Why didn’t anyone tell me how much work it is to keep a bigger house, especially one in Charlotte, clean? We are very clean people; we clean up after eating, don’t leave dishes in the sink, wash the bed sheets and clean the bathrooms at least weekly, dust, vacuum, and sweep regularly, and pick up after ourselves. Yet the house never seems clean. No one even goes into the guest bedroom. Why do I need to vacuum it and dust it so often? Organizing and decorating our new house was part of this year’s bucket list, but I should have added keeping it clean. It’s more work and effort than most of the list combined. Luckily, there are a few products that help, including the Dyson DC41 Animal Complete. It’s a cleaning machine with cyclone technology, smooth steering, and extra tools for varied surfaces. It’s engineered for outstanding cleaning performance and stands up against messes made by my little monkey, also known as Athena, or bigger messes made by us.

It’s a heavier machine but it drives like a Ferrari, quickly maneuvering around corners and staying close to the line. Dyson Ball uprights ride on a ball, which pivots on the spot so you can steer with a turn of the wrist. The ball also houses core technology, including the motor and ducting. There’s less clutter, so it’s easier to clean awkward places, along edges and around furniture and toys. The main carpeted areas of the house include Athena’s bedroom and the bonus room or play room. As much time as I spend picking up toys, Athena spends putting them on the floor. It’s inevitable that toys are going to be on the floor and around the house; the Animal Complete just makes it easier to get around them.

I don’t know if you’ve seen any pictures of me with my hair down, but I have more hair than most families combined. It’s thick and long and we find it everywhere. The Dyson Tangle-free Turbine tool is the only turbine tool that doesn’t tangle. There’s no brush bar for hair to wrap around. It uses counter-rotating heads with brushes to remove hair and dirt from carpets and upholstery and releases it straight into the bin. The flexible heads and articulating base plate ensure that the brushes maintain constant contact with a surface – no matter how uneven. The heads are positioned so the brushes reach to the front and side of the tool, drawing in hair and dirt from all directions. I’m sure I’ll still find hair in the most awkward places, but I’m finding less of it with the Dyson.

It’s only the upstairs of our house that is carpeted. The entire main level floor is hardwood. Many upright vacuums use fixed settings. Their cleaner heads don’t self-adjust to different floor types – the bigger the gap between cleaner head and floor, the more suction power is wasted. With an active base plate, the Animal Complete creates the optimal cleaner head contact for every floor type, reducing air leaks and retaining more suction power. It’s designed for outstanding performance across all floors – not just carpets, but the entire house. Rather than sweeping, vacuuming, and dusting all with separate cleaning tools, I use the Animal throughout the house. One continuous swoop; the only reason I need to stop is the plug into other outlets.

Not all houses get as dusty as others. Charlotte is a pollen haven and Spring time can be a nightmare for both Darren and myself. Dyson cyclones can capture microscopic particles such as pollen, mold, and bacteria. The Dyson Soft dusting brush gently removes dust and a felt strip down the middle of the brush helps protect polished and delicate surfaces from scratching. (I even use it on the tv screen when Darren isn’t home but I’m not certain it was designed for something like that so I follow the “don’t ask, don’t tell” philosophy.)

I’ve always wanted a house with enough bedrooms to invite family to stay with us and our own place to get away from it all – a retreat from daily life. Darren wanted a garage or work area where he could build furniture and we both wanted a place for Athena to play. We found that in our home in North Carolina but it isn’t easy to keep up with the daily dirt and I don’t want someone else to do it for me. Having one vacuum that does all of the floors and dusting didn’t make the list this year but it certainly helps in keeping the house of my dreams from looking like a nightmare.