Give Yourself A Break

I’ve been doing house calls as an appliance technician for over a decade. It’s a thing I take very seriously, being let into people’s homes. I am in someone else’s space, I am a guest. The last thing I want to do is make someone feel uncomfortable in their own place. That is why I’ve really thought through how to respond when someone comes across as embarrassed about the state of their home while I’m there. “Oh, I’m so sorry about the mess.” Most of the time it’s just a social nicety. But once in a while I come across someone who seems honestly, maybe, a little... ashamed?

If you have ever felt that way, let me just say, you’re fine. Lighten up on yourself. I’ve been in a lit of homes, and you know what they look like when someone is “apologetic”? They look lived in. They look like there’s activity! Families being families, kids being kids. These are all good things, so if this is you... give yourself a break and enjoy it. You’ll have time to clean later, without the anxiety.

I’m not talking about “dirty conditions”. Dirty conditions should be cleaned, for your own benefit and the benefit of those around you. What I am talking about is the messes that come from life being lived. There is nothing to be embarrassed about there, take it from someone who has seen a lot of “messy” homes. It’s a good thing to enjoy the space your in and make it enjoyable for others. Hospitality is hard in a “sterile” environment.

So loosen up, don’t worry about the repair man coming. As long as the space he has to work is clear from obstructions, it’s fine. An active home is nothing to be embarrassed about.