I enjoy keeping a clean home.

Some have argued that mess and cutter are the natural result of productivity and getting things done. One article I’ve read even went as far as celebrating a messy home. People who emphasize cleanliness and order are misrepresented as being overly structured and not fun to be around. I love a clean home and strive for order, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t moments when mess and clutter are present in my home and it also doesn’t mean that I follow behind my kids with a Swiffer as they play. It does mean that each one of us tries our best to recognize when things aren’t as they should be and make an effort to put things back together as quickly as possible.

Here are 4 reasons I’ve found keeping a clean and ordered home rewarding and life-giving rather than taxing and life-taking.

DISCIPLINE

It’s my responsibility to help care for all the things in our home and help shape the environment we live in. We should all be disciplined in such a way that we have a handle and control over the things in our home (not the other way around). When we practice keeping our home clean and maintained we’re helping shape the environment and tone of the home while exercising dominion over the things we’re responsible to care for. Doing this effectively and consistently requires discipline and building discipline is an uphill climb. But it makes the process more enjoyable when you’re able to mix activities that require discipline with activities that produce positive and immediate results. When things are in their place, the home feels ordered instead of disordered, controlled instead of out of control, and disciplined instead of undisciplined.

THANKFULNESS / CONTENTMENT

Keeping things clean and orderly throughout the day also increases my thankfulness and contentment for things I do have. When things are put away, cleaned, and stored properly I’m caring for these things so they last for a long time and are easily accessible. When they’re left out to be stepped on, uncleaned, or misplaced, they’re used in careless and unthankful ways. They become clutter to be forgotten about, rather than gifts to be treasured and thankful for.

PARTICIPATION

Kids want to help. And believe it or not, they have the capacity at a young age. Even at 4 and almost 2, Emet and Abner are clearing the dinner table, helping with the dishes, helping cook dinner, sweeping, and more. There is a natural curiosity for kids their age. What I’ve found is with a little bit of investment, children can find joy and and deep sense of accomplishment from helping keep things in order around the home.

TIME-SAVING

We’ve all been there, we get the call or text from a friend who is going to stop by within the hour. Or maybe someone is coming to town for the weekend. Maintaining a clean home actually saves you time because it keeps you from regularly having to spend hours on a deep clean to reset things to a livable state.

WEEKLY HOMEKEEPING DOC
I’ve put together a WEEKLY HOMEKEEPING doc to be organized and intentional about the way we stay on top of our cleaning routine. This is all part of cultivating a peaceful home.

Here is a blank doc for you!

Daily Categories

Each day has its own category. For me, this doesn't always correspond with what I’m planning to clean that day - because our lives don’t center around cleaning our house. I use this space to communicate what the main focus of that day is. On Mondays, the focus is reseting the house and cleaning. Because of this, I added some extra spaces for tasks. On Saturdays, we’re trying to do something outdoors or together as a family if possible. Of course, some of these things also change by the seasons.

Standard Tasks

There are standard tasks I try to accomplish daily. I’ve added these in each day because these are items that affect high traffic areas and if they aren’t given a little bit of attention every day, they will build up and required a large amount of attention later.

Scheduled Tasks

Taking into account the main things we’ve decided to focus on each day, I schedule time to do specific tasks. This allows for all of the areas of the house to be attended to each week. By doing this, it keeps us from spending a full day focusing on one area of cleaning.

Here are three things that we do to keep these tasks simple and fun:

1. Clean as you go - Whenever we’re cooking in the kitchen, working on a project, or hosting someone in our home, we clean as we go by washing dishes, putting supplies away, or setting ourselves up for a quick clean up when guests leave.

2. Have defined places for everything (that make sense) - I’ve tried to put things in places that are clear and obvious, that way whenever it’s time to clean up, there is no question about where things should go.

3. Get everyone involved - This list is not just for me, we’re all jumping in and helping with various tasks around the house. This means the kids, too. Abner loves grabbing the Swiffer and Emet loves helping fold the laundry.

OBJECTIONS

These thoughts on cleaning and keeping an orderly home have been met with objections. Here are some of the most common objections to functioning this way and why they aren’t necessary true.

“It takes the fun out of your children creating and the messes that come with that.”

The boys have specific areas that we’ve designated for creating and building things. We allow for messes in certain areas and know that using different things and making a mess can be part of the creative process.

“Being so structured takes the enjoyment out of actually using things.”

Defining how we use things, where we use them, and where they go when we’re done builds respect and a deeper enjoyment for what we do have. We have to make what we have last. Caring for our things by cleaning them and properly storing them prolongs their life and allows for enjoyment for a longer period of time.

“This makes kids too uptight about playing, they should be allowed to be more carefree.”

Whatever habits you create at home will show up outside of your home. If your children create messes and leave their things around the house, they will do this when they go other places. When you’re structured with keeping your space ordered and clean it creates a respect for when you go into other peoples homes.

| Credits: Author & Photography - Jacintha Payne |