Home Sweet Home !
Dear Friends, please do not get worked up that it is yet another boring repetition, how our home is sweet to us and only to us !
I am just sharing some thoughts on different lines !!
This is about, how we take some liberties, very often not coming under “decorum”, only in our homes.
Quite a few, when brushing their teeth, parade around the house with dangerously overflowing toothpaste in their mouths and not stopping with that, go to the balcony and peep into others’ houses, adjoining, as well ! With dishevelled hair and nightdresses, they make such an unpleasant sight to others. But they are just not bothered because what they do is in their own Home Sweet Home !
The less said about the mess made by many in the bathrooms, the better ! The shower curtain is never used, allowing water to be splashed all over the bathroom floor. The loud bathroom singing, very often “off key” is in full blast ! Towels, usually wet, are spread on cots ! Needless to say, in some houses beds are never “made” !
Hanging clothes are all over the dress-area. Talcum powder is “applied” in patches to the floor also, when applied liberally all over the body. In case of ladies, the bindis are stuck on the mirror at all odd places.
Friends, I do not like to talk about the kitchen state in many houses. The kitchen-sink is always full of “to be cleaned” vessels. Peels and chopped off “tails & heads” of vegetables are strewn all over the kitchen counter tops, besides haldi stains which get “stuck” on the marble surface, if not immediately removed.
We have every right to take liberties in our own homes, undoubtedy. But at the cost of feeling “homely”, we create a mess very often. I recently visited a friend of mine. I felt as though I was finding my way in the middle of things, carelessly strewn all over, in every room. The cobwebs hanging in a few corners of the rooms were a real eyesore. But she was telling me, how, her home is the only place where she unwinds completely. That is acceptable, but at what cost?
We need not boast of designer homes or furniture. The minimum we owe ourselves and our family, is a clean, well maintained house. If we are away from home for a long spell, we wait to come back to our homes, to feel “at home” !
However humble, a clean, well cared for home is the place which gives us peace of mind and feeling of comfort. Only then we can call it
Home Sweet Home !
Love,
Chithra.
I am just sharing some thoughts on different lines !!
This is about, how we take some liberties, very often not coming under “decorum”, only in our homes.
Quite a few, when brushing their teeth, parade around the house with dangerously overflowing toothpaste in their mouths and not stopping with that, go to the balcony and peep into others’ houses, adjoining, as well ! With dishevelled hair and nightdresses, they make such an unpleasant sight to others. But they are just not bothered because what they do is in their own Home Sweet Home !
The less said about the mess made by many in the bathrooms, the better ! The shower curtain is never used, allowing water to be splashed all over the bathroom floor. The loud bathroom singing, very often “off key” is in full blast ! Towels, usually wet, are spread on cots ! Needless to say, in some houses beds are never “made” !
Hanging clothes are all over the dress-area. Talcum powder is “applied” in patches to the floor also, when applied liberally all over the body. In case of ladies, the bindis are stuck on the mirror at all odd places.
Friends, I do not like to talk about the kitchen state in many houses. The kitchen-sink is always full of “to be cleaned” vessels. Peels and chopped off “tails & heads” of vegetables are strewn all over the kitchen counter tops, besides haldi stains which get “stuck” on the marble surface, if not immediately removed.
We have every right to take liberties in our own homes, undoubtedy. But at the cost of feeling “homely”, we create a mess very often. I recently visited a friend of mine. I felt as though I was finding my way in the middle of things, carelessly strewn all over, in every room. The cobwebs hanging in a few corners of the rooms were a real eyesore. But she was telling me, how, her home is the only place where she unwinds completely. That is acceptable, but at what cost?
We need not boast of designer homes or furniture. The minimum we owe ourselves and our family, is a clean, well maintained house. If we are away from home for a long spell, we wait to come back to our homes, to feel “at home” !
However humble, a clean, well cared for home is the place which gives us peace of mind and feeling of comfort. Only then we can call it
Home Sweet Home !
Love,
Chithra.
