Housekeeping 101

I've been reading "Inside the Victorian Home" by Judith Flanders, and have learned that Victorians were the ones who came up with the saying, "Cleanliness is Next to Godliness." That meant that homes had to be spotless, or one's moral reputation suffered--in fact, dirt imperiled the very soul! And who was responsible for cleaning? Yep, you got it.

But then I got to thinking that this wasn't so very new an idea. According to the principles of Feng Shui, spiritual balance is only achieved when the home or place of residence is clean and clutter free. Grimy windows will cloud your outlook on life. Toys and stuff on the floor create clutter, which causes stagnation and prevents you from moving toward your spiritual goals. All of which means--dirt imperils your very soul. And I don't know a great deal about Chinese history, but I'm guessing that Confucius didn't make his own bed. So who did all the work? Right again.

Mrs. Beeton, meet the ancient Chinese sage who developed Feng Shui. Her name is lost to history.

And yet--is there some truth to this? Why does it seem like my car runs better after it's been through the car wash? Do I work more efficiently when the files on desk and floor are stowed away neatly?

For an interesting insight into other people's work spaces and writing habits, visit Paige Cuccaro's site, www.paigecuccaro.com. She has this great section called The Writer's Cave, (it's just called "The Cave" in the navigation bar) with pages of writers' offices, dens, tables and nooks. There are a couple there that I'd love to have.

How about you? Do you like things neat and clean, or is a clean desk the sign of a disturbed mind?


Saralee