Good Clean Fun
While household chores sound like drudgery, you might be surprised to learn that they can be quite fun. With the right attitude and atmosphere it’s possible to reap the benefits of a cleaner home and enjoy the process too. You can also get a feeling of accomplishment, bond with your family, and learn how to stay present.
Whether you feel like doing them or not, chores in and of themselves actually come with many benefits. Routine, structure, and order are all things that help make your day run more smoothly and make your family feel more secure.
Get more satisfaction from your household chores with the following ideas.
7 Tips That Make a Difference
1. Make a checklist.
Know what tasks you are going to tackle each day. Once you have a list of chores, arrange them in the most effective order. For example, cleaning is best accomplished top to bottom. So if you are going to wipe down the cabinets then clean the top cabinets first before the bottom ones. Only after they are done would you mop the floor. When is the best time to do that? Obviously when no one is home to walk on the wet floors. So plan to mop when everyone is out of the house, if not, try to do it when family members are out on errands or at night when they are sleeping.
2. Enlist help.
Team up with a family member. Cleaning will be more enjoyable and finish faster. Rotate the chores so everyone gets a turn doing each task and one person isn’t stuck doing the same one over and over. And an incredibly enough, the single best thing a parent can do to make sure their kids are successful is to have them do chores on a regular basis. This is not one person’s opinion. This is based on a Harvard Grant Study.
3. Set a timer.
Household tasks will feel more like a game when “racing against the clock”. Determine how long it should take to complete a task and see if you can get it done a little quicker. It also focuses your attention, and you’ll work more quickly. See who can vacuum the living room the fastest. Keep a chart of the times and give a prize to the fastest scores (as long as the chore was completed well).
4. Stay present.
Keep your mind on your task and how to get it done well. This might seem counter-intuitive. Why would you want to focus on the task instead of daydreaming? Because keeping your mind focused on your work is great practice for every part of your life. And it’s mentally relaxing too.
5. Keep the end in mind.
Remind yourself of the end result and how great it will be to enjoy a nice, clean kitchen/dining room/living room/bathroom. Be happy that due to your efforts and encouragement your family will have a safe environment to prepare for school and work each day.
6. Avoid doing too much in one day.
Spread out your chores. It’s easier to do a little each day than to put in 10 tough hours over the weekend.
7. Celebrate.
Celebrate after you complete a task and when you have completed everything on your daily list. Acknowledge that you made a plan and executed it successfully. Congratulate yourself that you’re someone that gets things done.
Positive Energy, Cleaner Surroundings
In summary, put on music or an inspirational lecture and enjoy your cleaning time. Enlist some help from your family and work as a team. Make use of a timer and the time will fly by. Consider making a score chart to keep track of the tasks and the time they took to get done. Having a positive attitude will give you the energy you need to accomplish your household chores quickly and efficiently. As you make your home chores something to look forward to, you’ll find a whole new way to enjoy your day.
If you are looking for a rental that will be a joy to live in and keep clean consider these Baltimore rentals that accept housing vouchers.