Tips to Making Housework Easier and Making Time for Fun

By Kristi Patrice Carter

It is that day of the week again… yes cleaning day. Oh what fun, as you put on your cut off shorts and t shirt or maybe your sweats and get ready to give your house its weekly overhaul. First you run through a list of things in your head that you could do instead of cleaning… call your mother in law… go to the dentist…yes they do sound more appealing. But the longer you wait to get cleaning the more cleaning that is going to need to be done. Instead, I have some practical tips on how you can get the cleaning done quicker so that you can have more time to have fun.

Make over the way you do your cleaning. Make a list of what you think needs to be done on a daily, weekly or biweekly or possibly monthly basis. Actually write the list out. This way you know where to start and what to get done so that you don’t get to the end and realize that you forgot two things to clean. For example, how often do you really need to clean the mini-blinds or the ceiling fan blades? Daily stuff like throwing a load of laundry in while dinner is in the oven, and fold during your favorite show.

Ok, so you have your list, do not start cleaning until you turn on your favorite music. Make sure that it is upbeat and lively. Music is one of the great motivators and is makes time seem to go by faster. Along with organizing your cleaning list, put together a cart of cleaning supplies that can go from room to room with you. This saves time so that you are not running back and forth trying to what you need to get the job done.

This one must sound insane, but it helps. Pretend that you are getting ready for a big party or a famous celebrity is coming to visit your house. Yes, sound silly but it gives purpose to your cleaning and makes it more fun. Would you like your favorite celeb to come to a hell hole, or all of your friends to see how you really live? I didn’t think so.

Ok, so maybe the party idea isn’t motivating enough. So plan a party or surprise for yourself as a reward for getting the house cleaning done. It could be that new dress, the hot shoes, a cappuccino a bubble bath, something that is going to make you feel rewarded.

Get the family involved and make a game of it. Assign each member a room and make a contest to see who can get their part done first. Whoever wins gets the prize, whether it is dinner at their favorite restaurant or the biggest ice cream sundae they have every seen. It helps take away the burden of you doing it all and it helps the family learn that you are a unit that needs to work together.

Ok… I will cave slightly here. Hire a maid service to come in once a month and do the really big deep clean for you. Once a month, this will help your routine cleaning become easier and less of a burden. This means more time at the beach. And if you are keeping up with the regular cleaning then the maid service once a month can be the reward.

While no one enjoys cleaning the house, these simple little tricks will make it get done quicker and make more time for you to have fun.