House Proud???

Am I house proud??? In my case pride always comes before the fall!

I have been married for quite awhile now and have definitely learned the ins and outs of the life I lead. The one thing I have learned for sure is that just as I get a "system" in place to do housekeeping something will come along to DESTROY it. Is this only me or can I get a witness here?

I no longer have little children, my youngest will be 14 in a few weeks and any reasonable person would think now is when my housekeeping days are easy and breezy.......WRONG!

I actually found it much easier to keep up with housework when my children were little and I did not have a job as well (granted, I work from home BUT that has it's own unique challenges). I also knew then that if I did not clean it, someone would either eat it, smear it or make it worse so it had to be done and fast. Now? Well, no one is eating crumbs off the floor or sticking erasers up their nose (well at least now when they do that it is a joke and they can get them right out!).

These days I am much more relaxed and confess I only vaccuum every 2 weeks (did I just "write" that out loud for the world to see???). So you ask why am i saying all this? I will tell you something, I can remember days of being so consumed with keeping everything "clean" and getting "finished" that I didn't pay attention to what was really important. I think I missed some really amazing moments with my family I can never get back. I have no proof of this, no one has ever complained, and I was not one of those women who shooed the children out of the house so I could clean but I know I definitely at times had my priorities mixed up.

Now I am NOT advocating letting it all go, I am not a slob here and the dishes are done nightly for the most part and the house is usually "straight" (we did train our children as they grew up to pick up their messes). What I am saying that sometimes, the dishes can sit in the sink for the night and a game of tickle time can commence instead. Sitting on the couch with the family for a movie or American Idol is more important than the spotless kitchen and front room if you are the only thing missing in the room.

See the floors and counters and fixtures, those are the house. YOU, your husband your children they are what makes it home. Find your joy and comfort not in your house but in your home.

With my oldest headed off to Arizona this next fall and my other 2 growing so fast the one thing I am learning is that time is so precious and short. I am not so much house proud now as home proud.

Blessings
Colleen

Scheduling time to clean

One thing i hear so often from wives is I just can't find time to do it all! My best recommendation for that is make a schedule! You don't have to do everything every day. I don't. But when i lay my head down at night i'm satisfied that my house is clean. While this schedule won't work for everyone...this is what i do.

Monday-Laundry-all of it! Wash, dry, fold, and put away. If you have children enlist their help to fold. do each load as it comes out of the dryer. Get in the habit and it won't pile up. And you will feel accomplished having gotten it all done!

Tuesday-clean off counter tops and clutter. and pick up bedrooms.

Wednesday-floors. vacuuming, sweeping, mopping.

Thursday-laundry again. and bathrooms.

Friday-i usually take a breather. only do the basics that i do every day.

Saturday-linens, dusting

Sunday-clean out fridge because trash pick up is Monday. floors again.

I go through the house every evening and pick up toys, books, daily clutter and i do dishes EVERY night. keeping up with my system keeps my house clean all the time!