Housework or House Warp? How Much Cleaning is Too Much?

Cleaning house was fun when I was young mother. Our house was spic and span. Everything was in its proper place unless it was being used. If the kids finished playing with a toy or game, I insisted they put it back where it belonged before taking out another one. When they were too young to help, I did it for them. Once per week, I pulled out the heavy artillery and attacked closets, cabinets, pantries, and porches. Some might call my weekly drill equivalent to spring cleaning. I had a to-do list for daily chores. My house would not only pass the white glove test, I wore the glove! I may have went overboard—okay, it was a form of OCD, but I truly enjoyed it back then. These days, I have to admit my house is not nearly as neat and orderly since the kids are grown and have houses of their own. It took a lot of time and energy to keep up the routine. So, how did I become so obsessed with cleaning, and how did I get over it?
My mom worked a full-time job, and since church took up most of the day on Sunday, Saturday was the only day she had to get everything done. The house had to be cleaned, the groceries had to be bought, and Sunday dinner needed to be started. Mom made a game of doing housework when my brother and I were young. She would list all the household jobs on small strips of paper. There would be things written on each piece such as “dust the furniture, change your bed sheets, take out the trash, do a load of laundry, or sweep the back porch.” Then, she would put the slips of paper in an avocado green melmac (plastic) bowl and we would draw one chore slip at a time and do whatever task was written on it. When we finished one job, we drew another slip and continued working until we got the whole house clean. I’m not admitting to how many times I put back the slip of paper with “clean the toilet” written on it. That is, until my younger brother caught me. Then, Mom would take us somewhere or play a board game or do something we wanted to do. We were always happy to help out because it meant spending time with her. I tried this housecleaning game with my own kids, but they didn’t buy into it.
When my children were young, I tried using star charts giving them simple tasks that would earn them an allowance. They always wanted to be paid, but they wanted way more than minimum wage! Both my kids were very messy as teenagers and kept their rooms in horrible shape no matter how much I fussed, begged, threatened, or rewarded. Funny thing is my daughter is now a terrific housekeeper! Shocks me, but now that she has her own home, her place looks much better than mine. And, she works a full-time job outside the home.
I still enjoy having a clean house; I just don’t enjoy the work it requires. Besides, it doesn’t stay done when I do make the effort. Not more than an hour later, there is another dish to wash, more trash to take out, or something left out of place. I still try to straight things up everyday just so the work doesn’t pile up and create a mountain to be dealt with on the weekend. But, working full time, even though I work from home, doesn’t allow me the time to be as fastidious as I once was. Nor, do I want to be that stressed out.
I’ve relaxed quite a bit now that I’m older and have grandkids. The things I once thought were extremely important have taken a back seat to more pressing matters such as coloring, watching cartoons, and taking nature walks with the little wonders. I don’t know if it is my age, my reordered priorities, or if I’ve become lazy, but life sure is a lot more enjoyable since I relaxed my house cleaning standards. Maybe, I’ve not only gotten older, but also wiser.

Cleaning house was fun when I was young mother. Our house was spic and span. Everything was in its proper place unless it was being used. If the kids finished playing with a toy or game, I insisted they put it back where it belonged before taking out another one. When they were too young to help, I did it for them. Once per week, I pulled out the heavy artillery and attacked closets, cabinets, pantries, and porches. Some might call my weekly drill equivalent to spring cleaning. I had a to-do list for daily chores. My house would not only pass the white glove test, I wore the glove! I may have went overboard—okay, it was a form of OCD, but I truly enjoyed it back then. These days, I have to admit my house is not nearly as neat and orderly since the kids are grown and have houses of their own. It took a lot of time and energy to keep up the routine. So, how did I become so obsessed with cleaning, and how did I get over it?