12 Tricks that Actually Make Cleaning Fun for Adults
Do you live in fear of a neighbor dropping by because your house is such a mess? Do you feel guilty about the clutter but still struggle to get motivated to clean? I completely get it.
I’m not sure why others are messy but for me it’s a combination of boredom (there are so many more interesting things to do!) and underlying perfectionism (if I can’t get it perfect, why bother doing it at all?). So I really have to find tricks to motivate myself to clean up. I know that it won’t be perfect but I can’t let that stop me from trying.
Here are some cleaning motivation tricks to get you moving and 12 hacks to make cleaning fun!
How do I get motivated to clean?
Sometimes you need a good reason to get started! Use one of these tips to get your butt OFF of the couch.
#1: Invite people over
This is the very best way to get yourself motivated to clean! If you’re not a naturally tidy person, you are probably comfortable with a certain level of mess at home. You might not notice or be bothered by clothes on the floor or dishes in the sink.
All of that changes when you invite someone over! Suddenly you see your house through their eyes, and that can be a little embarrassing. You’re guaranteed to clean up when you know that you have guests coming.
#2 Pretend you’re a guest in your home
If you don’t have any dinner parties on the horizon, you can generate the same feeling by imagining you’re a guest in your own home. Pretend your house is someone else’s. Are you suddenly noticing the cluttered counter? Are you grossed out by the toothpaste in the sink? Sometimes we’re blind to our own mess but notice someone else’s. That’s why this trick is so good.
When I’m having trouble getting motivated to clean, I really like this approach and use it frequently. Imagine that you’re walking into your home as a guest. You’re eating at the kitchen table – is it clean? You’re using the bathroom – is it tidy and stocked with toilet paper?
#3 Imagine your future self
Sometimes your present self isn’t too motivated but you know that your future self will appreciate having a tidy house. If you empty the dishwasher tonight, even though you’re dog-tired, you’ll be grateful tomorrow morning. Hang up your coat when you get home in the evening and your future self will be thrilled to find the coat in its place. Take out the trash before a trip and your post-vacation self will be happy to come home to a house that doesn’t smell.
The motivation of your future self will often get your current butt in gear.
#4 Start with just 5 minutes
If you just can’t talk yourself into getting started, overcome the inertia by promising yourself that you can stop after 5 minutes. Don’t set a timer in case you’re having so much “fun” that you forget to look at the clock. You’ll honestly be surprised how much cleaning you can do in 5 minutes. And nine times out of ten, you’ll probably be willing to clean a little longer. Often the hardest part is getting started. Once you do, you may be able to go for 20 minutes. And you can do a lot in 20 minutes!
How do you make household chores fun?
Even if you’re motivated, it helps to make chores feel more fun. Cleaning can be boring, so find ways to make it more interesting.
#1 Listen to podcasts
Listening to podcasts is a great way to have fun while you’re cleaning. You can save your favorite podcasts for cleaning time so you’re extra excited. This is a great way to have more fun cleaning because you’ll be actively looking forward to listening to the latest episode of your favorite podcast. It just so happens that you have to clean a little bit while you do it!
#2 Listen to audio books
Listening to an audio book while you’re cleaning can also be very motivational. It’s fun to listen to a book because you can get into the story. Save a good book for cleaning time only, and you may be so excited to find out what happens next that you’re voluntarily getting out the vaccuum. It helps to pick something exciting and engaging – a page-turner!
#3 Play some cleaning motivation music
Your favorite music can make cleaning more fun too! Listen on your ear buds or crank it up on the stereo. Whether you like classical music or cheesy pop songs, your favorite tunes will definitely add a fun factor to cleaning. Mix it up by picking a random Spotify playlist or a selection of your faves from the 80’s. NKOTB is bound to make you laugh while you’re sweeping.
#4 Dance!
If you already have the music going, you might as well dance! Cleaning is boring, so bust some moves while you’re vacuuming or washing the dishes. OK, it sounds super goofy and a little Mrs Doubtfire but we’re not going for cool here. We want fun! If you don’t want your neighbors to see you lip-syncing into your feather duster, close the curtains. The sillier the better.
#5 Watch a favorite TV show in the background
Watching your favorite TV show can be fun when you clean if you can watch it. I personally don’t like to watch TV when I’m cleaning unless I’m folding laundry and can sit down. Otherwise, I miss too much of the show. Still, watching a TV show or movie could be super fun if you have a small place.
#6 Set a timer and see how much you can do
When in doubt, make up cleaning games! You super competitive types will like this one, even if you’re only competing with yourself. I like to guess how long it will take me to clean up a room – maybe 5 or 10 minutes. Then set the timer and see if you can beat your time.
This is a great game because it’s fun, but it also shows you how little time it really takes to clean up. Tidying can seem daunting but when it only takes you 5 minutes to tidy up the living room you suddenly realize that….it’s really not that time-consuming. Laundry and dishes can eat up a huge amount of time, but most other tidying isn’t that bad.
Another way to do this is to see how how many rooms you can clean in 20 minutes. Guess how many you think you can do and then see how far you get!
#7 See how much you can clean while the toast is toasting or coffee brewing
Cleaning games don’t have to take up much time at all! I like to clean in short bursts because that’s less exhausting for me. You can often find little pockets of time while you’re waiting for something – bread toasting, coffee brewing, water boiling. These are great opportunities to do a little cleaning.
See if you can empty the dishwasher before your toast is done or switch the laundry before the water boils. Somehow, racing the clock takes your mind off whatever boring task you decide to do. And you have toast or coffee to look forward to when you’re done! You can actually get a lot done in those little pockets of time, too. Those are things you won’t have to do later.
#8 Promise yourself a special drink/treat when done
I don’t know about you, but I like a glass of wine or a sparkling water at night. Why not hold off on your special nighttime treat until you’re done cleaning? Don’t undermine your health goals for the sake of cleaning, but having one drink or a small piece of chocolate is just fine. Hey, whatever it takes.
#9 Talk to someone on the phone
Life can be busy and sometimes it’s hard to catch up with loved ones. Cleaning time is a great opportunity to talk on the phone. You’re busy with your hands but you can easily chat with friends and family.
The best way to do this is to have earbuds so you can be hands-free while you’re on the phone. When my husband travels, I always make myself get up and do some cleaning when we chat in the evening. It’s nice to have some company and I don’t really think about the cleaning when I’m on the phone.
#10 Make it a team effort!
If you have a spouse and/or kids, make cleaning a team effort. Cleaning is so much more fun when you have company. Doing housework by yourself can be kind of a bummer if other people live in your house. You feel like you’re the only one doing all of the work. That’s why it’s so nice to clean as a family. Even if your partner or kids don’t do things exactly like you would, the benefit of cleaning as a team far outweighs anything else.
#11 Race to see who can pick up the most/fastest
If you’re team cleaning, might as well make it a competition! See who can pick up their room the fastest, or who can put away the most items in 5 minutes. Race to see who can put their laundry away most quickly or who can fold the most clothes (neatly!) in 10 minutes.
#12 Make it super short but consistent. Even 5 minutes
If you can’t make cleaning fun, make it short. You can do anything for 5 minutes. So make a goal to clean every day for just 5 minutes. If you go longer, great, but don’t feel compelled to or guilty about stopping. Sometimes the best way to make something tolerable is just to not do it for long.
To Keep Your House Tidy, Make Cleaning Fun – or At Least Make it Quick
Some people really enjoy cleaning, but if you’re not one of those people you have to learn how to make housework fun instead. Listen to an audio book, have a dance party or race the clock – whatever it takes to make chores more enjoyable!
