Everyday cleaning and organizing tasks can feel like such a drag sometimes. But since most of these tasks are necessary for running a functional household (like having a clean kitchen and bathroom, controlling household clutter, etc.), there’s not really an option to NOT do them.
But fortunately for us, there are a ton of smart people out there who have come up with some ingenious ways to make cleaning and organizing chores integrate seamlessly with the rest of your day. Try working a few of these tips into your current routine, and see if your daily chores become relatively painless!
Flower Power
If your kitchen or living room needs an overhaul, bring home a big bouquet of flowers before you start. Seeing a vase of beautiful flowers will give you a feeling of purpose, because nobody likes seeing flowers next to dust or clutter!
Hands-Free, Wrinkle-Free
If you have a blouse or pair of slacks that is wrinkled, you can save yourself the effort of pulling out the ironing board. Simply toss it into your dryer with an ice cube. The ice will create steam, which will eliminate wrinkles with just a few minutes in the dryer.
Don’t (Lose) the Small Stuff
Large purses and totes are the bag of choice for many women these days, but big bags can easily become a blackhole for smaller items such as earphones or lip balm! Keep track of smaller items by putting them in smaller pouches or clutches, which are harder to lose track of in a large bag. (Click here to view our tutorial for making a cute, no-sew cinch pouch!)
Flip Your Closet
It’s easy to let your closet fill up with clothes you don’t wear regularly, or at all. An easy way to keep track of what gets worn and what doesn’t is to put it back into your closet facing the opposite way after wearing it. After a few weeks, the items left facing the same way are items you may want to consider donating!
Double Up
It’s easy to get distracted while doing a task you hate doing, like cleaning the bathroom. Keep yourself on track by simultaneously doing a timed beauty treatment, such as a face or hair mask. That way you have a set amount of time to complete your task, plus you get the benefits of your treatment! (Bonus: You’ll also get to be the first person to enjoy the sparkling clean bathroom!)
If you’re not one for beauty treatments, listen to an interesting 20-30 minute podcast through a pair of headphones. The cleaning task will seem to fly by, plus you’ll probably learn something new! For details and suggestions about podcasts, click here.
Beautifully Organized
A collection of small items can add up to big clutter on your bathroom counter or vanity. Keep smaller items, such as nail polishes, essential oils, lipsticks, in a cute container, like a vintage-inspired tea tin or a decorative box. You’ll stay organized while also adding some visual appeal!
Catch-All Basket
My kitchen counter seems to be a landing zone for bills, school forms, tubes of lip balm, and general clutter. So to control the clutter, everything that can’t be thrown away goes into a basket up against the wall. Once the basket is full, I go through everything, put everything where it needs to go, and start over.
Label All The Things!
It may seem silly, but everyone I talk to who owns a label maker RAVES about it (myself included!). There’s something about having a clearly labeled bin that is immensely calming and satisfying. It also cuts down on the constant flow of “Where is [insert object here]?!?” questions from children and husbands. 😉 Plus, label makers are just plain fun to use!
Pencil It In
It’s a simple fact: if something it written into your schedule, it’s more likely to happen. So breakdown your chores and tasks into 5 or 6 chunks (depending on whether you want to do them on weekends), and plug them into your schedule. If a 20-minute “dust the living room” appointment occurs every Monday morning at 7:30, you’re more likely to get it done. Plus it will start to feel less like a chore, and more like just another part of your day.
Conditional Behavior
Take something you enjoy doing, like having a cup of coffee in the morning, and tie it to a small cleaning or organizing task. For instance, if you want to make your french press coffee in the morning, you have to unload or load dishes in the dishwasher while your coffee brews. Instant motivation!
What are your favorite ways to make chores less painful?
