Why I Make My Bed {10 Reasons I Keep My House Clean}

Why I Make My Bed {10 Reasons I Keep My House Clean}  Awesome motivation to clean your house if you've ever asked yourself what is the point of keeping a tidy house!A couple of months ago, when I launched ProjectSimplify365.com, I posted a list of “simple rules” that I wanted my family to live by.  Funnily enough, the one thing people commented on more than any other was a line I honestly hadn’t thought twice about including: Make your bed every day. 

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Is this a novel concept?

I am slightly obsessive about making our bed each morning.  I also try (though some days are more successful than others) to spend an hour “Speed Cleaning” the rest of my house.  Until I posted the above list, it never even occurred to me that it might be considered odd.  But when I started to think about it, I realized there are some serious reasons why I take the time to make my bed and tidy up each day.

1.  It just looks better.  This should be fairly obvious right?  Straightened sheets and comforters with pillows in their proper place are far more esthetically pleasing than disheveled blankets and a pile of pillows on the floor.  A sink full of dirty dishes just looks ugly, whereas I could stare at my clean and sparkly kitchen all day long.  Likewise, toys and clothes off the floor and put away are so much prettier than things scattered everywhere.

Why I Make My Bed {10 Reasons I Keep My House Clean}  Awesome motivation to clean your house if you've ever asked yourself what is the point of keeping a tidy house!

2.  I get more done when my house is clean.  Taking the time to focus on putting things in order–especially when I set the timer and race against the clock–seems to jumpstart my productivity.  When I ignore the mess and try to work around it, I am more easily distracted by whatever comes my way, and at the end of the day I’ll find I accomplished almost nothing.  It doesn’t mean I always keep my house clean, but I do get more done on the days that I do.

3.  I’m not embarrassed to have people over.  I love entertaining and throwing parties and get-togethers, & greatly value hospitality.  When my house is clean I am more likely to invite someone over on the spur of the moment.

4. I can find things.  This part of my life has greatly improved since our Great Purge in December, when we got rid of SO much stuff.  Now that everything has a rightful place once again, it is so much easier to put it away and–surprise surprise–to find things again when we need them.

5.  My kids play better.  My children have the incredible ability to make a mess instantaneously.  Do your kids possess this talent?  Sometimes it seems like they spend their entire day just dragging stuff out so they can leave it on the floor.  During our great purge I got rid of 4 huge bins of toys, and there is still more purging yet to be done.  I have noticed, however, that when we keep their room clean (and I do make them help with this), they actually play much better.  Just like me, they can find the things they are looking for and focus on just one thing at a time instead of being overwhelmed by 5,000 toys staring at them from the floor.

Why I Make My Bed {10 Reasons I Keep My House Clean}  Awesome motivation to clean your house if you've ever asked yourself what is the point of keeping a tidy house!

6. It makes my husband happy.  Who wants to come home after a hard day’s work to a house full of chaos? There are far too many days when Husband comes home at 5:30 and the kids are hungry and crabby and screaming, dishes are piled in the sink, dinner isn’t made, and the rest of the house is a disaster.  (For the record, he never says anything negative and will dig right in and help with dinner, then do the dishes.)  But on the days the house is clean and dinner is made and the girls happily run to greet him at the door, there is an unspoken joy that lights up his face.

7.  It saves money.  Taking care of my home and my things means I am less likely to need to replace something that gets lost or broken.  When things are messy I want only to escape the clutter, which can often mean going to Target and mindlessly filling a cart with even more stuff we don’t need.  When things are clean, I have no desire to be any place but here.

8.  I am more creative.  Instead of seeing nothing but the mess, my mind is clear to see the creative potential around me, and my desk and table are clear to spread out and complete a project.   Likewise, when my kitchen is clean, it makes me want to cook things!  I know this doesn’t bother some people, but I have a really hard time creating anything–or enjoying the process–when I am surrounded by clutter.

