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When we bought this house, I was so happy about it that I neglected to think twice about how much I'd have to work to keep it clean.  In the weeks after we made our offer, but before we moved in, those weeks when I was still feeling overwhelmed trying to keep our little apartment clean, I started to freak out about cleaning a four-bedroom home.  History had shown me that no matter how hard I tried, I'd just never care enough about cleaning to become Martha Stewart. 

So imagine my shock to find out that I actually enjoy cleaning this house.  Let me repeat that: I enjoy cleaning this house.  I had no idea such a thing was possible, but I've just written it on the Internet, so it must be true.  Something amazing happened the second I got to live in my own home: the housework is no longer a burden.  Even though there is a LOT more of it, I find myself WANTING to clean the floors.  It actually bothers me when there are dirty dishes in the sink or grit on the counters.  The sight of dog hair on the bathroom floor irks me for the first time in my life.

It's like I've finally developed the clean gene.  I finally feel a sense of satisfaction and pride in being a good housekeeper.

This also means that entertaining is a lot easier.  As much of a social butterfly as I am, I used to always dread the cleaning process of having company over.  I'd clean all day before our guests arrived and then I'd spend hours cleaning up again after everyone went home.  [I have a personal thing where I refuse to let guests clean up and I also refuse to do any cleaning while we still have company over.  It just BUGS me.  That time is better spent enjoying my guests and I prefer to save the work until after everyone goes home.] 

Now it doesn't bother me at all.  Sure I do some cleaning before our guests arrive, but it's not stressful like it used to be and since I've been better about keeping the house clean in general, it's not as demanding either.  After my guests go home, I no longer mind returning the house to its orderly state.  It's like a 1950's version of me, in some ways a much better version, has taken over and my lazy, too-good-to-clean-self is gone.  Hopefully forever.