Kids are Messy

And let's face it...Adults are messy too.

Life. Is. Messy.

That may or may not be my kitchen sink. Um, I mean, of course it isn't. I totally found that picture online....

Ahem.

Moving on.

Life is messy and part of being a mom is cleaning it up. You can debate this all you want, and no, I'm not saying that if you love Jesus you'll do ALL the cleaning at your house. But practically speaking...most of the moms I know do a lot of the cleaning.

A funny thing happens when you stay home from your job to take care of your kids. All the sudden that beautiful, wonderful theory about husbands and wives sharing the housework...Yeah, that gets harder to justify even to the most caring husband when both of you know that you are home all day. That's the simple fact. You may be just as busy, but you are home and in the mind of a man, that means you should be able to do more of the cleaning than you used to.

It's taken me almost two years at home to finally accept that theory. (And disclaimer: yes, my husband does still help around the house, especially if I ask him too. He loves me very much, he's not a chauvinist, and I'm cool with this. Okay? Okay.)

But look at those dishes in the sink. Do you want to know the incredible, awe-inspiring secret of adulthood (and maybe especially motherhood/womanhood) that I've learned?

No one else is going to do those dishes (unless I ask for help, which is okay sometimes). But as a whole, this is true. They are not going to do themselves either. They're not going to disappear if I leave them overnight.

Ants may appear. But the dishes? They're not going anywhere.

So I just have to take a deep breath, put on some music or a TV show I like to make it feel like "fun" and do it.

That's the great secret to SAHM housecleaning that I have learned. Just clean it. Oh, I hear you. You need a system, you need to make a list, blah, blah, blah. I've said it all a million times. But this is the cleanest overall my house has ever been (haha, okay, except my sink this morning. It's Monday, okay?) and that is what I have learned. We are the great list-makers. Strategizers. Pinteresters that find "easy ways to clean in ten minutes a day."

We need to simplify a little and learn to just do what needs to be done.

But that's probably one of those truths that has to sink in for everyone individually. I can't talk you into it. But seriously, I'm right. ;)

Here are some other random things I've discovered in my quest for a cleaner house:

1. I read somewhere that if you can do it in less than 2 minutes, do it immediately. This includes picking up trash from the floor (Why is there trash on the floor anyway? Anyone else's kids struggle with the trashcan concept...?), unloading the dishwasher (gasp!!!), putting dirty plates in the sink, and tons of other things.

2. Make it fun. Listen to music while you do the dishes. Or one of my favorites, make folding laundry a naptime activity. When the boys go to sleep, I turn on my favorite TV show and fold laundry. It seriously feels relaxing and like "me" time even though I'm doing laundry. Crazy, I know. And seriously? Since I started doing this I am caught up on laundry. For weeks now I haven't gotten more than a load or two behind.

Cue gasps here. Try this one and let me know if it works for you!

3. Get the kids involved. Mine are 19 months and almost 4 (in 8 days!!!). They are old enough to learn how to help with some of the housework. Which ties into the next one....

4. Stop being such a perfectionist. Fellow SAHM....Listen, okay? We are not judging your house. Your friends? They aren't judging it either. No one is going to eat off of your floors anyway.

HAHAHA. Okay, yeah, they are. But it's good for them, right?

What I'm saying is...Let your kids help. And DO NOT CLEAN BEHIND THEM. If your three year old wants to swiffer the living room...Let him. He'll clean at least some of the dirt and dog hair. You can do it tomorrow if you really want it "Mom clean." But for today? Just be thankful its better than it was. And know that in not cleaning behind your kids you are teaching them that they are enough. That they can do it. That they can make a contribution that matters. (Side note: When I get my kids involved like this, they behave better. Odd...)

5. Know you aren't alone. This is pretty much my new motto for most areas of life. Someone struggles the same way you do, in every single struggle you have. Satan would like to lie to you and make you feel alone and like a weirdo. Do not let him. Other moms are like you. Encourage them. Encourage yourself. Get better at cleaning if this is a struggle for you like it has been for me. You'll be so much happier and it IS important (no matter how many cute posters tell you to only snuggle your kids and never clean...That's a rant for another day...). So don't give up. Don't make excuses. But don't beat yourself up either.

How about y'all? Any thoughts on cleaning from other SAHMs? WAHMS and WOHMS, are you shocked that we struggle with cleaning too? Anyone have tips you want to share?