True confession: for years I’ve been diligent about cleaning the house every Sunday. I never want to do it when I start, but am always glad when I finish because, for a (very brief) moment in time, I have a clean house!

 

This summer, for a variety of reasons (frequent short trips, processing an overabundance of apricots, etc.), my routine has lapsed. Maybe I’ll get through everything but sweeping and mopping the vinyl floors on Sunday and let that slide for a week. Maybe more of the routine will slip. Though I always get the cleaning done when there’s a house sitter or guests coming, lately it’s been more of a 10 days to 2 weeks pursuit.

 

In short, I need house cleaning inspiration! Who better than the All-American Mom who came to life on the TV screen October 4, 1957? That’s right, I’m talking about June Cleaver of “Leave it to Beaver” fame!

 

Who would name their kid Beaver?

You know better than that, 9. His real name is Theodore.

 

It would be a mighty deep dive to explore every aspect of June Evelyn Bronson Cleaver (thanks, Wikipedia!). She seems to be perfect in every way: perfect wife, perfect mother, perfectly dressed, and, one suspects, perfectly delightful to be friends with. Plus, always an immaculate house.

 

How does she do it? Hollywood magic!

 

Yeah, ‘cause no real mom could be like that.

 

Because, just like the rest of us, real moms are real. . .

 

Reeling myself back from the brink of digression- –

 

Thank you for being self-monitoring this week.

 

The subject is cleaning house in the manner of June Cleaver.

 

There are so many beautiful images of actress Barbara Billingsley in the role of June. I’d love to clip one of these for this blog, but copyright law doesn’t really permit that, and I’m sure June wouldn’t approve. So instead I’ll ask this question: What do you think of when you think of June Cleaver cleaning house?

 

Her little aprons!

Pearls. Definitely pearls.

 

Those two things were kind of strange house cleaning attire even in your times, 9 and Lily. When I was little, women always seemed to wear dresses, no matter what they were doing, but in the present day that’s unusual, too. And unless it’s an occasion for dressing up, not many women wear heels now, either.

 

Our informal survey reveals that what June wears is integral to her housecleaning method. We have the technology! Let’s give it a test run.

 

 

 

Are we going to clean the whole house?

Because all you did this Sunday was change the sheets, water the houseplants and empty the waste baskets.

 

Plus many hours of yard work (which I don’t recall ever seeing June do). Let’s keep it simple for today. We’ll start with vacuuming. Let me change into my costume- -I mean, my house cleaning clothes.

 

Don’t forget lipstick!

And earrings.

 

Several minutes later. . . .

 

 

 

Okay, bring on the vacuum!

 

 

 

Mission accomplished. Now, on to- -but, oh! I got a late start. If I were the real June Cleaver, Ward and the boys would be home soon! Just enough time to discharge the duty most crucial to my All-American housekeeper/mother/wife success:

 

 

Cheers to you, June Cleaver, and to the late, great Barbara Billingsley who brought you to life. May your pearls retain their luster and your apron be forever wrinkle free!