Is your house clean or dirty?

[OverIt2007]

Here is something I wanted to post a while ago. Its kinda interesting, to me at least.

If you were to walk into my home, you would pretty much be able to tell where my head was at, related to drinking.

When I am not drinking, or have several days of sobriety in me, my home is nice and orderly. I like to keep things tidied up, dishes done, clothes put away, ect.

Now, when I am drinking or hungover, my home is trashed. I dont give much of a crap about the dishes, or the clothes, the dirty carpet.

I have found it rather interesting how these two relate. I suppose its because when I am drinking or hungover, I just dont really give a crap. Anyone else relate???


I am very happy to say, that my home has been nice and clean for days now. ANd I plan to keep it that way.

[Chillgirl]

Is your house clean or dirty?

Hi Overit - Your description sounds quite normal but I have to say I was probably an exception.
Im a complete "neat freak" never have the vaccum out my hand and my sister calls me Monica from "Friends" because im so obsessively clean and tidy. Even when I was drinking everything had to be perfect! My boyfriend used to say I was the most organized drunk in the world. I would come home at 3am hardly able to stand up yet I would empty the dishwasher and hang up washing etc! Would never remember doing it so maybe it was the drink fairy.....

[OverIt2007]

Is your house clean or dirty?

Chillgirl, that is pretty funny! I can just imagine you vacumming drunk! Or doing dishes drunk? That could be dangerous!

[Doggygirl]

Is your house clean or dirty?

OverIt - I'm more like you. For the last few years (the bitter end) of my drinking, things were a huge mess around my house. I let it get so bad that if anyone wanted to stop by to visit, I needed at least a couple weeks notice to clean it up. And of course I would have through-the-moon resentment over having to actually get off my a$$ and do anything.

Chillgirl, I'm :H:H at the thought of waking up, going downstairs, and finding the dishes done and laundry done and stuff. Drink fairy indeed! Would have HAD to have been a drink fairy to find that at my house! :wings:

Thankfully, the house stays much more orderly now. I am very fortunate to have a lady who helps me once a week with the cleaning. But it's nice when she says "I love cleaning your house because I don't have to clean around any clutter." This place was nothing BUT clutter in the old days.

DG

[OverIt2007]

Is your house clean or dirty?

Doggygirl,

I came to the conclution a while ago, that my home is an extention of ME.

When I am a mess, my home is a mess. When I feel good, my home is a reflection of me. I like my life, and my home, nice and tidy.


Im glad your home is nice and tidy these days too!!!! Sure feels better than the alternative!


:l

[time2change]

Is your house clean or dirty?

Think that this may relate to procrastination on many people who are drinking. Always, putting off today what can get done tomorrow mentality. Also, there is the time consumed with getting drinks. drinking drinks, hiding drinks and recovering from drinks.
With that said I am off to do chores. Have a constructive sober day!!!

[Doggygirl]

Is your house clean or dirty?

You got THAT right!! Seems I must be a reflection of my house too!

DG

[DisEase]

Is your house clean or dirty?

OverIt, you hit the nail on the head for me! I think that is partly why I feel so guilty in relation to my children when I drink. It is one thing to feel bad in the AM and manage a smile and a hug and their breakfast. But if I had been drinking the night before, the kids would come out and the kitchen would be messy, my desk would be cluttered, there would be little chew items on the living room floor that our 6 mo old German shepherd dog had been working on that I had not bothered to put away. A wine glass here, a plate of food from my midnight snack would be rotting in the sink, etc. I hate that I provided a chaotic and messy environment for them because I over indulged the night before.

But for me, worse than the house (because that can be cleaned in a matter of a day) is how I treat my body. For me when I am over drinking you can see it in my body, too. Not just my puffy face and water red eyes, but I throw all responsible eating and regular exercise to the wind. And the weight does not come off so quickly. I think I am basically lazy at heart, and when I drink it just gives me a reason to check out, not care, be over/self indulgent, and not make good choices. It is funner to sit and drink my wine and not worry about the calories in the plate of nachos I made myself as I opened the second bottle of wine vs. cleaning the floors, folding the laundry, packing lunches and laying out clothes for the next day. YUCK makes me feel gross just to think about it. THANK YOU NAL for ending the craziness!

[OverIt2007]

Is your house clean or dirty?

Hey DisEase,

Wow, you hit the nail on the head, for me too! Your right, the house can get cleaned up, but the after effects of that hangover lasts for days.

Its my body and face that suffer the most. My body gets bloated and puffy, and my face ages years it seems. My eyes look hollow and souless and the wrinkles go deep into my face. Ick!!!!!

Thankfully I am getting alot of sober time under my belt, and I am starting to see the glimpse of that once kinda pretty girl again.

Keep up the good work guys, it IS so worth it.


Overit

[Hypernova]

Is your house clean or dirty?

I share

a house but let me tell you that my room and office are a disaster. I think of it often and never do a thing to improve it. This thread is a little nudge in the butt to think about fixing the things that bother me. Alcohol lets me ignore so much and live less of a life than I deserve. I'm 12 days in and exercising and I think a clean room would be a nice reward. Can't believe all the +#@! you accumulate in no time at all let alone during your drinking career. Thanks for the nudge. Not sure when but I am making a to do list and a clean house will be there~~~ugh and then there's the garage~~~~I"ll leave that for the spring....

[KatieB]

Is your house clean or dirty?

Yes, so true.. I feel much happier when my life (and home) are in order.. my house is spotless at the moment, I gave it a good clean yesterday whilst my son was with his father.. its the only chance I get to do it properly!
The state of your house definately reflects the state of your mind..
K

[hippie37]

Is your house clean or dirty?

I'm of the belief that there is order in chaos. I think tidiness is a state of mind which will reflect in our daily lives and our surroundings. I guess I'm battling with my perfectionism too in thinking that everything has it's place and must be tidy. So instead I prefer to have manageability within the disorder of my home. I like a home that looks lived in rather than a show home. I have too much clutter admittedly at present but circumstances beyond my control means I have to accept that....and I do.

On the other hand I could just be too damn lazy to bother tidying up because I think it's a waste of time and effort. Far more important things to be doing than spending hours a day making things 'spic and span'!!

[OverIt2007]

Is your house clean or dirty?

Hippie,

If you have lots of sober time, and your house is still a disaster, then thats not a bad thing. It just means your a slob, and thats ok!!! At least your not a drunk slob! :H:H:H

[Hypernova]

Is your house clean or dirty?

I guess when you are drinking you are unaware of many things around you. I for one am very disordered and untidy but not dirty. I know that the more I simplify my life the more free I feel. The question of the thread is valid. If your life is in order than your house will be also. Order is good and I think the mind seeks it. I know myself when things are chaotic I am tense and uncomfortable. Order allows me to relax and gives my spirit freedom. My first step was and still is to be AF. An uncluttered life is what I want. Thanks for the question overit.

As Thoreau said ~~ "Simplify, Simplify."

[OverIt2007]

Is your house clean or dirty?

You will get there HyperNova!


With me just having a few true sober days behind me, I am beginning to realize that sober life, certainly does not mean its going to be a perfect life. The initial euphoria is calming down now, but I certainly do not want to go back to the way things were. Life is not manageable waking up with a hangover and starting the day with self loathing at the first waking moment. I've had so many of those mornings.

Its been said before, now I can live life on lifes terms. That sounds pretty good to me~