15 Minutes - This Might Make You Mad

I'm sure you are well aware of this by now, but I am quite lazy.  But I really try not to make excuses for myself though.  Lots of housewives will say things along the lines of "Oh I am just so busy!" or "The kids are so messy that I can't keep the house clean."  My favorite is "I don't stay home to clean, I stay home to be with my kids!"

I'm not trying to cause problems, but I don't believe you.  Now admittedly I have evenings off, which most housewives (because they are also mothers) don't.  But I don't clean in the evenings.  I clean during the day so I can relax in the evenings.  My mom had four kids.  Well she still does, but they don't all live with her anymore.  Her house was always pretty clean.  So I know it can be done.

"Oh I am just so busy!" - I am willing to bet that for most of you (Michelle Duggar with her 19 kids being a possible exception) busy includes a fair amount of time on some sort of internet connected device.  Or staring at a television.  I know my "busy" is sometimes (most of the time) just my lazy.

"The kids are so messy that I can't keep the house clean." - Well don't let them be!  When I want to have the house clean, I tell the girls to pick one room that they want to play in, then I can clean all the other ones.  They are more than welcome to come out and talk to me, or help me out (little kids LOVE helping.  Seriously, hand them a broom, you will see!), but the toys need to stay in the playroom.  Also, when they make a mess, they have to put the toys back in the playroom before we do anything else.  And before nap (if I remember) they clean up the playroom.  Honestly, I make 10x more mess than the kids.

"I don't stay home to clean, I stay home to be with my kids!" - Of course you do.  But someone has to clean.  And seeing as how you are home all day anyways, it may as well be you.  I spend tons of time with the kids.  I play on the floor with the baby. I play endless rounds of Candyland and Memory with the girls (I love that they are old enough to play real games now).  I take them to the park.  I read them stories.  I do learning activities with them.  I take them for walks.  I color with them.  But then they go play with their toys, or ask to watch DuckTales.  Which leaves me time to clean.  Or play TripleTown (darn you Melissa!).  Whatever.  And then there is always nap time!

 I want to clarify that I am NOT judging you.  I don't care if you house is clean.  As long as it doesn't stink if I come in, I could care less about your housewifing skills.  My house is FAR from perfect.  Really far.  I spend nap time playing on the computer, and when the girls are playing on their own and the baby is sleeping, I don't usually jump up and do the dishes.  I talk on the phone to my sister or something.  But I just don't buy most of the excuses.  Just admit you are lazy.  If being lazy bothers you, do something about it!  It really isn't that hard.  It is amazing what you can do in 15 minutes.  In one episode of Sesame Street you could probably have your house cleaned.  Not scrubbed top to bottom, but nicely presentable.

By the way.  I am only talking to housewives here.  I can't imagine what my house would look like if I had kids and worked outside the home.  I am pretty sure I would do whatever I could to try and scrounge up money for a cleaning lady.  Because I am sure as heck not going to want to come home from work to do more work during the limited amount of time I have to spend with my kids between dinner and bedtime. 

 

For the next few posts I am going to show you some 15 minute before and afters.  Yep, I am going to show you my disgusting house.  That way you can see how much I am NOT judging you.  Plus I can send the after pictures to my mom who has been wanting to see pictures of the inside of my house since I moved in but I keep forgetting to send them.