MEGA FUN

Those of you who have read my previous posts know that I hate housework, so you are probably wondering what I have to say about it being fun. I have to be honest, I am borrowing from Karen Scalf Linamen.
Karen Scalf Linamen is one of my very favorite authors. For those of you unfamiliar with her work, she has written such masterpieces as “I’m not suffering from insanity, I’m enjoying every minute of it,” “Sometimes I wake up Grumpy, and sometimes I let him sleep,” and “Hand over the chocolate and no one gets hurt.”
In her book “Harried with Children,” Linamen discusses many myths and mysteries of motherhood. In one chapter about housework she tries to provide motivation to homemakers, who like me have a lack of inspiration to do housework. Her reasons to do house are as follows (with my thoughts on then following)

Mental Space - It’s easier to think when there is no clutter. I know this to be true, although clutter is hardly the first distraction for me.

Exercise - Maybe if I can convince myself of this it will make me more eager to clean.

Gratitude - It would be nice if our families were grateful for our cleaning. Unfortunately, I think housework is taken for granted as long as it stays done. But really the point is that we should be grateful for the housework that needs to be done, because it is a sign of prosperity. I will try!

Accomplishment - Housework gives us a sense of accomplishment. Some types of housework are better about this than others, namely the ones that stay done for more than five minutes.

Family - Our family will know they are nurtured, loved and cared for. “Isn’t it enough that I tell them they are nurtured even as I announce that dinner will be served ten minutes before bedtime or as soon as I can find the can opener, whichever comes first?” she writes.

U deserve it - I deserve a clean house?

Nobody Else is Going to do it - Amen to that!

She also offers some great practical suggestions. Like when you are cleaning a room, place all the things that don’t belong in that room in a basket, that way you don’t have to run back and forth across the house several times. This has revolutionized housework for me. For instance, my house is now full of laundry baskets containing completely random items that I still haven’t gotten around to putting away.

Anyway, if you are experiencing a housework slump, like me. I highly suggest this book. Linamen’s books are always full of great anecdotes, which generally provide lots of laughs.

On a side note, all I have been able to think today is "Lance, the turtle, Aloha Lance! Lance the turtle, Dance, Dance, Dance!" Let me know if that's stuck in your head too now! Yay, Veggie Tales!