When it comes to staying fit, traditional forms of exercise like hitting the gym or going for a run often take center stage. However, what if we told you that you can turn your daily cleaning routine into a full-fledged workout? It turns out that household chores not only contribute to a tidy living space but can also be a surprisingly effective way to break a sweat and burn some calories. Now, let’s answer the question: Can Cleaning Be a Workout?
Welcome to the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series! We will be starting in the bathroom this month. Each day is dedicated to spending only 30 minutes decluttering your specific daily task. We will be working 5 days a week, so you can take 2 days to enjoy time with your loved ones. Today we will address the question: Can Cleaning Be a Workout?
Also, you can get the complete digital printable copy of the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series Calendar and Checklists here. The printable digital download is delivered to your email. It includes 25 pages of printable calendar pages and checklists to help you declutter every room in your home.
You can find that here.
Struggling with the daily housekeeping chores? Check out my ebook on this topic, entitled Make Over Your Homemaking. Use this link to get it at a discounted price.
Struggling to decide if an item is clutter? Use these questions below to help you determine whether to keep or toss any item. Now, let’s answer the question: Can Cleaning Be a Workout?
Can Cleaning Be a Workout? Exploring the Fitness Benefits of Household Chores
1. Sweeping and Mopping – Cardio in Disguise
Sweeping and mopping your floors might seem like mundane tasks, but they can provide a great cardiovascular workout. The repetitive motion engages multiple muscle groups, including your arms, core, and legs. Add some music to your cleaning routine, and you might find yourself turning it into an impromptu dance session, further boosting your heart rate.
I personally walk an average of 3,000 daily steps just doing my cleaning routine here at home. I use my Apple watch to track those steps. You don’t need any fancy equipment, though. A simple pedometer can keep track of your steps. If you are struggling with a sedentary lifestyle, try using my cleaning schedules to get moving. You’ll be surprised how many daily steps you can get in by just doing basic household chores.
How many calories do you burn doing housework?
Can Cleaning Be a Workout? The number of calories burned during housework can vary based on factors such as the intensity of the activity, duration, and individual characteristics like weight and fitness level. Here’s a general estimate of calories burned per hour for some common household chores:
- Sweeping: 150-200 calories
- Mopping: 200-250 calories
- Vacuuming: 150-200 calories
- Washing Windows: 125-150 calories
- Organizing and Lifting: 200-250 calories
- Gardening: 250-300 calories
These estimates are approximate and can vary. To get a more accurate measurement, you may consider using a fitness tracker or consulting with a fitness professional. Keep in mind that the key to burning more calories during housework is to maintain an active and engaged approach, incorporating intentional movements and maintaining good posture.
2. Vacuuming – Tone Those Muscles
Can Cleaning Be a Workout? Dragging a vacuum cleaner around may not sound glamorous, but it’s an excellent way to engage your muscles. The pushing and pulling action works your arms, shoulders, and back. You can intensify the workout by incorporating lunges while vacuuming or adding some squats during breaks. Before you know it, you’ll be giving your lower body a workout as well.
3. Washing Windows – Arm Strength and Flexibility
Cleaning windows may be a task you’d rather avoid, but it can be a hidden gem for building arm strength and improving flexibility. The reaching, stretching, and scrubbing motions target your biceps, triceps, and shoulders. It’s like a mini upper-body workout, and the bonus is that you get crystal-clear windows at the end.
4. Organizing and Lifting – Strength Training at Home
Moving and organizing furniture or household items involve lifting and carrying, making it a form of strength training. Reorganizing your living space not only gives you a sense of accomplishment but also helps tone your muscles. Be mindful of your posture to avoid injury, and you’ll find that even small adjustments can make a big impact on your physical fitness.
5. Gardening – Nature’s Gym
Can Cleaning Be a Workout? Sure it can. How about gardening? If you have a garden, consider yourself lucky. Gardening is a fantastic way to connect with nature while getting a full-body workout. Digging, planting, weeding, and watering engage various muscle groups, promoting strength and flexibility. Plus, the fresh air and sunlight provide additional health benefits.
