How to Keep Your House Clean (almost) Painlessly
When my daughter left home for Bible school at age eighteen, her younger brother and I divided the house cleaning chores she usually did. I noticed that my son completed his chores every week. But mine languished.
Of course, I was paying him to scrub toilets and mop floors, while I did it for free. Since I hate housework, it’s no wonder I wasn't motivated by love for a clean environment alone.
Two decades later, I set aside money for house cleaning, and then gave it to my husband and myself on days we did heavy cleaning. I still didn’t enjoy the chores, but since I knew there was a bit of green waiting for me at the end of the day, I was more motivated to clean.
These days, we split the chores up between the three of us--my husband, my son and myself, and mostly get them done before the dust police come to arrest us. I use what money I might have paid us to go out to eat--a favorite sport we all enjoy.
I've also hired cleaning ladies to do the jobs for me that I hated or didn't have time to do. We pay people to make birthday cakes, build houses, and fix cars for us when we don’t feel competent. Why not have someone do the dirty jobs we don’t WANT to do, or don’t have time to do?
How do you keep your house clean? If you have kids at home, do you pay them to help do the dirty work? Have you ever hired a cleaning lady?
Sounds like a good plan! When my kids were younger, they had daily and weekly jobs listed on a job chart. These jobs rotated weekly so no one was stuck cleaning bathrooms, etc. Although there's not as much cleaning maintenance as there used to be now that they're grown and gone, I still miss having that help around the house. :)
ReplyDeletegreat plan
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great idea......... I have been a housewife/homemaker for almost 44 years now. I've never had a house cleaner. Reason why? I know me well......and I would have the house spotless before the house cleaner ever got here. lol....
ReplyDeleteI like to do as much of it as I can on Saturdays. It's therapeutic in a way. The boys clean their own bathroom (I'm not that brave), and sometimes Mr. Schrock helps me if we have a really full weekend.
ReplyDeleteThat's a marriage strengthener right there.
Oh...those darn tasks that we can't get away from. I've done both. Paid kids and hired a cleaning lady every 2 weeks. Now I do it myself mainly but if kids are home they are in charge of their rooms. I am an 'on again off-again' empty nester right now, if you know what I mean!
ReplyDeleteHi Jeanette! I have never hired a housecleaner, but have often dreamed of doing it believe me. My least favorite job is cleaning the shower. I wonder if a cleaning service would do that?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you were able to solve your cleaning dilemmas. Sounds like you know how to run a fun and happy home!
Blessings,
Ceil