Whichever one you picked, you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.
The clean-to-chaos cycle is real
Picture this: you just finished cleaning.
The floors are swept. The surfaces sparkle. The room smells faintly of soap and warm air.
You stand in the doorway for a moment. Just looking.
It feels calm. Spacious. Like anything could happen here.
Then life starts unfolding.
A mug on the table. A sock kicked off under the couch. A project you left mid-way.
And slowly, without doing anything “wrong,” the space shifts.
From clean, to a little messy, to full-on lived in.
But that doesn’t mean you messed up.
That’s just your home being a home.
It holds your life—not just your laundry.
The 3 phases of every home
Clean
You’ve just tidied. The air feels lighter. The room feels full of possibility.
A little messy
There’s a sock on the floor. A mug in the sink. But it still feels like yours.
Fully lived-in
Backpacks on the floor. Meal prep mid-way. Laundry half-done.
It’s not broken—it’s just ready for a gentle reset.
Mess happens. That’s okay.
A messy home doesn’t mean you’ve failed.
It means you’re living in it. Using it. Loving in it.
And when you’re ready, the way back doesn’t have to be dramatic.
Start small. Ask yourself:
What’s one thing I can do to move this space back a phase?
• Wipe the table
• Clear one surface
• Fold the blanket
• Toss the trash
Tiny reset. Big shift.
Your home doesn’t need perfect. It just needs you.
Thank you . I need that encouragement to try again . Wish I did have this attitude too when I was raising rugby players , students and a free minded daughter ( too busy to clean !!)