“With the first glimpse of the building, a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit.” Edgar Allan Poe, “The Fall of the House of Usher”
Houses have energy that you can feel. Some houses feel bright and cheery and some houses feel dark and depressing. Some houses feel calm and serene and other houses feel angry, chaotic, and stressful. I’m going to devote a part of my blog to describe the various vibes houses give off and my experiences in them. This post will talk about the houses I hate to be in the most: The hopeless houses.
I find hopeless houses share some common elements.
- Hopeless houses are usually dark inside but not always. There are houses that allow for plenty of natural light but still have a shadow hanging over them that gives a feeling of darkness.
- Clutter – Hopeless houses are usually very cluttered with some bordering on hoarding. Things are often out of place. For example, you might find nail polish or outside tools on the kitchen counter and piles of shoes (50 or more) on the hearth of a fireplace. Many things that are empty and should be thrown away just sit in random places. Stacks of papers collect inches of dust in whatever space is available. Miscellaneous items of clothing appear throughout. Nothing has it’s proper place. There is no sense of order
- Dirty – Most hopeless homes are dirty. Bathrooms look as though they haven’t been cleaned in years, cobwebs hang off of everything, kitchens are full of dirty pots and pans and piles of dishes. Bags of trash are next to the overflowing trash can. Dust is thicker than you could ever imagine. And this is even after I’ve cleaned on a regular basis.
- Falling Apart- Many of the hopeless houses I’ve encountered are in need of major repairs. Carpets are ripped and stained, walls are dirty and in need of repair. Broken blinds hang from windows. A lot of these repairs are not huge projects that take a lot of time or money, but the fact that they aren’t done speaks to the overall sense of despair and hopelessness. The people in the home have given up. The words “WHY BOTHER” come to mind.
Why bother? I often wonder why they bother to call me to clean. What work I can do in my limited capacity and time doesn’t seem to make a difference. I feel so helpless and worthless with no sense of accomplishment. Why not spend the money you pay me to make repairs or hire a professional organizer?
I leave feeling frustrated, depressed, and overall icky. I wonder if the bad energy was there before the people or did it move in with the people. A glance around the neighborhood usually provides the answer and all I want to do is get home as quickly as I can and take a sage bath to remove the lingering negativity.
I hate hopeless houses.
Diary of a House Cleaner 