9.  It helps me get a good night sleep.  There is nothing I love more than crawling into a carefully-made bed.   It is so comforting!  Rather than needing to wrestle with tangled sheets or scoop up blankets from off the floor, I am instantly relaxed and ready for a night of rejuvenation.  Even if I can’t manage to get to the rest of the house, I almost always make my bed because I hate sleeping in a messy bed.  A made bed just feels better, the blankets stay on all night long, and I sleep much better.

10.  It’s my job.  When I signed up to be a stay-at-home mom, I agreed to all the duties that came with it, including keeping house.  It’s not Husband’s responsibility to go to work all day then come home and do my job too.  Yes, I work too, but my “work” is secondary to my primary job of Mom.

This is not a sexist thing.  Early in our marriage, we agreed that a.) one of us would always stay home with our kids and b.) that the one at home would be responsible for running the household.  In fact, when Princess was a baby, Husband was the stay-at-home parent for a year-and-a-half.  During that time, he did it all–cleaning, cooking, groceries, & childcare–while I went to work, and he did an amazing job.  I owe it to him to do the same.

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There are plenty of days where my house is a complete and utter disaster.  In fact sometimes by the end of the day it is a disaster even when I do spend time cleaning up.  And that’s life.  I try not to get too down on myself on those days I can’t quite pull it all together, but most of the time I do at least make an attempt.  Because, when all is said and done, if my house is clean and my bed is made, I just breathe a little easier.

Where do you stand on the cleaning spectrum?   Are you a compulsive bed maker, or do you prefer to keep things au natural?  Is a clean house a priority for you, or does a little clutter here and there not affect you?

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{ 50 comments… add one }

  • Gina February 15, 2012 at 1:11 pm

    Loved this post! Very encouraging and we are like-minded. My husband has a stressful job and the last thing I want him to come home to is a disheveled home. My house pretty much reflects me…I’m more productive and well, just feel alot better about myself when my house is clean and organized. If it’s not, then I’m not! Thanks for sharing.

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  • Barbara February 15, 2012 at 1:13 pm

    My bed is made every day and my 18 year old son (who’s made his bed since he was a toddler) never leaves home without doing the same. I’m with you! And NO dirty dishes in the sink, either!

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  • Erin February 15, 2012 at 1:19 pm

    I am obsessive compulsive about my house being clean BUT with 4 kids and 2 dogs my house doesn’t stay clean very long. I do try to make my bed every day and I definitely keep my dishes clean. I strive to do at least 1 load of laundry a day because it piles up super fast if I don’t.

    I also have made a chore chart for my kids. Each one of my kids is in charge of a room in the house. My oldest daughter is in charge of making sure the living room is tidy, my youngest daughter is in charge of her and her sisters bedroom, my oldest son is in charge of his and his brother’s bedroom, my youngest son is in charge of the dining room and hall way. None of these rooms ever really get dirty but if my kids do their chores they earn money and special privileges.

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  • Carol February 15, 2012 at 1:24 pm

    Where’s the “LOVE” button?!
    Both my husband and I work outside of the home and we have a 2 year old, but I just recently started to really take on the “always clean house” and I can’t tell you how much better of a mood I am in every day when I come home! What helped me a lot was getting rid of the DVR on the t.v.!
    Great job Ruth! You’re doing awesome! Even on those days that you don’t feel “awesome” , you’re still doing awesome! ;)

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  • Kate February 15, 2012 at 1:40 pm

    I’m a single gal without kids. I try to leave for work every morning with a tidy home and my bed made. I want to be able to have spontaneous guests for dinner, or just to know that I can come home and relax at the end of a long day in a place that is calm and comfortable. Mess isn’t calm and comfortable for me…and I definitely don’t look forward to coming home to yesterday’s mess. I think there’s such an art to keeping a home….and I really enjoy that.

