Living in this generation surely takes a toll, especially for us millennials, where managing the household and working our life away are two different inevitable mountains we have to carry. I have been married for two years with no kids yet—by choice—but managing the household is already taxing. I grew up in a big family and I did not have much choice about how our house was kept, aesthetic-wise; having too much stuff (since we are a family of six) is not at all relaxing for me. When I moved out, I promised myself that I should pay attention and really control how things will be in my small household. It is therapeutic to know how maintained my home is but to keep things orderly all the time is a different thing.
As part of modern living, both my husband and myself have day jobs and yet it is also us that tends to the household. Unlike older days where the wife does all the housework, my husband actually took on tasks such as doing the laundry and cooking at times. I’m not complaining, but keeping the house clean is indeed a tedious thing. Washing the dishes is tiring but at the same time I cannot stand leaving the sink with dirty dishes piled up. Same thing goes for unswept floors and unmade beds. Simple things, but if unkempt, blow into a big stress inducing atmosphere.
I’m sure some of the readers can relate, especially since science shows how a certain environment can indeed affect your mood and productivity. But there isn’t really much choice and this is how most days are as a working wife, for people like me. That’s why I was so excited when we decided to have a much needed out-of-town vacation. Aside from the quick break from corporate work and a different environment, what really got me is the freedom from house chores—aka the nonstop cleaning and organizing—even though you may say that it is just for a few days.
Here are some of the things I appreciate so much during out of town trips:
