From the article: 6 Ways that Cleaning Can Alleviate Stress
Like it or not, cleaning is part of stress management. Why? Because clutter can be stressful in ways you don’t even realize, and keeping your home clean can provide you a haven from stress. Regular cleaning isn’t as obvious a form of stress management as meditation, breathing exercises, or yoga, but cleaning can provide you with the perfect space to do these activities, and more! Cleaning doesn’t have to be a chore, and can actually be fun if you turn on your favorite cleaning music or make cleaning a team effort. What’s your best strategy for making cleaning less of a chore? Share your low-stress cleaning tips here! Share Your Cleaning Tips!
Hire Help
- I work full-time and I have an 18 month old little girl. At first I felt a little weird about it, but I have a lady come over once or twice a week to clean my floors, bathrooms and do ironing. It's amazingly helpful and motivating when my floors and bathrooms are clean and my clothes put away. Then I can focus on the daily cleaning and organizing projects!
- —Guest Amy H.
Miss Lisa
- I work full time, so the only opportunity to have long blocks of time to spend cleaning means spending my ENTIRE day off cleaning house...which makes me unhappy & resentful. My strategy is to do small chores throughout the week so the house is always neat and clean. No, it's not top to bottom perfect, but by doing single chores each evening I never get behind. I keep cleaning supplies close to where they are used, so I do not have to run all around looking for them to do a quick job. I keep a vacuum cleaner upstairs and one downstairs as well!
- —Guest Lisa
Do It Now
- I force myself to take the extra few moments to put things all the way away, or clean up the drips, etc. rather than just setting them down (or ignoring them) to deal with later.
- —Guest Shari
Cleaning Tips
- I try to do tasks each day so I don't have to spend hours at the end of the week, i.e. Monday I vaccuum, Tuesday I clean bathrooms, etc. I usually keep Clorox wipes on each counter and use them daily in the kitchen and bathrooms. It really helps!
- —Guest ljdh
Dusting slippers!
- I came across a great invention: dusting slippers! These slippers have something like long shag carpet (or short mop) strands, and I can walk, slide, or dance (with music) my way across my hardwood and tile floors throughout the house. The result is a clean floor, a few more burned calories, and a happier me! (And, they can be machine washed.)
- —dahenson
Getting rid of junk
- I have made cleaning a time for looking at my possessions and deciding what I want to keep and what I want to throw out or donate to a charity thrift store.
- —Guest Ruth Leder