    But I need to pay homage to those of you who work outside (or inside) the home AND take care of kids AND keep your home. Sometimes I feel like all I do is put things away just to stay on top of it….and it’s just ME (and sometimes my boyfriend) at home! I wonder how you all do it with kids…and I have so much respect for you all who do it well.

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  • Jemimah February 15, 2012 at 1:43 pm

    I love this post! Totally agree with you! I love a neat and tidy house. Sending this link to my sis and mom because they’ve never gotten why I am the way I am about trying to keep a neat house. Thanks Ruth!

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  • Ronda February 15, 2012 at 2:05 pm

    Beautiful! I completely agree! I applaud you and I couldn’t have said it better. Thank you for sharing! I am going to pass this along!

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  • Kay February 15, 2012 at 2:24 pm

    Oh wow!!!! I just felt like I was reading my own diary! LOL! Thank you for putting into words what I can never get my super messy best friend to understand! I too have 2 little girls and a home based business based on creating things by hand. If clutter is everywhere, not only am I short tempered, but I get next to nothing done. I need to straighten out my whole house before I can sit down at my sewing machine! Great article!

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  • Alison February 15, 2012 at 2:27 pm

    Have you ever done a post about your routines? The entire time I’m reading your post I’m thinking, “yes! I love that! My husband too!” but the reality is I have no idea how to achieve this. Thank you for a great post – I am sharing it with my sister:-)

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  • Alisha February 15, 2012 at 2:30 pm

    Oh, Ruth! LOVE this! And I am going to share it with my husband…he doesn’t understand why I get so down on myself when I can’t keep the house the way I want it and he comes home to a disaster and then HE has to help with cleaning, the kids, and dinner AFTER working all day long! This totally captures how I feel and why I feel that way. Very well said (as always)!

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  • Sarah February 15, 2012 at 2:40 pm

    Great post Ruth! I am trying SO hard to keep a cleaner house but some days it just doesn’t work. I also feel I am responsible for this (not Zack) b/c we also agreed that this was part of my job as a stay at home mom. It just makes it even sweeter when he does the dishes or vacuums the living room…because I’m not expecting it. I have also been trying to make my bed every morning and have watched as my girls have been following my footsteps. They have been making theirs in the mornings as well! Love it!!!

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  • Denise February 15, 2012 at 3:27 pm

    Thank you for this post! I have tried so many things over the years and I just can’t seem to keep my house uncluttered. I know that it affects my attitude and my families. I know the cisual clutter is causing us stress. I know in my head everything that you said, I just need to DO it! Thanks for the reminder and encouragement to make it happen.
    Denise

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  • Kelly February 15, 2012 at 6:39 pm

    I love this post! I have a 2 year old who also has that incredible talent of destroying my clean house! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the picture of you girl’s closet! I see a project in my near future :)
    Thanks for sharing!

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  • tatiana February 16, 2012 at 10:01 am

    your post was all I needed today!!! I have been married for a year and a half and I was pretty good in keeping the house always clean and organized, even though I worked part time. Now we downsized to an apartment to be closer to where my husband goes to school and I am 40 weeks pregnant and spent 7 months of this pregnancy dying with morning sockness. sometimes I get very sad thinking that if I cannot get it all done now I’ll never be able to do it with a baby in the house!!! you are always such an inspiration!!! I prayed this morning that something would cheer me up and get me going (you know, at 40 weeks it is hard to get going), and your post totally did it!!!!

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  • Debbie February 16, 2012 at 11:51 am

    Unfortunately I work full time, go to school full time and my husband works full time as well. My house is not where I’d like it to be. It’s messy and after working all day I just don’t have the energy or time even to run around and clean, I make dinner and the boys load the dishwasher (now that I have one), if the dishes sit my dog drags them all over the house and outside, No Thanks! I cram all my major cleaning into weekends.. Make the kids help and then within a day it’s a mess again. Sigh.. I often wonder if I stayed home what would my days be like becuase I’d actually have time to clean! When I had my last son, I was off for 3 months from work and I enjoyed being home. Felt nice to throw laundry in, clean the litter box, wash dishes, vaccuum, etc. without a major rush. But, back to reality.. I don’t have that choice to be a stay at home mom, I have to work. So I make due. This weekend, will be my major cleaning weekend as i have to get ready for my son’s birthday party in 2 weeks. But I also have a 8 page term paper due on Sunday. Again.. sigh.. oh well I’ll get through it! Have a great day!

