My Kitchen Sink Won't Let Me Write

Growing up, I remember (possibly wrong) having to do chores EVERY Saturday. Mom would hand us a dust rag or point out things to pick up or spray the windows and have us wipe them shiny. There was always something to clean. I like to blame that tradition on why I hate cleaning house now. It's probably not true, but it's easy.
I'm not a complete slob. I reach my breaking point just like everyone else. It used to really stress me out that I would let things get really dirty before cleaning them. The few years that my husband and I were both working at the same time, those were the worst. I always dreamed of the day when I would be able to quit working outside the home, stay home with babies, and keep house.
You know those moments when you realize your dreams were just that? A dream? Oh, don't get me wrong. I stay home with our children and keep house now. But I don't clean like I probably ought to. There are always so many other things that sound more fun: taking the kids to story time, reading, taking a nap, even grocery shopping. But I've also figured some things out.
If my kitchen is piled with dirty dishes, I get so stressed about it that I can't even handle taking care of the mess to de-stress myself. It drives me crazy when dust bunnies follow me down the hallway. Those moments have caused me to realize that I have certain things that have to stay cleaner than others for me to be able to function. Especially during this super busy time of year. So, I'm learning to stay on top of the dishes, and keep the sink mostly empty every night. I even sleep better with it that way. I sweep at least once a week to get up the crumbs and dust bunnies and pieces of grass and old stickers (What? Your kids don't leave them EVERYWHERE?). And before we have company or friends over, I clean the bathrooms and run a cloth over surfaces to get rid of dust. It works for me, and I find I can do so many other things with a more joyful attitude when I do.
So, the moral of the story is, I have to keep my kitchen sink clean to be able to write. I'm working on making it a habit now so that next month when I'm trying to hammer out 65,000 words, it will happen automatically.
What about you? Are there breaking points around your house that keep you from being productive in other areas? I'd love any tips you have for staying on top of things!