Cleaning, Italian Style
Saturday being the cleaning day does not work in Italy, where I live. People like to enjoy life, laugh, enjoy to argue (its part of the fun of being in Italy. Seriously, it is expected for you to disagree. It's not offensive.) They like to travel, and eat good food with their family on Saturday. The mentality is to protect your life, and then enjoy it and that gets translated into almost every aspect of life. Presenting yourself well is very important here. But not only here, even in the rest of the world. Virgina Woolf even stated, "Vain trifles as they seem, clothes have, they say, more important offices than to merely keep us warm. They change our view of the world and the world's view of us." Maybe that is why Italians are known in the world for their fashion, beautiful homes "villas", and food. They pay attention to the quality and presentation of almost everything. And a clean house is really a luxury that has little cost attached to it. In the book Les Miserables there was a Catholic bishop who demanded to live with a simple lifestyle, but his sister and maid lived there too. I like the part in the book where he explains, "This small dwelling, which was attended to by the two women, was exquisitely clean from top to bottom. This was the sole luxury which the Bishop permitted."
I started to notice some things about Italian women as soon as I got here. Mind you, these are my generalizations as an American, outsider and also in the region of Lombardia. By that I mean things might be different in Tuscany but not by much. It's like comparing Northern California to South Carolina: both have lovely beaches, their own dialect, and the people are seen as one big group of Americans if they leave the country. I would be careful to drop a "ya'll" in Cali or refer to someone as a "dude" in SC. But...some South Carolinan dudes are rather gnarly.
Anyways, my generalizations about the women here, in my neighborhood to be more specific, is that they:
1. Look great any time they leave the house: hair done, shoes polished, classic styles of well made and ironed clothes, perfectly matching purses and clean beautiful loud kids. One thing I noticed though is that Italian women, where I live, don't wear much if any make up. The majority of women who do wear make up are over the age of 60 so it is ok, they are not looking for trouble. In the US I wore it everyday, was glad to have gotten a good hand at making my eyes look "smokey" and spent way too much money on good lip gloss. Why? people treat you better in the US if you have make up on. It is terrible, but true. Here, in my little town, I got dirty looks for walking around with dangly earrings and shiny lipstick. So I cut it out and people relaxed. I should write a blog on where it is acceptable to wear dangly earrings and make up, and what the "married woman's" dress code is. There is one. And there is also a way to walk to avoid the men's comments. I finally got the married woman's walk and look under my belt, it is almost a psychological thing, and am no longer pestered by the men. When I first got here I was caught like a deer in headlights in a little street where two retired men stepped in front of me, held my hands and asked me to have coffee with them. They were so little, wrinkled and cute, but seductively demanding. How do you respect the elderly when they are harassing you? Blank expression. My Italian was terrible and I wanted to be polite, they were ancient, after all. Thank the lord that an older lady passing grabbed my hand and pulled me out of it, strongly reprimanding the giggling old guys and told me to not look stupid and keep walking. Older Italian women know how to look beautiful and have a soul of iron. They know the deal and probably manage the world without anyone knowing. Chicago, New York City, and Las Vegas were all discussed in the kitchens of Italian grandmothers before they were built. All those men in Parliament? They are just the wingman of their wives who run the show.
2. They clean, a lot: I thought it was just one neighbor washing her windows, then another one came out and started beating a rug, then her neighbor started hanging clothes on the line. Before you know it I was the only one sitting outside relaxing in my sweatpants and sipping my American coffee (it is like drinking a bucket of water in comparison to the fast and efficient tiny cups of espresso). I watched them curiously every morning as they did the same things. Wow, these chicks are no joke. Then I noticed that it isn't just my street addicted to cleaning, it is Italy. On the TV they tell people not to clean too much, what cleaning products can do to you but they also have shows counseling people on how to better clean things to avoid infections and to keep their house in good condition.
I picked up a couple Italian ways of managing my life and blended them with my old college habits of cleaning that I already had. In college, the first class I took was on time management. My professor taught us sleepy students to do one thing a day for our homes. That was 10 years ago and I still do the same thing every week, but with a few added Italianisms. With this I am glad to enjoy time off on the weekends. I don't have any kids yet so I realize that with some babies in the picture my energy would be lower. But if some of these Italian women can look good, have clean houses and beautiful loud kids, I hope to do the same.
