housework
/I hate housework.
I don't know anyone who likes it but a few who do it knowing it has to be done and that they want to make their home the best it can be.
Growing up, we had to clean a room in the house each week. We earned 50¢ for our effort. For some reason, I remember getting stuck with the bathroom way too often. I hated having to clean that room. The floors had to be mopped and I did it on my knees. Our bathroom was small and all seven of us used it. Yep, it was gross.
As we got older, the boys moved out and all the housework fell to my sister and me and then finally just me. Mom was not a taskmaster regarding housework. We only got paid when we did the work. She was lazy too. The only times we had to do chores was before holidays. Mom mopped the kitchen floor. Everything got cleaned before Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. During those times, mom was busy in the kitchen cooking up a storm so she didn't help with the rest of the housework. And the mess she made in the kitchen!
I don't remember any whole-family cleaning effort except a few times when mom wanted all the windows cleaned. The screens were removed and I had the job of scrubbing them clean with a brush and a hose full of very cold water.
I do enjoy a clean house. I am not crazy. But I am lazy and hate to do with those little things that are so easily ignored. I have no problem doing the dishes and the laundry on a daily basis. Dusting, vacuuming and mopping are last on my to do list.
Gail liked a clean house. He felt that a clean house was the equivalent of telling him "I love you." I didn't know this until after he died. After each boy was born, he put up with the mess and clutter for about three months. Then one day he would snap and yell. Gail did not mind doing the floors and I happily let him do them.
After Gail died, I had lots of free time once the boys were in school. I started really cleaning the house. I picked a room each day and did a big clean. This lasted for a few months. Until I joined the YMCA. And discovered scrapbooking. I went back to doing a crazy clean before I hosted a scrapbooking evening.
When I began my online business, I got very lazy with housework. I cringe when I see old photos and the boxes and boxes and crap all over the house.
I did a major clean in 2008. My siblings were coming to celebrate my dad turning 80. I let things go again after that but not nearly as bad.
There were times when I read things like How to Clean Your House in 20 Minutes a Day for 30 Days. But I needed a big clean first. And I kept putting it off. Then my sister planned to visit. My sister is good at housework. I think she likes cleaning. With her husband working from home, she couldn't sit around like Peg Bundy eating Bonbons and watching TV. Not that Nancy is anything like Peg Bundy. But I think Charlie expected her to be home and cleaning. Anyway, she is picky about a clean house I knew I had to do something.
Last fall, I started cleaning. I cleaned so much I broke my vacuum. The house is not spotless. I just can't work that hard. But it is passable and I feel good. I have started a routine and keep it that way.
I looked for some cleaning routines to adopt. I found a few check lists and saved them. Then I remembered about seeing an iPhone app with cleaning routines. I checked a few out and downloaded Home Routines.
Home Routines comes with some tasks already loaded and suggested room zones. I did some modifications and started using the app. Then I realized this was just another to do app with repeating tasks. I already have an app like that did I really want another app to open and keep track? Nope. I entered those tasks into Reminders.
Home Routines is a good app if all you want it to get working on good home cleaning tasks and don't want to think about how to set it up in Reminders or Things.
I have been doing some cleaning each week. Some weeks I do better than others and I complete all the tasks on my lists. Other times I don't. I don't let it bother me since each area gets repeated every 4 weeks. (Toilets get cleaned each week.) And I am still working through areas that tend to get ignored like the tops of tall furniture.
I will never be The Hostess with the Mostess. But I won't be embarrassed to let guests into my home.