That’s Entertainment

I take a lighthearted approach to cleaning. I like to play some Edith Piaf on the stereo and kick up my heels as I kick up the dust.
Kelli Pritchard Charky
Mississauga, Ontario

To keep housekeeping from getting dull, I take a cue from TV ads…and get dramatic. I pretend I’m demonstrating a new product in a commercial — like a tub-scrubbing wand or a new mop. Suddenly I’m a cleaning pro, performing a great scrub-a-dub-dub in front of the cameras. Imagination takes the drudgery out of everyday chores and guarantees a job well done.
Krystal Krenek
College Station, Texas

When I’m not up to housecleaning, I try to squeeze it in during TV commercials. I’m always pleasantly surprised by what I can accomplish in those three-minute segments. By the time CSI is over, I can fold and put away three loads of laundry or clean the kitchen. It makes a daunting task much more bearable, and I still feel like I’m relaxing.
Heather Van Buskirk
Springfield, Oregon

I put in my favorite movies, turn up the volume (loud enough to hear in all the rooms), and get to work. After I finish with a room, I take a break and watch a little of the movie. If the credits roll before I’ve finished one room, I know I am getting too distracted and need to get back on track.
Shayne Sweeney
Bryan, Texas

I throw on a great CD, turn up the stereo, grab a broom, and slide around on my floors à la Tom Cruise in Risky Business. Dancing around my house in my underwear (shades closed, of course) has to make housework more fun!
Caroline Johnson
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

On Second Thought

I hire someone who cleans houses to help support her family, and I’m more organized because of her assistance. Plus, I find things almost every week that my family no longer needs. Either she and her family can use the goods or she knows someone else who can. For the two of us, it’s a win-win situation.
Vicki Collier
San Antonio, Texas

I make housecleaning easy by not getting stressed over it. I don’t live in a museum; I live in a home. If there’s dust on the tables, I tell everyone that shiny glare causes my migraines. I clean the top of the fridge only if someone over six-four is visiting. I once owned furniture that matched my cats. My tombstone will not read, “She had the cleanest house in town.” Instead, it might read, “She enjoyed her house and lived in it.”
Sharon Garmize
Mountain Top, Pennsylvania

I used to have a pretty plaque that hung on my front door that read, “Sorry you weren’t here yesterday, when the house was clean.” This one-liner makes housekeeping a breeze.
Ellen Olson
Reisterstown, Maryland