what shall i do?

Question

I am a mom of two little boys ( 2 years and a month ) I feel that keeping the house spotless is a priority. I have to do the cleaning EVERY single day. I've been doing this for years. I am just so tired of it. I can't start my day if the house is not sparkling. Once the house is clean I become a calm person and I can start my day then. However, I just got so tired of doing this every single day. I feel I am compromising time with my children for cleaning. I don't know if you understand what I am tslking about. It is just so frustrating. How can I get over the cleaning thing ??? serious answers only please...

Answer 1

Did you ever watch the show Monk? He's an obsessive-compulsive detective. Charming, delightful, clever and completely nuts.

Well, lately, as I watch myself straighten up everything "just so" I see the similarity between his OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) and my neatness. Perhaps you have a little of it too. And a little of it is a Good Thing. But a lot of it, as you are finding, takes you away from the really Good Things, like your kids.

Now don't laugh, but sometimes I think our neatness is a way of staving off the feeling of impending disaster - "If everything is in order, I won't die."

But of course we won't die if something is let go long enough to pay attention to the kids (or in my case, since I'm on the other end of the caring cycle now, my parents).

Try saying the words "But I like the lived-in look" with more and more conviction until you start to believe it. Read about the Japanese style of art called "wabi-sabi". They believe that to create beauty, you must value imperfection.

Did you know that every hand-knotted oriental rug has an imperfection in it, woven in on purpose, so that the gods will not be jealous?

Perhaps you can become even more perfect by choosing to become imperfect!

M
E

Answer 2

Just try to prioritize... I can't sleep at night if the house is a total mess... Make a list of the things that are most important to get done each day. Don't try to do everything everyday, you will ware yourself down... Prioritize by Every Day, Every Week, Every 2 Weeks, Every Month, Every Six Months & Every Year. Then Sort it out on a cleaning calendar...Like I clean out the frige the day I go grocery shopping... I go grocery shopping once a week, on wednesdays. I wash all the bedding in the house oncea week on mondays, that is my heavy cleaning day...I have a master list for things to do monday...What ever I don't get done on monday gets done tuesday morning... After that I try to just keep tidy & not stress. I hope that helps!