In Keeping a Clean Home, Part 1, I gave my tips and suggestions for making housecleaning less time-consuming. Here are the details about how my home actually gets cleaned. Let's start with what's often the most difficult aspect of keeping a clean home: Getting motivated!

Bluntly put, keeping a clean home will take time. Homes just don't magically stay clean! The main ingredient in my "clean house" is some hard work! I don't just wait until I feel like cleaning, or feel like I have "extra" time and can spend some time cleaning.

Motivating Idea #1: Make a list. Make a detailed list of what you need to do or would like to do. Then you have the option of starting with a few easy tasks (so you can have something to cross off and feel better more quickly!) or starting with the least pleasant tasks (so you can get them over with right away!).

Having a list will free you from worrying about forgetting something. It will help to you work efficiently. (For example, you can make one trip upstairs instead of two, because you won't forget what all needed to be done there.) You also get the satisfaction and feeling of accomplishment that comes with crossing things off your list!

Motivating Idea #2: Work first, play later. I work more quickly when I'm looking forward to a "treat" at the end. Whether it's a game with the children, a hot shower, a cup of tea, some cheesecake, or computer time, cleaning before enjoying leisure time ensures that the cleaning actually gets done!

Spending time online is probably the biggest hinderance to a clean house, in my case. If the children go down for their naps or go to bed for the night and I decide to use the computer before I clean, the cleaning doesn't get done. My general practice is to devote time to my family and our home before turning on the computer. My computer time is limited, so I try to streamline my tasks in that area, as well.

Motivating Idea #3: Have guests into your home regularly. Besides the fact that showing hospitality is a Christian's opportunity to bless others, having guests into your home is a great motivation to maintain a clean house! I don't always expect my house to be immaculate when we have guests, but I do love inviting someone into a clean home. When I know that we're having company in a couple days, it's a great motivation to work extra hard around the house. We try to invite company over at least once a week, although sometimes something (like illness) prevents that from happening weekly. However often you entertain others in your home, it's fun to clean with hospitality in mind!

Motivating Idea #4: Get out from under "overwhelmed". I am usually caught up on cleaning, and I like to tackle jobs as soon as possible so I can forget about them and go on enjoying life! I don't think most people can really relax and enjoy leisure time when they're surrounded by dirt (or clutter) and have a to-do list that's a mile long.

It's easier to stay "caught up" than to get "caught up", but sometimes even the most organized, hard-working people get a little overwhelmed.

This has happened to me on occasion, where I felt as though I was just getting buried in work! As soon as I would get one thing done, two more things (like, finding mold in the house, discovering a leaky bottle of oil in the cupboard, etc.) seemed to pop up. I was also newly pregnant at the time, and felt constantly exhausted.

As weeks went by and I continued to feel overwhelmed, I finally asked for some help. My two sisters came over for a day and they played with Yehoshua (then 1 year old) and helped me tackle my long list of chores.

With all of us working, it only took a few hours before I started feeling like I could see the light at the end of the tunnel! I was so thankful for their help, and the time they spent helping enabled me to feel energized enough to maintain tidyness and cleanliness.

If you feel depressed or overwhelmed, and all your efforts seem to just get swallowed up by more work, perhaps someone could come over to help you for a day. Perhaps you could get a sitter for some or all of the children while you spend some time "catching up". Depending on your situation, you might just need an hour or two of help from your husband or a friend. You might need a whole day, or you might need to streamline your routines and make a schedule that works for your home. If you feel overwhelmed, getting a little caught up can help you get back on track to keeping your house clean again.

Motivating Idea #5: Pray and prioritize. Without help from our heavenly Father, trying to keep a clean and orderly house in our own strength can cause pride and/or feelings of failure. Pray for wisdom in choosing how to develop some sort of cleaning schedule or routine. Pray for strength, energy, and motivation to actually put these things into practice -- because it's hard work!! Pray that you will give God the glory for your lovely home, and that you will use it to spread His love to your family and others. Pray about your priorities, and remember to keep some things above cleaning (like educating your children, spending time with your husband, etc.) and some things below it (like personal leisure time) so that your house will stay clean without going to extremes.

Read Part 3: Keeping a Clean Home: My personal cleaning routines