Post: #1

Something that's been on my mind lately. You ever visit someone and their place is spectacularly clean and organized? They lack the cozy factor. It feels like a museum or hotel lobby. Shit is inhuman.

I was over at my parents' place and soon as I walk in I can smell the fucking Windex and Oven Cleaner. The floors are spotless and everything in neatly put away. This may sound strange but these kinds of surroundings make me uncomfortable. I was so happy to return to my dingy, slightly dirty apartment later on.

A little disorder and dirt are human and we should embrace it instead of scrubbing everything 24/7.

Anyone else feel similar?

Post: #2

My college roommate was clean like that, in an OCD sort of way. I'm thankful for having lived with him (some of his good habits actually rubbed off on me), and because of it I do prefer a clean, organized living space to dirt and mess. Keeping a clear head seems easier when I'm in a clean and organized environment.

That being said, the best can often be the enemy of the good. My roommate was so concerned with keeping a clean apartment that he refused to invite girls or friends over (out of fear that they'd mess it up), and he missed out on a lot socially because of it. He'd get angry every time a girl of mine would leave an unwashed glass in the sink, or a friend would forget to take his shoes off. He didn't seem to understand that in order to make an omelet, you have to break a few eggs.

Reminds me of this scene from American Beauty, where Lester's wife is so concerned about her couch that it ruins an intimate moment:

Post: #3

I've felt like this before, but after having witnessed some spectacularly swine-like apartments (mostly from going home with girls), I started to appreciate super clean spaces. One never knows that how good good is until he experiences the bad.

Post: #4

I can appreciate clean places. The problem is when the person who owns it has a poor taste in decorations. The house should feel like it has character and not look like an Ikea catalogue.

Post: #5

The grad student who taught intensive <obscure language> in college had our six-student class over to his apartment once, and in hindsight it is bizarre how minimalist his place was. Immaculate with some ten mint-condition books on the shelf.
I can't imagine the laser focus it must take to not have printouts, scraps of paper, and raggedy books everywhere, nor how that environment could be conducive to creative thought.