A Clean House Doesn’t Necessarily Mean A Boring Mom

Do you think it goes both ways?

We hear it all the time: A messy house is a happy home. A dirty house equals kids who are loved. If it’s messy, there are memories. Clean equals a dull and boring homemaker. Each time I hear this, I get more frustrated than I was before. I’m a neat freak—maybe a bit over the top. My kids are so used to the noise, they can fall asleep while I’m vacuuming. They know where I’ve cleaned by the smell of the cleaner. They know that the toys are put away before we go out. They live in a neat and clean house. It’s still a home. They are still happy. They still make countless memories every day. They are curious and smart. And I’m a fun person!

I’m not perfect. I’m not always fun either. But I am always a good mom. We all have different approaches to life and parenting. Some people like things around them. Some like the minimalist approach. Our lifestyle doesn’t affect the amount of happiness or love in our home. Happiness is contagious—it starts with one person. My grandpa always said, “When Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” Smart guy. This couldn’t be more accurate. For me that’s found in organizing my spice drawer in alphabetical order. A floor free of crumbs. Things in their place. I’m happy when all the toys are put away and the smell of Pine-Sol is in the air. A few weeks ago, I had a few hours to myself. My best friend was so envious and asked me what I was going to do. She wasn’t surprised when I responded with “clean toilets.” Obviously that isn’t fun. But it is fun to have a clean toilet.

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