Clean Freak Mama Returns


Clean Freak Mama took a summer vacation, but with the first day of school a week away,…she’s baaack!

My grandmother even commented on the messiness of my house the other day. “I didn’t think you were normal–always having a clean house.”

Well, normal is not something I ever want to be. As if I could choose. The next day I wrote every room in the house on a list, cut the list into strips, and let the kids take turns choosing the next room to tackle. Usually the kids are responsible for their own areas, but this time we all worked together.

We couldn’t leave the chosen room until EVERYTHING had been done. Using lemon oil, my daughter buffed the woodwork to a shine. We hung shelves and clocks, threw out broken lamps, bagged up outgrown shoes, and dusted every crook and nanny–or something like that. 🙂

Doesn’t that sound like such a happy time? Isn’t cleaning so much fun? Okay, there were moments five hours into the marathon that we all started losing it, but we came out stronger on the other side.

When my husband came home from working a twelve-hour day, our son said he wanted to be like him.

“How sweet! Why do you want to be like Daddy?”

“Because he doesn’t have to clean.”

Cleaner Shrimp photo by Zpyder

9 Responses to Clean Freak Mama Returns

  1. Rel August 28, 2007 at 5:58 am #

    Ooo…can you all come to my house and try the cleaning here :):):)

  2. Sherrie Ashcraft August 28, 2007 at 6:49 am #

    I wish I’d been upstairs to see you dust Al Capone and Mary Poppins. That would have been quite a sight!!

  3. Jen Berry August 28, 2007 at 8:03 am #

    I have seen your house, and it has never been a mess. Bring your cleaning crew up, and clean our house. 🙂

  4. Tammy Bowers August 29, 2007 at 8:20 am #

    Ha, what your son said is cute, but you can let him know it ends once he goes off to college. At least it did for my husband. When my kids left for college, I recruited him to clean the upstairs everyweek. He is totally in charge of the upstairs, which is the kid’s bedrooms and bathroom (not much action there)our bedroom, bathroom, and the office. He grumbled the first few times, but now whips through dusting and vacuuming everything. Although he isn’t a nook and cranny type of guy, he is more consistent than me. Plus it is a huge help to me. I am in charge of the downstairs only, and I have to tell you, it affects me mentally. It’s like no more Everest to climb each week, its just a brisk walk on the beach. Soooooo much easier!

    Oh, and one more tidbit, when my kids were ingrade school and Jr. high, they helped with chores around the house. But when homework grew more intense in high school and they got jobs, cheerleading, basketball, youth group, they had no time, so I took over everything except their bedrooms, to help time. It was just a season that too quickly passed. So, enjoy even those cleaning days with your kids.

  5. Christina Berry August 29, 2007 at 10:27 am #

    Rel, if you get me the plane ticket, I’ll clean your house for a month. I’ve always wanted to see Australia!

    SIL Jen, that’s because I clean up when I know you’re coming. 🙂

    Tammy, I’m pluggin my ears. I’m not listening. Nope, can’t hear a word.

  6. donna fleisher August 29, 2007 at 10:30 am #

    I had a feeling you had a few nannies and crooks up there. Else, how could you do it all???

    ; )

  7. Jen's Journey August 29, 2007 at 9:02 pm #

    I was thinking the same thing as rel…Need the cleaning crew here. Can’t pay much, but need it and can satisfy your cleaning bug. 🙂

  8. Winter August 30, 2007 at 7:55 am #

    I was reading a website, what it takes to be a published author, everything in the house is put on the backburner. Achem! My house looks like that right now.

    I did vaccum the living room when my new furniture arrived, other than that, everything else is about a month and half or more behind. I’m getting to it.

  9. Rel September 3, 2007 at 3:22 pm #

    I’ll work on it Christina! Maybe you can come with Donna one day – LOL!!!