I love having a clean living area, but I also like having my own space where I can do my thing. If I'm writing a lot, then I like my environment to be the one that I've built up during the process of the work, you know? I cannot abide a cluttered or dirty kitchen though. Bedroom, desk, sure. Kitchen and bathroom? Nuh-uh. When I was in college, I would usually wait to see if there was someone (usually homeless) who regularly collected bottles for the deposits. Then, I'd introduce myself and make an agreement that they could have the empties. A couple of apartments full of college guys can make sure someone has enough money to get a meal or stay warm pretty easily.
There's a big difference between tidiness and cleanliness. I can have a bit of a messy place - books out, papers, out, pile of semi-dirty clothes on the chair, etc. But hair and toothpaste on the mirror and dirty dishes or sauce on the counter - nope. My parents house since my brother and I have moved out has become so immaculate it doesn't feel lived in anymore. I opened some leftovers and some condensation dripped onto the counter and I had to go and get a paper towel to wipe it up because it seemed so out of place.
Yes, exactly. But, the two often go hand-in-hand, in both directions. I once read that "neat freaks" or, people who care more about clutter than cleanliness, tend to spend more time organizing and re-organizing than is worth the effort, if the space is used regularly. I wonder if it's true, or just something I latched on to, to justify the way I like things.There's a big difference between tidiness and cleanliness.