1001 Reasons Not To Clean - #86 through #90

Welcome to 1001 Reasons Not to Clean!

The main goal of this series is to see if I can actually reach 1001 reasons, 5 reasons at a time (the final post, if I get there, will be 6 reasons). I'm sure I can. It's not just my crazy brain being unrealistic, right?

Links to previous posts are below. And feel free to share your excuses, and they might get added to my list (with credit, of course)!

#1 through #5 ~ #6 through #10 ~ #11 through #15 ~ #16 through #20 ~ #21 through #25 ~ #26 through #30 ~ #31 through #35 ~ #36 through #40 ~ #41 through #45 ~ #46 through #50 ~ #51 through #55 ~ #56 through #60 ~ #61 through #65 ~ #66 through #70 ~ #71 through #75 ~ #76 through #80 ~ #81 through #85

❦ 86. After giving meds to your cat with a UTI, you're battered and scratched. No energy to clean after that skirmish!

87. Another year, another writing challenge. This time you're planning to write an entire novel in a year. That includes first draft, revisions, edits, cover art, publication, and marketing. It's a breeze for some writers, but you've never accomplished the daring feat. Write now, clean never.

88. Love & Pies. Yes, a game. A merge game, as a matter of fact. Best one out there, too. The story lines are really cute. Merge, merge, merge, merge. Clean? Nope. Merge.

89. Exercising has moved to the top of your priority list (after writing). You're determined to lose weight before your 25th anniversary in October so you feel awesome at the vampire masquerade in New Orleans you bought tickets for. (There are other health reason you should get in better shape as well, but the masquerade is honestly what's motivating you right now.) You'll clean after Halloween. Right?

90. Actually, you're reconsidering this whole no cleaning thing. You want to have a gorgeous, sparkly house like in the unrealistic pictures you see on the internet. Instead of not cleaning, you're going to ignore everything else in your life to clean from sunup to sundown... April Fools'! Writing jokes instead of cleaning is a much better way to pass the time.

1001 Reasons Not To Clean - #81 through #85

Welcome to 1001 Reasons Not to Clean!The main goal of this series is to see if I can actually reach 1001 reasons, 5 reasons at a time (the final post, if I get there, will be 6 reasons). I'm sure I can. It's not just my crazy brain being unrealistic, right? Links to previous posts are below. And feel free to share your excuses, and they might get added to my list (with credit, of course)!

#1 through #5 ~ #6 through #10 ~ #11 through #15 ~ #16 through #20 ~ #21 through #25 ~ #26 through #30 ~ #31 through #35 ~ #36 through #40 ~ #41 through #45 ~ #46 through #50 ~ #51 through #55 ~ #56 through #60 ~ #61 through #65 ~ #66 through #70 ~ #71 through #75 ~ #76 through #80

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81. You don't want to clean. Hubbie doesn't want to clean (sometimes you think he might actually clean more than you do). Why fight it? Binge all 10 seasons of The Blacklist together instead!

82. There's this double time challenge you've decided to test yourself with. Writing goals? Yeah, try to double them! This means more writing time. But something's got to fall off the list to make room. Cleaning - see ya never!

83. Your middle schooler insists on regaling you with every moment of her day. Yes, all those unimportant details. When she's finally done, an hour has passed, and you neither have the time nor the energy to do anything other than nap.

84. The middle schooler might chat your ear off, but the teenager prefers hiding in her room. Every time you look in there, the mess has multiplied. It oozes across the table you told her not to pile stuff on, and spills onto the floor so you can barely walk. No matter how often you tell her to pick up, she belligerently agrees, then never does it. And seriously, do you have the energy to force her to clean (or gods forbid, clean it yourself), when you avoid your own chores? Nope.

85. Oh, it's been far too long since I've chosen a game as a reason... Must plant flowers in Pikmin Bloom! Hey, at least this one gets you moving. True, vigorous cleaning can also be exercise, but you'd rather collect all the cute decor Pikmin. Mini dopamine hit, for the win!

