Spring Cleaning

I'm in the midst of my first exercise of spring cleaning since leaving my mother's very tidy abode. This is the first time in the last five years that I've lived somewhere long enough to need to spring clean, and I figure that this is the best time to do those things that should have been done a while ago, need done now, or might need done in the next several months. Alas, in a mere two weeks the party starts...er, Pierre arrives...and, in three weeks, it's the big day!

It's embarrassing that I'm estimating that it'll take just about every day that I'm not in school during the next two weeks in order to attack the whole house. Meanwhile, my mom could no doubt clean our whole house from top to bottom in two or maybe three days. I've learned most of what I know about cleaning from her, but I still have a thing or five to learn. So goes life...

Today I took to our office with our old vacuum and some trusty Murphy's Oil Soap. Turns out, Murphy's has given my engagement ring a whole lot of shine! It also makes our second floor smell like a Murphy's air freshener. Most importantly, it has given some new life to our office. Here are some photos to prove it:

BEFORE (just after moving in, May 2007)

AFTER (post- painting, recessed lights, and recent spring cleaning)