I agree with Viejopipe about hiring a cleaning service. Of course, I'm biased toward a cleaning service since I'm part of one. But here are 3 helpful suggestions to get you on the path of cleaning more efficiently and with less time.

* You should wear a cleaning apron with pockets to hold cleaning tools and loops to hang spray bottles filled with cleaning chemicals. It's best to carry with you all items you need to clean with which is why the cleaning apron is so important.

* Always work from the top down to the floor and clean everything directly in front of where you're standing then move toward the right or left and start again from the top working down to the floor. You can usually complete and entire room only going around the room 1 time using this method except for vacuuming and mopping the floor which will be done later.

* You can use an extension cord on your vacuum cleaner to eliminate having to unplug it after each room. Clean all the rooms on one floor before starting to vacuum then vacuum the whole floor at one time. Then go back and mop all the rooms that need to be mopped.

Every time you stop vacuuming or mopping to clean another room you lose time and create more steps translating into more work. It's not about rushing to get done but following the system pacing yourself along the way.

A professional experienced cleaning person can usually clean a 3 bedroom 2 1/2 bathroom home in 3 to 4 hours assuming the floors are picked up.

I hope this helps in some way, Lkilgore75.

In case you're interested, here is a link to a whole host of articles from house cleaning tips, to spring cleaning, to cleaning products and tools, and to other articles related to home repairs. Just check out the various categories on the right side of the page for helpful ideas and tips to get more done but in less time.

Professional House Cleaning Articles

I also have 3 kids - all teenagers with one in college. Our house is never perfect, but it's a lot neater than it was when they were little. Don't drive yourself crazy - enjoy those kiddos (& their beloved messes) - they're going to be gone in a blink of an eye & (you won't believe this) you'll find yourself actually missing all their toys and stuff!

As for the pictures we see - I agree with Margo - most of them wouldn't look the same if people just snapped a spur-of-the-moment shot. The bathrooms would have toothbrushes laying around, the hand towel wadded up on the counter (or on the floor, in my house), and the toilet paper roll on the back of the toilet (because I guess no one knows how to take the old roll off and put the new one on - am I the only one whose kids do that? ;)

Your right about the kids, rioaggie, growing up fast and I remember my daughter's room being a total disaster but it wasn't all that important at that time. We wanted to enjoy our children while we could.

Here are few interesting tips on how to inculcate the idea of tidying in kids. Label toys and storage boxes with pictures, thus the kid will soon learn whch toys goes in which box and will enjoy cleaning. Choose see-through toy boxes. Remind kids to put away toys each time they come across old toys. Teach them to give away toys which are old, Check this interesting articleon tips for organizing kids' playroom http://www.junk-works.ca/locations/blog/category/kids-playroom/