What is your least favourite household chore and how do you make it tolerable?

before-the-fall · 2020-07-28T10:52:43+00:00

To make dishes almost enjoyable, I first find a good audiobook to listen to while doing them. Or even a YouTube video.

Those ugly kitchen gloves are a must! They help me not drop plates - the grip is good even with soapy water, and they protect my hands from the heat of the hot water.

Sometimes I sort the dishes first, I always rinse down the dirty ones first with the sprayer, and the super gross ones I fill with hot soapy water to soak and I do those last.

Having enough space to dry your dishes is important, and if you have a bunch, lay out some kitchen towels.

Use both a sponge and a brush with a long handle and a scraper on the back. I just use cheap Ajax dis liquid, but they have some really nice scents so maybe you can find one you like.

By the way, if you don’t want to disturb your husband with the audiobook, try some Bluetooth earbuds, it’ll make it easier to hear over the water anyway.

I so want to make a video for you now on my dish washing!!! Haha!

before-the-fall · 2020-07-28T10:57:25+00:00

I forgot to say what chores I detest. I think it’s got to be mopping.

I hate that you have to do so much just to get to a point where you can mop. It feels like an all day thing.

You have to sweep the whole house, then move all the stuff off the floor, move chairs, etc. and then you haven’t even started! Then you have to get a bucket rinsed, measure the cleaner, mix it, get the mop ready, constantly plan your route so you don’t step on it...

And no one can be in the house but you because they will be trapped or ruin your work!!! Ahhh!!!

And then you are eventually working with a dirty mop and dirty water. Ewww!

theawaregirl · 2020-07-28T14:52:57+00:00

Most of the household chores I dislike can be fixed by:

Adding something I DO like. It can be a podcast, some good music, a show I enjoy, anything really. I'll just pop on something I enjoy to help me get through the thing I don't enjoy. It also helps when I can only do the thing I like while doing whatever chore it is, because then it becomes a generally positive experience that I'm looking forward to.
Set a timer. Ten minutes, on the clock. Whether I finish early or have buttloads more to do, that timer means I'm DONE. 99% of the time, I'll be so in the moment when the timer goes off that I'll keep going. But if I don't, I won't feel guilty, so no negative feelings associated with that task I already feel "meh" about.

BePrivateGirl · 2020-07-28T13:40:33+00:00

Gloves were a game changer for me when doing dishes. It takes away from having to touch all the dirty stuff- if you don’t use them already.

peculiarmiss · 2020-07-28T15:27:03+00:00

I despise vacuuming. So... I just don’t do it! Obviously this won’t work for everyone, but my fiancé and I have a deal where he does the floors once a week in exchange for me doing all the meal planning and prep (and macro calculating) so he doesn’t have to think about it. I’m home right now because of the plague, so I do almost all of the housework other than the floors.

MyNameIsSaifa · 2020-07-28T10:09:53+00:00

One of the reasons our society is progressing at an exponential rate is our ability to automate. We automate simple, repetitive tasks to allow us more time to automate etc, etc.

Get a washing machine.

snarkypirate · 2020-07-28T13:28:01+00:00

I don't generally mind the process of doing dishes, but I hate that there are ALWAYS more dishes to do! One thing that does help is music - I put in my bluetooth headphones and jam while doing dishes, or listen to a podcast.

I also give myself a time limit - 10-15 minutes to work in the kitchen, for example. Even though my dishes pile looks big, I can usually manage to get it done in that time frame, and if there are a few straggling plates I am usually able to finish up, even if I wasn't excited about doing it previously. The other thing about the timer is that there's a definite end time - maybe a few minutes here or there, but I don't let it become an hour of my time that I've now spent in the kitchen.

Finally, I have a drying mat that I got years ago, and luckily we have enough counter space that I just leave it out. All large pots and pans, and some of our knives, get handwashed and laid out on the mat to dry. This helps keep the dishwasher free for the stuff that loads well into it, like plates, bowls, silverware, etc. instead of taking up the whole dishwasher with a couple of pots.

**edit - I realize as I type that you don't have a dishwasher

- in that case, I would definitely utilize the timer and making sure to rinse / soak any particularly dirty dishes to make handwashing easier. Maybe get one of those plastic dish drying racks if you don't have one? And potentially look up some easier, one-pot style meals to minimize the number of dishes, measuring cups, etc. you're using.

2020-07-28T15:55:32+00:00

I hate putting things away :) especially clean laundry and groceries. Drives me crazy. My husband has taken over those chores and he gets the kids involved, so I feel very very lucky.

For dishes or most other chores, I play mind games on myself. I tell myself that I only have to do it for 5 to 10 minute bursts. I have a stovetop espresso maker which takes 5 to 10 minutes to brew a cup of coffee, so sometimes I put that on just before I start dishes. Usually when the coffee is ready, i keep going another few minutes anyway. Then a coffee break, which gives me energy for more chores.

sideofcheeses · 2020-07-28T12:24:11+00:00

I actually detest most housework, my main dislike is ironing but I don’t have a lot of that! I play music a lot and also decide before I start on a little treat to give myself once I’m done, like after the ironing I’ll go have a coffee and read. However, because the kitchen is a constant, I always clean as I go while cooking, I keep a big bowl on the bench when I’m cooking for all the scraps and rubbish to throw out at the end, and have the sink filled with hot soapy water so I can wash things as soon as I’m finished with them, it’s amazing how quickly dishes pile up if you leave it til the end, especially when dealing with a smaller space!

2020-07-28T12:16:09+00:00

Soak them for 30 minutes in hot water and soap come back and do them in 10-15 minutes it's that simple. Put some music on and get to it.

