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Erma Bombeck said it best when she said, “Keeping house is like threading beads on a string with no knot.”

Being a housewife is the most exasperating job in the world because the job is never done, and the results seem to last for a mere second, if that.

After seven years of being a stay-at-home mom of two kids, I think I’ve figured out some ways to keep my sanity when it comes to housework.  These are six small ways that I use to keep myself happy when it comes to the appearance of my house.

Close and Push

It’s such a simple thing and can easily be overlooked, but it makes a world of difference – Close all closet doors, keep kitchen cabinets closed, close the doors to the entertainment when not in use, push in all table chairs, piano benches, etc.  This little step keeps me from feeling overwhelmed by the clutter in my house and helps me to focus on the other tasks yet to be accomplished.

Pick one thing in each room that must be done daily

In my house, all beds in the bedrooms must be made, dirty dishes must be in the dishwasher in the kitchen, everything must be off the floor in the family room, and all bathroom counters need to be clutter-free.

Choose your cleaning schedule and stick to it

I still remember coming home from school on Mondays and smelling Murphy’s home oil all throughout the house.  Mondays, all day, were my mom’s cleaning day and she scrubbed the house from floor to ceiling.  That cleaning schedule worked for her, but it wouldn’t work for me.  I need to clean daily, a little bit at a time.

This is my cleaning process:  The Kitchen must be cleaned.  If that’s clean, I move to the family room .  Once that’s done, I do bathrooms, then bedrooms, and lastly the basement.  Often the basement doesn’t get touched for weeks, but I’m okay with that because that’s the rule I set for myself and I’m keeping it.

Set your hours

I believe what makes a mother’s job so hard is that it’s never-ending.  A couple years ago I realized I would go insane if I allowed myself to work around the clock, so I gave myself my own working hours:  I work from the moment my kids get up until dinnertime.  (Essentially, when my husband is working, I’m working.  When he’s off, I’m off – And weekends count too!!)  Now, I don’t like going to bed with a messy house, but I have to allow myself to stop and breathe and enjoy activities of my own.

De-clutter

Let’s face it – We all have too much junk.  A clean, sanitized house with too much “stuff” doesn’t look clean at all.  Everyone feels much more comfortable in a neat and orderly home – especially those living there 24/7.  Do yourself a huge favor and go the library and take out a book on de-cluttering your life (trust me, there are dozens of them), and start packin’ away for a more simplified life.

Everyone in the family needs to know it’s all a balancing act

I get a little miffed at my husband when he’ll make comments about the cleanliness of the house (and by that, I mean lack of it).  But I certainly don’t think he would have preferred for me to do the breakfast dishes this morning, rather than snuggle in bed with him – And neither would I.  I’m grateful that I can look beyond the mess to enjoy the more beautiful things in life.

Because housework is like “threading beads on a string with no knot” and not lasting, maybe we should pay more attention to the things that do last, like our family and friends.

What are your tips for keeping your sanity when it comes to housework?