Don't do what you like. Like what you do.

I've loved that quote since the day it popped up on my Mary Engelbreit page a day calendar. The words were paired with a woman dancing with her broom while obviously deep in the throes of her household chores.

Appropriate for me. Not because I dance with my broom. But because I hate to clean.

Now, let's be clear, lest you judge. I do clean. But I truly absolutely despise it. I do love my house clean, but the act of getting it there fills me with no joy. I don't clean when stressed. I don't organize when overwhelmed. I don't dust when I want feel I've accomplished something. I'd much prefer any number of things over anything involving cleaning.

But.

I am the house cleaner. I have to clean. There are no two ways about it. Until Sprinkle of Grace suddenly becomes the sole photographer for the holmes-cruise family, a maid just ain't in the budget. So it's me. With the mop, the broom, the pledge and windex.

So back to the quote. In my aims to start dancing with my broom, rather than cursing at it, I've discovered a few things lately that have made cleaning not so bothersome. And I thought i'd share. NOT because I think you ladies of much higher standards when it comes to your wifely duties need such tips, but rather because I need to feel some success in my endeavor to not totally suck at homemakerdom.

First, my ipod has revolutionized my cleaning. I plug into that thing and go. And while I do feel slightly rude shutting my children and husband out of my world as I dance about, I comfort myself with the thought that I am cleaning. And they get a lot of my time anyway. :)

Second, if any supply somehow makes my life easier then I buy it. Yes, clorox wipes are more expensive than the spray bottle and papertowells, but, by God, those things sure get used a lot more than the former. And the little dusting wand thing from pledge - totally fun to use. And And, the downy ball, because like I can remember when to dump in the softener! Heck, half the time, even the ball is still sitting on the dryer during the whole washing cycle. And swiffer, dry, wet, whatever which way keeps me from having to do a full on mopping every week....It's totally worth the price.

Third, and this inspiration comes from Seph, there are these cleaning products at HEB. I can't recall the brand at the moment but they first lured me in because of the vintagey looking labels. But then the scents sealed the deal. They're all herby/essential oily smelling! Now, seph suggested making your own cleaning supplies with oils, but i mean, if spraying the clorox spray is too much for me then i'm not gonna bet on me making my own products anytime soon. So, I bought the basil scented all purpose cleaner. Diluted it and poured it into an old febreeze bottle. Spraying that stuff has brought joy to cleaning like nothing else on this earth. Even troy commented on the smell of our house after I cleaned the kitchen with it.

Finally, I've decided I won't ever be...well, some of you, who will remain nameless, because I'm not you. I'm just simply not. Oh, how I wish I was! But if I can still sleep fine at night knowing that there is a chunk of banana stuck to grants highchair...and grant... or that I haven't vacuumed my bedroom in...some time, or that there are always going to be finger, scratch that, handprints, even full on body prints on my french doors, then i'm letting it go.

At the tender age of 27...28?...27?...yes, 27, I've just come to terms with the fact that I'm not gonna get any better at this cleaning thing. And I'm sure not going to start suddenly loving it anymore because I read how-to clean books. I need a book titled...How to not clean while making it look like you did...when really you were making a cool peice of art for your wall. I should so write that book!

This has been quite a little post, hasn't it? Have i made enough excuses for my laziness? Ay caramba.

I just don't like to clean!
But i'm trying. I really am. I really truly am.

sorta.