Fatpandasneezes · 2020-07-28T18:12:26+00:00

I'm kinda in the same boat - 50/50 split, but now unemployed so I'm taking over most of the household duties (probably like 95/5).

I've always despised house cleaning. The worst of which is folding/hanging laundry (though washing/drying is definitely my favourite too).

Recently on this or another of the female-centered RP subreddits, I saw a recommendation for an app called Tody. Game. Changer. You can set it up to notify you when to clean what, and then you check it off and it'll cheer for you. THEN you can look at your completed list at the end of the day. Seeing it all laid out like that just makes me feel very accomplished. Plus, because I paid $5 to have the widget, I get to see my "to do" list go down to 0 and my "completed" list go up. More often than not I'll do more than what the app tells me to, just because it helps me get on a roll.

On regards to your kitchen messes, have you considered meal prepping? Maybe make larger batches of each meal and freeze/refrigerate them for later in the week/some time down the line. Then, while you still have to clean, the next time you eat that meal you won't have to.

bna934 · 2020-07-28T12:07:34+00:00

I hate doing the dishes and cleaning the bathroom. I’ll do anything else but those two.

pennynotrcutt · 2020-07-28T16:46:05+00:00

Laundry. NEVERENDING laundry

inlovewithaloser · 2020-07-29T00:34:19+00:00

I alternate between not minding the dishes and absolutely resenting them other times. These are some of my tips that I’ve found helpful.

Doing the dishes first thing in the morning, when the sun is coming in. If you have a window nearby... open up the curtains and let the sun in, I’ll guarantee it makes something about doing those dishes, especially if you are hand washing, a bit more movie-like and dreamy. Sounds lame, but I imagine myself in a cottage.
Invest in a good dish soap, or even make your own! I’ve found myself more eager to wash dishes when I love the soap, vs when it’s just a cheap store name brand one that I got cause I was running last second.

2020-07-28T11:34:58+00:00

Audiobooks. I can do anything while listening to Harry Potter or a trashy romance novel.

2020-07-28T14:14:08+00:00

Always the dishes for me! Often I’ll ask my fiancé to do them (he’s doing university from home so he’s not very busy) but when he’s back in school I’ll have to have a YouTube video playing to keep my focus.

On the other hand, my favourite chore is making the bed! It makes me feel like my dad started well and when I put clean sheets on I always feel so refreshed

thesillymachine · 2020-07-28T16:23:02+00:00

Getting dish basins to soak the dishes in before washing was a game changer for me. I also despise doing the dishes, but they have to get done every day. Sometimes I do have to scrub pots and pans, but for the most part soaking them makes it very easy to wipe off with a sponge and then rinse. It's one of those things that you just have to get done. Hopefully it will become more of a habit than a chore and won't feel so difficult to do.

Mewster1818 · 2020-07-28T17:21:48+00:00

loathe: Also the dishes for me, although folding clothes always seems incredibly tedious when I'm doing that(no joke 99% of our closet is hanging just so I can avoid folding.) I do like the rest of the laundry cycle though.

I love mopping( and yes, I completely use this as an excuse to "figure skate" around my house blast music and generally spend probably more time being silly than actually doing the chore.) Sweeping and vacuuming are in the same category because I can largely be silly and dance around for half of it.

greenjellybean75 · 2020-07-28T17:52:59+00:00

I hate doing the dishes too. Like previous posts, I listen to some music or an audiobook or watch Netflix. I'll also light a candle or put on the diffuser with some oils. I'll also finish it up by making sure the counters and the rest of the kitchen is tidy, nicely stranding the fruit bowl, etc. so I can feel good looking in there after. Then curl up in the (adjacent) living room with a book or my phone with a snack where I can see the results as a reward.

Snoo-69528 · 2020-07-28T20:09:41+00:00

Cleaning the washroom.

LouiseConnor · 2020-07-28T22:14:47+00:00

For dishes, I make sure I wash as I cook and clean the whole kitchen before we sit down to eat. That way, after dinner when will power is absolutely lowest, there are very few items to wash.

More often dishes help me bc it’s less each time and quicker. It may be more time total per day, but it’s way more tolerable!

I honestly hate laundry bc it is never 100% done, unlike dishes. Bc we are always wearing something then my kids change or I find a sock or shirt somewhere or a pee pee accident. Also I can never get a great system for some reason. I’ve tried once a week mega laundry day (or two in a row) and now I do daily ish. But they both have pros and cons.

coffee_lover_777 · 2020-07-29T00:36:48+00:00

I'm with you on the doing dishes thing. Our dishwasher went out and I was like, "We can't afford a new one now. I'll hand wash everything." 3 weeks later I was like, "This is a WASTE of my life."

Talked to my Mom who was a house wife in the 70's and she agreed. WASTE OF TIME. Spend the couple of hundred bucks on a cheap one. It's worth the collective 'x' amount of hours you spend in a week washing f'ing dishes by hand.

We both work full time, 40+ hours a week, and take care of elderly relatives on the weekend. There is NO finding this tolerable when you have NO TIME.

If I didn't have to work and we had mad money and time? Sure. Do I sound spoiled? Don't care. I have way better ways to spend my time with things like taking care of others or myself and the money I spent on a dishwasher didn't put me back much.

Title	What is your least favourite household chore and how do you make it tolerable?
Author	fairydust91
Upvotes	50
Comments	37
Date	July 28, 2020 8:57 AM UTC (3 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/RedPillWomen
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/RedPillWomen/comments/hzb8d1/what_is_your_least_favourite_household_chore_and/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/RedPillWomen/what-is-your-least-favourite-household-chore-and.718626 https://theredarchive.com/post/718626