Total Comments 32
Comments
 |  When did you visit my home??????Cannot believe you peeked into my home without MY knowledge!! very bad  I take all of the above mentioned liberties..I know shame on me..what to do?? I have to say that dear husband and son unlike me are METICULOUS and organised and CLEAN..If ever there was a mess maker thats me..But now after reading blog feeling guilty..rushing to empty the sink..and maybe on the way will pick up wet towel from top of bed, pick up books strewn on floor, fold saree, and OMG Maybe I did leave cat out of the bag.. Really very nice blog dear Chithra..I agree we do take liberties at home.. Also if I am annoyed with someone else my dh has to take brunt of it..The fact that I like about your topics is it makes me think and reflect and maybe Change..or try to Change..Thanks for yet another great topic. |
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| |  AC, you are the queen of exaggeration !I do not believe what you have written! As if.....!! Now, don't imagine I keep my house spotless etc, no. But I try my best to keep it "reasonably clean". V is extremely fastidious & starts doing things himself if things are lying around. So, embarassed, I go ahead. So, the next time, you see a messy bed or sink-full of vessels, do remember to clean up - I don't ask of you, more than that !! Love, Chithra. |
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| | Eating humble pieI am amazed at your deduction capabilities  No my home is not Messy at all..not spotless either..I do happen to live by your lines.. "The minimum we owe ourselves and our family, is a clean, well maintained house. If we are away from home for a long spell, we wait to come back to our homes, to feel “at home” ! However humble, a clean, well cared for home is the place which gives us peace of mind and feeling of comfort. Only then we can call it".. Without any doubts I do live by those lines..put would not have known to put it across so finely.. It is of great importance to keep and maintain a clean home..For both a healthy body and even healthier mind..Thanks for a good topic  |
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| |  Dear Chitvish, Nice Blog..... I agree with you that we should maintain our house neatly and try to present ourselves neatly.... This will give us +ive energy.... You are really patient enought the morning toothpase scene.... OMG!!!!!... At the same time.... If the house is too clean and the things are properly placed and if it has to be kept at the appropriate places only.... Then it is not a house... It is Museum.... This is what I used to tell Shan, when she screams at the kids (including me...) to clean the house... Hahahahaha.... See, when the house is too much arranged and cleaned.... when you enter, you will not feel like talking & moving freely... You will talk in a hushed tone... will think 10 times before touching an article or a book.... You will not be your own self.... It will be a ice beauty.... We can see that in the movies and showrooms.... But when in the house, the house should be lively.... Little bit of mess is acceptable..... I always believe that in the house there should be more people and little bit of noise, with the kids and all playing around etc.... But definitely not with cobwebs, clothes and veg strewn all over the place... Nice topic.... Veda |
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| | Dear Veda, I fully agree....tha a house must be a home - first and last ! But it should not resemble a hostel or an unruly mess ! I just feel, cleanliness is important ( said to be next only to godliness!).I am sure, Shan will be insisting only on that point. Love, Chithra. |
| Updated 4th February 2008 at 05:24 AM by Chitvish |
| | Dear Chithra....Amazing description indeed :) It is funny...but come to think of it, it is true that when it comes to our own home, we sometimes take cleanliness and orderliness for granted !! I try to maintain my home as much as I can. Even when I was in India, I never had a maid 'cos I always feel (much to my family's irritation :) ) that nobody can keep 'my' home neater than myself, not even a costly maid !! Thanks for the nice post. Keep it coming. Love Pavithra |
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| | Pavithra, you seem to be....perfection-oriented! I do keep maid but constantly do keep doing things myself. I need her for some physical work - but not dependent on her "heavily". Love, Chithra. |
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| |  Chith,a VOW to you for this blog! Wondering why?? i still remember your words and the unblemished post from you on how to organise the kitchen and your phrase" a place for everything;everything in its place"..somehow or the other these lines strike me hard..and i think about it whenever i see a unorganised place in my sweet home...not to mention than Mr.V and my Mr.R are one and the same...If he finds somehing not inorder , he starts the cleaning and i join!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> Thank you for the blog and for emphasizing neatness to make a real "home sweet home"!<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> |
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| | Aish Baby, you have excellent memory....is all that I can say ! But I love that phrase which was dinned into our ears, by my Chemistry lecturer in college. It holds good fo all circumstances in life - we will always be grounded ! Thanks, Baby. Love, Chithra. |
| Updated 4th February 2008 at 09:07 PM by Chitvish |
| | Dear Chithra, I cannot say my home is always bright and sparkling. Some days it looks like a tornado has just passed by and hit us. On others it looks livable. But I have never attempted to make it look like a museum or a 5 star hotel. Because I want my home to be a home, not a star hotel. There are bins and boxes for many things. But when the moment comes, I sometimes cannot remember which thing is in which box. Out comes every thing inside every box and bin. What I set to look out for will always be in the last box to be searched. But looking at the brighter side, I still find what I want. Sanitation is different from order. I sanitise and clean the place, but order.....that takes a back seat at times. I am not ashamed of it either. |
