How to Make Housecleaning Fun

Think cleaning can’t be enjoyable? Think again.

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We’re not going to pretend housecleaning is going to be as fun as a trip to Disney World, hitting Starbucks after an awesome trip to Target, or whatever else your idea of a perfect weekend includes. But there are ways to make housecleaning tasks a bit more fun (and not just because they’ll be over faster).

Crank up the music while you’re putting away toys, sweeping the floors or doing dishes. Any busywork offers the perfect chance to blast some high energy dance music – just find a rhythm that gets you moving. Before you know it, you’ll be on to the next task.

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Mary Poppins had it right: “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. Find the fun, and snap -- the job’s a game!” Engage the kids in a race to see who can put their toys away first, who can pick up most of a certain color of clothes the fastest, who can load the dishwasher first – be creative!

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You can use an online calorie calculator or a phone app to see that the calories expended doing home chores count as exercise. This might not be as fun as a dance party, but if you turn housework into exercise, you may find yourself motivated to stick with it a bit longer.

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Make a color-coded chore chart that rotates every week. Then have everyone (kids, roommates, spouses) pull a color out of a bag and tackle the chores in that column. Obviously you need to make these age-appropriate, but this fun game will eliminate any complaints about getting stuck with the same tasks over and over.

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