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19 Best Items for People Who Hate Housework/Chores

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Some people experience an incomparable sense of pride and joy as a result of cleaning their home from top to bottom or preparing elaborate meals from scratch. And then, there are other people who would rather spend their time doing anything other than cleaning, cooking, and other types of housework. They find joy relaxing in their backyard mini oasis, or tinkering with their high-end coffee makers.  If you’re in the latter category, and take no delight in household chores, we found the best items to either do the housework for you, or at least make it less painful.

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Develop a strategy for doing chores

When handling housework and other chores, it helps to have a strategy. The key, according to Leanne Stapf, COO of The Cleaning Authority, is to create a cleaning schedule you'll actually stick to.

She recommends that you break down your cleaning tasks by day, week and month. “Don’t overwhelm yourself -  not every cleaning task needs to be done every day or even every week for that matter,” Stapf says. “Plan out your to-do list in sections of daily, weekly, and monthly chores to outline what needs to be done first.”

Separating checklists by room is another idea. “Writing out each room’s chores will assist in staying organized and create a visual kudos as you begin to check off each task,” Stapf explains. “If you have other helpers in the house, you can start to designate rooms or tasks to each person as a way to split up the work and help get everyone in the swing of cleaning.”

Amanda Clark, owner of Ever So Organized, a full-service home organizing company in Orange County, CA, agrees that, if possible, you should divide the chores among everyone in the family. “Even the little guys can learn to put dishes in the dishwasher,” she says.  “Many hands make light work, so enlist as many of those hands as possible.” 

Naeemah Ford Goldson, the owner of Restore Order Professional Organizing, is another advocate for staying one step ahead. “You'll want to clean as you go, so you don't accumulate a bigger mess, which can become overwhelming,” she explains. “You can do this by cleaning up after yourself while making meals in the kitchen, picking up the kids' toys once they go to bed, or making your bed in the morning.” And if you do these things consistently, Goldson says it will become habit, and the chores won’t seem so bad.

However, if the mess is already out of control, she recommends tackling it one room at a time. “It's important to make sure you're not taking on too much by spending the entire day cleaning, so I recommend only doing 2-3 hours at a time,” Goldson says. “If you stick to it, it will eventually get done.”

In addition, Clark recommends making household chores as much fun as possible – or at least, less of a drudge. “Put in your ear buds or turn up your speakers so you can listen to a podcast, audiobook, or your favorite music,” she says.

Prioritize vaccuming

Vacuuming is an essential part of household chores and for good reason. “This simple housecleaning task is one of the best ways to reduce airborne allergens,” says Dan DiClerico, home expert at HomeAdvisor. “Remember to vacuum regularly - try to vacuum at least once a week, more if you have pets.” He also recommends vacuums with HEPA filters because they’re the best at capturing contaminants. “And don’t forget to put out the welcome mat, since wiping shoes reduces the number of pollutants entering the home;  instating a shoes-off policy is even more effective.”      

If you don’t like to vacuum, consider a robotic vacuum cleaner. “While some of the units are pricey, they are also a huge time and effort saver, especially if you have pets,” says  Liz Jenkins, owner, consultant and lead organizer at a fresh space in Franklin TN, and a member of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals. 

Clark agrees and says she loves her robot vacuum. “It cleans on its own and even docks itself in the charging station when it’s running low on power,” she reveals.  “It’s so satisfying to veg out in front of the TV while my robot does the cleaning for me.”

Cleaning supplies

If you organize your cleaning supplies, Jenkins says it will make chores a lot easier. “Condensing duplicates, grouping supplies, and placing them in labeled bins according to use makes it easy to find what you need.”

She recommends that you create totes for specific cleaning tasks that contain everything you need for that task. “For example, a bathroom cleaning tote would have toilet bowl cleaner, toilet bowl brush, glass cleaner, etc.”

Also, Clark suggests letting your household spray do the work for you. “Spray down your surfaces with your favorite cleaning spray, but don’t scrub or wipe it down right away,” she says. “Most multipurpose sprays need time to penetrate surfaces, so let them get to work while you dust or vacuum.” 

One item that Lisa Dooley, an organizing coach, owner of Your Organized Life, likes is Mr. Clean Eraser sponges.  “I am obsessed with them because they get scuffs off walls and paint, work magic in the tub and toilet, and are really economical,” she says. “ I particularly love them to erase the whiteboard calendar in my kitchen.” 

The magic of vinegar

Another economical cleaning item is vinegar, according to Stapf. “From microwaves to showerheads, vinegar is one of the most popular, eco-friendly and versatile cleaning staples around,” she says.  Stapf also provides some unique, DIY cleaning techniques using vinegar: 

Shower: Wipe your shower doors with distilled white vinegar to prevent soap scum and build up. For a clogged showerhead, pour some vinegar into a plastic bag and use a tie to secure it to your showerhead. Leave the bag overnight and remove before showering.

Kitchen and bathroom drains: To help keep drains clog-free, pour a cup of white distilled vinegar down once every two weeks. Allow it to sit for half an hour then run cold water to flush it out.

Tile surfaces: You can scrub any countertop or use this simple solution, which you can make art home, to mop your floors. Mix 1/2 cup of white distilled vinegar with half a gallon of warm water to clean all tile surfaces.

Mattress: Sheets aren’t the only part of your bed that needs some sprucing up! It's important to clean your mattress often to avoid dust mites, dead skin cells etc. For stain removal especially, try spraying the mattress with vinegar and sprinkle baking soda over the top. You can place a towel over the area and let it sit for 1-2 hours. Then take your vacuum and go over the mattress for a final clean.

Choose easy-to-clean materials

One way to reduce the amount of surfaces you have to clean is by investing in carefree materials. Luciana Fragali, owner of Design Solutions  an interior and architectural design firm in Miami, FL, recommends using Sunbrella fabrics to reupholster sofas and chairs. “They were originally used for outdoors, but now there are several colors and patterns for indoors,” she explains.   

Fragali also recommends vinyl wallpapers. “The patterns are amazing, and you can choose from wood, linen, raffia and several other options to get all the benefits of the beautiful appearance without the intensive maintenance that the new real materials require.“

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If you'd rather be doing anything but cleaning, cooking, and other types of housework, we found the best items to do those chores for you - or at least make them less painful.