Who would have thought that the activities we often view as mundane or tedious could contribute to our overall fitness? By approaching household chores with a mindful and active mindset, you can turn cleaning into a workout opportunity. So the next time you’re tempted to hire someone else for the job, remember that your home can double as your personal gym.
Can Cleaning Be a Workout? Absolutely. Embrace the dual benefits of a clean living space and a healthier, fitter you by making your chores work for you. It’s time to redefine how we view household tasks – not just as obligations but as opportunities to enhance our physical well-being.
Struggling with the daily housekeeping chores and wondering: What Housework Should Be Done Daily? Grab my free ebook to walk you through the process. What Does a Deep Clean Include? One of my best Deep Cleaning Home Tips is to use a House Cleaning Planner. Check out my ebook on this topic, entitled Make Over Your Homemaking. Use this link to get it at a discounted price. Better yet… get it FREE when you subscribe to my site.
Maybe your house is clean but cluttered. If so, you need to know a few Declutter Tips and Ideas before you start using the Step By Step Decluttering plan I use. Does a Cluttered House Cause Stress? Let’s look at a reputable, mental health site to answer that question. They have given us 8 ways mess leads to stress. According to Psychology Today:
Clutter can play a significant role in how we feel about our homes, our workplaces, and ourselves. Can a Messy House Affect Your Mood? You bet! How Does Clutter Affect Your Life? Messy homes and work spaces leave us feeling anxious, helpless, and overwhelmed. Yet, rarely is clutter recognized as a significant source of stress in our lives. (source)
Why does mess lead to so much stress? (source)Getting rid of all of that stress can be one of the best declutter motivation tips you need for some instant Decluttering Inspiration.
- Clutter bombards our minds with excessive stimuli (visual, olfactory, tactile), causing our senses to work overtime on stimuli that aren’t necessary or important. (source)
- Clutter distracts us by drawing our attention away from what our focus should be on. (source)
- Clutter makes it more difficult to relax, both physically and mentally.(source)
- Clutter constantly signals to our brains that our work is never done.(source)
- Clutter makes us anxious because we’re never sure what it’s going to take to get through to the bottom of the pile. (source)
- Clutter creates feelings of guilt (“I should be more organized”) and embarrassment, especially when others unexpectedly drop by our homes or work spaces. (source)
- Clutter inhibits creativity and productivity by invading the open spaces that allow most people to think, brainstorm, and problem solve.(source)
- Clutter frustrates us by preventing us from locating what we need quickly (e.g. files and paperwork lost in the “pile” or keys swallowed up by the clutter). (source)
Overwhelmed by a Messy House? It can really affect you negatively. How Do You Deal With a Cluttered Mess? One way is to have a plan, set aside a specific time, and learn the Step By Step Decluttering plan I use for Clearing Out Clutter using my Declutter Tips and Ideas. What Cleaning Should Be Done Daily? I have a room by room specific Printable House Cleaning Checklist linked above.
How I Get Help With Decluttering My House: For a clean, simplistic look, one of the best Deep Cleaning Home Tips is to declutter a room before cleaning and then use an Easy House Cleaning Schedule to maintain it. Declutter Checklists can help you learn How to Declutter a House.
How Does Clutter Affect Your Life? As you can already see, there are at least 8 ways we become negatively affected by clutter. Also, I though it might be thought provoking to look at some statistics on clutter.
- US consumers buy 40% of the world’s toys, but bear only 3% of the world’s children.
- Most people wear 20% of their clothing 80% of the time. (source )
- 9.4% of U.S. households rent a storage unit. (source)
- People do not look at 80% of the papers and information they keep.(source)
- The average American house is double the size it was in the 1950s–and getting bigger. (source.)
- The U.S. Department of Energy reports that one-quarter of people with two-car garages have so much stuff in there that they can’t park a car. (https://www.becomingminimalist.com/the-statistics-of-clutter/)
- According to the National Soap and Detergent Association, getting rid of clutter would eliminate 40 percent of housework in the average home.(https://www.becomingminimalist.com/the-statistics-of-clutter/) Wouldn’t eliminating a lot of housework provide some declutter motivation?