1001 Reasons Not To Clean - #76 through #80

Welcome to 1001 Reasons Not to Clean! The main goal of this series is to see if I can actually reach 1001 reasons, 5 reasons at a time (the final post, if I get there, will be 6 reasons). I'm sure I can. It's not just my crazy brain being unrealistic, right? Links to previous posts are below. And feel free to share your excuses, and they might get added to my list (with credit, of course)!

#1 through #5 ~ #6 through #10 ~ #11 through #15 ~ #16 through #20 ~ #21 through #25 ~ #26 through #30 ~ #31 through #35 ~ #36 through #40 ~ #41 through #45 ~ #46 through #50 ~ #51 through #55 ~ #56 through #60 ~ #61 through #65 ~ #66 through #70 ~ #71 through #75

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76. Since you dive into alluring projects without doing complete research (you do some, like if plants are toxic to cats, yes), your poor Echeveria succulents haven't gotten enough sun, even though they're in a northern window (stupid Wisconsin). They've etiolated, so the stems have stretched out, instead of the plants staying as cute rosettes. After buying grow lights, you decide you want to rectify the situation even more and get to the beheading. This of course requires repotting everything. Still way more fun than cleaning.

77. After beheading the pretty plants, you decide to save all the leaves and try to propagate them. More succulents? Sure! If you can convince any to sprout - that black thumb of yours chuckles at the prospect. Weeks later, you actually notice a teeny tiny baby on one of the leaves. You're way too fascinated over the itty bitty thing to bother with cleaning.

78. Feeling as though you've got this succulent caring down, you spend hours online browsing all the pretty colored ones, creating a massive list of what you want to buy. Room for them all and money, be damned. These are the only plants you can keep alive with your horrible luck (even cacti die on you), and you intend to exploit that. Window shopping > cleaning.

79. Happy with your succulents' progress, you find two of your plants uprooted one day. You know the culprit. So instead of cleaning, you need to keep a sharp eye on the Devourer of Plants and Souls (aka Rikku, the blond (cream) tabby cat), so you can protect your poor, gnawed on plants.

80. Cat or no, you still want to expand your succulent collection, so you look for pretty pots online. You do need homes for that long list of plants you want to buy. Rabbit holes are so easy to fall down - much easier than cleaning.

1001 Reasons Not To Clean - #71 through #75

Welcome to 1001 Reasons Not to Clean! The main goal of this series is to see if I can actually reach 1001 reasons, 5 reasons at a time (the final post, if I get there, will be 6 reasons). I'm sure I can. It's not just my crazy brain being unrealistic, right? Links to previous posts are below. And feel free to share your excuses, and they might get added to my list (with credit, of course)!

#1 through #5 ~ #6 through #10 ~ #11 through #15 ~ #16 through #20 ~ #21 through #25 ~ #26 through #30 ~ #31 through #35 ~ #36 through #40 ~ #41 through #45 ~ #46 through #50 ~ #51 through #55 ~ #56 through #60 ~ #61 through #65 ~ #66 through #70

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71. Your desktop computer is wigging out on you occasionally. What would you rather do - clean the inside thoroughly or just build a new one? Hm. It's been 8 years since you last built this one... So you spend an insane amount of hours (maybe days), researching computer components and finding the best prices. Totally more fun than actually cleaning the old one.

72. All the computer parts have arrived. Remember, though, it's been 8 years since you've built one, and your memory sucks. So it takes several days to actually figure out how to assemble everything properly again. And in the process, you of course make a big mess with boxes, packing materials, and manuals. Oops. Worth it - so shiny!

73. Once the computer is finally built (and the old one is sitting in a corner waiting to be dealt with... maybe next year), you feel the need to play with all the RGB colors for your fans and keyboard, until you find calming and pleasing tones. And then the next day you decide it's still not right and fiddle with it even more. Pretty, shiny, colors are so much more entertaining than cleaning up all the computer component detritus.

74. Sick of your black thumb, and exhausted from cleaning up the sad remnants of your plants after the cat chews them up (she's the Devourer of Plants and Souls), you decide your time is better spent opening blind boxes. Botanical Unicornos, actually. Yes, the gamble of what's in the boxes offers a much better thrill than cleaning up dead plants. And the cat won't chew on these (or will she?)!

