Sing While You Clean
My grandmother used to do this. I have to admit, it used to drive me crazy back when I was a teenager, but I see the wisdom in it now. It's hard to be unhappy when you are singing, and the work seems to go by faster when accompanied by music.
I like to play my favorite Pandora Radio station rather loud while I'm cleaning. Good thing it's usually just me and the canary here on cleaning day.
Start With the Chore You Dislike the Most
Just do it and get it over with—that's my philosophy. The rest of the work will feel like a treat after you tackle that one thing you really dread.
I despise cleaning the bathrooms, so that's first on my list. Beware though, this strategy can sometimes make it hard to begin cleaning the house in the first place. It's not always easy to face the worst first, but you'll thank yourself for it later.
Time Yourself While You Work
There are a couple of ways you can do this. You can turn cleaning the house into a race against the clock if you wish. This could be fun, I think, especially if you're the competitive type. But what I have found to be most helpful is to time how long it takes working at normal speed to dust the furniture, clean out the refrigerator, change the sheets on the beds, etc. When you discover how little time most of these chores actually take, it will be harder to make excuses next time.
Can you spare a few minutes of your time to unload the dishwasher? Of course, you can.
Treat Yourself to Something Special
Yes, sometimes I have to bribe myself with a promise of something enjoyable later. It can be anything you like—time to sit and knit, a piece of candy, the afternoon off with a good book—anything.
A little reward now and then for a job well done is a good thing. Take a break and enjoy your clean house!
Do you have a house cleaning strategy that works for you?
Good tips. Cleaning is not a favorite activity of mine, and I often delay it too much.
ReplyDeleteI love the pottery cup that's holding your treat.
I'm gearing up for a big house cleaning before Thanksgiving. Having guests is a good motivator.
DeleteThe cup is part of a set (two cups and two rice bowls) that we bought in Houston's Chinatown.
I'm with you on this....I put off dusting and may try doing it first now. I enjoy the results when everything is clean and in place. If only I could de-clutter the rooms, it would feel even better!! Two people's collections fill a house quickly. Ha. Thanks for your motivational tips.
ReplyDeleteDusting a large collection (or two) of treasures can be a chore, for sure. I hope this little tip makes it a more pleasant experience. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!
DeleteThose are some great ideas for when you're cleaning. No one likes to do it, and I like the idea of picking out the one chore that you don't like to do the most as the first one you do. It gets it out of the way. I like competition, so timing while cleaning is one I'll try too.
ReplyDeleteBo Tolbert @ HJS Supply Co.