Janna-torial Services

BACK TO BASICS | by JANNA LUFKIN

NO! I’M NOT STARTING A CLEANING SERVICE! But at one time I felt as if I was running one in my “off” hours. I’d get home from work, get dinner organized, then pull out the vacuum and Windex and whirl around the house. One evening while vacuuming I said, “What do you think this is, Janna-torial Service?” It’s a family joke now ― one of my more creative moments. My husband calls my broom “my ride”. Real funny! NOT!

© iSTOCKPHOTO.COM

Honestly, I’m sure I had more in common with the Wicked Witch than Glenda the Good.

Finally it occurred to me that I needed to teach my family what I fondly refer to as “The Daily Basics”.

Work these quick and easy tasks into your day and gently teach your family to lend a hand.

• Hall entrance or mud room: Take off your shoes! It will go a long ways towards keeping the rest of your home dirt-free.
• Bathrooms: Swoosh out the sink and give the mirrors and faucets a quick spritz of window spray. It will shine in no time.
• Bedrooms: If you do nothing else, make the bed.
• Kitchen: Get dishes out of the sink and wipe down the counters. If you have an extra minute, wipe the fingerprints off the fridge.
• Main living spaces: Pick up papers and magazines and give the cushions a quick fluff.

In 20 minutes, you’ll have it done and be out the door.

I’m still the chief cleaner-upper, picker-upper, and yes, I’m the picky one. But now my little cleaning service has blossomed into a family business.