Cleaning and family relationships go hand in hand, so good communication is essential for solving problems. If you’re the organizer, smooth the way by asking for suggestions and ideas. Create a plan as a family, and make sure expectations and responsibilities are clear. Listening to others is one of the best things you can do when important interpersonal relationships are involved.

“People want to know how much you care, not how much you know,” Chalut advises. “Listen to your parents, and listen to your children. Let them know you’re in their corner and that you want them to succeed.”

This step can be crucial if you’re helping out in someone else’s home, like your parents’ or friends’. If you hit some rough patches, it might help to let others think a task was “their idea” instead.