Mom would say... #8 Clean your room

"A clean house helps organize the mind," according to my mom. "Everything seems clearer when the house is in order."

Need help to tackle a room (or house) out of control? It's easy to let things slide, but these resources can help get your home back.

1. Don Aslett has written a bunch of books that I found helpful: he's a professional cleaner with amazing ideas on thorough cleaning with efficiency. Start here if you need a cleaning coach.
2. The magazine my mom used to read - Woman's Day - is online with tips for quickly cleaning a house.
3. If you thrive on time management ("I have 1 - or 5 or 10 - minutes, so what can I get done?"), these Housewives checklists are for you!
4. Martha Stewart on laundry. Check out the other great tips on her website.
5. WikiHow is amazingly practical about cleaning a child's room.

Keep in mind:

• To have a home is a gift, whether it's rented or owned. Many people have never had a place to call their own.
• Your house reflects your state of mind and your taste.
• That said, rich or poor is not the issue. You can be clean or dirty in either.
• Hospitality is your gift to the world. Invite the world in!
• People love you because you're nice "people," not because of your house or fancy furnishings.

Have any great resources to share? We'd love them (comments below).

Mom would say... #6: Keep the kitchen and bathroom clean!

"No matter what, keep the kitchen counters clear and the bathroom clean," my mom told me. "If those areas are done and the living room is picked up, your guests will assume the whole house is done."

When you have little kids, they turn the house into a hurricane zone. Picking up after them and organizing school kids' stuff is an ongoing chore! After homework is done or babies are put to bed, cleaning bathroom fixtures and kitchen counters and sinks may not rate high on your list.

I was SO worn out when my kids were little, I was just happy to have peace and quiet. And sometimes the house looked a disaster. Oh well. They became functional adults anyway.

So - try to pick up. Try to keep up. But on days when it's all you can do to stagger to bed, having clean sheets may be enough!

Here are some links to help you out:
Real Simple checklists
Martha Stewart's housecleaning checklists
Microsoft house chore checklist
Housecleaning Central checklist

Have fun! but remember, your friends are coming to see you not a perfectly kept house.