Spring Cleaning: 6 Ways to Turn Any Job Into a Game!

Is your housework getting you down?  We tend to wish we could be like Jeannie on "I dream of Jeannie" or Samantha on "Bewitched" and magically get our homes in order so that we can sit back with our feet up and relax.  We look at cleaning the kitchen and doing the laundry in much the same way that Jane and Michael looked at Mary Poppins when she suggested they play "Tidy up the nursery."  Here are six ways I like to "find the fun" in midst of the daily grind. 

1. Music:  

There is a reason there are sound tracks in movies, because music helps set the mood.  I have a playlist on Spotify that my kids made for me that includes everything from Glenn Miller, to Chris Tomlin, some of our favorite Broadway musicals and everything in between!  Praise music reminds my heart of the One I worship and serve in my home each day and Swing Music keeps me Jumpin' as I "Chattanooga Choo Choo" around with the dust mop. Try it loud and sing along or if you have a baby napping try it in your ear buds instead.  Either way you're sure to have more fun with the music playing! 

2. Audio Books:

I loved reading as a child and teenager, but it seems once I became a Mommy I have stopped reading books that I love in favor of all the work and reading to my kids.  When my oldest child was reading the Hunger Games series of books I decided I had better read them too in order to know what she was reading and to be able to talk with her about them.  Well I really didn't have time to sit down and read the series so I decided to get the audio books and listen while I did my regular work...well I ended up finishing WAY ahead of her and she thought it was great that I enjoyed them as much as she did!  Since then I have joined a monthly audio book club on ChristianAudio.com and I've loved having a new book to listen to each month while I work!  If you have never done this you should give it a try! 

3.  Movies: 

I HATE Ironing!  I mean it is the one chore that I avoid and put off, but my hubby really does like to wear all cotton shirts and he wears them every day to work, so I tend to have a good amount of ironing.   I tackle a big ironing job by watching a favorite movie that no one else in my family will want to watch like Pride and Prejudice or Emma, or something lovely and girly like that! 

4.  The Right Tools:

One of my good friends was helping her Mom in the kitchen one day and noticed her pots and pans were falling apart and her spatula was half melted and she said "Mom, no wonder you don't like to cook.  You don't have the right tools!"  The right tool for the job goes a long way.  You CAN cook dinner in a pot with no handles and a warped lid if you have to. You CAN cut a tomato with a butter knife, however you can get the job done much more happily and efficiently if you've got a sharp knife and non-slip cutting board. 
  

5.  Beautiful Surroundings:

Lets face it we women were created to love beautiful things!  I may have a big pile of laundry or a sink full of dishes to do, but small little bits of beauty in the midst of the mess really help me to focus on the good.  A $3 bouquet of flowers from the market, my cute blue desk chairs, a sweet smelling candle burning or a beautiful cup for my coffee in the morning are some of the little bits of beauty that make me smile as I go about my chores for the day.  When your house is a mess and you want to run away,  take the time to clear away one small counter or table, light your favorite candle, set out your wedding picture, or a vase with a flower you picked from your yard and look at that little spot of beauty and then let it encourage you to press on until the rest of the house feels just as lovely! 

6. Teamwork:

 I often can slip into the thinking that the house and everyone in it are all my sole responsibility and that its my job to feed, clothe and clean up after everyone all by myself.  It is difficult for 1 woman to clean up after 5 other people every day.  I've learned that what a team of 6 can do in 1 hour would take me all day to do, and then I'd be exhausted and grouchy the rest of the night!  Train your kids as soon as possible that they are an important member of your "team" and that everyone needs to pitch in and help out every day to keep things working. 

If you have an especially big job to do at home, consider asking a friend over to help you out.  One of my fondest memories is when my sister talked me into painting my grungy kitchen on a whim.  She came over for coffee and the next thing I knew it we were at the paint store picking a color.  It was done before my husband came home from work and he was completely shocked at how beautiful it turned out!  Don't underestimate the power of teamwork in making even the most tedious job fun! 

 

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