I have to admit that cleaning the house is NOT my idea of fun. However, it is my job and I do try to do the best that I can. Here are some more tips from my experience and as shared in a recent issue of Woman's Day magazine (4/18/06).

- Clean one room at a time. Do NOT go back and forth between rooms when cleaning the house.

- Have all of your cleaning supplies in a bucket that you carry with you. This saves time in going back to find the spray or rag that you are needing in another room.

- Carry a basket with you as you clean for carrying items back to their proper place. If you are cleaning the living room and there are toys that need to go back to the kids' rooms, put them in the basket and drop them off when you get to that room.

- Keep countertops clutter-free for ease of cleaning

- Work together! Several people can clean a room quicker than one person alone.

- Color-code when necessary. For example, give each person their own laundry basket marked with "their" color so that they can take their clean clothes back to their room after you've sorted them by basket.

- Start with the easier tasks on your "to-do" list first. There is a sense of accomplishment when you can check something off your list. It usually motivates me to continue through the list when I can see that I've already completed a few tasks.

Next week ... more tips on conquering the clutter in your home!