One summer twenty one years ago, just a few weeks after I had given birth to our son, a vacuum cleaner sales guy stopped by. I was so tired that I didn’t have the energy to say I wasn’t interested so I invited him in for a demonstration. WOW! I had no idea a vacuum could clean so well, hahah. Was I just delirious from sleep deprivation? Maybe, but I was sold. I bought our Kirby vacuum that day.
I’ll never forget the look on my husband’s face when he saw what I had purchased for $1,000. I tried to justify it to him my reciting all of the bells and whistles, but he wasn’t convinced. Yet, he eventually fell in love with that vacuum and it became the standard by which we still judge every other vacuum. In fact, we STILL have that vacuum! I’d say it was worth every penny!
Recently my daughter Kylee came by to show me her fun cleaning tool, a steam mop. It reminded me of the day I saw our Kirby in action, although she wasn’t selling mops! Ha! She just wanted to show it to me because she loved it so much. I loved it, too! Before she even left, I ordered my own on the spot! Let me explain why!
Even though I’m obviously a sucker for a good cleaning tool, I’m NOT obsessed with cleaning or perfectionism. I like what I call a “clean enough” house. Our house is never perfect because we LIVE here, but a clean enough house makes life so much happier and less stressful for me! I don’t want to always be cleaning, so I try my best when I do a home remodel or invest in a decorating or furnishing purchase to make sure the choice will be easy enough to live with as possible.
Sometimes I’ll sacrifice ease of care a little for the look (I have a white slipcovered sofa, for example!) but I always weigh my decisions carefully as far as what lifestyle commitment comes with that choice. If I love it enough, and as long as it’s relatively doable to clean (like slipcovers), I will go ahead and get it.
