Make Cleaning More Fun!

Make Cleaning More Fun? You’re probably wondering how it would even be possible to make cleaning feel less like, well, cleaning. It’s a tough job, of course, but it’s one that has been done so often by so many, that little tricks have come up along the way.

The only problem is that there aren’t many forums for house owners to say, “Hey! Here’s my favorite house-cleaning hack!” So, we’ve created our own: here are five ways to make your next cleaning session a little less work and a little more fun, as corroborated by cleaners who have finished the job before you.

Make It a Competition: If you’re cleaning with a crew — you know, with a spouse, partner or with kids — you can make it more interesting by setting goals. The first person to clean out all their unwanted clothes from the closet, wins. The person with the shiniest shelves post-dusting, wins. It’s easy to make cleaning into a game.

It’s a bit trickier when you do it by yourself, but you can always compete against your previous best. Make the mirror as streak-free as you ever have, or finish scouring the bathroom in under 30 minutes. Whatever it takes to light a fire under you, do it: the best news is that you’ll always win when you’re playing against yourself.

Reward Yourself: Especially if you’re cleaning solo, you deserve to have a little light at the end of the tunnel. A great way to incentivize yourself is to plan for a reward at the end of your session.

It’s easy and inexpensive to treat yourself: imagine, for example, that you decide to buy yourself an afternoon iced latte or soft-serve ice cream cone as a post-cleaning pick-me-up. The better the prize, the more likely you’ll pour yourself into your cleaning project — and the better that latte or ice cream will taste.

DIY Your Supplies: Dousing a kitchen or bathroom in chemically scented cleaners is no one’s idea of a good time. That’s why you should whip up your own solutions for your next house-cleaning session.

It’s seriously easy to do. In fact, it’s as simple as slicing a lemon in half and using its natural and anti-bacterial qualities to sanitize your counters. Of course, there are more involved recipes for cleaning solutions that can clean particular surfaces throughout your home. Find the one that suits your cleaning needs, whip it up yourself, and enjoy the fruits of your labor — and, perhaps, their sweet scents.

… And Upgrade Your Accouterments: Now that you’ve mixed your own cleaning solutions, you don’t want to dump them onto dusty old rags and sponges. Make your next house-cleaning day more exciting by breaking in cute new cleaning supplies that’ll serve double duty as helpful cleaning aids and as distractions.

Get creative here. Perhaps you’ve always wanted an apron and fun rubber gloves — now’s the time to invest in your cleaning future. You can also find fun-shaped sponges and feather dusters, or even something as simple as a shammy in a neon shade instead of a bland beige.

Everyone has a different definition of what’s fun, cute, entertaining and, ultimately, distracting from the task at hand. Peruse the virtual aisles of Amazon, Etsy and other retailers who might stock quirky supplies that you can’t find in regular stores.

Pump Up the Jams: Silence will only allow your mind to wander while you clean and, chances are, it’ll wander to all the places it’d rather be than scouring the house on a free afternoon.

That’s why so many people swear by the power of music to inspire an enthused and, therefore, thorough, cleaning session. Some have compiled cleaning playlists with songs that talk about biting the dust and cleaning closets; or, you could come up with your own list of tunes that get you pumped up for whatever task is at hand.

You could also make your cleaning marathon into a Netflix or movie marathon. Reward yourself with a new episode as you complete the tasks on your to-do list. Things that don’t require your undivided attention, such as folding laundry, are perfect for doing in front of the TV.

Let’s face it: no cleaning session is going to go by without it registering in some way as work. With a few of these switches to your normal routine, though, you can make that registration a bit more muted than it was before. You never know — a bit of fun might be enough to turn you into a person who likes to clean… or someone who gets through it quickly and efficiently thanks to music, DIY solutions, cutesy supplies, friendly competition or, of course, a sweet treat at the end.

Let’s find out.