I got into a fight with my vacuum cleaner today.
It was touch and go here for a little while. At one point, I considered taking the entire thing apart and running the individual components through my dishwasher. I also considered hauling my sweeper down to the end of my driveway and praying someone would just pick it up and take it far, far away. I’m glad I didn’t indulge either impulses.
Eventually, my least favorite cleaning tool and I came to an understanding. I’m happy and proud to say my rug looks fabulous now, too. Wrestling with a vacuum cleaner is just one story in a long line of household mishaps that seem to happen with frequency around here. Keeping our little castle clean may always be a bit of a struggle for me. However, there are strategies that make battle a bit easier.
As you ease into spring, consider these tips to keep you from losing your mind while you clean up the chaos.
Fall into rhythms
The thought of cleaning my entire house in one day makes me break out into a cold sweat. There’s simply too much to do. When I get overwhelmed by the potential for a mammoth task, I try to set up and then return to rhythms that help me get something done even if I can’t do everything.
When it comes to cleaning, consider focusing on specific tasks on set days of the week. For instance, on Mondays I typically do two set loads of laundry: towels and jeans. I choose to wash them on Mondays because they’re the easiest loads for me to fold. Re-entering the week requires all the energy I can muster. So, I try to keep cleaning tasks easy and unthinking.
Which tasks you choose to do on which days is up to you. However, keep in mind your family’s schedule and needs as you make a plan.
Clean the machine
Most of our homes come fully stocked with modern conveniences like washing machines, dishwashers, and refrigerators. As much as I love the idea of time travel, I’d never want to live in an era when these appliances weren’t a part of everyday life.
Alas, those work horses that do the lion’s share of the actual labor when it comes to cleaning in our homes often get neglected. Spring is the perfect time to show them a little TLC. Pick up a machine cleaner (I’m a big fan of the Lemi Shine brand) on your next grocery store run. Or, do a quick Internet search to find a homemade recipe to get the job done.
When you clean your machines, you’ll find that they run more effectively. You also increase the longevity of the appliance. As an added bonus, you’ll reap the benefits of a lower energy bill because of increased efficiency. All three benefits save you money.
Distract yourself
If you’re like me and dread the mundane feeling of household cleaning tasks, distraction during required chores is a must. Rather than entering into the process with a spirit of drudgery, choose a method to keep the experience from overwhelming you with boredom or in some cases disgust.
Folding laundry? Binge a favorite show on Netflix. Doing the dishes? Find a podcast or audiobook and pop in some headphones. From chatting with a friend on the phone to watching a movie you love, you can turn an unpleasant experience into treasured found time.
Just be careful not to sit down or allow your distraction to take over your vital work.
Create a major projects hit list
Beyond the day-to-day operations of a home, everyone has a set of projects they’d love to tackle “one day.” Maybe you don’t have enough time to do a Marie Kondo deep clean of your closet. Or perhaps funds are limited, preventing you from cleaning up that neglected corner of your house or yard.
Sit down and brainstorm a comprehensive list of household cleaning goals that require more time and/or money than your weekly chores. After you’ve created a targeted to-do list, go back through it and rank the tasks in order of importance.
Then when you have a free Saturday morning or unexpected funds, you know what to do with both.
Ask for help
More often than not, I’m a martyr of my own making. Rather than asking the other people who live in my home to help with the upkeep and maintenance of our shared space, I choose to bare the weight of the entire burden.
Or, I get frustrated that someone’s not doing things the “right” way (a.k.a. my way) and so I take over or worse re-do something that’s already been done. I’m big enough to admit that both of these unhealthy patterns of behavior do nothing to benefit me or the people under my roof.
Ask for help. Don’t be afraid to reach out. But keep in mind that the help you receive may not be 100 percent provided in the way you’d do things. In the end, it won’t really matter how the dishes are put away or how the towels are folded. Exercise grace and express gratitude.
I love a clean home but I don’t love what’s required of me to reach that goal. My guess is that I probably haven’t fought my last title match with my vacuum cleaner. But, household chores are never as difficult as I think they’ll be before I begin. Using these strategies doesn’t exactly make the process what I’d call fun, but it’s at least manageable. And who knows, maybe next time I can sell tickets for the vacuum cleaner main event.
