The Importance Of Having A Clean House

I keep hearing stories about people whose houses are incredibly messy, like the dishes are left unwashed for long periods of time, dirty clothes and wet towels are thrown on the floor and stay there for weeks, dogs are allowed to do their thing in the back yard and it's never cleaned, this sort of thing.

A filthy house can be a sign of mental problems, such as depression, or addictions, such as drug abuse, but more often than not its owners are just incredibly lazy. The point is, however, that a messy and filthy home can constitute health hazard and if small children live in it, it could even be a reason for CPS to interfere, like in this story. It's not just bad housekeeping, it's considered "neglect", whether we like it or not.

If you do a Google search, you'll find plenty of articles discussing health problems which can arise from not cleaning regularly. Granted, most of them include ads of cleaning companies, yet though they are advertising, they are largely correct. If dust is not removed regularly and bed linens are left unchanged for longer than 2 weeks, it can trigger allergies and asthma attacks, dirty kitchen and bathroom lead to spreading of harmful bacteria, messy cupboards will attract pests etc etc. I guess those are facts most people will agree about.

Yet, a house can be relatively clean and still cluttered to the max, which is both a fire and health hazard as well, so it should be regularly decluttered. Now the problem is that doing all this stuff on a regular basis takes time, and that is something which modern two income households often lack. Also, modern people often vaguely associate cleaning (and cooking,  but that's a story for another time) with patriarchal Stone Age cavemen and some even appear proud to never engage in something so reactionary, which is, of course, ridiculous considering all the info on the connection between a clean house and good health, including mental health.

Folks nowadays won't hesitate to spend exorbitant sums on eating out and vacations but would never think of hiring a cleaning company which could be a solution for busy dual income couples. If money's really tight and still they both have to work, they should divide chores as best they could and try to do them more or less regularly.

Unfortunately, there are women who call themselves housewives whose houses are messy as well. I know it can be overwhelming at times, and feels like fighting a losing battle, yet the benefits you reap are worth it. Here is a good article on this very topic:

If your house is a mess, so is your life

I'd like to add a few words about schedules. On the internet, you can find all sorts of free housekeeping advice, some of it from Christian homemaking sites, some from commercial cleaning companies or TV persons like Martha Stewart. A lot of it is good and helpful, yet sometimes it can lead a homemaker, especially a beginner, into another extreme: doing too much. There are such things as priorities and common sense. Since homemaking has been out of fashion for quite some time, some of this advice comes from old manuals which suggest rigorous dusting schedules and ironing socks and underwear. If you try to follow it to the letter, you risk getting so overwhelmed you'll be tempted to skip dusting altogether for the next thirty years.

Personally I find Darla's schedule a good common sense one and easy to adjust to one's personal needs. It'll also leave you with enough free time to enjoy life. If you have any tips or suggestions, feel free to express them in comments section!