On Saturdays at my house we clean like little fanatics. We put the kitchen timer, give everyone a list, and away we go!
It's much easier now that the kids are older and are able to help. But I remember how frustrating it was when the kids were young.
Let me leave with a little bit from my book, To Love, Honor and Vacuum:
Face it...Housework's Depressing! Studies show that housework can be one of the most depressing jobs, whether you're doing a whole day of it or just fifteen minutes of dishes.
There are three reasons for this: you usually do it alone, nobody thanks you when you finish something, and besides that, it's never done anyway! The other day I finished vacuuming only to find my daughter playing with Play-Doh...on the floor.
Can any of you relate? I find laundry one of the most never-ending tasks, too. You're never done all the laundry and the ironing at the same time. And if you are, that state only lasts for a few hours before you create more!
What's the point of all this? Don't let your life revolve around housework. Homemaking is a noble task, and I do find it gratifying in small doses. I love getting a kitchen counter all clean, or a batch of muffins made. But on the whole, the things taht matter are relationships. If you spend so much time cleaning that you don't play with your kids, or you're so worried about the state of your house that they can't play lest they get things dirty, you're doing something wrong.
My philosophy: keep your house comfortable so that people can relax there and hang out there. Make it a place your family wants to be. But do this with a plan, and with speed! Make housework go faster so that you have more time on the important things.
Want help with this? I've got FREE household charts to organize your chores, your schedule, and your kids' chores!
And check out To Love, Honor and Vacuum! If you want more help making housework go faster and learning how to share the load, get an autographed copy from me, or order from Amazon!
i struggle with this so much. i would rather do anything than housework. and then i feel bad that i find it such a chore to clean this house that God gave me and take care of my beautiful family. thanks for posting this!
As I also struggle with an adult child with a child that don't do anything but keep the phone glued to her ear nd the other glued to the tv. Screaming about it doesn't get the stuation handled. I get I'm gonna do it when I'm ready not when u want me to. I'm still waiting. I'm a firm believer in keeping living room kitchen nd bathroom in order. Thst is where your company goes. On that note I get if people don't like it they don't have to come her. Ihave to remind her that this is my apartment. It hasn't gotten any better. So now I'm moving out nd getting my own place. I told her you won't have to worry about me visiting you untill you clean up there is a place for everything and everything has a place.
About Me: I'm a Christian author of a bunch of books, and a frequent speaker to women's groups and marriage conferences. Best of all, I love homeschooling my daughters, Rebecca and Katie. And I love to knit. Preferably simultaneously.
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i struggle with this so much. i would rather do anything than housework. and then i feel bad that i find it such a chore to clean this house that God gave me and take care of my beautiful family.
thanks for posting this!