75. Should I do another game? I love games. So many games! OK, we'll go with my current favorite gatcha game. Must play Honkai: Star Rail! (A blog post with screenshots coming soon...)

1001 Reasons Not To Clean - #66 through #70

Welcome to 1001 Reasons Not to Clean! The main goal of this series is to see if I can actually reach 1001 reasons, 5 reasons at a time (the final post, if I get there, will be 6 reasons). I'm sure I can. It's not just my crazy brain being unrealistic, right? Links to previous posts are below. And feel free to share your excuses, and they might get added to my list (with credit, of course)!

#1 through #5 ~ #6 through #10 ~ #11 through #15 ~ #16 through #20 ~ #21 through #25 ~ #26 through #30 ~ #31 through #35 ~ #36 through #40 ~ #41 through #45 ~ #46 through #50 ~ #51 through #55 ~ #56 through #60 ~ #61 through #65

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66. You have a new kitten. And it's way more entertaining to play with the kitten than it is to clean. Let's face it, this zoomie ball of fluff is just going to make a mess anyhow!

67. Even though your to do list is insane, especially all the organizing and cleaning you need to do, you pounce on a grand idea to open an Etsy shop called Speculative Stitches. Well, setting the shop up is a lot more interesting than cleaning, that's for sure.

68. You need stock for your Etsy shop! So instead of sorting through a bunch of kids' toys that need to be sold or given away, you binge watch FBI while working on your Questionable Splatter Coasters.

69. Even though you still have a black thumb (don't ask how many bonsai or cacti I've killed in my lifetime), you feel the need to plant seeds outside in the hopes that they'll grow. Far more productive than cleaning, right? At least it makes you feel better when the marigolds and morning glories sprout. You've finally found a couple plants that won't wither just from your glance.

70. You'd rather roll many different characters for your upcoming Dungeons & Dragons game. Character creation is an addiction. And look at these shiny dice! Much prettier than a shiny toilet.

1001 Reason Not To Clean - #61 through #65

Welcome to 1001 Reasons Not to Clean! The main goal of this series is to see if I can actually reach 1001 reasons, 5 reasons at a time (the final post, if I get there, will be 6 reasons). I'm sure I can. It's not just my crazy brain being unrealistic, right? Links to previous posts are below. And feel free to share your excuses, and they might get added to my list (with credit, of course)!

#1 through #5 ~ #6 through #10 ~ #11 through #15 ~ #16 through #20 ~ #21 through #25 ~ #26 through #30 ~ #31 through #35 ~ #36 through #40 ~ #41 through #45 ~ #46 through #50 ~ #51 through #55 ~ #56 through #60

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Welcome to the craft edition of 1001 Reasons Not To Clean!

61. After not having attempted to crochet since well before your grandmother died (she's the one who initially taught me, though I hadn't progressed very far - lol), you decide to pick it back up again. But instead of crocheting things like blankets, scarves, and hats, you decide to dive into another branch of the craft - amigurumi! You also realize that the first couple amigurumi you crocheted weren't done properly, so you feel the need to make more to prove to yourself that you can get it right.

62. You're having fun with the amigurumi, but the holidays are upon you, and you feel the need to make some new ornaments for the tree. Plus you have this pretty, sparkly yarn that would make perfect snowflakes! How hard can it be? Actually, pretty easy. Maybe I should start making sparkly doilies.

63. Since you're on a crocheting kick, you decide a good way to process through your grief over your father's passing is to crochet roses for his memorial service. Lots and lots and lots of roses.

64. You purchased yet another cross stitch kit, even though you have many kits and patterns that you haven't completed. And oh, that might be because you also haven't cross stitched for ages. Since you need a slight break from all that crocheting, you decide to work on one of your new cross stitch kits. It's a cute Halloween kitty. Of course, since you're rusty and a slow stitcher, and the knots that constantly appear in your threads drive you batty (yes, Halloween pun there), you don't actually complete it until November. Plus it's now March and you still need to frame it, as planned. It'll be done by next Halloween, right?