Additionally, cleaning is relaxing. If you have something on your mind that is troubling or that you need to contemplate take your cleaning supplies with you to the bathroom and mull it over while you clean. You will walk out with some idea of a solution. Spas and shopping centers would loose retail therapy customers if they knew that cleaning the dustbunnies out of the house helps clear the dustbunnies out of the brain. It is a way to take out the old and make room for new things in life. Shopping when you are stressed just brings in more things to take care of, and really just throws money in the garbage can. Resist! Clean under your bed and resist! For sure, if you are like me, you already have more than you need. Take care of it and then enjoy it.
Here we go, this is what I do each week:
1. Monday: Laundry. I wash all dirty clothes on Monday. The laundry machines here are small and take 2 hours to wash so things get really clean. If there is anything delicate, it gets handwashed. Line dry all things that you particularly like: favorite jeans, sweaters, gloves. If it is cold outside, set up the line drier in the house, like in the tub. Ikea sells great folding line hangers for like 10 dollars, they take very little space. It is a good way to ensure longevity to your clothes. Italians also have a concept of buying good quality things, paying good money for them and taking care of them for years. Getting the 10 euro sweater on sale is looked on with suspicion. People look at the seams, check what the material is made of and prefer to pay 50 euros to have good quality, not made in China, that looks new for 5 years. They take care of it, like the mentality to protect and enjoy. Laundry is carefully washed and cared for.
2. Tuesday: Iron. I am impressed by Italian irons. They are big heavy duty things that cost a pretty penny. We use distilled water in the iron to keep it in good condition. Regular tap water has chemicals that corrode the tubes inside the iron. I like to use starch for shirts too and often iron "dry clean only" things. Heck, I even ironed my wedding dress the night before the wedding. My mom helped me and it is the most memorable thing I've ironed.
3.Wednesday: Kitchen and living room: So not all the textiles get washed on Monday. Kitchen things get washed separately on Wednesday. All kitchen towels, and table cloths. That's another thing: Italian families eat at the table with table cloths. Food is important from how it is grown, to cooking it to enjoying it as a family. I love tablecloths, aprons and kitchen towels and having them clean makes me happy. It is a small load to wash while I dust the living room that takes all of 10 minutes and clean the kitchen. There are some things in the kitchen that get done everyday, almost as soon as they are dirty to avoid cleaning them later. The dishes go in the dishwasher and the stove gets a quick scrub down after cooking. It just keeps things hygienic: protect then enjoy, right?
4. Thursday:Bathroom and bedrooms. Monday - Wednesday things take less time. Thursday and Friday takes more time. Thursday I wash all towels and sheets while cleaning the bathroom. The laundry part is fast and easy, everything is a square to fold and put away. I usually put the toilet cleaner in the toilets first and let it sit there and think while I clean the rest of the bathrooms: take everything off the sinks, wash the soap holders, wash the mirrors, the sinks, the shower, and dust the bedroom. Then put everything back. Wash the toilet, the bidet then sweep and mop the bathroom and the bedroom. Done! (exclaimed like a bingo winner) I am an interrogative cleaner and cook and usually can't hold myself back from asking if it smells lemony fresh or it if tastes amazing. With a huge grin on my face I demand "Can you tell a difference?!" I usually get a sarcastic reply "Yes, yes the sink is sparkling. Is it new? Covered in diamonds?" I saw that roll of the eyes! Whatever, I am a catch.
5. Friday: floors It is simple: sweep then mop. It just takes time. Sweep under the things that collect dust then fill the bucket with hot water, some sort of cleaning floor product and go for it. Make sure you end moping in an area where you can escape without walking on the wet floor. Or mop wearing work out clothes and mop your way to the door, grab the keys and go for a walk around the block. Look at you, what a champion!
