Fridays always seem to put me in a nesting mood in my home. I like to make sure that the house is all ready for the weekend. Maybe it is knowing that chaos generally ensues on Saturdays and Sundays, with errands, household improvements and lots of play time. Maybe it is the thought that the house should be ready for company, should any stop by. Or maybe it is just the thought of everyone being home for the weekend and wanting it all to feel clean and cozy, with all of the ducks in a row.
Whatever the reason, I find that I have a special energy or motivation on Fridays when it comes to my home. I like to straight up the clutter that has snuck in on my desk during the week, throw in an extra load of laundry, straighten the kids rooms, dust the tops of doorways, etc. Of course, I never feel like I’ve gotten everything done, but I do feel a sense of accomplishment with what does get done.
So why the term “redding up?” It is a saying that many of the Amish folks who live in the area say. When you “red up” a room, it generally means that the room is clean, organized and ready to go. I like the term because, being a modern person, it sounds so quaint and homey. It reminds me that I don’t do housework because I am some sort of slave to my home, but because it is the one place where we are completely and utterly accepted; the place where we belong; the place where we can shut out most of the world, if we want to do so; and the place where we can welcome our friends. So, the household chores are acts of love we use to create our space to suit us.
So, to be honest, this feeling doesn’t carry over for the whole week, and I am by no means in love with housework. But on Fridays, I turn some jazzy music on, hand the kids a broom or a cloth, and we dance our way through the chores.
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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