The Beautiful Mess of Country Living- Here's How I Try to Keep It Cleaner and Healthier

I live on a dirt road, not quite the kind that shows up on postcards and Instagram feeds, it's not all beauty but It’s photogenic enough, sure: golden sunlight through the trees, a quiet path through the woods, the kind of place that makes you think of warm pies cooling on windowsills and simple, slower living.

And while it is idyllic in many ways... It’s also a big, dusty, muddy mess.

In the dry season, every car or pick-up truck rumbles past, kicking up a cloud of dust. When the groups of 4-wheelers are running through, it's a bit like historic images from the Dust Bowl era of the 1930s, a thick swirling dirt cloud that settles over absolutely everything: the cars, the porch, the floors, the horse, the dogs, and honestly, me too.

In the rainy season, that same road turns into a swampy, slippery, mucky mess, and everything, boots, paws, tires, comes home caked in a thick coating of mud.

Add in the regular daily chaos of farm life, dog hair tumbleweeds, slobber, cat fur, half-chewed sticks dragged in, the occasional random critter incident, and let’s just say: Keeping a clean house here is like trying to scoop water with a fork! With 8 cats and three big dogs ( all rescues), it’s nearly impossible to stay super clean for more than 15 minutes! 

But even so, I love this life. It’s wild, graceful and messy, muddy pawprints, dirty boots by the door, nose and paw prints on the slider glass, cat puke under the table, and all.

Living with Animals Means Constant Cleaning

When you live with animals, you clean a lot. When you live with a lot of animals, you’re pretty much always cleaning, and it’s never truly done. There’s always a new trail of sandy footprints, a fresh layer of dust, a dog-shaped dirt pile on the floor,  a random stick someone proudly carried inside, or some poor half-eaten lizard that the cats caught & played with, or some other mystery stain that has a story you probably don’t want to know.

And here's the thing: If you’re using traditional chemical cleaners, that constant cleaning means constant exposure, not just for you, but for everyone in your home.

Every sprayed counter. Every mopped floor. Every wiped-down muddy paw print.

All of it layers chemicals into the air you breathe and onto the surfaces your family and animals touch, lick, and sleep on.

When you pause and look around, and really think about it, the concern grows deeper.

Rates of cancer and chronic illness in dogs have risen dramatically in recent years.. And as much as we all think how tough our old farm dogs or family pets are, they’re sometimes even more sensitive to toxins than we are, with smaller bodies, breathing closer to the ground, and more direct exposure.  It made me realize: If I’m working so hard to eat organic, whole fresh food and live a more natural and connected life...Why would I undo it all by spraying toxic chemicals inside my own home every day?

It just didn’t align anymore. I wanted our house to be truly cleaner, not just visibly cleaner, but healthier for me, for my family, and for the muddy, drooly, hairball-making, tail-wagging members of the family too.

The Search for Something Better

I knew I couldn’t keep spraying chemicals all over our home and still call it a healthy place to live. I decided to find safer, less toxic products for my family, for my animals, and myself.

So I started trying different "natural" and "eco-friendly" cleaners,  picking up whatever I could find at the grocery store or Target. And I really wanted them to work.

But honestly? A lot of them were a disappointment. Some smelled strange or overpowering, in a different way. Some barely cleaned at all,  it felt like I was just wiping grime around instead of actually lifting it. Some left residues behind that made everything feel sticky or look dingy.

And to make matters worse, these "healthier" options usually cost more than the regular chemical cleaners.  So every time I bought something that didn’t work, it felt like a double whammy: It didn’t get the job done. And I had spent even more money on it. 

I tried several brands, one after another, always hoping the next one would finally be the answer, but every less-than-great product just made the journey toward a healthier home feel too expensive and a bit discouraging.

And that’s when I discovered Melaleuca. -The Wellness Company

I was skeptical, for sure.  I wasn’t sure if I’d like it, wasn’t sure if it was just another brand promising big things but delivering little. I wasn’t sure about joining a shopping club.  But eventually, I decided it was worth a try.

I started small: a few cleaning essentials, some laundry detergent, and (because I needed the morale boost), I tried some of their organic coffees.

And here’s what surprised me: Melaleuca’s products were not only effective, they were economical too.  Good quality, real results, and pricing that made sense, without the endless trial-and-error cycle. “Just try it,” I told myself. “You don’t have to love it. Just see if it works.”  And honestly? I did love it, and I still do! I’ve been using their products for about 9 months, and each month I try some new things too. So far, I’ve loved every product I’ve tried. Truly. 

The Results: Cleaner, Fresher, and Healthier

Item for item, I’ve been genuinely impressed. Melaleuca’s cleaners don’t just smell clean, they get things clean.  The laundry products lift out the funky dog odor and our farm-life level of grime.  The all-purpose cleaners actually tackle the mystery crud stuck here and there by the many inhabitants of our wild, hairy, loving home. 

And the best part?  After I clean the house smells fresh, truly fresh, not like a chemical cloud trying to mask the mess. I’m not coughing from harsh fumes.  The dogs aren’t sneezing. And I’m not wondering what invisible cocktail of mystery ingredients I just sprayed across my kitchen. Instead, it feels like opening the windows on a breezy spring morning — even if there’s still a pile of dog hair in the corner (because let's be real).

Why This Matters More Than Ever

When you clean as often as we do, living in a place like this, with dogs, cats, mud, and life happening every day,  the products you use matter.

Because frequent cleaning = frequent exposure.

Choosing safer products isn’t about being perfect. It’s about progress,  doing what you can, where you can.

And for me, switching to Melaleuca has been one of those small changes that feels really big when I see my home, my animals, and my family thriving just a little more every day.

If you’re on a similar journey,  loving your messy, beautiful life but wanting to create a healthier, safer home along the way,  I’d be happy to share what’s been working for me.

You can check out some of my favorite safer products right here! 

Sometimes the best changes start with just one simple switch — one cleaner bottle at a time.

If you have any questions or just want to swap dog hair battle stories, reach out. There’s always room for more friends on this wild and graceful journey. 

Tamara