The Cosy Home Guide to making housework fun

Household tasks aren’t called ‘chores’ for nothing – they’re repetitive, boring and never seem to be finished. They’ve still got to be done, though, so we take a look at how to make them……… if not exactly fun, then at least more palatable.

How to liven up cleaning

Anything repetitive is made more interesting by distraction. Save up films and TV series for when you’re ironing, download podcasts and listen to them via headphones while you’re dusting or cleaning windows and make yourself a ‘housework mix tape’ for more physical jobs such as sweeping up.

Dust along to Katrina and the Waves and Walking on Sunshine, clean the bath to Pharrell Williams and Happy, scrub (and unashamedly sing along, we won’t tell anyone you know all the lyrics) to Take That and Shine. Playing upbeat music not only lifts mood and increases endorphin flow, it’ll also help you get into a rhythm with the work and get a bit of a workout at the same time.

If there’s one chore you hate above all the others and you can’t persuade your partner/child/friend/neighbour to take it on for you, consider subbing it out to a professional. Commercial window cleaners will do the job in a fraction of the time you can and will probably produce a better result as well.

Washing up

One of the most dreaded chores due to its unrelenting nature, make your sink a more cheerful place to be with these bright accessories.

1. Lovely scented dish washing-up liquid from Rice DK, in pretty dispenser bottles – choose from lavender or tropical scents in 375ml bottles. £5 per bottle, available from Berry Red.
2. The only downside we can see with these doll-shaped dish brushes from Rice DK is that you might keep getting distracted from the dirty pots to hold an impromptu ballet along the draining board. £4.99 each, available from Berry Red as before.
3. This Dalahast cellulose dishcloth from Swedish company Klippan is bright and unusual as well as practical. £3.20, available from Andshine.

Cleaning floors

Who was it who said “If your floors are clean, you can get away with the rest of it”? Probably our grandmother, now we come to think of it. These practical accessories will help you make quick work of the dirt.

1. This is a genius idea. This tall dustpan and brush is ideal for sweeping the floor without having to continuously bend and stretch, making light work of all those hard to reach corners. Ideal for anyone with back problems, or anyone who doesn’t want to give themselves back problems! £22, available from Garden Trading.
2. Mangle and Wringer Spray and Go multi-surface cleaner, £5.60 for 500ml, is packed with natural fragrances such as lemon oil and coconut to give your spirits a lift. A few sprays in your mop bucket will remove grease and grime from all hard washable surfaces and there’s no need to rinse. Available from Cottage in the Hills. 
3. This lightweight 1300W mop, £49.95 from House of Bath, provides a powerful head of steam to clean, shine and sanitise virtually every type of floor – from carpets, tiles and vinyl to wooden and sealed laminate flooring. It uses no chemicals or detergents, just tap water, depending on the hardness of your water, and can remove even ground-in dirt and grime easily for the safest germ-free clean.

Dusting your home

Dust first or vacuum first? It’s a controversy set to rival the old ‘milk first or last’ theories when making tea. We reckon it doesn’t’ really matter that much, as long as everything gets done at some point. These helpful accessories will make the job less painful.

1. This bright pink llama duster can be bent into shape to optimise cleaning and polishing. Was £12.99, now £10.99, available from Getting Personal.
2. Unleash your inner 1950s housemaid with this Beldray ostrich feather duster, £7.99 from TK Maxx. Accessorise with 5pm cocktail and unsuitable shoes.
3. This UNGER cobweb dusting tool is lightweight and ergonomic and can be combined with a telescopic pole for those hard-to-reach corners. £4.99, available from Homebase stores.

(Main image credit: Shutterstock)

By Sara Walker.