I hate cleaning floors. Several years ago, I admitted cleaning floors was a thing I don't do. I pay a wonderful woman to come clean my house every couple of weeks and I had just decided that was going to have to be good enough.
Unfortunately, I learned I also hate dirty floors.
I'm not a clean freak. I don't notice dust. I can live with a certain amount of quotidian clutter. However, dirty floors drive. me. crazy.
It's all I notice. I tried having people take off their shoes. I trained the boys pretty well, but my husband is stubborn and my dog tracks in all manner of dirt. As I walk through the house, it's all I notice - a leaf here, a dustball there.
I also got a cordless vacuum and told myself I'd start sweeping nightly after dinner.
That lasted approximately 48 hours.
Finally, I decided I needed a better solution. I'd heard of Roombas - aka vacuuming robots - before. My in-laws had one, but I'd never really thought much about owning myself.
However, that was before I had three kids and zero leisure time.
I ordered one and waited patiently for its arrival.
Y'all. It took me one week to fall very, very hard for my Roomba.
I parked it under my sofa and scheduled it to run Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday mornings. On those days, I close the doors in the hallway and use virtual walls to contain the Roomba to our den and kitchen - the highest traffic areas in our home.
My Roomba - who I've decided to name Carson - vacuums while we're away then returns to its base after completing its route. He passes easily over and hardwood and sucks up all manner of junk.
During the week, I'm usually sitting at my desk in the back of the house when I hear him come on. The sound of that little machine cleaning my floors as I sit and do my work is literally the best part of my week.
It took me a few weeks to figure out the best parameters and schedule for Carson and every once in a while I forget to close a door and he gets caught on my bedroom rug. He simply shuts down and waits patiently for me to come rescue him.
I love this robot SO. MUCH.
I now have clean floors without having to actually clean them. It's like a miracle straight out of The Jetsons.
Forget flying cars! I'll take my Roomba any day of the week.
