This One Simple Trick Will Make You Actually Love Housework

For twenty-seven years we were a homeschooling family.

I’ll translate: My kids were home all day. Every day. Which meant I had to cook, in spite of my protests, usually three times a day. Fast food is not really an option when you have to drive twenty miles to hit a drive-through. My kitchen was always in a state of cooking or cleaning.

So how do you keep from losing your mind cleaning, cooking and chasing children 24 hours a day, seven days a week?

There is no short answer for that. I’ll be the first to tell you that it is the hardest thing I have ever done. So you have to find the fun spots where ever you can.

The balance between being a mom, and being a housekeeper is hard. It’s easy to feel like you married your prince, only to find out five years and three kids later you’ve been turned into the scullery maid.

Take heart. It really is all in how you look at things.

No one enjoys scrubbing a kitchen, but what about decorating it? Pinterest is proof that we dream of beautiful surroundings. We also need a creative outlet.

But pinning pretty kitchens for an hour won’t make it happen. I didn’t have Pinterest while we were homeschooling (that is probably a good thing) but somewhere along the line, I figured out I hated cleaning but I dearly loved making things pretty.

Here’s the key when faced with an awful mess.

The first thing I do is…light a candle.

That’s right. First, I change the mood from stale leftovers that didn’t get cleared from the table and I put my favorite scent in the air.

My sister-in-law brought me a wonderful fall candle this past week and it changed my entire outlook.

I declared summer over.

It may still be hot outside, but thanks to that candle and central air I kissed summer goodbye. I declared it fall inside my home and began to put up fall decorations (inside only so far, it’s my personal declaration).

If I attack even the messiest room with the mindset that I am going to make it pretty, it honestly changes the entire process.

Here’s my challenge, you can test my theory on this:

On Monday morning, if you are in the habit of letting things go over the weekend, start your day off with a new candle and a bouquet of flowers.

Before you do anything else, light your candle. Relax and think about how you would like your dining room to look or whatever room you wish was clean and inviting.

With your candle burning, try some background music. Now that you’ve set the mood, make the room visually match the atmosphere you have created.

You will be amazed at the change in your energy to complete the task. You are no longer just cleaning, dusting, and vacuuming now, you are creating a work of art you and your children will thrive in it.

Granted, your kids will want to know who’s coming over. My favorite answer is, “You never know, it might be Grandma—better go clean your room. You know she’ll look under your bed.”

Works like a charm every time.