plague last year, I didn't have to worry about the house as I lay sick for nearly two weeks. When the Dad Thing was happening, it didn't matter that I was gone more than home. The house remained neat, if not as clean as I'd like. For that, I am grateful for my quirk.

It's not completely my fault. My mom kept an extremely tidy house. Our rooms were expected to be clean and organized. I never knew differently. Also shaping me in an odd way, my middle school home-ec teacher (who hated me, btw) was huge on "cleaning as you go." I think this is why I enjoy doing dishes; I often volunteered to wash versus cook.

Lucky for me, Kevin is the same way. He cannot relax if things are in disarray.

The reason I thought of this post was we must have heard "It's around here somewhere" ten times during the holiday. Next door, as we've talked about, is a mess. Kitchen counters are not visible. The bathroom desperately needed cleaning. (I walked home finally, just to wash my hands for eff sake) The floor wasn't visible in the "den" and my sister-in-law's sewing room was firmly closed. I can't imagine what it looked like. I'm guessing like an episode of Hoarders.

I guess my point is I can't understand what people do with their time. I'm using my sister-in-law as a convenient example. There are three adults living in that house. Why the mess? Why the dirty dishes? there is a dishwasher. Why carry the clothes past the master bedroom & leave them on the dining room table? Why, oh why, do you not just take the doggone garbage out?

I asked my mother-in-law once if it bothered her that her son lived in filth. She answered "If you knew how S-i-L was raised, you would see an improvement." While sad, I still wonder how it happens. Since they've been married since she was about eighteen years old examples were all around her by my mother-in-law and even Kevin's ex-wife. And, AND, why doesn't my b-i-l get off his ass? He was not raised that way.

I can understand that each person has a different tolerance level of clean. Mine, while high, would not pass a white glove test. I have Monica's Closet, my refrigerator needs a good scrubbing and my carpets need cleaning. Next door, however, would be a candidate for a Extreme Home Makeover. You can't *see* the carpets.

I have triggers but in a good way. When Swistle was getting ready for her mother-in-laws visit, I did little projects in solidarity. When Bea wrote about the Holiday Reorganization, I found myself cleaning out under the bathroom sinks and the coat closet.

Monica's Closet is quietly mocking me right now, in fact.