Praise, that is another thing. It is all American and not so Italian (which happens to be more critical) but I love to praise myself. It helps me stay motivated and is funny at the same time. Some might call it crazy but I call it being awesome. Garage organized? You are amazing girl! Fridge clean? It's so nice I might move in myself! Boots polished? Milan runways ain't got nothing this! Check out this catwalk! Did your man just clean something or cook? Clap like a happy seal, be impressed and he will do it again. Praise is just a better option than grumbling about why things get dirty in the first place. We are mammals, not machines and filth is just a part of life. Having a clean house just helps from feeling overwhelmed with the inevitable types of filth in life. Try it out for a week and discover your inner Italian domestic diva or Italian beast (if you're a guy). (Dudes in Italy chip in to help, the mammas taught them well.) So there you have it: My Italian college way of cleaning house and being fabulous.
I started to notice some things about Italian women as soon as I got here. Mind you, these are my generalizations as an American, outsider and also in the region of Lombardia. By that I mean things might be different in Tuscany but not by much. It's like comparing Northern California to South Carolina: both have lovely beaches, their own dialect, and the people are seen as one big group of Americans if they leave the country. I would be careful to drop a "ya'll" in Cali or refer to someone as a "dude" in SC. But...some South Carolinan dudes are rather gnarly.
Anyways, my generalizations about the women here, in my neighborhood to be more specific, is that they:
1. Look great any time they leave the house: hair done, shoes polished, classic styles of well made and ironed clothes, perfectly matching purses and clean beautiful loud kids. One thing I noticed though is that Italian women, where I live, don't wear much if any make up. The majority of women who do wear make up are over the age of 60 so it is ok, they are not looking for trouble. In the US I wore it everyday, was glad to have gotten a good hand at making my eyes look "smokey" and spent way too much money on good lip gloss. Why? people treat you better in the US if you have make up on. It is terrible, but true. Here, in my little town, I got dirty looks for walking around with dangly earrings and shiny lipstick. So I cut it out and people relaxed. I should write a blog on where it is acceptable to wear dangly earrings and make up, and what the "married woman's" dress code is. There is one. And there is also a way to walk to avoid the men's comments. I finally got the married woman's walk and look under my belt, it is almost a psychological thing, and am no longer pestered by the men. When I first got here I was caught like a deer in headlights in a little street where two retired men stepped in front of me, held my hands and asked me to have coffee with them. They were so little, wrinkled and cute, but seductively demanding. How do you respect the elderly when they are harassing you? Blank expression. My Italian was terrible and I wanted to be polite, they were ancient, after all. Thank the lord that an older lady passing grabbed my hand and pulled me out of it, strongly reprimanding the giggling old guys and told me to not look stupid and keep walking. Older Italian women know how to look beautiful and have a soul of iron. They know the deal and probably manage the world without anyone knowing. Chicago, New York City, and Las Vegas were all discussed in the kitchens of Italian grandmothers before they were built. All those men in Parliament? They are just the wingman of their wives who run the show.
2. They clean, a lot: I thought it was just one neighbor washing her windows, then another one came out and started beating a rug, then her neighbor started hanging clothes on the line. Before you know it I was the only one sitting outside relaxing in my sweatpants and sipping my American coffee (it is like drinking a bucket of water in comparison to the fast and efficient tiny cups of espresso). I watched them curiously every morning as they did the same things. Wow, these chicks are no joke. Then I noticed that it isn't just my street addicted to cleaning, it is Italy. On the TV they tell people not to clean too much, what cleaning products can do to you but they also have shows counseling people on how to better clean things to avoid infections and to keep their house in good condition.
I picked up a couple Italian ways of managing my life and blended them with my old college habits of cleaning that I already had. In college, the first class I took was on time management. My professor taught us sleepy students to do one thing a day for our homes. That was 10 years ago and I still do the same thing every week, but with a few added Italianisms. With this I am glad to enjoy time off on the weekends. I don't have any kids yet so I realize that with some babies in the picture my energy would be lower. But if some of these Italian women can look good, have clean houses and beautiful loud kids, I hope to do the same.
Additionally, cleaning is relaxing. If you have something on your mind that is troubling or that you need to contemplate take your cleaning supplies with you to the bathroom and mull it over while you clean. You will walk out with some idea of a solution. Spas and shopping centers would loose retail therapy customers if they knew that cleaning the dustbunnies out of the house helps clear the dustbunnies out of the brain. It is a way to take out the old and make room for new things in life. Shopping when you are stressed just brings in more things to take care of, and really just throws money in the garbage can. Resist! Clean under your bed and resist! For sure, if you are like me, you already have more than you need. Take care of it and then enjoy it.
