Crumbs on the carpet. Soap scum in the tub. A raspberry stain on the kitchen floor. Water spots on the mirror. Sticky stuff on the underside of the kitchen table. These are the kinds of messes that happen daily when you’re spending most of your time in the house with the kids. They’re the kinds of messes that get under your skin and scream “Your house is a mess! I hope for your sake no one pops by unexpectedly!” As you race through the essential chores of dressing, cleaning, feeding, consoling and cajoling your children you keep thinking . . . I should sweep up those crumbs . . . well, the whole kitchen floor . . . actually, the entire front hall . . . and as long as I’m at it, I should get out the mop and bucket . . . And suddenly the job is too big to fit in before it’s time to feed the kids lunch and get them to preschool on time. So here’s my new strategy: Just clean the mess that bothers you most. Don’t let your mess mock you. Just grab a damp paper towel and wipe up that one pile of crumbs. Wipe up the stickiness under the table just where you notice it. Don’t worry about getting a good look under there just now. Just pick up those crumbs on the carpet. You can get the vacuum out some other time. I know there is a science to keeping house. Author Cheryl Mendelson wrote a great book on the topic “Home Comforts: The Art & Science of Keeping House.” It’s literally a great book: a whopping 883 pages of proper housekeeping instruction. I haven’t managed to read much of it, but I’m certain Ms. Mendelson wouldn’t recommend vacuuming before you dust. But if the kids are going to be out from underfoot for only half and hour and you have only time for one or the other, definitely drag out the noisy machine that scares the bejeezus out of your little one and do that now. The dust will wait.
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