The Shelter (in place) of Home
We're living in very strange and scary times. The rapid spread of COVID-19 has many of us (though still not enough, I'm afraid) staying at home as much as possible.
My husband and I started social distancing over a week ago, well before most people in Miami did. He’s in a high-risk group, and I am fully aware that every time I venture out, I am “bringing back home” all of the people I come into contact with and might be positive without knowing it.
Today’s the 24th. It’s been 11 days. And it’s not easy! I love my home, but I had to admit that being cooped up is getting to me, big time.
My team and I have been working from home, and our workload has decreased substantially I find myself in make-work mode. I’ve cleaned out my closets, organized my pantry and refrigerator, mopped my floors daily (used to be twice a week), and am doing many more laundry loads than necessary. Organizing and cleaning gives me a sense of accomplishment, so it has helped me manage the stress of this scary and uncertain moment we’re living.
As I spend (too) much time at home, I also find myself obsessing about every small thing. From stuff that my husband does or says he’ll do and can’t seem to get to, to the little defects in my apartment that I have been ignoring and have simply fallen to the wayside. They’re minor, but they’ve come into full focus, and they’re really getting on my nerves!
The small patch of cracked paint on the ceiling in the guest room (now my WFH office).
The grease stain on the ceiling above my range, that no matter how much elbow grease I put into it will not get clean because what it really needs is priming and painting.
The stark white wafer lamps we recently installed in the kitchen, which we need to replace with softer lighting so that it looks more like the rest of the lighting in our “great room” and less like an operating room.
The shower heads and faucets that are clogged with mineral deposits and need descaling, or just need to be replaced...
And so on. We ALL have lists like this.
DREAM A LITTLE DREAM WITH ME.
So here's an idea to consider: instead of getting frustrated about the current state of your apartment, channel that energy into something positive. Let’s dream of what we’ll do once the crisis is over. Let’s take all of that anxiety and nervousness and make a plan that we can execute when things get back to normal. Do some on-line research. Get some more ideas. Think about how you’ll be able to tackle all of your projects, and maybe even dream up a few more. Share your plan with a few neighbors (virtually!). You can always share a contractor later and bring your dream to life when the crisis is over.
So let’s dream on… together. We’ll get our home projects done soon enough!
Please Stay Safe!
As I spend (too) much time at home, I find myself obsessing about every small thing. From stuff that my husband does or says he’ll do and can’t seem to get to, to the little defects in my apartment that I have been ignoring and have simply fallen to the wayside. They’re minor, but they’ve come into full focus, and they’re really getting on my nerves!