For many people, cleaning is a chore to be got through as quickly as possible, and to be put off until absolutely nececesary. This often results in rushing round tidying up and cleaning when guests are due, shoving clutter in cupboards and under beds. There are, however, ways to make cleaning fun and increase your fitness levels at the same time.
A good way to manage day to day cleaning is to do a timed challenge every day. Allocate tasks to each member of the household set a timer and see who can get the greatest amount done in the time. This works really well with younger children and can be a good way to get children involved in keeping the house tidy. Even very young children can join in and tidy toys or clothes.
For larger cleaning jobs, such as a spring clean, that seem daunting at first, breaking it down into smaller chunks can make the job easier and more fun. A large chart with a list of all the jobs printed and placed somewhere obvious can boost morale as each job is ticked off. Rewards can be added at certain points, such a a break with a biscuit after a certain number of jobs have been completed or a film when everything is done.
If you would rather go to the gym than clean, turning your chores into a workout could kill two birds with one stone. By putting extra effort into each job, bending, stretching, and using lots of elbow grease can burn more calories than a workout at the gym. Instead of going to the gym and coming home to a dirty house, you could save the gym fees and have a sparkling house.
If you are alone in doing the cleaning, the best way to make cleaning fun is to put some music on, crank up the volume and clean to the music. Singing along is optional but can add extra fun to the job. Just make sure that you are really alone. You never know when someone is watching, as one man found out to his embarrassment.