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    • Nana February 19, 2012 at 12:50 am

      There are sites all over the internet for cleaning you do in small stages, which take only 15 minutes each day. Even for the busiest of us, that’s not much time (set a timer!) and it will free you up from the massive weekend cleanups, so you have more time to enjoy life. :)

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  • Steph February 17, 2012 at 2:33 am

    I am 67 and retired but making my bed every day has been a priority for many, many years. I too like getting into a made bed at night. A friend asked me why I made my bed since I’d just be getting back into it that night. I felt and still feel just like one of the commenters above that it just feels good to get into a bed where the blankets and spread are where I can just slip in. My problem is my messy husband. I don’t like clutter and he never even sees it! I call his desk the “toxic zone”. Even the grandchildren turn their noses up at it. He is great about taking dishes off the table but he only puts them in the sink! Hello? Put them in the dishwasher!! Yet, he is great about doing things that are hard for me to do….like keeping the cat litterbox clean (I am disabled), emptying the trash, taking the cans out to the street and bringing them back, taking care of the yard and garden….well you get the picture. So I feel petty bringing up his clutter issues. Any ideas for a compromise? Great article!!

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  • Tawanda February 17, 2012 at 8:36 am

    Great post! It does take some time to get it together, but once everything has a designated place, it feels wonderful and is much easier to return to a general state of cleanliness. We’re still working on it in our household, but with only 4 more months of graduate school, we’re going to get there!

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  • Zsa Zsa February 17, 2012 at 10:30 am

    I have developed the habit of always keeping my kitchen sink immaculate ( inspired by the Fly Lady) but I’m still not so good at making the bed- mainly because my husband wakes up later than I do and he makes the bed.

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  • Crystal L. (Crafting & Rambling) February 17, 2012 at 12:47 pm

    I too struggle with feeling chaotic when the house is a mess. I can concentrate better when it’s clean…but also struggle with keeping it that way. I actually am mid-organization/deep clean on the WHOLE house (moving is a big motivator), and would love to keep it that way. So far, the rooms I’ve done stay pretty clean. Still have the big ones to do (kitchen, bedrooms, family room), which is a little overwhelming to think about, but ohhhhhh, how I love a space when it’s done! :) That being said, I *do* make our bed every day – it’s probably the most tidy room in our home. ;-)

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  • Julie February 18, 2012 at 11:52 pm

    I just saw a utube video of you that someone posted on iheartpublix.com and I am so glad they did, I completely agree with your videos and now your posts as I have just read them. I started two weeks ago keeping my house very clutter free… and it has made such a difference in my life… while I can’t have a made bed, my husband works midnights so he is asleep in it during the day, I do have my kids room, living room and kitchen ten times cleaner than before… I never realized how much time I spent cleaning all the clutter we didn’t need. I have two boys 3yrs and 5yrs… and I have had soo much more time with them!! Thanks for your postings and I will start to follow your page… :)

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  • Pine Tree Home February 28, 2012 at 7:38 pm

    I so need to get in a routing so I am not embarrassed when anyone pops over. It doesn’t happen often, but that fear and panic overcome me when someone knocks at the door. Darn, the floors need to be swept. I grew up in a house that was always spic and span. To the point where my mom didn’t want people to come over and mess it up. I now have to find the happy medium and get my groove thing on.

