Cleanliness is next to Godliness...or is it?

Okay, so since I can't seem to find a decent job in this place, I've been pretty bummed lately. Believe it or not, I actually like to work. Of course I'd prefer to pick what I want to do, but working hard and staying busy is definitely good for my sanity and self-worth. Anyhow, one of my neighbors manages some apartments just down the street from my condo, and she knows I've been looking for work. So she approached me one day last week and asked if I was interested in cleaning apartments after tenants -- mostly BYU-Idaho students -- move out. For those of you who don't know, Rexburg Idaho has exploded into a booming college town. There are now three semesters, which means a constant flow of students in and out of the town. Since I can't really justify being picky about earning a little cash, I graciously accepted her offer. So last week I cleaned four apartments, today I cleaned two, and Monday I'll have two more. I'll only be doing this through August when the new semester gets underway, but it's something to help pass the time, earn some money and put my mad cleaning skills to the test. :) I get paid $20/hr to clean up after others. While that's good money, keep in mind that A) it's only part-time (occasional, temporary) work, and B) people are pigs! This brings me to my real topic...

What are your standards for cleanliness? Considering that I worked for a cleaning company from ages 16-20 and the fact that my mom owns her own cleaning company now, I suppose I may be pickier than some people. Take for instance dirty dishes. If you come to my home, you will likely NEVER see a dirty dish. Why, you ask? Well this one I can blame on my mom...She has always been a stickler about cleaning up dishes immediately after meals. Growing up, I remember mom practically whisking our dinner plates away before we were even done eating. She could never tolerate seeing dirty dishes just sitting in the sink or on the counter. To this day, I am the same way. I do actually let Eric finish his dinner before I steal his plate and utensils away, but trust me...I sit there watching him like a hawk to ensure I don't allow those dishes to sit more than a few mere seconds. Anal, you say? Yep, I admit it. I may be a little over the top on this issue, but hey, it's something I take pride in, and my mom would be quite proud too! :) To add to the weirdness factor, I should also tell you that we have a dishwasher, but I almost never use it. To me, it seems like a waste, unless I'm entertaining a lot of people. Considering you're supposed to clean your dishes off before loading the dishwasher, I don't see the point in washing them off to put them in an appliance that takes five times longer to clean them than doing it myself. Call me crazy, but that's my perspective. Okay so I told you about my strange obsession with dirty dishes. Next let's talk bathrooms. How often do YOU think a bathroom should be cleaned? For me, one good cleaning a week is sufficient, but I do wipe everything down almost daily. My best friend Michelle is definitely more anal about this...She cleans hers every single day. And I'm guessing other folks are the other extreme and don't even clean theirs once a week. Would that gross you out? Or do you think that life is too short to spend so much time on mundane tasks such as cleaning? There's no right or wrong answer here...I just wanted to see what you think. I started thinking about all of this as I was scrubbing a very dirty -- actually nasty -- apartment this morning. To me, I can't comprehend how someone could move out of a place and not bother to clean anything. They know they'll be charged cleaning fees if it's not tidy when they leave, but some people just don't seem to care. I guess what I'm wondering is how much is it worth to you to leave your place a mess and have someone else come in to clean it? Most of the apartments are somewhat clean, but one of them today was just plain gross. I would honestly be ashamed to let someone else see it in that condition. But I guess that just means my standards are generally higher in regards to cleanliness. Let me ask you another question...Whether you're a Christian or of another religion, do your religious beliefs affect your standards or values about cleaning? Does the way you keep and present your home reflect on you as a person? Or is it just not important? I personally feel that the way I keep my home does reflect on me and my values, but I don't expect everyone to feel the same way. Providing that you don't allow families of cockroaches to live throughout your home, I respect that cleaning habits are a personal choice, and I feel it's to each their own.

Disclaimer: If you haven't noticed by now, I'm very long-winded. I could honestly go on and on about this (and pretty much anything else!) forever, but for your sake, I'll stop now. If you have anything to add, feel free to leave a comment. I wish you a wonderful weekend!