Cleaning Made Simple

Cleaning...it's what we do every weekend unless there's something going on or we're sick. I don't clean during the week, just pick up here and there (if that) so the weekends are for cleaning. I'm not saying I spend my entire Saturday and/or Sunday cleaning but I get what needs to be done for that week.

Please, don't get me wrong -- I abhor cleaning. I wish I could hire a maid but I know it wouldn't be good enough for me. You see, my mother was a housewife for 13 years until she decided to go back to work. And everyday she cleaned. Our house was always spotless. The carpet was vacuumed at least once a day. You did not wear your shoes on the carpet, they came off at the door. My room was always tidy, and the bed was always made. My best friend Lauren recently joked that she would like my mom to come visit her so that she could "really clean" like "wash the base boards" type of stuff. That's my mom and that's how I was raised. So my standards for cleaning are up there! While I don't think I'm near as particular about cleaning as my mother, I do like a clean house. I love you mom for always keeping our home clean!


My husband and I have lived together for almost 3 years now and we've got this cleaning thing down really well! Yes, I said my husband cleans. :) He doesn't have an outside to take care of yet so we share duties in the apartment. I know, I'm blessed. Although this weekend my husband was "busy" watching football but I'll let it slide because I did get a "honey, you did a really nice job with the kitchen." That was worth doing it all by myself.

For those of you who find cleaning a struggle or just need a better routine, here is a guide from Real Simple Magazine that might help. I don't follow everything on here, but it's a good place to start.

Click on the pictures to enlarge

Thank Goodness for Real Simple Magazine!