On Keeping House

I ran a maid service while my kids were growing up. It gave me a decent income and the ability to name my own hours. It also gave me the ability to fire a boss if I didn't like them. Going back to work for someone else was interesting, I'll tell ya

It is surprising how few young people today know how to clean a house. I had one young client (a CPA) tell me her vacuum had been broke for two years. When I looked at it, the belt was broke and needed replaced. She wasn't the only person I came across who was clueless about housekeeping. In the last generation or so, most mothers went to work and either cleaned quickly on the weekends or hired it done. What's more, every one of these women believe they are lousy housekeepers and have a much dirtier house than their grandmothers had! Let's look at these two ideas.

First, why are the women lousy housekeepers? Do they live alone? Did they make the mess all by themselves? I admit I fight this one too. When I walk into a house that needs de-cluttered, or just plain needs a good cleaning- my first thought is “this woman is a slob”. I don't look at her husband, or her 13 or 15 year-old. Do I think she sets on the couch all day eating bon-bons? She's expected to work all day then come home, cook dinner, do laundry and clean house? I don't know about anyone else but I don't remember signing on to be Dobby- the house elf. I swear next time I walk into one of “those” homes I will say to myself “this family needs to get off their butts”. Ok... I will try to remember to say that to myself.

Second point: Grandma's house was cleaner....Get a CLUE! One of my grandmothers had no indoor bathroom, let alone a vacuum. Rugs were taken out just twice a year and beaten until they were relatively clean. Most of us vacuum once a week or so, lets see.....which is better...weekly or bi-annual cleaning?

Remember “spring cleaning”? Why don't we do that anymore? Well duh.....I don't know about you but I don't  have a coal furnace depositing coal ash on my walls all winter! I no longer need to wash my walls when winter is over! My dishwasher not only saves time but leaves sanitized dishes for fewer colds. For me, the cheese cloth behind my vents even means less dust...(thats my cleaning tip for the day) Are we nuts? Some doctors are actually saying we clean too much and are growing super germs in retaliation! We really need to cut ourselves some slack.

Now I have to go polish the pull chain on the ceiling fan.

362 days to 60!!!