65. Your confidence in your ability to cross stitch has grown, and the holidays are approaching again. Why not cross stitch some cute owl ornaments for the Yule tree and for the parents? It shouldn't take too long to complete all six. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Unfortunately, this thread knots even more easily than the type used for the cat, and you have so many other tasks to get done in December. You definitely don't have time to clean if you want to complete the owl ornament project. At least you manage to get the parents' ornaments done in time, but the ones for your own Yule tree get put up a tad late.

1001 Reasons Not To Clean - #56 through #60

Welcome to 1001 Reasons Not to Clean! The main goal of this series is to see if I can actually reach 1001 reasons, 5 reasons at a time (the final post, if I get there, will be 6 reasons). I'm sure I can. It's not just my crazy brain being unrealistic, right? Links to previous posts are below. And feel free to share your excuses, and they might get added to my list (with credit, of course)!

#1 through #5 ~ #6 through #10 ~ #11 through #15 ~ #16 through #20 ~ #21 through #25 ~ #26 through #30 ~ #31 through #35 ~ #36 through #40 ~ #41 through #45 ~ #46 through #50 ~ #51 through #55

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56. Anxiety, mostly due to #57. It pretty much freezes you and you can't seem to muster the energy to clean anything or work on the projects you started three months ago. Close your eyes, then you can't see the mess. Better yet, take a nap or do #58.

57. Pandemic. Need I say more? OK, I'll say more anyhow. You're cloistered in your house most of the time for over a year... which makes you want to clean it even less. Not to mention to deal with #56 you're playing an inordinate amount of video games. No time to clean, busy with #58.

58. Genshin Impact! Oh, yes, it's another game. A super fun game with gorgeous scenery and beautiful music that's easy to get lost in. And 2020 made many of us want to get lost in things.

59. The house has become sentient and has decided to fall apart on you in the span of a month. Boiler dies during a cold snap? Yup. Front door steps crumbling to dust? Uh huh. Upstairs toilet overflows and water pours from fixtures into the kitchen below (which was remodeled five years ago)? Argh, yes. Who has the energy to clean if your house hates you?

60. Taking cat pictures and posting them to Instagram is loads more fun. Cats are cute. They make me smile. Don't they make everyone smile? I hope so. Cleaning doesn't make me smile. Why do something that doesn't make you smile?

1001 Reasons Not To Clean - #51 through #55

Welcome to 1001 Reasons Not to Clean! The main goal of this series is to see if I can actually reach 1001 reasons, 5 reasons at a time (the final post, if I get there, will be 6 reasons). I'm sure I can. It's not just my crazy brain being unrealistic, right? Links to previous posts are below. And feel free to share your excuses, and they might get added to my list (with credit, of course)!

#1 through #5 ~ #6 through #10 ~ #11 through #15 ~ #16 through #20 ~ #21 through #25 ~ #26 through #30 ~ #31 through #35 ~ #36 through #40 ~ #41 through #45 ~ #46 through #50

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51. It's time for the kids to go back to school, and that means gathering and labeling all those school supplies you've purchased so you can drag them to the Open Houses. Who wants to clean after doing that for two hours?

52. And since the first day of school is rapidly approaching, you feel you need to spend more "quality time" with the kids because you have a bit of that parent guilt wondering just where the entire summer went and you haven't done nearly as much as you'd planned with your little hellions.

53. The kids are finally in school. Not just for part of the day either. This is the first day ever that all the kids have a full day of school. The house is so quiet - too quiet. How will you fill this uninterrupted time? Either you freeze up, not knowing what to do with yourself, or you decide cleaning sounds way too annoying and not enjoyable enough to do on this first glorious school day.

54. Of course, playing Persona 5 is calling to you, insisting cleaning is less important. Especially when you realize as a completionist, you have at least 170 hours of game play ahead of you (according to How Long To Beat). Sounds like an awesome thing to do on that first day of school for the kids. Am I right?

55. Your kids come home from their first day at school. The Middle Schooler (holy crap, how is she a Middle Schooler already?) is freaking out over her new school and schedule, while the Kindergartner is so overtired that she devolves into a fit when you simply ask her to take her folder out of her backpack. So much for that plan to clean this afternoon (I use the term "plan" loosely).

