At different points in my life, I have felt some conflict and anger towards cleaning. At 28, I was working in advertising, seven days a week, six months straight. Not having a break made me feel resentful. My husband was not into cleaning. He felt it wasn't important. I thought, "Perhaps I should have a sense of disdain for this, too." I wanted someone to come in and clean my house for me. Then I had an epiphany: I have to take care of my own shit! And I have to find a way not to be angry about it.
The home is what we make of it. If we put anger into our food, into our cleaning, it will be felt. Now at age 49, I'm the primary cleaner in the household, and I'm really okay with that. I look at it as a creative outlet. If I were digging a ditch and someone told me, "This will be your job for the next twenty years. That's it, you have no other choice." Then, I better find a way to be happy! I've found a rhythm, a way to dance while I'm digging. No matter what, I make it fun.
-Maria
Photos and text from the forthcoming book "Cleaning: People Talk About Housework"