Here we go, this is what I do each week:
1. Monday: Laundry. I wash all dirty clothes on Monday. The laundry machines here are small and take 2 hours to wash so things get really clean. If there is anything delicate, it gets handwashed. Line dry all things that you particularly like: favorite jeans, sweaters, gloves. If it is cold outside, set up the line drier in the house, like in the tub. Ikea sells great folding line hangers for like 10 dollars, they take very little space. It is a good way to ensure longevity to your clothes. Italians also have a concept of buying good quality things, paying good money for them and taking care of them for years. Getting the 10 euro sweater on sale is looked on with suspicion. People look at the seams, check what the material is made of and prefer to pay 50 euros to have good quality, not made in China, that looks new for 5 years. They take care of it, like the mentality to protect and enjoy. Laundry is carefully washed and cared for.
2. Tuesday: Iron. I am impressed by Italian irons. They are big heavy duty things that cost a pretty penny. We use distilled water in the iron to keep it in good condition. Regular tap water has chemicals that corrode the tubes inside the iron. I like to use starch for shirts too and often iron "dry clean only" things. Heck, I even ironed my wedding dress the night before the wedding. My mom helped me and it is the most memorable thing I've ironed.
3.Wednesday: Kitchen and living room: So not all the textiles get washed on Monday. Kitchen things get washed separately on Wednesday. All kitchen towels, and table cloths. That's another thing: Italian families eat at the table with table cloths. Food is important from how it is grown, to cooking it to enjoying it as a family. I love tablecloths, aprons and kitchen towels and having them clean makes me happy. It is a small load to wash while I dust the living room that takes all of 10 minutes and clean the kitchen. There are some things in the kitchen that get done everyday, almost as soon as they are dirty to avoid cleaning them later. The dishes go in the dishwasher and the stove gets a quick scrub down after cooking. It just keeps things hygienic: protect then enjoy, right?
4. Thursday:Bathroom and bedrooms. Monday - Wednesday things take less time. Thursday and Friday takes more time. Thursday I wash all towels and sheets while cleaning the bathroom. The laundry part is fast and easy, everything is a square to fold and put away. I usually put the toilet cleaner in the toilets first and let it sit there and think while I clean the rest of the bathrooms: take everything off the sinks, wash the soap holders, wash the mirrors, the sinks, the shower, and dust the bedroom. Then put everything back. Wash the toilet, the bidet then sweep and mop the bathroom and the bedroom. Done! (exclaimed like a bingo winner) I am an interrogative cleaner and cook and usually can't hold myself back from asking if it smells lemony fresh or it if tastes amazing. With a huge grin on my face I demand "Can you tell a difference?!" I usually get a sarcastic reply "Yes, yes the sink is sparkling. Is it new? Covered in diamonds?" I saw that roll of the eyes! Whatever, I am a catch.
5. Friday: floors It is simple: sweep then mop. It just takes time. Sweep under the things that collect dust then fill the bucket with hot water, some sort of cleaning floor product and go for it. Make sure you end moping in an area where you can escape without walking on the wet floor. Or mop wearing work out clothes and mop your way to the door, grab the keys and go for a walk around the block. Look at you, what a champion!
Praise, that is another thing. It is all American and not so Italian (which happens to be more critical) but I love to praise myself. It helps me stay motivated and is funny at the same time. Some might call it crazy but I call it being awesome. Garage organized? You are amazing girl! Fridge clean? It's so nice I might move in myself! Boots polished? Milan runways ain't got nothing this! Check out this catwalk! Did your man just clean something or cook? Clap like a happy seal, be impressed and he will do it again. Praise is just a better option than grumbling about why things get dirty in the first place. We are mammals, not machines and filth is just a part of life. Having a clean house just helps from feeling overwhelmed with the inevitable types of filth in life. Try it out for a week and discover your inner Italian domestic diva or Italian beast (if you're a guy). (Dudes in Italy chip in to help, the mammas taught them well.) So there you have it: My Italian college way of cleaning house and being fabulous.
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