How Do you Get a Kid To Do Chores Without a Fight?

So I find myself with a problem.  A problem with chores.  As you know, I have an 8-year old boy named Ethan.  He's a good kid however we have a big problem in our home and that is chores.  It's like pulling teeth when it comes to get him to do his chores.  I have tried just about everything and nothing seems to work, so I need your advice and what works for your family.

His chores include the towels, he is in charge of washing, drying, folding them and putting them up, feeding the animals, dusting every other week, and keeping the living room picked up and his bedroom.

When I said I have tried it all I have tried it all.  I have tried rewards and that worked for a total of 2 seconds.  Once he got what he wanted he stopped doing his chores.

I tried the ticket system and that didn't work either.

I have yelled and screamed and I hate that, and it doesn't work.

I have grounded him and that hasn't worked.

I have taken his TV and Xbox out of his room and right now he has to earn them back, and that has worked a little bit, but when it comes to cleaning his room not so much.

I know everyone says pick your battles when it comes to your kids. I chose not to pick the bedroom battle, I just shut the door, but when I walked in to wake him up one morning I nearly broke my neck.  I couldn't even see his floor because of all the junk on the floor.  I had had enough.  So I gave him an ultimatum, the room gets clean or everything comes out including the bed.  He had a full week to clean his room with the deadline of Sunday afternoon.  So Monday went by, nothing, Tuesday, nothing, Wednesday, nothing, you're seeing the pattern here.  So Sunday comes along and I walk in his room with a trash bag and start to grab something and what do you know, his finally cleaned his room.

So now that his room is clean he has two weeks to keep it clean, do the rest of his chores, and whatever else I ask and if he can do this, his TV and XBox will go back into his room.

I don't want to be that mom, I don't want to have to take it to those extremes so I was wondering if you had any advice for me on how to make this an easier process.  How is the best way to make a kid see that chores aren't a punishment but just a necessary evil.  We all have to do them.

Suggestions?  Ideas? Please share them with me.