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| | Why feel ashamed?I just mentioned We need not boast of designer homes or furniture. That was my main point. I too feel, a house has to look "lived in" ! Love, Chithra. |
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| |  Hi Dearest Chithra Ma'am... About cleaning the house......I am really crazy......I can't think of a house which is messy..... But now with the other 50% of the population in my house.......its not always possible. But now as I don't have any kids yet, I can manage with all my hubby's activities.......so, my house is at least clean and organised from outside, as in the process of cleaning, I used to dump all my hubby's things (especially papers/files/letters/bills) into this and that cupboard/drawer.........can't help....... My principle is don't make mess....so that you can always avoid cleaning......so, as for myself, I used/tries to keep everything at its place........The only portion in my house which I hate cleaning is my Gas top.......those sticky oily mess is tough to remove. So, I have started covering those areas with Aluminium foil and then discarding the same when it is messy.....saves time too. It will be bad if I will not acknoledge my DH on cleaning, he does the bigger tasks, like vaccuming and laundry.....while I do the rest.......... Regards. |
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| | Dear Mrs. Chithra, Loved this blog....probably b'coz i feel strongly about the topic! Couldn't help laughing abt the toothpaste, i've seen that in some homes & it's really annoying. True, the piled up sinks, wet towels on the bed, the often 'never made' bed is a real eye-sore. I'm a very house proud person & believe in 'cleanliness is next to godliness'. Whenever someone comes home unannounced, they always compliment me abt how clean the house & the kitchen is. I personally feel that keeping the house clean is not at all a daunting task when everything in the house has a designated place & each member in the house does his/her share of putting things in it's own place. Loved the last para!! |
| Updated 4th February 2008 at 04:23 PM by raginiprakash |
| | Your mention of the 50% of the population.....made me laugh heartily ! You seem to be a cleanliness freak, Meeta ! I clean the stove top then & there - so it is never a mess. The one thing I spend on a lot, is on buying kitchen tissues! Before any deep frying, I keep enough tissues ready & then only start my work. It is nice to know that you both share the cleaning work - I am sure your house will just sparkle! Love, Chithra. |
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| | Ms Music, you seem to believe....in my formula A place for everything and Everything in its place ! Yes, we always think that our house is the only place where we can do what we like ! But at the cost of a badly kept house? - no, never, is my opinion. I think being "house-proud" is a must for every housewife. Love, Chithra. |
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| |  Dear Chith Another interesting topic. I fully agree with you A place for everything and Everything in its place. Once you start practising it I think you are more tempted to stick to that. So now a days I try to follow it. And one more thing that I like to mention here is the planning. Yes it helps a person a lot in keeping a house clean. And I should thank you for that. Your PM on that matter made me realise where I lack. Thank you once again chith. Love Vidhi |
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| | Thanks, Vidhi....The two principles that I wrote to you about, make our daily chores more easy & enjoyable. From my interaction with you in IL, so far, I have judged that you re fairly a methodical person. Also remember that a mother sets an example to her children by her actions & routine. So, I would go to the extent of saying that we owe it to our children to keep a clean house. Love, chithra. |
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| |  Dear Chithra I had a colleague in SBI who was well known for keeping his work desk very messy. But if you asked him for some old letter or reference, he would fish it out of the mess in less than a second. Once he went on leave and his assistant cleaned up all the mess and made it appear very presentable. When my colleague returned and saw the cleaning up of his desk, he was furious. On that very day, the boss asked him for an old correspondence and he was searching for it whole day! Some people like cockroaches thrive gloriously in a messy ambience. Even if they stay in a 5-star hotel, they'll make the room as messy as possible to feel 'at home'! If you talk to them about home sweet home when they are in 5star hotel, they go into a rapturous recollection of their messy homes! What is 'sweet' depends on individual taste. I too dont like aseptic ambience! I dont feel very comfortable there. I have seen in some very clean houses a placard saying 'My house is not always in such a mess. Sometimes it can be worse'! I think it is the height of hypocrisy. A bird can be happy only in its dirty nest. Not in a golden cage! Sri |
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| | Repetition deleted |
| Updated 5th February 2008 at 09:09 AM by Cheeniya |
| | Sri, first let me thank you....for visiting my blog. This special thanks, Sri Sir, because you do not visit both my forums ! Now, I never talk of aseptic ambience or perfectly kept house. I just want to stress that a house must be clean and things, not scattered all over ! Like your subordinate's messy table, the lady whose house I visited (as written in my blog), "fished" out a gift for me from underneath a pile of clothes & toys. It was like "jeeboombaa" from a muddle.I was amazed! People talking about home sweet home when they are in 5 star hotels is because home is where the heart is! Love, Chithra. |
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Recent Blog Entries by Chitvish
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