Recently… I was thinking about some helpful ideas to make housecleaning joyful, fun & fresh!
~Here are some of the things that have helped me~
Sing Joyfully {whilst folding piles of Laundry}
There is so much we can be grateful to the Lord for, so why not praise Him while we work! Little ones can even learn to sing with joy while listening to their mother, sister, grandmother or aunt bring praise to God in song! As one woman ponders… “I learned to sing harmony by listening to my mom harmonize….. while cleaning the house.”
Get The Little Ones Involved
In the past few weeks I had the joy of visiting a sweet family’s home and was delighted to clean alongside their 5 year old daughter. She was so excited to help and took great pride in scrubbing the floors, cleaning the mirrors and dusting. I was amazed at how helpful and enthusiastic she was about helping with the housework. Due to her mother’s careful, loving & wise training she was blossoming into a young lady who delighted in keeping the house beautiful and clean. Did she do everything perfectly? No… Did I have to retrace some of her steps and clean a little bit more? Yes… But that’s not the point, the point is that this wise momma was encouraging her daughter to take on some of the household responsibilities early …. And she most likely will reap marvelous benefits. Little ones can learn… but teaching them early will pay off in the long run and by the time they are teenagers they won’t be sprawled across the couch moaning because they don’t want to do the dishes or laundry… but instead they will be helping joyfully because they will have received early training.
Listen to Beautiful Music
If you are like me and truly enjoy music… why not listen to some of your favorite music while you scrub floors…..which would make for a much more pleasant time amidst the soap and suds.
As Ana Naomi (from- Maidens of Worth) so nicely states….
“Chores don’t have to be drudgery; if you decide to enjoy them and do them with a cheerful heart, they can actually be fun! Yes, I am speaking to myself at the same time – after all, there are plenty of times when I do chores grudgingly. However, one thing I’ve found that helps chores get done quickly with joy is to listen to music while cleaning. Some days it’s lovely classical music, as it was today. Other days it’s upbeat praise music I can sing along to or the local Christian radio station.Whatever it is, just turning something on can make a lasting and wonderful change in my mood!”
You might also listen to inspirational talks, seminars or sermons. How blessed I have felt when I have given ear to a sermon or talk on God’s Holy Word! You will feel much more accomplished with your finished work if you know that you not only cleaned your abode but also at the same time renewed your mind and soul as well!
Quiet Moments with Soap & Water
There are also those solitude moments that we can benefit from when cleaning! What better time than ever to pray or ponder scriptures and think beautiful thoughts, such as how we might help that child in need, or how we can be warm and inviting when our friends come to visit our home. Indeed, it’s moments such as these that we can pray that the Lord would quicken within our hearts the fruits of the spirit! So much more can be done with our cleaning moments than just cleaning.
According to one news reporter, “An average housewife spends six years of her life cleaning.” We can not only clean our floors beautifully but we can also by God’s grace grow stronger in sanctification! So next time while you’re cleaning you might think of it as an opportunity for your soul to feast and reap wondrous benefits that would ultimately bring glory to God!
“She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” -Proverbs 31:27
