Effort over achievement

stickywicket

After far too many years of RA, plus two small boys, I finally twigged that it was vital to measure effort rather than achievement. Especially for the ultra-boring, uber-repetitive household chores and especially when you are one female in a household of sporty, outdoor (ergo filthy) males.

Nowadays, there’s just the one male left but, as the arthritis has progressed, so have my sluttish ways. This morning I decided the fridge really had to be cleaned. Fumigated would have been a more apt description.

It’s a mere larder fridge but it has taken me an hour or more to perform the task. I freely confess that the kitchen paper I’d last used to line the very bottom shelf behind the door had a Christmas design on :oops: I’m pretty sure it wasn’t last Christmas that I did it :shock: :oops: That shelf is inaccessible to me except on my best days, as is the veg box at the bottom. I can pull the latter out sufficiently to access the veg, provided they go in there in a certain order of accessibility, but I can’t lift it out to clean it or the fridge floor underneath. And it showed.

So, after about ¾ hour of removing the fridge contents, pulling, shoving and scrubbing the other shelves, walls and salad box (The only bit I do clean regularly), re-lining the door compartments and drying and replacing stuff, I enlisted MR SW’s help. Now I know I should be grateful (a)that I can enlist his help (b)that he came immediately and (c)that he cleaned the muckiest part of the fridge to a sparkle in approximately two minutes flat. But I’m actually a bit miffed.

Unlike him, I'd put in a huge amount of effort. I know that because various bits of me are telling me off for it. But, without his small contribution, anyone looking in there would have noticed not my clean bits but the large section at the bottom where new antibiotics were developing.

My name is SW. I am an arthritic. And, right now, I’m a bit brassed off about it

lizzieuk1

Well done you for trying, I have to admit my mother regularly comes over and tells me our fridge is disgusting then proceeds to clean it as you say it is a big effort and truly I can't be bothered, bad enough doing the washing and dishwasher!
Mind you I have been to several of my 'able' friends whose fridges have looked decidedly grubby so don't be too disheartened!

Numptydumpty

Blimey Sticky, it's worn me out just reading what you've done! :shock:
I'm going for a nap now. :oops:

dreamdaisy

Ah, miffed-ness, I know that feeling well. Like you I have been indulging my domestic goddess side and have had a busy morning cleaning behind various bits of the sitting room that are usually ignored; you cannot see that they have been done (and he won't notice it's been done) but I'm narked that I had to obey my 'stop whilst you think you can do more' rule so that the 'glossy' bits still look murky. I did, however, manage to vacuum my table lamps shades - hurrah!

As for my fridge free-freezer well, least said the better. :oops: DD

villier

Phew!!!!! Sticky..............do you wanna come and do mine xx

stickywicket

Thanks, guys. I've got it out of my system now Normal dust and muck as of today. I do admit to a little smile of satisfaction whenever I open the fridge door though.

Numpty, I'm so sorry I exhausted you :roll: . Villier, I'm not setting up a business

mig

We could start a " dirty fridge "anonymous group.

I am a housewife and my fridge needs cleaning. Mig

frogmella

MIne too! I have been asking Mr F to help me for months - I can't empty it because of all the bending/straightening that is needed. Once emptied I could probably clean it because once I'm down I will be OK!! To be fair, we haven't died yet!

Well done to you SW. I think you might have shamed me into finding a way to do mine now. :oops:

mari50

I am glad you have got over your fridge problem. I have the same problem with cleaning but have no Mr S to help me but maybe with a Mr S the fridge could be in a worse state than it is now. At the moment I am using the inability to open my cooler drawer because of all the veg as an excuse not to clean my 'favourite' appliance. My son is at fault there cos he is the one to do the shopping for me. When I used to take something off the shelves in the supermarket the other products fall on the floor either in protest because I havn't picked them or else they do not want their friend to leave them. My excuse!!!!!!!! I will get the cooler drawer sorted one day so I don't blame anyone for leaving the fridge go. I wonder if someone could invent a self cleaning one.

dreamdaisy

I think we all have self-cleaning fridges, i.e. we clean them ourselves.

When our old fridge-freezer went a few years ago I insisted on having an auto-defrost combo and it's one of the better decisions of my life. The upper part (being the fridge) is easy to reach and the three freezer drawers underneath take care of themselves. Bliss.

I'm not sure what's gotten into me - today I went round and dusted the insides of all the windows, including the harder-to-reach ones. Crikey. :shock: The words 'punishment' and 'glutton' spring to mind. DD

dachshund

Hello Sticky and DD
and anyone else i think you have all done good and you need a round of aplause
take care
joan xx

stickywicket

mig wrote:

We could start a " dirty fridge "anonymous group. Mig

Great idea, mig. Utterly cr*p timing

dreamdaisy wrote:

I'm not sure what's gotten into me - today I went round and dusted the insides of all the windows, including the harder-to-reach ones. Crikey. :shock: The words 'punishment' and 'glutton' spring to mind. DD

:shock: Have you thought of having a pregnancy test

dreamdaisy

No. Should I? :? DD

Boomer13

I'm jealous SW. I dread the after-effects of cleaning anything at all. I buried my "domestic goddess" a few years ago. Now I provide a kind and loving home to dust bunnies and others. What lurks in my fridge? I have to close the door quick so I don't get a good look at the biology experiment going on there!!

Living with messy males is indeed a challenge. Mine does try, but he thinks cleaning is not worth the effort mostly. Clean house? RIP.

I've been meaning to ask how this aspect of life is for everyone. Now I know and I feel better! 8)

Anna

Susiesoo

Well Sticky, you shamed me into action ...I asked OH to pull drawer out of fridge tonight. It's now waiting for me to tackle it tomorrow! Of course, it's nothing to do with chef son who is coming home for a few days. Every kitchen nook and cranny will be inspected! And I think I'm quite clean. I love him dearly, but hate cooking for a chef. I can find no inspiration when I know he can do so much better. I'd better go and get my new kettle out of its' box!!

Susie

villier

Well done Sticky, you must be well pleased with yourself.........business!! who said anything about that, I thought for forum buddies :oops: xx

maria09

Hi Sticky
The only way I can clean the fridge as I can't kneel down is by sitting on the floor! Washing bowl next to me
Then the problem I have is getting back up off the floor :!:
Good job there's no cameras around it would make great viewing but totally embarrassing for me
Maria

stickywicket

The only way I can get down on the floor is by falling Hence Mr SW's surprise at finding me sitting on the drive last week :roll:

villier - not even for friends

Buka

This thread caused me to look in my fridge today. It would not have been out of place on Gordon's kitchen nightmares. He would have shut me down on the spot! So there and then I made a decision...... I shut it again.

Buka