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  • Heather O. October 15, 2012 at 11:20 pm

    I love this post! I haven’t always kept a neat and clean home, but we’ve just moved into a new apartment 2 months ago, and it has been my mission to keep it as straight and orderly as possible. I’m finding that, as you posted, we enjoy being home so much more when the house is clean and organized. I don’t panic (as much) when guests arrive unannounced, and I’m much more likely to extend an invitation to visit, knowing that I don’t have to rush home to quick clean and make my home presentable.

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  • Lisa April 10, 2013 at 9:55 am

    I just LOVE this post! These 10 reasons are SPOT ON. Thank you for the kick of energetic motivation for this housewife today. :)

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  • Mercy April 29, 2013 at 9:46 am

    Ok, you’re inspiring me to make keeping the house tidy a priority again. It’s not easy with 3 little kids but I’m going to try. And I think it’s time to do some more purging of stuff I don’t use, even though I don’t have all that much in the house to begin with.

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  • Ashley Urke | Domestic Fashionista April 29, 2013 at 5:20 pm

    I love this! I too make my bed daily…and often wonder why! I think that since we don’t have much in our bedroom, when the bed is made and clothes are hung up, that is one less room I have to tidy all day long. When I don’t make the bed it is one more room that does need to get picked up. And for whatever reason, adding an entire room to the list that needs to be tidied seems to add another thing on the to do list when I could so easily not even make it a thing if I did it first thing in the morning. You are a woman after my own heart! Found this post via Pinterest and will take some time to browse around your lovely blog! :)

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  • Emma April 29, 2013 at 10:46 pm

    I feel the exact same way… About all of it. Thought I’m just now getting in the rhythm of things. Thank you for basically writing down what I feel/think!

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  • Kelsey May 1, 2013 at 1:42 pm

    Thank you so much for this post. It meant a lot to me today. Sometimes between school work, and all the rest of life, it can seem like there’s just not enough time for me to be clean and organized. But in reality, I think I will find I have more time if my home is in order–my life will be more in order too. You’re right that the dividing of responsibilities is not sexist or demeaning in any way. It is easy to get confused about this, and even I have in the past, but assigning certain roles and responsibilities within your home doesn’t mean that you’re incapable of doing anything more spectacular than cleaning or sitting behind a desk 9-5; things simply work better and more smoothly when we know clearly who is primarily responsible for what duties. I love that you mentioned that when there is overlap of responsibilities, it’s not a big deal…just like how you went to work and your husband stayed home, or how he comes home and helps with dinner and the dishes. I think that is an expression of true love. Thank you for your inspirational and motivational post!

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  • Kris May 2, 2013 at 11:51 am

    I love this!….I make my bed everyday….5 days a week I get up at 5:45 and make the bed right then… weekends it gets made around 10…..It so helps wake me up….We all make sure there is NO messes in the morning to look at… hence…..Pick it up and put it in it’s place. You have good points in all of list. I am not a stay at home mom…but have been a mom for 36 years with 5 kids!….Thanks!

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  • Carrie Chapman May 2, 2013 at 11:58 am

    I agree with about 90% of this.
    Where I have a hard time are the parts about “keeping husband happy” and “it’s my job.” I understand that being a stay at home mom means more responsibility in housekeeping. This is pretty obvious. But I have found that too many husbands come home to a tidy house after being away all day and don’t fully understand just how much effort goes into making it that way. Then, to “relax” they trash the kitchen, the living room, the bedroom, and the next morning go away to work again. Just like Sometimes I feel like someone needs to tell husbands that just like they don’t like coming HOME to a messy house, wives don’t like to WAKING UP to a messy house and they should be considerate. BOTH of you live there. BOTH of you should put in the work. I’m not saying that you were disagreeing with this, just trying to make it clear.
    Also, I do not consider keeping a tidy house a part of my “Mom” job description. I consider it part of being a family member who spends time at home. This means that when my children can help, they will. That on the weekends and at night, my husband helps. I did not become a stay at home mom to keep my house clean. I became a stay at home mom to focus on my relationships with my children. Yes, this means teaching them to work and clean, but this is not the largest part of WHY I do it. If it was, I would go back to work in a second.