NOTE: My kids have yet to start school yet (soon, yes, soon!), so 55 is also a prediction for when they get home after the first day. We'll see how spot on I am - lol.

1001 Reasons Not To Clean - #46 through #50

Welcome to 1001 Reasons Not to Clean! The main goal of this series is to see if I can actually reach 1001 reasons, 5 reasons at a time (the final post, if I get there, will be 6 reasons). I'm sure I can. It's not just my crazy brain being unrealistic, right? Links to previous posts are below. And feel free to share your excuses, and they might get added to my list (with credit, of course)!

#1 through #5 ~ #6 through #10 ~ #11 through #15 ~ #16 through #20 ~ #21 through #25 ~ #26 through #30 ~ #31 through #35 ~ #36 through #40 ~ #41 through #45

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46. Playing Harvest Moon: A New Beginning sounds like such a better use of your time. Who needs to take the time to plant real crops when you can grow fake ones? And pets -- just ignore your actual fuzzballs. Raise pretend cows and chickens instead. (Yes, another game!)

47. Your shoulder and neck are completely knotted, to the point that even if you move an inch, pain shoots down your arm and you yelp. This is a result of holiday stress, and you can't think of any better way to de-stress than to not clean, especially since you're in so much pain.

48. "Mama, mama, mama, mama." That's the call of the Preschooler you're hearing. If she doesn't let you get a thought in edgewise, what makes you think she'll let you get any cleaning done? Why even try?

49. Cramps. Enough said.

50. When you take the time to sort and fold the new clothes the kids got for the holidays, then you head to the basement for just a minute, and come back to find a cat in the middle of all your hard work. Also, she looks as though she's been comfortably laying there for hours when you know its probably only been seconds. Why fight the will of the fuzzballs? (I'm going to fill this list up not only with different games, but also with cats... cats are little life speed bumps -- funny ones, though.)

1001 Reasons Not To Clean - #41 through #45

Welcome to 1001 Reasons Not to Clean! The main goal of this series is to see if I can actually reach 1001 reasons, 5 reasons at a time (the final post, if I get there, will be 6 reasons). I'm sure I can. It's not just my crazy brain being unrealistic, right? Links to previous posts are below. And feel free to share your excuses, and they might get added to my list (with credit, of course)!

#1 through #5 ~ #6 through #10 ~ #11 through #15 ~ #16 through #20 ~ #21 through #25 ~ #26 through #30 ~ #31 through #35 ~ #36 through #40

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41. Instead of cleaning in preparation for your Halloween party, you'd rather finish off all the booze so you can buy fresh stuff for your friends to enjoy.

42. You foolishly tried to clean right after drinking all that booze and once you're sober you realize all you did was make a bigger mess. XD

43. Making a list of all the things you need to get done before the party seems like a lovely way to procrastinate instead of actually doing the things on said list.

44. It's way more fun to look up new recipes you want to try out for the party. Of course, you won't have time to make any of these recipes since you'll have procrastinated so much that you'll be rushing to clean before your guests arrive.

45. Carving pumpkins! Planning an elaborate design for your pumpkin is a better way to spend your time instead of cleaning. Who am I kidding? It always ends up being a quick and dirty carving because I still have too much cleaning to do (and pumpkin seeds to bake).

1001 Reasons Not To Clean - #36 through #40

Welcome to 1001 Reasons Not to Clean! The main goal of this series is to see if I can actually reach 1001 reasons, 5 reasons at a time (the final post, if I get there, will be 6 reasons). I'm sure I can. It's not just my crazy brain being unrealistic, right? Links to previous posts are below. And feel free to share your excuses, and they might get added to my list (with credit, of course)!

#1 through #5 ~ #6 through #10 ~ #11 through #15 ~ #16 through #20 ~ #21 through #25

~ #26 through #30 ~ #31 through #35

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36. When you're actually cleaning you find this beautifully spun spiderweb, and you don't want to destroy the spider's painstaking work.

37. No matter how well you think you wipe down the outside of the windows, once you pop them back in and the sun shines happily through, you see all the streaks that you missed.

