Today, April 7, is our chance to live it up! Why? Because it’s National No Housework Day, that’s why! Put down the laundry and discard your endless housework to-do list and give yourself a break from sweeping, hoovering, laundry, dishes and even cooking if you can. It’s time to do things that you really want to such as sipping on your coffee with a thrilling book, playing with your dogs, or napping. In no particular order of course.
I don’t have kids but I do have five dogs. One could say I have five furry kids, perhaps. Even though they don’t leave their toys, dirty laundry, or empty cups everywhere, they do leave their marks in the household. Pawprints, not only on our floor but also on the doors, walls, and windows. Twigs and leaves fall from their fur after particularly adventurous walks and they still leave their fair share of dirty dishes after breakfast and dinner. I don’t think of this as housework though. It’s more like a part of being a dog parent. Don’t you think?
When it comes to housework, my motto is Priorities and everything in moderation.
What’s more important for me and my well-being than polished furniture or sitting down and reading a good book? Taking the dogs for an extra walk! Don’t get me wrong though, I do like the feeling after the housework is done – when everything is clean, sparkling, and fresh. Sometimes I even look forward to it, especially if I have a good audiobook or podcast. Do you entertain yourself when doing housework?
Another way to make housework more enjoyable is by using essential oils. They’ll not only give you a beautiful aroma but they can also be used for their antiseptic properties. Most essential oils have antiseptic and bactericidal properties, meaning they inhibit the growth of bacteria. Naturally then, when using essential oils for cleaning, they make our home smell beautiful and make it safer.
The therapeutic life of most essential oils is about 2-3 years but the disinfecting qualities stay active for longer. In Eucalyptus, for example, they actually improve with age. If you have essential oils at home that are too old to be used for skincare, pop them under the sink for when the cleaning bug bites (just make sure to keep them out of reach of children and pets).
Some tips from my home to yours:
1) Want to clean the kitchen surface or sink? Just put 2 drops on a cloth and wipe them down. Easy as that! Afterward, let the water run through the cloth and the powerful compounds of the oils will also disinfect your pipes.
2) Washing dishes can even be made exciting. If you’re like me and you don’t have a dishwasher, you’re also probably at the sink a couple of times a day. By adding essential oils to your washing-up liquid (preferably odourless), you can make washing dishes more effective because of the antibacterial properties of the oils and therapeutic. How? Just add 10 drops of your chosen essential oil to a washing-up liquid bottle and shake well. Adding lemon or grapefruit to the liquid will give some zing and energy to the washing-up session and if you add some lavender or geranium, the session can turn into a more soothing experience. Do you start to feel depressed just by thinking about doing dishes? Add bergamot essential oil because of its antidepressant properties.
Why not give this lovely blend a try?
Lime – 5 drops
Bergamot – 3 drops
Lavender – 2 drops
Sweet orange – 1 drop
Add them all to a 100ml bottle of washing-up liquid and shake well.
3) Fruit essential oils such as lemon, mandarin, lime, grapefruit, bergamot or sweet orange are great for washing fridges and the freezer. You need to add 1 drop to the final rinse water and you’ll be left with a lovely refreshing scent!
4) Add essential oils to your floor cleaning water. We have tiles downstairs because we have 5 dogs at home – a very sensible decision, don’t you think? My choice of oil depends on my mood but my all-time favourites are lemon, peppermint, sweet orange, and lavender. All I do is add about 8 drops per liter of water.
I hope some of these tips come in handy. But not today! Remember, today is No Housework Day!!