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    • Michelle May 7, 2013 at 2:39 pm

      Carrie, you hit the nail on the head fr me. I really loved this comment and was wading through all the moments to see if there was someone I could relate too. Thank you!

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      • Moe May 10, 2013 at 3:22 pm

        Thank you, thank you, thank you, Carrie! I am married with four kids who are all active in extracurricular activities, and I have a full time job. There are days when I was a SAHM that I would tell my husband, ok, you stay home, and I will go and only work for 8 hours out of the 24 there are in a day. That would be much easier!!

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        • Anonymous May 15, 2013 at 9:49 pm

          I agree with you Carrie. I work 30 hours in a job that can be very stressful, take care of a disabled son and a struggling 20-year old with 2 cats & dogs. There are days I want to pull the covers over my head and stay in bed never mind making it! I agree that having a clean and tidy home is good for the soul and the mind, but there are times when I can barely make it through the day or night without some calamity happening. But I start every day with a hopeful heart that today will be the day the motivation kicks in and I can be proud of my home. I do envy SAHM and which I could do it, but also realize its hard work!

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  • MoRich May 2, 2013 at 6:28 pm

    Brava! I too keep a clean home. I love coming home and the ahhh feeling that greets me when I walk in the door. I make my bed everyday, put things away and tidy up before I start a new activity. I am okay when I have unexpected company, my place is clean. My friends say my place is zen. Cleanliness is next to Godliness has always been one of my favorite adages. I was called OCD by a co-worker. I asked her what was the opposite of OCD and she never bothered me again.

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  • Anonymous May 3, 2013 at 1:16 pm

    I agree with your posts and your reasoning. It was refreshing to read and gave me some needed energy to clean my home today. However, I think that most of the comments are being made by people who share your same views. From experience and being in the homes of many people, I know that many people do not have clean homes and may not have it as a priority. There’s SO much good that comes from keeping a clean home but there’s also a limit to how obsessive you should be with it. It can come to the point where others actually DON’T feel comfortable in your home because they are afraid to touch anything and are embarrassed to have you over because they are not like you. I am not naturally a tidier. I have to try really hard to keep my home clean because the little mess (that eventually turns big) doesn’t bother me as much as others. I don’t have a dirty, filthy, or even a cluttered house, but I usually have some dishes in the sink and I admit that I do not make my bed everyday. I am working hard on improving this but during the process I still want to be happy. Everyone has their weaknesses, some more “visible” than others :) I am trying to find the balance because obsessing over cleanliness all day long is not the answer for me. I’d love to hear more about how others balance keeping a tidy home with not being obsessive. I’ve also felt so much pressure from moms who keep their homes super clean. I hardly ever feel comfortable when they’re in my home and when their children are over all they do is comment on my imperfections. I’ve decided that I want a clean home but I also want others to be comfortable around me and not feel judged. Sometimes this means allowing others into our home when it’s not exactly perfect. Anyways, a little bit of a ramble but I just wanted to share my thoughts. I really did love this post and it has helped me, thanks!

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  • Wendie May 3, 2013 at 8:44 pm

    I completely subscribe to the importance of making your bed. I think it also (albeit, in a small way) can help with depression. A friend once told me part of depression is feeling like your life is out of control. Making your bed, immediately if possible upon rising, can give you a sense of control of your immediate surroundings. From there, I think it also begets positive ripples of getting other things in control.

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  • Amalie May 6, 2013 at 2:13 am

    I never made my home in any of our previous homes, but then we bought our first home. I finally had space to put all our things, I was suddenly home a lot more hours a week with our second child and I spent time in my room. I don’t completely, “make the bed.” However, I do pull up the covers and sheets to look reasonable now, and I love it. But I think that it is more the life style changes that i love and finally feeling like I fit in the space that I live in.

