I like the feeling of a clean and orderly house: it makes my brain feel clean and orderly, too. And not just cleaning, but organizing and doing all the other tasks that beg to be done. I jump into some tasks and avoid others.
This is a follow-up to To-Do List Delay Tactics.
Here’s what I like, what I don’t mind, and what I despise!
House and Yard Related
Making lasagna
Jump In:
- Meal planning
- Grocery shopping
- Cooking
- Baking
- Cleaning the fridge
- Doing laundry
- Decluttering
- Recycling
- Tracking budget and paying bills
- Filing income tax return
- Mowing lawn
- Trimming shrubs
- Shovelling snow
Yes, I shovelled this
Don’t Mind:
- Cleaning cat litter box
- Cleaning up hairballs
- Taking out garbage
Hesitate (I do these things routinely, but with sighs):
- Doing the dishes (in the sink)
- Unloading the dishwasher
- Emptying and washing the compost bin
- Cleaning out the toaster
- Making yogurt
- Vacuuming
- Dusting
- Shredding documents, cleaning out shredder
- Cleaning the bathroom
- Mopping floors
- Putting gas in the car
- Weeding
- Shovelling snow in the rain
Actively Avoid:
- Hand washing clothes
- Cleaning/polishing shoes & boots
- Ironing
- Cleaning the oven
- Cleaning the microwave
- Putting air in car tires
- Using string trimmer
My bro, sis and I each got an iron for Xmas!
My child recently moved out, but here is my list for parenting a 16-18 year old!
Parenting-Related (Older Teen):
Dread:
- Having child’s friends in the house in the morning before school/work
- Participating in fund raising campaigns
- Giving driving lessons
- Dealing with truancy
- Enforcing bed time
Hesitate:
- Attending curriculum nights and parent meetings at school
- Supervising parties / sleepovers at home (had lots)
- Extra floor cleaning because of tromping through the house in boots
- Extra kitchen cleaning because of sketchy job by said teen
One of Link’s innumerable house parties
Jump in:
- Chauffeuring
- Homework help
- Clothes shopping
- Road trips / vacations
- Attending concerts, art shows, etc.
- Chaperoning events
Overall, Link was easy to deal with and I was very fortunate.
I’d love to know about your favourite and least favourite household tasks!
An Exacting Life 
I think only your last list would have made my jump in list. Everything else is an unfortunate necessity and gets done, but I can’t say I love any of it. Now if we had a list that includes a fireplace a good book and a cup of coffee or tea, I’d jump right to that one. Or even a Sunday walk or drive..
Oh yeah, the cozy book and coffee routine – I think that rates a top spot on the Jump In list! Must add it to my to-do list right away!
Love your list! I like everything about housekeeping except for bathrooms (cleaning toilets, cleaning showers…ick!). No cats–cleaning their hair or litterbox would gross me out. And like you I dread teaching anyone how to drive (did it three times and never again!).
I’m with you – I think the driving thing was the hardest task ever!
I hesitate with washing up – but love it when it’s done! Likewise with hand washing, I hesitate, but when it’s done I feel so good! (I don’t like lingering visible ‘piles’). I don’t much like vacuuming, mainly that the vac is NEVER where I want it to be (two story place). But it gets done weekly, but seldom the whole place at once. I’m yet to clean the oven (in 9 months!). Not a fan of toilet cleaning, but I’m getting better (and spurred on by imminent guests largely!) Though I’m only 27, I had two years managing a boarding school brood of adolescents, so I can empathise with your list – I hated getting 40 kids to school, and TRYING to get them to look like they are at an expensive school (right shoes, socks, ribbons, shirts, jumpers etc etc)! I didn’t bother with bedtimes, I figured so long as they were quiet, let me and others sleep, I’d let it be.
Wow, you had a lot to deal with at the school! I agree with you, I do like the feeling when everything is done, so I force myself to keep up, and I don’t regret it.
I like how you are able to put your chores into Love, don’t mind and hate categories – I must say I had never really thought of them like that and it has given me a whole new view point and I now realise why some things don’t get done very often. I like the fact that you put cleaning cat litter and hair balls quite high on the list even above cleaner jobs like ironing – I actually like doing my ironing I use it as my thinking time or I listen to audio books – I like to have everything smoothed and folded or hung and I will iron everything but my tights and that is only because they would melt! (yeah my friends all think I am nuts too!)
We have a little laundry issue at my house. Rom does all the laundry, but does not notice wrinkles and creases. So I often choose something to wear before work, only to find I have to iron it at the last minute. We have been working to resolve this but it never quite works out. I am hesitant to jump in and take over! Meanwhile, ironing is a source of “anxiety”!
Shame we live so far apart we could have swapped chores my likes for your dislikes and vice versa!