38. You just cleaned the mirror in the kids' room 10 minutes ago, and the Preschooler bangs her head on it because she doesn't want a time out. Smudged forehead prints anyone?

39. Fireworks!

40. You're determined to take a whole week off of everything (well, except for taking care of the kids, of course) and play World of Final Fantasy the whole week.

1001 Reasons Not To Clean - #31 through #35

Welcome to 1001 Reasons Not to Clean! The main goal of this series is to see if I can actually reach 1001 reasons, 5 reasons at a time (the final post, if I get there, will be 6 reasons). I'm sure I can. It's not just my crazy brain being unrealistic, right? Links to previous posts are below. And feel free to share your excuses, and they might get added to my list (with credit, of course)!

#1 through #5 ~ #6 through #10 ~ #11 through #15 ~ #16 through #20 ~ #21 through #25

~ #26 through #30

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31. Spring is finally here! Wait, it is spring isn't it? Mother Nature is laughing again because we kind of skipped over spring and went straight into summer. Anyway, winter is finally done, and you want to enjoy the lack of snow on the ground and warmth in the air.

32. You walked two hours today because you needed to ferry your preschooler back-and-forth to school (no, I don't drive and I have my reasons, we'll leave it at that). Exhaustion doesn't begin to define how you feel.

33. You walked two hours yesterday, and somehow you feel worse than you did the day before. You're getting too old for this shit (or you're just more out of shape than you're willing to admit).

34. You'd rather go for a walk with the family to see if you can spot any ducklings by the river.

35. Instead of quickly and easily snagging the pictures you need for your blog post, you waste an hour trying to figure out why your pictures aren't downloading properly to your computer, only to find out that Apple has switched all of its pictures to a new format (that since you've only recently upgraded to a phone that uses iOS 11, you had no clue about said switch until now). Eventually you find the converted JPEG files peppered in the downloads -- because even if something looks like it's done downloading, it rarely ever is. Hey, you were supposed to be cleaning during that wasted hour (or maybe you weren't and are just using the photo issues as an excuse not to clean...).

1001 Reasons Not To Clean - #26 through #30

Welcome to 1001 Reasons Not to Clean! The main goal of this series is to see if I can actually reach 1001 reasons, 5 reasons at a time (the final post, if I get there, will be 6 reasons). I'm sure I can. It's not just my crazy brain being unrealistic, right? Links to previous posts are below. And feel free to share your excuses, and they might get added to my list (with credit, of course)!

#1 through #5 ~ #6 through #10 ~ #11 through #15 ~ #16 through #20 ~ #21 through #25

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26. It's Ostara/Spring Equinox (first official day of spring!) and you have eggs to dye with your kids. Maybe this year my Wish Egg should be to wish away having to clean ever again.

27. Since it's the first day of spring, and you're the kind of person who goes against the grain, you don't want it to appear that you're doing any Spring Cleaning.

28. Well, it's spring! And wouldn't you rather go for a walk and enjoy a nice spring day instead of cleaning? Wait, it's cold outside because you're dumb enough to live too far north for spring to actually start on the first day of spring. But it's much nicer to imagine there's lovely weather and you're walking outside in it instead of cleaning. (Also refer back to #17.)

29. When you actually try to clean, a cat declares your file box as his. And he's too cute to move, which makes it easier to give up on cleaning. Even when he jumps out, the disruption has solidified your decision to throw your hands up in surrender.

30. You'd rather play Summoner's War. (How many games am I up to now?)

1001 Reasons Not To Clean - #21 through #25

Welcome to 1001 Reasons Not to Clean! The main goal of this series is to see if I can actually reach 1001 reasons, 5 reasons at a time (the final post, if I get there, will be 6 reasons). I'm sure I can. It's not just my crazy brain being unrealistic, right? Links to previous posts are below. And feel free to share your excuses, and they might get added to my list (with credit, of course)!

#1 through #5 ~ #6 through #10 ~ #11 through #15 ~ #16 through #20

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21. Because it's summer, and not only is Preschooler home as usual, so is Eldest. Even if you convince them to play together most of the day, you find that the day has come and gone with nothing done aside from dealing with their antics. Who has time for cleaning?