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  • Amy May 6, 2013 at 9:23 pm

    This is a wonderful article. I have been pinning a lot of your articles on Pinterest. I am really enjoying your blog posts!

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  • trudy May 12, 2013 at 8:43 pm

    I really do make an effort to clean my kitchen before bed. I love love waking up and stumbling into a clean and shiny kitchen with nothing to do but fix the coffee pot until things get hopping. I figure if your main bath is cleaned up every day, kitchen clean and beds made, you are way ahead, and safe if someone drops by unexpectedly.

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  • Emma May 13, 2013 at 9:39 pm

    Oh, my heart skipped a beat on all 10 tips! You put into words all those things people don’t understand about me :) I just don’t function properly in a messy room. I need to pick it up in order to sit down and enjoy anything. And if for some reason the bed isn’t made, I make it perfectly before getting in b/c I just can’t rest in messy sheets and blankets! Thanks for an awesome post and I’m passing this along!

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  • Heather B May 14, 2013 at 2:40 pm

    Oh my!! Are we long lost sisters!!? Lol-jk
    I am exactly the same way and even tho I work 32-40 hours a wk, on my days off I have to make my bed every morning!! And on the days I work, the hubs makes it! And yes- a lil speed cleaning job goes a loooonng way:) I swear it’s like my morning mantra!! Thanks so much for the great post:) luv it!!

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  • Beth May 17, 2013 at 8:03 am

    It just smacks of stepford wife to me.

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  • Regian May 17, 2013 at 10:45 pm

    Thanks for sharing what motivates you to clean your house. I have been a messy housekeeper and wondered what motivated others to keep their house clean. This was very inspiring. I learned several years ago to make my bed before I get up. I am lucky enough to be the last one up since my husband leaves very early for work. It really does make your bedroom look neater. thanks again.

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  • Susie@homemaker-mom.com May 18, 2013 at 8:14 pm

    My day just goes better when I make my bed!! :-)

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  • Carmen May 19, 2013 at 1:53 am

    I love the fact that you listed all the reasons why a clean house is a good thing. I completely related to all of them even though I’d never really thought about it. I love a clean house..absolutely love it. I raised 4 boys, so it was a challenge at times. I find I can’t think clearly when my home is disorganized or messy and I feel like I can’t do what I consider fun (like crafts, crochet, etc.) unless my house is clean first. I always make my bed unless my husband sleeps during the day (shift worker), then I sometimes forget since I don’t always get upstairs during the day. I love a made bed…and even then I’ll make it before I get in it. Is that a little weird? ;-)

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  • Esther CW May 19, 2013 at 12:17 pm

    I cared for my colleagues’ kids full time for over three months while their mother was in hospital and found that everything was better for the exact reasons in your post when I made the beds first thing and kept the kitchen clean and clear. I’ve always been a scrupulously tidy person, but when faced with the challenge of “foster” motherhood to two young children I found myself letting things slide with the excuse that I was just too tired.
    One day changed all that though when we returned from dinner at their aunt’s house, I bundled my charges into bed and then staggered out (sheer exhaustion every day, all day) into the kitchen to tackle the lunch dishes. I know, I was a complete delinquent to regularly leave dishes in the sink for hours like that. To my surprise, I found that that one day I had happened to manage to get the dishes done before we went out.
    A light went on in my soul when I realized that if I just made the effort to get things done RIGHT NOW no matter how tired I was, it would be SO worth it after the kids were in bed when I could just go straight to relaxing instead of feverishly house-cleaning because I CANNOT sleep if I know my house is a mess.
    Thank you for putting all this into words.

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  • Amanda May 20, 2013 at 4:16 am

    Making my bed doesn’t equal a clean house IMO. I clean as I go and then some but I’m not a bed maker. I do make the bed right before bed. I’ve had periods of time that I make the bed every day but I end up having to straighten the covers before bed anyway so I’ve just stopped making my bed.

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