I would start this post with that great Dorothy West quote, but I just used that one recently.

I hate housekeeping. And I honestly think people do too much of it. Who the hell cares if your baseboards are dusty? Are we really judging people for dusty baseboards or dirt on the windowsills? We shouldn’t be.

That being said, a certain amount of cleaning up does need to be done. I’m not thrilled about it. Dishes need to be washed. Laundry, too. The cat box, of course. And there is a certain amount of mopping, sweeping, and tidying up that can’t be avoided.

Much as I might try.

However, housekeeping is usually at the bottom of my priority list, under caring for my disabled husband and pets, working a full-time job, and writing.

Oh, and taking care of myself enough that I can continue to do all the other things. My health is more important than a clean closet.

So, what do I do to keep up with what needs to be kept up with? In a life so busy, how does any cleaning get done at all? Let’s talk about it.

Prioritize

If you only have fifteen minutes to dedicate to cleaning a room, do the most important things first. For instance, let’s say I’m cleaning the bathroom. I need to clean the cat box, scrub out the tub, clean the toilet, and declutter the counter. If I only have a few minutes, obviously the cat box is first. Then the toilet. Sanitation and things that can impact our health always come first. The decluttering can wait for another time.

Deligate

Unless you live alone, everyone in the house should be helping keep it clean. It’s up to your household how that gets delegated. But it should be.

Even a five-year-old can pick up his own toys.

In my house, my roommate does the lawn mowing. We split dish duties and dinner cooking. I keep the bathroom hygienic. We take turns caring for the dogs, taking them out and trimming their nails. The Darling Husband does what he can, what with the stroke and all. But anyone physically able to do home care in your home should be doing it.

Audiobooks

I’d rather be reading than washing dishes. I’d rather be reading than vacuuming. I’d rather be reading than folding laundry, decluttering my closet, scrubbing the bathroom, or really anything else. Since I have yet to master the practice of levitation, I listen to audiobooks.

This makes a boring chore tolerable. I can listen to a great story and all but forget what my hands are doing. I just started listening to Please Remain Seated by Marcus Kliewer, if you’re wondering.

Make a cleaning chart

Ugh, yes! Making a cleaning chart has actually helped me keep my home cleaner. But not necessarily for the reason you might think.

I don’t know about you, but when it comes to home care, I tend to get overwhelmed. There are just so many things that need to be done. And I usually clean at the end of my day, when I’m suffering from serious decision fatigue. I’m more likely to just throw my hands up in frustration and not get anything done.

So, I made a cleaning chart. I wrote down all the things I needed to get done daily and weekly. And I gave each day a chore to perform. I used my day job schedule as a guide, assigning heavy tasks to days off and easy tasks to longer days. If you’re interested in making your own cleaning chart, here’s mine as an example.

Daily tasks-

Wash dishes

Wipe down kitchen counters

Wipe down bathroom counters

Swish and swipe toilet (Yes, I was inspired by the FlyLady. No, I don’t wear shoes in my house.)

Cat box

Weekly tasks-

Monday (A day off)- Do laundry and run errands

Tuesday- Empty out the trash bins

Wednesday (An overtime shift)- Go through any mail

Thursday- Mop downstairs

Friday- Vacuum upstairs and mop bathroom

Saturday (An overtime shift)- Clean out French Press

Sunday (A day off)- Plan meals for the coming week, fill pill sorters, and order any prescriptions we’re out of.

I also pick a room every week, and try to spend ten to fifteen minutes a day cleaning and decluttering. Again, the point is to give myself a direction, so I don’t have to think about what needs to be done. I can just do them.

Give things a home

You can’t put things away if there isn’t an away to put them. Everything in your house should have somewhere it goes when it’s not being used. Simple as that.

Do little things every day

I think this is the worst thing about homecare. It’s not ever going to be a one-and-done project. As soon as you clear the sink of dishes, you’ve got to cook again and make more dishes.

It’s also a blessing, though. As you notice in my weekly chore list, I’m not getting everything done every day. I do a little here and a little there.

I find moments when I can get a tiny thing done. If I’m waiting for water to boil in the kettle, I’ll put dishes away and sort out things on the counter. If I’m going from my bedroom upstairs to the living room downstairs, that mug on my desk is coming with me. This approach leaves me feeling far less overwhelmed.

Don’t make it a punishment

I hate to blame my mother for all of my problems. But I do blame her for this one. Cleaning was never fun growing up. It was a constant stream of arguments. It was never done right, never done fast enough.

It was never enough.

Now, I’m not saying that cleaning is anyone’s favorite thing. But it has to be done, and it might as well be pleasant. I light a candle and put on an audiobook or some music. My roommate might join me, and we’ll talk about things. I like to buy cute sponges and nice-smelling soaps. In short, the goal is to make this as enjoyable an activity as possible.

Overall, cleaning has to be done, and it brings with it rewards. When you do laundry, you’re rewarded with clean, nice-smelling clothes. When you put things away, you know where they are next time. And when you keep your dishes done, you don’t have to fight your kitchen to make a cup of tea. So you owe it to yourself to make cleaning as quick and painless as possible.

My book, Station 86 Volume One, is available now on Amazon! It’s got two dark sci-fi stories about murder and mayhem on the station of First Contact.