Thoughts on Housework and Fibromyalgia

I’ve given housework a lot of thought over the years. When I was in my twenties, I used to feel guilty in the wee hours of the morning about not getting the entire house clean daily. It would keep me up until I’d finally break down at 4 AM and I’d start to dust and vacuum. Seriously— no joke!

In my thirties, I thought I got things down to a science. I was home all day and I’d clean like a madwoman until my husband came home. Of course, I’d still feel guilty that not everything got done and I vowed to get up at 5 AM every morning to at least start a load of laundry and clean the dishes from all the midnight snacking. I reserved my urge to vacuum until 9 AM because at that time we were in a condo-like apartment complex and I didn’t want to wake the family below me. I learned from the days of the high-rise apartment in my twenties. 😉

Today though in my forties, and now having a decade of fibro experiences, I think MUCH differently. A clean house is a group effort– period. If you are the only one in the group that puts in the effort on a daily basis, the house won’t ever be to your standards.

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I have finally come to terms with the fact that my house will never, not ever, be as clean as I’d like. Kids will be kids and husbands will be husbands. Having said that, that DOES NOT mean that I don’t strive for a clean house. Quite the contrary!

I have a schedule for every day of the week and I stick to certain rooms and certain activities each day. For instance, if I’m supposed to vacuum— that is what I do. I DO NOT bother putting my children’s toys away in that room.

I grab a bag or a bucket and put all of the crap I find on the floor in that bag/bucket and give it to the kids to deal with. I have also been known to do the same to my husband too. 😉

Now, I can’t speak for all of you, but I think part of my problem was I used to do it all because it was expected that I did. Maybe that expectation isn’t reaching consciousness with the people I live with– BUT that doesn’t mean it isn’t there when half the room is filled with toys, shoes, and snack clutter that was obviously not all of my doing.

Yes, I used to be on top of all of those things! I did the housework of five people before I got sick– probably just like all of you– but really should I have had to do that? The answer is a resounding no! My kids and husband are older and they are wiser too. 😉 That means they can all pitch in every now and again so I can do what I should have done in the first place, the work of one. And I can now FINALLY say, I’m content with that!