I strongly believe in the theory that how messy your mind is can be reflected in how messy your room is – and vice versa. However…I sometimes like when my room gets messy. 

Although it is annoying that it’s a mess and I don’t like the actual disorganization of it all, I like picking it up. 

When I pick up my room and clean it after it’s been pretty messy for a bit, it’s incredibly satisfying. And then, because I have been cleaning for a while, I am more motivated to vacuum my room, clean the countertops, and tidy up the bathroom. 

It takes me about a half an hour to get in “clean mode” and by then my room is almost done so I put that energy into making sure the rest of the house is clean, my laundry is done, my backpack is organized, and the dishes are put away. 

And I hate when someone tells me to clean my room because then I feel that it is not on my own schedule or when I feel like doing it. When someone tells me to clean, I then feel that it is not my own effort and I am not doing it for myself. 

When I clean my room I feel like I am cleaning out my soul, too. It’s very cathartic. I just turn on my music, merrily sing along, and get it done. I try to turn it into something I look forward to. 

I know, I sound like a pig, but it makes sense to me. And it’s not like I am making my room messy and then never picking it up! I am allowing it to get messy so that I can take time to be with myself and clean it up. 

That is one of the only times that I feel I am spending truly valuable time alone. Otherwise, if I’m just watching TV all day I don’t feel like I am doing anything productive…because I’m not. And I want to be able to clean my own space, for me. 

It’s nice to see and know the mess to then appreciate the joy and satisfaction I feel when it is finally clean. 

Sometimes you have to know the bad to appreciate the good.