22. Because it's summer, and that means you're trying to do tons of "fun stuff" with the kids. As in, outside-of-the-house fun (some that makes you wonder how it got so expensive). Even if you have a day in, you're so exhausted from all of the "fun stuff" that it's hard to think let alone clean.

23. Because it's summer, and you have no air conditioning, which makes it too damned hot to clean.

24. Because it's summer, and you'd rather enjoy the nice weather by going for a walk with your family (and maybe playing a little Pokemon Go).

25. Because summer is coming to an end, and Everquest is having a Double EXP (experience) Weekend for Labor Day. This is not only a great reason not to clean, but it also turns out to be a reason to delay your trip to the zoo until the following weekend.

1001 Reasons Not To Clean - #16 through #20

Welcome to 1001 Reasons Not to Clean! The main goal of this series is to see if I can actually reach 1001 reasons, 5 reasons at a time (the final post, if I get there, will be 6 reasons). I'm sure I can. It's not just my crazy brain being unrealistic, right? Links to previous posts are below. And feel free to share your excuses, and they might get added to my list (with credit, of course)!

#1 through #5 ~ #6 through #10 ~ #11 through #15

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16. It's winter. Yes, you'd think you'd have less excuses in winter because you spend more time in the house, but the truth is the cold and gray sap your motivation and you get less cleaning done than you do during the warmer months.

17. Winter doesn't want to let go. It's fending spring off with its icy fingers. And this depresses you too much to even think about cleaning.

18. The house is too cold, so you'd rather stay in bed under your warm covers.

19. Your kids are sick. Not just sick, but plague-ridden. If you clean anything, it's just going to be smeared in germs shortly after, so why bother?

20. Your kids got you sick. OK, yes, #9 is "You're sick." But this is a different kind of sick. This is the kind of sick where not only are you trying to keep yourself alive, but you're still dealing with sick kids at the same time. And then you keep passing the sick back and forth until you kind of think being dead might be a better option than being sick all the time. Cleaning is obviously the furthest thing from your mind at this point.

1001 Reasons Not to Clean - #11 through #15

Welcome to 1001 Reasons Not to Clean! The main goal of this series is to see if I can actually reach 1001 reasons, 5 reasons at a time (the final post, if I get there, will be 6 reasons). I'm sure I can. It's not just my crazy brain being unrealistic, right? Links to previous posts are below. And feel free to share your excuses, and they might get added to my list (with credit, of course)!

#1 through #5 ~ #6 through #10

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11. Because you're throwing a Halloween party and right after you spend hours upon hours cleaning the house so your friends don't think you're a slob, you just have to clean it again after they leave.

12. The aforementioned friends at the Halloween party don't notice or care when you clean anyway. They just want food, booze, and conversation (and on occasion Drunken Mario Party -- though as we're getting older, this is happening less and less, unfortunately).

13. NaNoWriMo. NaNoWriMo trumps everything. (OK, OK, not everything. Don't want my toddler to starve or sit in her filth.)

14. Because you're throwing a birthday party for your toddler (and you know unlike your friends, your mother will criticize everything if it's not clean), and the toddler doesn't care one jot that you cleaned. She never does. And she shows it by the shredded pile of wrapping paper after she opens her presents like a maniac.

15. After all that party prep (and dealing with your overly critical mother), you want to nap with the toddler before she even asks you this time. In fact, you make her go down for a nap early just because you need to avoid more cleaning. Now.

1001 Reasons Not To Clean - #6 through #10

Welcome to 1001 Reasons Not to Clean! The main goal of this series is to see if I can actually reach 1001 reasons, 5 reasons at a time (the final post, if I get there, will be 6 reasons). I'm sure I can. It's not just my crazy brain being unrealistic, right? Links to previous posts are below. And feel free to share your excuses, and they might get added to my list (with credit, of course)!

#1 through #5

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6. There's a cat in your lap. Curse unto those who disturb the cat.

7. You have too much work (writing) to do.

8. Your toddler tells you not to because she wants you to nap with her.

9. You're sick.

10. You'd rather play Everquest. (Hey, maybe I can just fill up all the reasons with different games -- that's a possibility!)