A camera, bright morning sunlight, my favorite pieces of pottery. Sounds lovely, doesn’t it?
It is.
But it also reveals how desperately in need of a good washing and dusting these pieces are.
My goodness.
Ahem. I’m embarrassed.
As a certified pottery loving lunatic, I have pieces everywhere here at the cottage. Some are behind glass doors and are spared the indignity of dust and grime. Many, however, are on countertops or the piano or the coffee table or on top of the kitchen cupboards.
The ones on top of the kitchen cupboards? I don’t even want to look.
I deliberately haven’t shown you the worst examples. I have some pride.
It’s time for a good cleaning.
Do you regularly clean and dust all the china or pottery that you have on display? Are you a meticulous housekeeper?
Or are you like me; someone who likes to see everything displayed prettily but seems to lack a bit of consistency on the cleaning end of things? I just might be missing the Meticulous Housekeeper Gene.
Do tell!
Happy Tuesday.
I’m in your camp. Still can’t find a good system to make sure things get cleaned on a regular basis, even though I feel better when they are. Plus I hate dusting and vacuuming.
A meticulous housekeeper? It’s a good thing you’re not likely to drop by unexpectedly for a glass of lemonade, Claudia. Today, I reestablish order! I really do feel better when things are looking more pulled together; there seems to be a one-to-one correspondence there.
I hope you and yours are having a good day.
-Karen
Ainda não descobri como ser uma boa dona de casa. A minha comida é gostosa, mas tirar o pó e limpar coisinhas miúdas me tiram do sério. Eu não gosto mesmo! Um ótimo dia pra você também.
Zilda
Well really Claudia, that one has sat so long something has laid an egg in it.LOL I have cleaned for so many years…I really have to make myself do it any more. I hate it !!!! I have many other things I would rather do. My daughters helped when they lived with me…but dang, Ted Bear rarely does. I said “I thought when I retired , I would have a maid. Not become one !” Smiles, Susie
Ask me how much I hate dusting.
I don’t dust, honey! I hate it. Well, maybe every 6 months I’ll do it. BUT my floors and carpet have to be clean as I love being barefoot. Kitchen has to be meticulous. HAS to be. Bed made. Clean baths. Just dust that doesn’t bother me.
xoxo,
Connie
I think dust adds character to pottery…..yeah, that’s right….character.
Nope not me, I do get kooky once in a while and clean everything in sight, but with two kids and a dog who seems to shed constantly it is hard to keep up. Thanks for showing your pictures.
Blessings, Joanne
My husband says I’m a good “surface” cleaner – meaning I will dust AROUND everything, but heaven forbid I move anything. LOL! They are NOT going to write “She was a good housekeeper” on my gravestone.
I’m definitely missing the neatness gene, when it comes to dust! I hate dusting. I have many collectibles sitting around in dust. Just adds to the vintage feel;-)
nancyr
I figure if it’s OLD dust, leave it be ~ it adds charm. Loved the peek at your pottery.
Beautiful photos, Claudia! No meticulous housekeeper here…I figure that’s why we lose our close-up vision as we get older…we can’t see the wrinkles or dust anymore lol!
Love that pottery! Is some of it McCoy? I used to be a meticulous housekeeper, but with my grown daughter and her 5 year old son living here, I have to let things go, or go crazy!!!
XO Kris
That ‘Gene’ never darkened my door I’m afraid! I have some pottery and it is all dirty! I fact I’m determined to get my home less ‘hoarder’ looking this summer. Maybe then I’ll clean more?? Naw! Hugs, Linda
My solution was to give up most of my collections that accumulate dust. I once had china, pottery and assorted bric-a-brac on top of my cupboards, on shelves, and everywhere else. When the dust and fuzz got to be too much for me, it would all get a good bath in the dishwasher. Most of the collection has been retired as I simplify and downsize, but my favorite pieces are in a glass-doored china cupboard. I can’t let my surroundings get TOO simple, after all.
If you are missing the Meticulous Housekeeping gene, God only knows what I’m missing! Loved the photos – everything looks spic and span to me!… Donna
I love your McCoy pieces, Claudia. They are pretty, dusted or not..
