Honestly how often do you clean...

[carpaltunnel]

if it's not going to be absolutely perfect, don't even bother to try.

Oakleaf, boy can I identify with that! My stepmother used to make us clean the whole house every Saturday, and chores after school. Everything had to be perfect or you really caught it. One of my jobs was to clean the cement steps to the basement. I had to sweep it with a broom twice, then with a dust mop once to get the last of the dust, then scrub it on my hands and knees with a rag and a bucket of soapy water, then rinse it with a clean rag & water. I did this every Saturday, in addition to other chores. I've hated cleaning ever since.

I saw a sign on the side of a bus in Minneapolis last weekend, something like "You don't have to enjoy cleaning to be happy while your'e doing it". It made me realize that the woman I hated and haven't seen for 48 years (since my dad divorcede her) still has a little control over me. I can enjoy doing my little household chores if I want to. It's my home, and I enjoy it so I can enjoy tidying it up.(That's not to say I'm going to go overboard about cleaning any time soon. )

[Dogmama]

Dull people have immaculate homes.

[vinbek]

My mom worked when I was a kid and made us clean the house weekly. If not done to her expectations, we had to do it again. I hated it. Couldn't wait to be old enough to get out on my own. Full circle now - I clean weekly and do it myself. I use the disenfectant wipes for spot cleaning and X-14 for the real cleaning. This stuff is STRONG. We have 4 bathrooms, but it still doesn't take me much time. I would gladly clean your bathroom if you would vacuum my house. I HATE to vacuum!!!

[carpaltunnel]

I HATE to vacuum!!!

With good reason!

I was a study participant at the local medical school a few years ago. The study was started by cardiologists (who apparently all have cleaning ladies and don't vacuum themselves) who kept hearing from their patients that they got really tired when they vacuumed. We strapped on this mask thing with a backpack that recorded how much oxygen we consumed when vacuuming using a variety of different vacuum cleaners. They recorded our heart rates, blood pressure before and after, etc.

The study results found that vacuuming was hard work. Suprise!

When I look at people doing tai chai (sp) it looks like the same kind of effort and physical control as vacuuming.

[Dogmama]

When I look at people doing tai chai (sp) it looks like the same kind of effort and physical control as vacuuming.

I always knew Tai Chi sucked.

<sorry - couldn't resist!>

[evangundy]

My mom always said, we lived in a house that was clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be comfortable. The house was never all clean at once, it was clean room by room. And usually got the deepest cleaning just before company arrived. My house is pretty much the same. No set schedule for cleaning, it just gets done when we have time, and it looks like it needs it. Usually a little here, a little there.

Works for us :-)
Edna

[vinbek]

Edna, I like your Mom!

[carpaltunnel]

I always knew Tai Chi sucked.