Chores exist whether we like it or not. We can do them ourselves, pay someone else, or live in filth. Those are really the only options, and most of us can’t afford to hire a housecleaner. So we’re stuck with it!
But some of us LOVE to clean. So much so that it could be considered…a HOBBY? Yep! I think cleaning counts as a hobby. Here are a few ways to enjoy the hobby, and 11 ways to make cleaning fun if you’re someone who doesn’t enjoy chores.
Is it weird to have a cleaning hobby?
No! A hobby is anything you find fun, and lots of people find cleaning fun. Webster calls a hobby: an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure.
Cleaning is:
✅ an activity
✅ done regularly
✅ can be done in leisure time
✅ can be done for pleasure
So there we go! Cleaning can be a hobby. Here are a few ways you can lean into your hobby to make it even more fun.
1. Swag
Perfect your cleaning kit. Use only items you love, coordinate them in your favorite color, or splurge on a fun new tool.
You can even expand into homemade cleaning products to make it more fun!
2. Join groups
You can find in-person and online spaces (let’s be real–mostly online) where people come together to discuss cleaning and chores. We even have our own! Join our Facebook group to chat with other people who are cleaning, organizing, and decluttering every day!
3. Consume cleaning media
Listen to podcasts, watch videos, and read articles (hi!!) about cleaning and organizing. This can give you new ideas to try, products to be excited about, and build a sense of fandom and camaraderie with your unusual hobby.
4. Create your own cleaning content!
This is a fun way to combine two hobbies into one: Make content out of your cleaning. Maybe you have great tips to share and make other people’s lives easier. Win, win, win.
How to make cleaning fun.
If you’re not one of the lucky ones who think cleaning is the bee’s knees, that’s okay! Welcome to the majority. For you, I’ve got eleven tips on how you can make chores more enjoyable.
1. Declutter your home
Cleaning becomes less fun when it’s too hard. If all the surfaces are cluttered and grimy, there’s a full laundry basket in every room, you don’t even KNOW where the vacuum ended up–it becomes overwhelming before you even begin.
To improve your cleaning process long-term, the best way forward is a good declutter. With fewer things to clean, you’ll enjoy cleaning more.
Not sure where to start? I got you. Try one of these easy and accessible entry points to decluttering:
- 25 Easy Things to Declutter From Your Bathroom
- Tiny Steps to Declutter Your Home
- 100 Items To Declutter NOW | Room-by-Room Checklist
2. Pair a boring task with a fun one
If you have a cleaning task you particularly loathe, try pairing it with something more enjoyable. Watch your favorite TV show while you fold laundry. Listen to a podcast or audio book. Sometimes playing music is enough to help you enjoy your time cleaning.
3. Scavenger hunt
Set up a scavenger hunt, either for yourself, or for the whole family. Or just for the kids. Get at it, kids.
It could be something like this decluttering scavenger hunt, or maybe you can make up your own rules! Here are a few ideas:
- Tidy up 20 items of a certain color
- Collect 30 pieces of trash
- Everyone finds 10 items that belong to them in common spaces
Set a timer and get hunting!
4. Invite friends
Sometimes having somebody to body double with you is enough to make cleaning enjoyable. You can also have cleaning parties! Grab a couple pals and schedule a day to hit each of your houses. Everything is more fun with friends, and I’m sure they’d also appreciate the extra help.
5. Dance party
This one’s obvious, but crank up some music and twerk while you mop. Dancing is one of the easy ways to make any activity feel more fun–it gives your body a wild amount of endorphins, boosting your mood for the whole day!
Maybe you can even make a cleaning playlist with songs that get you hyped!
6. Keep the right tools
Sometimes chores are a slog because you’re using the wrong equipment and products, making your job harder. While I discourage you from buying trendy items that tell tall tales of effortless cleaning, I do encourage you to invest in a few good tools that will significantly improve your life.
For example, I used to fight with a dinky little steamer to clean up messes from my elderly dog, but I finally bought a pet stain cleaner a few weeks ago and WOW the difference it made.
So if you’re struggling with a tool, consider upgrading to make chores easier.
7. Maladaptive daydreaming
JK, but a little bit of imagination can go a long way!
My friend Kandice likes to put on medieval tavern music and her “tavern wench” apron when she cleans the kitchen. If this is you, how could chores be boring:
Get whimsical, in whatever capacity appeals.
8. Make household chores a race
With a list of chores to do consistently, you can race to beat your previous record. After you’ve topped out and can’t beat your record anymore, this might get less fun, but you can always switch up your routine and start over!
9. Tell yourself you like it
It’s kind of wild how quickly we can reprogram our opinions, but you might as well take advantage of our malleable brain meat. Recite some affirmations to yourself as you clean. List things you’re grateful for. Appreciate your home and belongings.
Even if it feels fake and cringey at first, you might be shocked at how quickly your feelings start to believe your intentional thoughts. It truly is a blessing to have a home to clean in the first place, so be sure to remind yourself of that!
10. Set a cleaning time
Setting a consistent schedule for household chores can make them less daunting and intrusive. Make a day of it! Maybe you can do Sunday night resets, where you do your chores, set yourself up for the coming week, cut a new bouquet of flowers, or break out your favorite candle.
For those mundane tasks we HAVE to do, it’s much easier to ritualize and enjoy rather than dread and avoid.
11. Get the kids involved
If you’ve got chill kids (this tip is not for some of you…and you know who you are), try to get them in on it! It can be fun, instructive, and a great bonding opportunity.
If your kids aren’t down to clown, leave them in the dungeon and have fun by yourself.
Need help making a cleaning plan?
Chores are easier when you remove the guesswork. Try out these Home Reset Checklists that have already figured it all out for you.
What’s your favorite way to make cleaning fun? Let us know in a comment!
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