by Sheila Rae Watson

Created on: May 13, 2008   Last Updated: July 20, 2008

When I was a child my mother developed an ingenious plan.

She had a list of cleaning chores that she needed help doing and three girls who could help. But getting this help was a problem, she solved it with a game.

Her list of chores was very detailed, indeed this must be to ensure a "sparkling clean house."

She wrote her list in detail then cut this list into four pieces, she included herself in the list. She then dropped them all into a hat and we were allowed to pull, raffle style, a chore from the hat! That, was fun! The chores were not! However Mama had a "treat" for each one of us at the end of the day! The game then became who could finish first!

So it was, that we all had one chore to do.

It would no doubt take each one of us most of Saturday morning to accomplish this chore. However at chore's end there was such a feeling of accomplishment; a feeling of well-being, or downright pleasure was shared by all participants in the event!

Her list (or a reasonable facsimile) follows.

Living Room:

-Sweep out all four corners, up by the ceiling, look for cobwebs. Sweep walls, starting at the top sweep in downwards manner to get dust to the floor.

-Remove books, pictures and knick-knacks from bookshelf. "DO NOT BREAK ANYTHING!"

-Using furniture polish wipe down the entire shelf units, then polish with another cloth.
Replace all items to its appointed position.

-Shake dust out of drapes. "DO NOT TEAR THE DRAPES!"

-Vacuum all furniture in the room.

-Take the rugs outside and shake them violently.

-Using a dust mop; dust-mop the hard wood floor, move out furniture to dust-mop under there, when finished, take the dust mop outside and shake violently, (the mop, the mop!) Put dust mop away.

-Using Murphy's Oil Soap in a bucket of warm water, mop the living room floor, being sure to squeeze out most of the water. "DO NOT SCRATCH THE WOOD FLOOR!"

-Return mop to appointed place.

-THE PIANO! (This was a big upright grand piano, a beautiful piece.)

-Starting at the top, remove all pictures and items of decor.

-Remove the lace piano scarf. "DO NOT TEAR OR WRINKLE THE PIANO SCARF!"

-Using furniture polish and a soft rag, administer the oil of kindness to the piano top. Wipe with a different, untreated soft cloth.

-Carefully replace and arrange the piano scarf, then ever so carefully arrange the decor and pictures to their appointed positions.

-Moving on to the front of this magnificent piano, wipe down the front with said furniture polish treated soft cloth, then wipe with other untreated

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>