Today, we’ll lay out the solutions to get you some Help for Cluttered Homes using my tips on How to Declutter a House. Plus, we’ll look at a few ways to answer the question:What Cleaning Should Be Done Daily? A Printable House Cleaning Checklist will help you keep your home clean and maintained. I’ll even give you my Deep Clean Checklist and Declutter Tips and Ideas to help you get started.
Maybe you are thinking: My House Is So Cluttered, I Don’t Know Where to Start. How can I recognize clutter? Let’s address those questions. I have a visual below using some questions to help. Also, check out these 5 Important Guidelines I use to to keep me focused and motivated as I begin the process of getting my home decluttered.
A few guidelines to keep you on task:
1.Only spend time on your specific daily task.
2.Do not get side-tracked or distracted.
3.Work within a time of day that you have the most energy and stamina.
4.Avoid thinking too long about whether to keep or discard an item. Recruit help if you are stuck in the decision process.
5.Avoid cleaning during your declutter. Getting rid of the clutter is your priority. Cleaning can be accomplished later.
We are working in the 1st main bathroom this week. Your task today for today, December 5th is to: Declutter any unused or dated make-up.
Need to deep clean? I have lists for you to guide you along.
My How to Deep Clean Your Kitchen list can be found here.
My How to Deep Clean Your Bathroom list can be found here.
My How to Deep Clean Your Kids’ Rooms list can be found here.
My How to Deep Clean Your Living Room list can be found here.
My How to Deep Clean Your Bedroom list can be found here.
Also, to keep up the general housework, you may need to create a daily housekeeping schedule that suits your specific needs. To do so, I have created a helpful series you can read here.
Need to Declutter Every room? I have declutter checklists for every room and every space in your home to guide you along below.
Also, you can get the complete digital printable copy of the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series Calendar and Checklists here. The printable digital download is delivered to your email. It includes 25 pages of printable calendar pages and checklists to help you declutter every room in your home.
How to Declutter the Guest Room or Your Kid’s Room checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Laundry Room and Patio checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Coat Closet/Hall Closet/Linen Closet checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Home Office checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Attic checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Garage checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Living Room checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Kitchen Checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Entry/Foyer/Mudroom checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Clothing checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Bedroom checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Bathroom checklist can be found here.
Happy Decluttering!
To Subscribe to this Declutter Series, drop me a comment below. Your email will be sent to me but will not be posted publicly. You’ll receive a daily declutter task via email for the daily task we are working on. You can unsubscribe at any time.
New to deemiddleton.com and don’t know where to start? I recommend going in this order:
Step 1: Check out this post on the 1st step you should take to get organized. Also, you can get the complete digital printable copy of the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series Calendar and Checklists here. The printable digital download is delivered to your email. It includes 25 pages of printable calendar pages and checklists to help you declutter every room in your home.
Step 2: Create a daily Housekeeping Schedule. You can use this series to start to set up your own schedule. You can also use this simplified weekly schedule.If you often ask: What is the fastest way to clean a dirty house? Or, if you struggle to get organized and have tried and failed time and again, you can likely find out which of these 11 reasons cause you to fail to get organized.
Step 3: How do you remove clutter?.…Sign up for the Declutter Series and get your entire home decluttered in just 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.”Declutter Your Home” checklists are provided in each email.
Step 4: What is the fastest way to clean a dirty house? Use a timer and use the Deep Cleaning Checklists above. They will help you get your home sparkling after you’ve decluttered.
Interested in becoming a full-time blogger like me? Check out my blogging series. At the top of every page on my blog, you’ll find a drop down menu. Just select the BLOGGING category.
Check out the most popular posts on deemiddleton.com:
14 Things That Make Your Home Look Cluttered
How to Create a Daily Housekeeping Schedule
How to Clean House When You Are Completely Overwhelmed By Clutter
What is Preventing You From Getting Organized?
Also, check out a great post on decluttering over here from becomingminimalist.com. Joshua Becker has some great tips on decluttering and minimalism.
For further reading, check out the fly lady here. She has some great cleaning and decluttering ideas plus excellent organization tips to get you started.
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