Tips for Doing Chores You Hate

I crave a clean house, probably more than most. Do I clean because I enjoy the process? Absolutely not. I just enjoy the result of cleaning — not the process (with the exception of vacuuming…that’s my therapy jam).

I still dread certain chores. If I dread things, I end up avoiding them completely (compounding the issue).

A few of my least favorite chores include:

Folding Laundry (because of this I hang everything but undies)
Unloading the dishwasher (like nails on a chalkboard)
Scrubbing windows or glass shower doors (hard pass)

Sometimes I need a little extra motivation to even think about tackling the above…

Here are my tips for attacking the chores you hate:

Outsource. I don’t mean a paid service (although, go for it mama). I mean, ask (force) someone else in your family to take on the task. If it truly makes you miserable — delegate or ask for help!
Change your environment. Our laundry room unfortunately lacks windows. If I’m in there too long I lose my marbles. Just taking a stack of hangers and a basket of clothes to the couch and folding laundry in natural light makes a huge difference.
Reward yourself. This is my go-to when doing chores I loath. I’m like a small child — I need a cookie! (Or a podcast or a glass of wine). I almost always save my favorite podcasts for cleaning. I toss the AirPods in, pour myself a glass of vino and pretend like I’m not rescrubbing “clean” dishes right out of the dishwasher.
Bite size. This one doesn’t seem logical. If you hate a certain task, you should actually tackle it more frequently? But, sometimes its not the chore — it’s just the time it takes to accomplish the task that creates the dread. Bite size loads of laundry (or whatever your poison) makes the task more manageable. I toss a small load in every morning or life gets crazy.
Set a timer. Kids make for one heck of a time management tool. I’ve done my best cleaning during a nap or that small window when they are playing solo. Why? Because I know my time is limited and I need to make the most of it. I set a timer and speed through the task before those little baby eyes pop open again.
I get to. This one seems so cheesy, but I can’t emphasize how much it changes my mood. When I feel overwhelmed or annoyed by the mundane laundry and dishes I remind myself…”I GET to instead of I HAVE to.” I GET to wash tiny clothes because I have healthy happy babies. I GET to scrub dried spaghetti noodles out of itty bitty bowls because I just had dinner with my healthy happy family. A change of perspective can make all the difference in my motivation.