The first tip is: get a maid, a chauffer, a cook, and a lawn-guy. Not a reality? If your budget is tight (like mine) and you are still trying to have the normal busy American life, try my housecleaning hints!

Perhaps my story rings a bell with you.  Once, I could balance home and housekeeping and a job with at least a sense of humor.  My kids helped a lot.  But they are grown up now, my illness is waxing, and my husband is taking up a lot of the chore-slack, especially in errand-running.  Therefore, the housework still falls at my feet. Some days, the best thing I can do is turn the lights low and dig clean clothes out of the dryer.  But I have found some coping ways to keep the house clean and the pantry stocked.  

One of my best techniques is to break up chores into many steps, spreading them over several day.s

Is scrubbing hard on your hands?  Use Easy-Off, even for the ordinary grime on the stove-top.  Spray on Friday night, wipe off Saturday morning. Get the kind that is less toxic--it will be kinder to your lungs.

Roll out the vacuum the night before you intend to sweep.  Do one room per day instead of the whole house.

Every week, put a shelf or two from the refrigerator into your dishwasher.  That way, the whole thing will get cleaned regularly.

I've found some natural cleanser that can be sprayed and left on my tubs, so hands-and-knees scrubbing is a thing of the past.  The product is Melaleuca Mela-Magic blended with Tub and Tile by the same company.  Look for products that take the wear and tear out of your hands.

My friend Cherie swears by the Swiffer floor cleaning system.  She has back problems and can't possible carry a bucket around the house.  I myself use a miniature bucket and child-sized mop.