I try to keep my house clean and straight, especially if I know someone is coming to visit..
Dusting is one of my “pet peeves”. I don’t mind vaccuming, but dusting takes too much time..
Besides that, it makes me sneeze to dust. !
Enjoy your day.
Charlotte
Am I a meticulous housekeeper? ME? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Thanks Claudia, for the first good laugh of the day! Have you even SEEN my house?
Your pottery is lovely! Just tell people: “That’s not dust, that’s PATINA”!
I am nutty about clean floors but NOT about dusting.
Good grief no..I may dust the stuff I can reach but I have antique copper stuff on top of my kitchen cabinets that get brought down every 5 years or so..They are always greasy and I don’t cook..I have to really be hard up for something to do and fortunately, I’m not…
I have a small canister vacuum that I attack a lot of things with and the small soft brush attachment. Of course, the really fragile things you have to do by hand, which don’t get done that much. The thing I hate the most is cleaning the wooden blinds! I love your pottery, the green is so beautiful. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Funny thing is that I am a housekeeper in a hospital! There I am a fanatic about getting everything clean. Some people say I am anal! lol. If only they knew what I am like at home! My husband does most of the housework. 100% at work, lazy at home.
I love your pottery! There are some very beautiful pieces there!
I WAS a meticulous housekeeper once upon a time – in the ’60’s I even polished ash trays, yuck! During the 70’s – ’90’s I was pretty good about keeping down the dust, but this past decade has found me lax because life is going by faster and I have more exciting things to do than constantly clean house. I do love a clean house and it must always be picked up and organized, however dusting every little nick-knack weekly doesn’t happen because I’m gone a lot…………and I’d rather spend time gardening when home.
Your dust is patina just like mine……….vintage needs a bit of that to soften it and makes the colors blur……………..oops, looking at my Ball jars and notice their shoulders are looking very dusty, so must run and grab a dust rag!!!
Hugs -Mary
Huh! dust is the least of my worries. I’ve let things go around here for almost 3 years now…Clutter is my last stand. Dust NO.
In fact– my motto on dust is just this…
“YOU CAN LOOK AT MY DUST; JUST DON’T WRITE YOUR NAME IN IT!”
I should probably make a sign and put it in a prominent place—don’t want it getting lost amongst the clutter!
I must say– it’s been interesting read these comments. I had you and most of the ladies here pegged as NEAT-NICKS…
enjoyed it, Pat
I like to dust every week but sometimes I’ll go two weeks, especially in the summer when the heat waves strike. I vacuum every week and certain spots every day, like around the dining room table and certain spots in the hallway. I sweep the kitchen floor after every meal and the hallway and bathroom floors once a day. I just seem to feel better if it’s dust free.
That dust? If you hadn’t said I wouldn’t have noticed. You have such pretty pieces :D
I can be very OCD about cleaning, but I am blind to those hard to reach places! Like on top of cabinets and hutches, ceiling fans…anything I can’t reach without a chair or ladder! Is once a year too little?
XO,
Jane
I admit I’m a horrible housekeeper, hate to dust or mop. But I have it on very good authority from a friend who is an antiques dealer (with a Phd.) that dust is a protective covering that should be left in place. It gives everything character.
Oh Claudia – I think we were separated at birth! I found a solution to missing the clean gene – I hired a cleaning lady – every 2 weeks – The thirty dollars is worth it!! There’s a lot of things I would give up to have that money for Lore. She’s a miracle – 2 hours and my house is clean. J
I truly do try to keep everything neat and organized and clean. But between my full time job and the overabundance of dust here in this state, my house is not meticulous. I really do try, but…
Your pottery pieces are all gorgeous!! I love that aqua color!
I cleaned the shelves with the spices yesterday. :-) And I am very pleased, all shiny and beautiful!
Claudia,
LOVE the pottery…..one of my obsessions as well! In my old house, I had a sign right at my front door that said “Martha doesn’t live here” and it’s soooooo true! I abhor housework but it does sometimes become too much and know I have to give it a lick and a promise!
Im in your camp.. Unfortunately I think Im missing the same gene!
Robyn :)