Autumn is on its way and we’ll soon be spending more time inside our homes than out. To get your interior spaces organised, clean, and a pleasure to live in, tackle the chores now with these ‘make it more fun’ ideas.
Date night
Some jobs take two – especially when they involve sorting shared ‘stuff’. So put the wine to chill, set out some cheese and crackers, and invite your partner to join you as you finally tackle the task of down-sizing your joint memorabilia or shrinking the book and CD collection.
Grab and go
No one wants to spend a day at home with their head in the filing cabinet drawer. Choose a favourite spot to head to (the beach, riverside or park) and take the drawer, and a rubbish bag, with you. While you’re at it, do the same with that ‘miscellaneous’ draw! You’ll be surprised how much easier it is to sort and toss when you’re somewhere you want to be!
Tone-up with a window routine
Skip the exercise routine for the day and look on window cleaning as an opportunity to tone-up. Pop a playlist onto your device, don the headphones, reach for the window brush and start burning those calories. While you’re at it, remind yourself that clean windows let in more light (and heat) – just what you want as the world cools down.
Team effort
Cleaning is more fun with friends. Choose a couple of pals and head to each other’s homes for a set time at each house. End the cleaning hour with a catch-up coffee and cake.
Bring in the big toys!
Can’t face the garage or attic clean-out? Who can when it involves endless tip-trips with a hired trailer. Make the job simple, easy and even fun by hiring a mini-skip. Trust us – decision making will be a whole lot simpler and the clean-up will take half the time.
Job jar
Deciding which job to tackle first is a recipe for procrastination. Jot down your five top chores, each on a separate piece of paper, and pop them into a jar (be sure to make some jobs especially light ones so there’s always the chance of a treat). Choose a random job each day by blind-selecting from the jar. You’ll be surprised by how willing you are to participate!
Reward yourself
Write down 4 activities you really want to enjoy during the coming week. Team each of them with a chore you know must be completed. Carry out the job and immediately reward yourself with the activity (don’t let another chore stand in your way)!
Dial a friend
Choose a job that requires little concentration (wiping down surfaces is perfect) and timetable a phone catch-up with a friend or family member. Pop your phone on speaker or use headphones while you work. Tip: this works extra well if your friend has a job to do at the same time.
Pick a playback
Cleaning may be mundane but your entertainment doesn’t have to be. Choose a radio playback and catch up with the Kim Hill interview you missed last weekend. Or finally get around to listening to the Ted Talk your friends have been telling you about. Time flies when you’re enjoying yourself!
Great gear!
Nothing makes you want to tackle a chore like having some new equipment to do it with. So go ahead – you have our permission to buy the new sander to spruce up the table top! Even updating your cleaning gloves can help. And while you’re at it, why not shout yourself that more-than-you’d-usually-pay spray bottle of cleaner your been dying to try? You’re working hard – you deserve it!
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