Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.

Galatians 6:4-5 “The Message”

It’s no secret here on The Toothless Grin that I consider myself to be domestically challenged. I’ve written about it time and time again. Well, here we go again.

Housework is stressing me out. No, that’s not true. It’s the straw that is breaking this camel’s back.

Remember that Frank Sinatra song, “My Way”? Well, while Sinatra is pretty confident in doing things his way, I’m often not even sure what “my way” is. As a mom, a housekeeper, a pastor, a wife, and a friend (not necessarily in that order) I often feel like I’m failing from trying to juggle everything. When I talked to my counselor about this last week, she touched on something I hadn’t considered. We have access to so much information these days we can know way too much. The result is thoughts spin around in our heads and we can’t hear what our intuition or our gut is telling us. And that’s what we should be listening to. Not the experts. (Remember the monkey story? I’m thankful for the parents who listen to their gut)

So, reading Real Simple magazine, blogs on babycenter.com and watching specials on dirty houses have not helped me, rather they have convinced me that every way I could possibly do things is wrong.

No wonder I’ve been anxious.

I remember some time ago I wanted to write a post about the things I do around the house that work for me. I don’t know what people will think of my way, but the goal is to be confident in my choices and to respect others’ choices as well. And actually, my mind has been so full of what other people think, this post is my attempt of redefining my way of doing things.

So, here’s My Way (my “creative best” like Galatians says):

  • I use lysol/chlorox wipes to clean bathrooms and the kitchen
  • I use the scrubbing bubbles flushable toilet wand thing instead of a traditional, nasty toilet brush
  • I use a micro-cloth mop and water/cleaning mix to clean my floors (when I do clean my floors)
  • I don’t pick up Jack’s toys every day, because I don’t mind them sprawled all over.
  • I use the dishwasher as much as possible (because I hate washing dishes)
  • When I have to hand wash my dishes, I use gloves (because dirty dish water is disgusting)
  • I watch tv on hulu.com while I hand wash my dishes (because I hate washing dishes)
  • We have piles all over. It’s just how it is. (Can I accept that?)
  • I dust when the whim strikes.
  • I try to vacuum weekly. I really want one of those robot vacuums. (one of these please!) That would rock.

It’s funny, I had forgotten most of these things until I wrote them down here. But even if I do these things the way I like to do them, a problem still remains: The house is never as clean as I think it should be. At least as I think others think it should be. I’m so tired of living in shame of that.

So, no more! Last week I cleaned the bathroom sink and toilet with a disinfecting wipe in the dark when I was getting ready for bed. It’s not sparkling, but it’s cleaner. And I’m content with that.

Wow! I’m content! I like love living my way.

(I decided I’m just going to mediocre/stink at housework) 🙂