Help. I hate cleaning

AprilDoll · 2020-01-31T05:22:48+00:00

You could try the old classical conditioning method. Every time before or after you clean, do something that gives you pleasure (eating a candy bar, drinking something caffeinated, etc.) and you eventually will associate cleaning with good feelings.

If would rather not do that, just break your tasks down into smaller steps. Large tasks can be daunting.

Also disregard this if you must, but is there really nothing you would rather do than live the rest of your life managing a home?

Tiffed4597 · 2020-01-31T10:30:39+00:00

I like to put in headphones and listen to podcasts while I clean. That way I can zone out the physical tasks themselves and be entertained. I also try to frame cleaning as a solid form of exercise in my mind, so it equates to being good for me physically as well as good for my environment. Do I still hate it sometimes? Yes, but these approaches really take the edge off!

hidinginahippo · 2020-01-31T11:42:29+00:00

Figuring out a routine helped me feel more in control of cleaning and home keeping. I used the fly lady system to build my own routine.

Getting rid of everything non-essential also helped - it reduces picking up time, dusting/cleaning time and amount of washing to be dealt with. Look into minimalism to help with this - the book “goodbye things” is great.

The app Tody is helpful with maintaining order too - you can set it to remind you when stuff needs doing. It would take a while to populate tasks in one go, so I would suggest filling it out whilst you go through your space. Sort out your day to day tasks (washing, cleaning, dishes etc) then pick one room to really sort out each week and work through in great detail.

If you struggle with focusing and get distracted, set a timer and work as fast as you can for that time. Then have a break.

Find out what tasks are most appreciated by your partner so you know what to prioritise too

ikfl · 2020-01-31T12:33:54+00:00

Mrs Midwest has some really good videos on the subject of discipline and learning to love your chores. I’d suggest watching those as she will explain better than I can here. The root is that you aren’t cleaning for yourself, you’re doing it for your husband. It’s an act of love, an act of service. You are privileged to have a home to clean, people to clean up after. It will be easier to shift your thinking to this than to learn to love cleaning. If you become more disciplined, it won’t be such a struggle anymore because a habit takes up much less energy in your brain. The book Atomic Habits is a nice read when trying to implement change.

HappilyMrs · 2020-01-31T07:13:35+00:00

FlyLady cleaning method works for me

Kara__El · 2020-01-31T16:22:12+00:00

I suggest a chore chart for yourself, especially with the chaos of an infant. Map out what you'll do on different days and do them all at once while listening to upbeat music, and audiobook (free from your library, likely) or a great podcast. Ideally, you won't be dedicating more than an hour or two a day to these tasks.

blondehairedangel · 2020-02-01T00:01:28+00:00

To help with being good at cleaning - look up some YouTube channels. Tons of material.

Also keep in mind this main rule of thumb: clean top to bottom. Floors should be last.

If possible- get a day off from the baby and do 1 big clean of thr whold house. Then every day do the following before bed- pick up and put away misc items laying around the house, all dishes cleaned and put away, 1-2 loads of laundry, trash thrown away and taken out if too full and clean 1-2 rooms fully. Easiest to do dry rooms (bedrooms, living spaces) and wet rooms (laundry,bathroom, kitchen) in alternation. In the mornings- make your bed.

customerservicevoice · 2020-02-01T15:53:13+00:00

So you want to want to clean? That's a good start. It doesn't sound like your marriage dynamic is forcing you to do anything you don't want to do, you're just not sure how to get started and make it enjoyable.

I love cleaning, but only certain types. Maybe you just need t figure out what "type" works for you and go from there?

For example, I hate vacuuming. So I bought a Shark robot. I run it daily (sometimes twice daily) and I only need to do a thorough vacuum once every 4-6 weeks or do. My floors stay clean. I hate dusting. I just fucking hate it as it never feels like I got it all so I really minimized stuff that needed to be dusted. We have a pretty sparsely decorated home. If it has to be dusted odds are I don't want it.

Anyway, find what works for you.

If you don't have an iPad, buy one! You can watch almost any show while cleaning. I usually watch 3 episodes then re watch them because you do miss things, but who cares? Better than sitting your rump on the couch and "really" watching every second of precious telly. No, I make telly work for me. The same thing goes for AudioBooks. Get an Audible sub. Sure you can get free AUdio Books from your library, but I find it to be a pain and the stipulations suck the fun out of it for me. Listening to audio books takes some getting used to, but you won't regret it!

phoenixtycho · 2020-02-02T05:55:50+00:00

I see it as an act of service to my husband. Not my favorite thing to do but he appreciates it so much. And I love him more than I hate cleaning. :)

A cleaning chart might help. I like lists to keep me focused. Podcasts or music help. Make it more fun! I like audio books!

misscleanex · 2020-02-02T15:23:33+00:00

The Tody app makes it pretty easy to maintain!

2020-01-31T06:13:54+00:00

Why do you hate cleaning? What specifically about it bothers you?

You could try gamification apps like Habitca

Kaboomboomboomboom · 2020-01-31T08:14:08+00:00

Do you listen to music or put on a Netflix show while you clean? That might help you feel like you’re doing something nice.

VivoPerStylo · 2020-02-08T00:21:45+00:00

I don't know about your little one, but mine was a clinger, I could not walk 10 feet away from him without him full out screaming; made cleaning a nightmare. If that's part of what plagues you I definitely recommend baby-wearing, I loved the mobi wrap, and for the first 6 weeks of his life it event doubled as a modest shirt(Texas is hot!).

Something that also really helped me was to take a "before" and "after" picture with my phone, it worked wonders to give me a sense of achievement when it came to cleaning.

Title	Help. I hate cleaning
Author	damegolda
Upvotes	11
Comments	18
Date	January 31, 2020 4:08 AM UTC (6 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/RedPillWives
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/RedPillWives/comments/ewikf3/help_i_hate_cleaning/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/RedPillWives/help-i-hate-cleaning.316126 https://theredarchive.com/post/316126

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