Methodology

I trade houses. Every month, my mother and I swap cleaning duties. Instead of getting stuck in a rut, I tidy up my parents’ house and Mom does mine. Somehow cleaning each others’ homes seems like less of a chore. Besides, it’s easy to overlook things in my own house. With a fresh pair of eyes, maybe those hidden floorboards will finally get noticed.
Amy Belonio
Romeoville, Illinois

By taking care of one or two smaller tasks every day, my husband and I can have our weekends to truly relax and enjoy. It also helps that we don’t believe in gender-specific duties. Whatever needs to be done gets done by whoever is available to do it. There are many times when he gets the laundry going or cleans the bathroom and I take out the garbage or cut the grass. It works for us, and we have more time to spend together.
Nancy Panfili
Somerville, New Jersey

I used to drive myself crazy trying to keep up with everything, but by creating a regular cleaning schedule, I give myself permission to ignore a task until the date that it is set for. Having a timeline makes me feel organized and allows me to relax instead of feeling the need to spend all my free time cleaning.
Micki Takac
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

My housekeeping bugaboo is clutter, so I get rid of it by keeping three clutter-catching boxes by the laundry-room door. One is for the thrift shop, another for the resale store (from which I earn a little cash each month), and the third box is for items I think friends or family could use or enjoy.
Andrea Celayeta
Grand Junction, Colorado

Before I leave any room in the house, I always do a quick scan to see if there are things I can take with me to put away (e.g., laundry to throw in the hamper, newspapers to toss in the recycling bin). This way, my housework gets finished as I go about my day, and it doesn’t seem like such a monumental task.
Jennifer Wong
San Francisco, California

Tricks of the Trade

I keep paper towels in my bathroom, and after I dry my hands, I use them to wipe down the sinks and counters. The paper towels don’t go to waste, and the sink stays tidy between cleansings.
Cristie Morton
Kansas City, Missouri

In my living room’s bookcase, I store a few repair and cleaning items. A large, pretty basket holds a hammer, scissors, screwdrivers, a pen and a pad of paper, a lint roller, lightbulbs, a small dustpan, and a whisk broom. This way, I’m always prepared. The items are easy to see and use whenever the need arises.
Margo McPhillips
Joppa, Maryland

Mind Games

Cleaning and caring for my home has always been a challenge for me. Then I realized that living in a house is like being in any relationship — both need lots of TLC. When I am “in love” with my house, nothing is easier than preening and primping. I buy flowers for my home as a gift, just as I would for a loved one, and I would never allow it to look sloppy and unkempt. There are, however, times when I need to reinvigorate the relationship and add some pizzazz by rearranging the furniture, changing the wall color, or doing an upgrade. It refreshes my attitude and desire to care for my surroundings.
Diana Lund
Port Charlotte, Florida

I’ve always viewed housecleaning as a time to be alone and meditate. It is easy to get lost in the simple, repetitive acts of cleaning. Concentrating on a task makes me feel that I am experiencing the moment. There is a purpose in seeing something through and a joy in viewing the end result. Sometimes I put on my favorite music, loud, to be inspired. Other times I just let my thoughts flow. On many occasions, I have been inspired by this atmosphere and written down ideas for a story or resolved problems I had put aside. In my life, I have learned to embrace housecleaning as a way to nurture my soul by taking care of my space.
Carole Stratton
Natick, Massachusetts

I make housecleaning easier by approaching it with the mind-set that it is part of self-care. I don’t consider taking a shower or brushing my teeth to be chores, so keeping my living environment clean and hygienic shouldn’t be, either. It’s all about having the right attitude.
Sveta Aranha Pais
Austin, Texas

Group Effort

My wife and I enlist help. We have growing kids who are assigned “zones” in the house. For example, our youngest is the TV watcher, so his zone is the TV-den area. Our second is the snacker and likes to cook, so she helps in the kitchen, filling and emptying the dishwater. The oldest, the fashion queen, is in charge of the laundry room, washing and folding. Dad takes care of the yard, and Mom cleans the bathrooms and floors. We’re each responsible for our own rooms. The system works because it is balanced fairly — and the kids’ allowances depend on it.
Bruce Bushong
Muskogee, Oklahoma

On Second Thought

I hired a cleaning service 10 years ago, and it is the best use of my money that I can imagine. I’ve discovered that all the time I devoted to cleaning my house (not very well) was better spent with my kids and husband.
Barbara Patrick
Newtown, Connecticut

I make housecleaning easier by doing as little of it as possible. I mean, yes, my house is decent, but it’s far from perfect. My priorities are my three children. I would rather live with dust bunnies, Lego blocks scattered about, and Polly Pocket pieces on the floor than give up my time with them. Their childhood is too precious to me to worry about the perfection of my house. I do the basics and not much more. I have a life to lead and memories to make, so a dust-free, organized home will have to wait until I’m an empty-nester.
Michelle Mariotti
Honolulu, Hawaii

A wise friend of mine once told me, “If your house is too clean, you’re not having enough fun.” I’d much rather have a tea party with my kids than make sure my home is clean for that person who may (or may not) drop in. Life is too short to have all my dishes and laundry clean at the same time.
Melissa Louch
San Luis Obispo, California