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. )