Homemaking God's Way: Your Home

By: Jenifer Metzger

Let's face it, for most people, cleaning isn't really a fun thing to do. However, it is a necessary thing.

My biggest problem with cleaning is that nothing stays clean. I know I cannot possibly be the only one who walks into a room less than an hour after cleaning it and wonder how on this beautiful earth can it possibly already be dirty again!

I like my house to stay clean and organized, which wasn't always easy in a home with six people plus pets. And to be real, still isn't always easy. Yet, I have learned the messier my house is, the more chaotic I feel. The cleaner my house is, the more calm I feel.

When I was homeschooling my kids, that took up a major part of my day which meant I could not spend all day cleaning. If you are a homeschool mom, you understand. Your attention is focused on teaching your kids, not cleaning. The best way to handle this, is do what you can before school starts for the day. Once the kids are in a place where they can work independently (like writing their spelling words or practicing math problems) do some housework. If your kids are still little, try doing housework before they wake up and again at naptime.

Today I am going to share with you 8 tips for cleaning.

• My biggest tip in cleaning is something I used to tell my kids on a daily basis. It's easy. It's simple. You already know it. But sometimes we just need to be reminded. What is it? Put it away, not down. It's that simple. Put things away where they go when you are done with them. I know we get tired, I know we don't feel like it, I know we think we will do it later. But the truth is, it is so much easier to do it immediately. As soon as you are finished with that dish, place it in the dishwasher. As soon as you take off those shoes, put them in the closet. As soon as you take off that jacket, hang it up. As soon as you are done with that blanket, fold it up. It's so much easier to do it right then and I promise you, it will help you keep your house cleaner.

• If you keep things picked up, following the above tip, it is easier to keep the house clean. Let me explain. My bedroom stays mostly clean. Each morning when I wake up, I make the bed immediately, pick up anything that might be out of place, carry dirty laundry to the laundry room, close the closet door, and then scan the room to make sure everything is put away. It literally takes me only 10 minutes. Once or twice a week I dust and vacuum the room which only takes another 10 or 15 minutes. If you don't let things accumulate, it is so much easier to keep up on things.

• Baskets are your friend! I love baskets and bags because of the organization they offer. We've used baskets for all the things. Video game things, regular games, for all of my Bible study supplies, my kids had baskets for their bathroom items (like toothbrush, deodorant, etc), we literally have used baskets for everything. Baskets, bags, and bins help you stay organized and give everything you own a 'home.'

• Deep clean your home regularly. I try to do this on a weekly basis. Deep cleaning to me is scrubbing the toilets, cleaning the floors, and dusting the ceiling, corners, and baseboards, those kind of things. If you do it regularly, you will be able to keep up on it and it won't take you all day. When your cleaning isn't done regularly, it can get out of hand and once you finally get to it, it takes much, much longer than it should.

• Do light cleaning every day. Other than simply putting things away when you are done, some things that should be done every day are your kitchen and bathroom. Keep your kitchen and bathroom counters clear of clutter so that they are easy to wipe down each day. I typically wipe down the kitchen counters after each meal. The dishes need done each day. The trash cans need emptied each day. These are things that just need to be done each day to help you keep up on things.

• Keep up on the laundry. Let's be real. Mount Laundry is a struggle to climb. Especially when it gets out of control. With six people in our home, I used to do at least four loads of laundry every single day. Now that it is just my husband and I, I still purpose to do one load every single day. One load a day is easier than seven loads in one day.

• Have the kids help! All of the responsibility should not fall on your shoulders. Kids of all ages can learn to do chores. Even a toddler can learn to pick up their toys and feed the dog.

• Be proud of your home. I am not talking about sinful pride. I am talking about contentment. If you love your home, you are content with what you have, and you are thankful for what you have, you tend to take better care of it. Don't be jealous of someone else's home or what you see on social media. Be thankful for what God has blessed you with and take good care of it.

This week's action plan:

Be intentional about cleaning. If the mess in your house has gotten out of control, take it one day at a time. Do what you can today then do a little more tomorrow and so on. Once you get things back in order, it is so much easier to keep up on it. This week, pick one room or one task and start. You can't finish if you don't start,

Discussion:
1. What area of your home is the hardest to keep clean?
2. Which of the above tips sounds most helpful to you?

Homemaking God's Way series:
Week One: Your Heart
Week Two: Your Husband
Week Three: Your Kids
Week Four: Your Time