- Accept housekeeping, or at least the need for it, as a natural cycle of domestic life. Also remember that you're doing it for yourself (and for your loved ones, if you don't live alone).
- Work cleaning into your schedule so you don't end up resenting it because it's interfering with other plans or so you don't end up not doing it- which means more work next time.
- Set a timer so you have a definite end point to look forward to.
- Don't stress out about the results. Enjoy the process. Seriously. You'll have plenty of opportunities in the future to clean every inch of your home perfectly, if you choose. Do the best you can today without going insane.
- Make sure you've given yourself some care first: eat a snack, drink water, stretch.
- Have a fun cleaning outfit. Don't wear PJs or ratty sweats you wouldn't be caught dead in. Wear something ceremonial- something that says "I kick dustbunny ass!," literally or figuratively. A kitschy apron, 50s housewife dress (extra points for doing this if you're a guy!), fancy workout clothes, and rad rubber gloves are just a few ways to make a you feel less like a wench when cleaning.
- Use tools and products you're excited about and are comfortable and easy for you to use. Invest time in nerding out when shopping for cleaning supplies. I once spent an hour picking out cloths. Also, don't feel bad about returning something that doesn't work for you. (Psst... I've shared my favorite cleaning tools in my Amazon shop.)
- Make your own cleaning products and add your favorite essential oils to them. Here's an easy all-purpose cleaner: In a heat-safe bowl or glass (I use a beer stein), dissolve 2 TBS washing soda, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 5-8 drops total of your favorite essential oils in 2 cups hot distilled water. Once it cools, transfer it to a spray bottle. Add 1/2 tsp natural (fragrance-free) dish detergent.
- Listen to music or a podcast. I love rocking out to James Brown radio on Pandora or listening to Joy the Baker podcast.
- If you're cleaning with someone else, make it a contest. Compete to see who can pick up the most misplaced items in 10 minutes.
Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.
I just came across this older post of yours, but it made me laugh! We can all use ideas on how to make cleaning seem like fun! When I was younger and lived at home with my siblings, we would all act like were were mistreated orphans in an orphanage on cleaning day, and we'd be mopping the floors and washing the windows and cleaning the refrigerator....the whole time talking about how our orphan-keepers abused us and didn't feed us.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure our Mom appreciated that game so much. But it's good memories for me now!
Ha! Thanks for sharing that story. It made me smile. :-)
DeleteHey Olivia, Thanks for sharing a informative and inspiring post. Really liked the idea of wearing outfit, it made me laugh. Idea of filling the energy in the body using different techniques are necessary. I love listening music while cleaning my room. I usually don't get much of time for cleaning or anything, so I'm started managing my work for by dividing the tasks on daily basis. For services of cleaning for your domestic or commercial place visit the link below.
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