The Rollercoaster of House Cleaning

Recently I hosted a Birthday Brunch at my home for some of the ladies in my ward. I'm proud to say my house was in ship-shape order (after two days of deep cleaning it better have been). At one point during the cleaning process, I thought to myself - it should not be this difficult to clean my house and keep it up. But, as I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that there are different ways to clean your house depending on the visitor. I subscribe to the rollercoaster of house cleaning -- some days I'm up and ready to clean - and other days I'm not. So I can't really be held accountable for my wiley ways.

Everyday Cleaning: This can last anywhere from one hour to a full eight hours. I've often told my sister, that if someone would just call me in the morning and tell me that they were going to be to my house in a couple of hours and wanted the grand tour - my housework would get done so much quicker. On days that I've managed to drag the cleaning out all day, that final hour before the kids get home involves an aerobic workout of epic proportions.

Dad's Out of Town Cleaning: Can you say messy house?

Hometeacher Cleaning: We've all been there - it's the end of the month and after church on Sunday your hometeacher calls wanting to know if they can come over for a visit. You've just finished Sunday dinner, and you realize that even though the primary song says Saturday is a special day - and that it's supposed to be the day you get ready for Sunday - the only thing you did to prepare for Sunday was make sure your fridge was stocked with diet coke (DH frowns on breaking the Sabbath for a diet coke and a migraine rarely changes his mind). Once again, it's time for the aerobic workout - but with the kids helping it only takes 30 minutes to straighten the house (as a matter of fact, if I ask the kids to straighten up the front room on a Sunday, invariable they ask - "are the hometeachers coming today?")

Overnight Visitors: This is the ultimate of the deep clean because you have people coming and staying who may be opening drawers in the kitchen. Do I really want them to know that I don't just have one junk drawer but three? My kids hate overnight visitors because they know it's going to involve cleaning a lot of nooks and even more crannies.

Family Visitors: If it's mom or my sis then it's anybody's guess as to what my house is going to look like. Any other type of family, we are just doing the basics - bathroom, main living area, kitchen etc. I figure family won't judge me if my kitchen rugs need to be washed - but they might if their foot sticks to the floor.

My Kids' Friends: If I want a clean house - really fast. All I have to say is, "Hey, does anyone want to invite a friend over?" Those kids of mine clean like there is no tomorrow at the drop of the word 'friends'. During the summer, most days they'd have their work done by 930 am so they could play. Of course, there is a negative to the aspect of cleaning for friends. My kids + Their friends = Messes.

Relief Society Visitors: These ladies with their sweet smiles and nice personalities are the shrewdest of the shrewd visitors. Dust? Better not have any. Floor? Better be spotless. Judge not that ye be judged? That's been thrown out your streak free window. I'm kidding a little bit of course. But, I do feel like my house needs to be on its best behavior when RS sisters come by for luncheons or meetings.

My favorite scripture is found in Doctrine & Covenants 88:119 Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;

There are times in my life when I feel like I'm living in a organized house of order - and there are other times when I'm not. I like balance - so hopefully one of these days I will be able to balance my time and other activities with the cleaning of my house. Until then - welcome to the roller coaster of cleaning that I call home.