These Simple Cleaning Techniques Will Make You Happier
Each can be incorporated into your routine in five minutes or less
I was in my early twenties when I first learned how to properly sweep a floor.
I was living in Oregon, working for a venture known in the local vernacular as ‘Outdoor School’. The basic concept involved taking large groups of public school children and housing them in the woods for one week each year in the hopes that they would learn about science, citizenship and nature.
There were lots of enjoyable things about my job. I learned how to design lesson plans and teach pre-teens about ecology. I supervised campfires and singalongs. Over the course of two months of employment, I probably ate close to my body weight in s’mores.
But my unexpected favorite work task came each evening after we had sent the children off to their cabins for the night and we swept the dining room floor.
It was the first time I’d ever used a proper, industrial broom and I promptly fell in love.
There was the rhythmic ‘swoosh-whoop-swoosh-whoop’ sound that the thick bristles made as they swept over the worn wooden floors. Also, the feeling of creating a genuine sense of cleanliness in some small corner of the world after days full of dealing with sixth-grade boys that had a colorful variety of hygiene habits.
Overall, the experience gave me a deep appreciation for the meditative benefits of a well-cleaned room. That feeling has stayed with me over the years. Cleaning is a ritual that helps me feel cheerful and at peace no matter where I am. Here are my favorite tips to make cleaning a joyful process.
1. Use a scented oil when you clean
According to The Fifth Sense, a medical organization in the UK:
The sense of smell is closely linked with memory, probably more so than any of our other senses…additionally, smell is highly emotive, with fragrances that seek to convey a vast array of emotions and feelings; from desire to power, vitality to relaxation.
All this means it’s worth the money to invest in a nicely scented cleaning oil. Pick a scent you enjoy and reward yourself with a quick spray each time you clean a room.
2. Develop a cleaning mantra
Marie Kondo likes to thank items before she throws them away. Why don’t you try the same as you tidy up?
For example, when you’re emptying the dishwasher, consider any nice conversations you had with your family at dinner the previous evening. When you’re folding the laundry, take a minute to remember how great you felt the last time you were out for a jog in your workout clothes.
Come up with a phrase you find meaningful that represents all these happy memories and repeat it to yourself as you clean.
3. There’s a robot for that
Cleaning technology has developed in leaps and bounds in the last five years. The first thing to buy: a robot vacuum. You can set the cleaning time and the device will start itself. Then, once it’s finished cleaning, the device will dock itself.
All you have to do to keep things looking nice is remember to take your shoes off before you come in the front door.
4. Never tidy things when you could toss them out instead
Your goal in cleaning shouldn’t be to tidy up piles of things that seem to always end up scattered around the house for no reason. Instead, make a goal to toss out any clutter each time you clean. In the immortal words of Marie Kondo:
Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset your life and embark on a new lifestyle.
5. Focus on the positive
Find the aspects of cleaning that you most enjoy. Do you love sweeping? Or the look of your bedroom right after you’ve changed the sheets and tidied up all the throw pillows?
Make sure you take time as you’re cleaning to note the parts of the process that you enjoy. Also, appreciate your own hard work. Pause for a minute as you clean each room and congratulate yourself. You deserve it.
Happy cleaning!
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