Anyone who has stepped foot into my home knows that housekeeping and I have are not easy friends. While I know that there are times when I recognize my home warrants a big clean sweep, there are more times when it’s just easier to cut corners and slack off. I mean, who wants to spend their time cleaning when they can be playing with their kids or eating a ginormous bowl of ice cream?

Now that I have kids, I try not to slack off with my cleaning as often, but I can’t say I’ve always been like that. Here is a compilation of embarrassing things I’ve done over the past 15 years to keep my house clean or at least give the appearance of clean. And yes, I admit, I still do some of these today:

1. Put kitchen utensils, pots, and—yes, even dirty dishes—in the oven before guests come over. After all, guests will sneak a peek into your bathroom cabinets, but no one’s going to sneak a peek into your oven. Am I right?

2. Shine the bathroom sink, mirror and toilet with wipes  to give the illusion that the room is entirely clean. Then pray no one will have to use the bathroom…or pull back the shower curtain.

3. Shove all my dirty clothes from my bedroom floor behind my bed pillows to give them both a “fluffed up” look as well as get them out of sight.

4. Blame the children for any last minute messes I couldn’t get to…as in “You know Elle and Max…they love pulling out books/clothes/dirty dishes to play with!” No, I am not proud of this.

5. Pretend that I’ve been recently sick in bed and couldn’t get around to tidying up…when in reality, I have been lying on the couch eating leftover Easter candy and watching reality TV reruns.

6. Shove stuff in closets. Problem is, I do it and then forget that I did it…which means sometimes I open my closet and see piles of old mail, forgotten shoes and toiletries I cleared off the bathroom sink. I give myself bonus points if nothing is visibly growing mold.

7. Look around my home and only deal with things that don’t pass my “Is this disgusting and vile?” test. (Hint: not a lot of things do. Winning!)

8. Shove stuff in the trunk of my car instead of trying to find a place to put it in my house. This was particularly true when I lived in my old one-bedroom apartment. Somehow driving my mess around the city was easier than having to deal with it at home.

I’m not proud of slacking off, and I definitely try not to do it on a regular basis, but there are times when reading with my kids or taking a bubble bath is just a much better option than picking up a sponge. Who's with me? 

Are you an occasional (or terminal) slacker when it comes to chores? Come on, tell us. Your secrets are safe with us!