Chicago Home and Lifestyles – Make Your Cleaning More Fun!

Cleaning can be one of our most dreaded chores but it is a necessary evil. Thankfully, there are a few ways to make the job less onerous and even fun. Here are a few tricks to make cleaning time a little lighter. 

Think of cleaning time as aromatherapy. There are so many environmentally conscious cleaning products out now that have essential oils in them. Citrus and lavender are great for your mood. There is a natural cleaner called Citra Solv that is great on grease, and it is made from orange peels, so the smell is wonderful.

Only keep things you love. It is much more fun to take care of things you love. When you have something you don’t like in your space, the time and effort to take care of it feels not worth it. Your work to keep things tidy when you have items you love is much more rewarding.

Get up and dance. Make a dance playlist, put on your headphones, and get moving. Music can also make noisy chores like vacuuming more palatable. Tedious tasks are much more fun when listening to music.

Add a guilty pleasure to your chores. Many of us look at television as a guilty pleasure, although if it is something you enjoy, it shouldn’t have such a negative connotation. So, add a chore like folding laundry or ironing while watching your favorite TV show or video.

Time yourself. Thinking that you have just 30 minutes to clean can do two things. It makes the task seem less of a chore, knowing there is a time limit, and it can make you more efficient. I seem to get more done; it’s almost like a race.

Be grateful. Do think before you start cleaning how happy you are to have a house to clean and be thankful you are healthy enough to do it. This creates positive energy for your chores. When you are done, perhaps light a candle and say a quick prayer of thankfulness. 

Do realize that everything cannot be perfect. If your house is healthy and clean enough at the end of the day, that is fine. Sometimes doing the bare minimum can mean more time spent with the ones you love. That is more important than everything spotless all the time.   

KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO