The elusive clean house...

I wonder if anyone on this universe spends as much time thinking about a clean house as I do.

Not only do I spend a great many daytime hours thinking about a clean house, but I also dream about a clean house.

I wonder how people with clean houses manage it..  I very rarely can, something is always dirty, somewhere.  Mostly it's always a little or a lot dirty everywhere!!!  I wish for a way to make my house clean and keep it clean.

When I grew up, our house was for the most part always clean.  I have a pretty good idea how my mom managed it.

1. Keep the kids out of the house as much as you can humanely manage it.  If the kids are not in the house, they can't mess it up.

2. Only pets allowed must be in a container (Fish, rodents)

3. Beat the kids for each and every thing they leave out of place. (Trust me, my brothers and I made a clear effort to pick up after ourselves if it meant severe pain for not doing it).

4. Made sure the kids helped out around the house (vacuuming, shoveling, garbage, dishes and more)

5. Not have a daytime job.

6. Be extremely competitive with the other stay-at-home moms.

It worked for her.  She even had a dishwasher, which I don't have and still got her kids to actually do dishes...

My mom's technique is however not possible for me.  I need pets in my life, I also need to work full time out of the house.  Beating up my kids to get them to do their chores is definitely not an option and keeping them out of the house isn't either, so I need a different technique.

In my dreams, I either get magical powers or get a magical creatures to help me get my house clean.  Well that is also not an option.

Finding a way to get my kids to actually pick up after themselves and do chores?  I have tried many different ways.  Obviously every way I have tried has failed.

I could get a full time maid!!!!  She could take care of the dishes, the floors, the washroom, the laundry and the cat litters.  She could bring the things that belong to each child into their rooms.  8 hours a day, 5 days a week.  I would them be able to take care of the sorting and getting rid of all those things we no longer need...  OH WAIT, I can't... that is too expensive. Single mom, no support, yaddi yadda....


Send my kids to live with their dad's until I manage to catch up on all the cleaning?  Nope not an option.

Oh I know, get this Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia cured.  If I am less in pain and less tired, surely that will enable me to keep up???  Well there is no cure, and even if there was, I still have the problem of being lazy (Hey the kids had to get it from somewhere!)

I'm not one for watching TV much but every once in a while I watch shows on cleaning and organization.  I keep hoping for tricks to waste less energy and get more done.  I look up online, try new products, discuss strategies with neighbours and friends.

I can improve the look of my house, it's will last a day or two then go right back to it's usual filthiness.

I could get rid of many of my pets, stop fostering.  That is the most recurring advice I get.  I see their point, if I had less or no cats I would have less of the clean up work associated with them, same for the fish, the bunny and the hamsters.  I have seriously thought of getting rid of the hamsters, but hey they only live 3-4 years and are no where near as messy as the kids.  I discussed getting rid of the bunny and am trying to reduce the fostering.  But cutting out all animals would also equate cutting out all sanity.

Serenity

Our cats give me a sense of peace and help reduce the stress.  The fish are soothing and so very pretty.  One needs to have some prettiness to gaze upon in order to survive the nasty world we live in.

I do have a friend who is willing to come help me get some things organized.  As soon as I get over my pride, I will invite her over.  I have to say that technically it's not my organizing skills that is to blame for the messes in my house.  NO organization will work if those using the things will not put them back in their organized spots.

One therapist was trying the get me to set my expectations lower.  She told me the only reason I am unhappy is that I want too much.  Well I no longer want a perfectly clean, organized and sanitized house.  See I am listening, but I still want my living space to be less of a mess!

I imagine my home will only be acceptably clean once I am retired and the kids are out of the house.  By them I will have no more than two cats and two aquariums...

Thanks for reading!

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