Should You Do Less Housework?

Author Quentin Crisp once said, “There is no need to do any housework at all. After the first four years the dirt doesn’t get any worse.” I hesitate to emphasize that much laziness, but one thing is clear: a little dirt and dust aren’t going to hurt you. In fact, they’ve got benefits.

Let’s start with dirt. We all know that dirt is a vital natural resource. We’ve walked on it and ate food grown in it for millions of years. Recently, the scientific community we’ve learned that playing in the dirt makes people happier and their immune systems’ stronger, thanks to safe bacteria that are only found in soil. Sounds like a good excuse to do some gardening.

And then there’s dust. Piling up on rarely-used furniture, artwork, windows … the list goes on and on. But when did dust become a sin? Perfectionism and the concept of “cleanliness is next to Godliness” have permeated our culture. Instead of spending time with friends and family, we fret over how our homes look and every last speck of dust.

I say: what a waste of time! Lisa Quinn, author of Life’s Too Short to Fold Fitted Sheets, agrees: “What if manic moms stopped obsessing about the unnecessary? What if we put down the glue gun and got back to our real lives? Why, it’d be a revolution.” Mom, dad, single, married – doesn’t matter. There’s a fine line between being tidy and being horrified by a spec of dirt.

If you happen to be a bit of a cleaning freak, this is a great chance for you to put down that rag, step away from the counter, and do something fun. Your immune system could use some practice … and what about all those funky chemicals in traditional cleansers? There is no clean police; no one knocking at your door, ready to administer the white glove test.

Life is short – I hope you don’t want to spend it on your hands and knees, scrubbing a barely-dirty floor. Come, join me outside. The dirt is divine.

You Tell Us!

What’s the first thing you’d rather do than clean?
If you could only clean one thing in your whole home, what would it be?

Read more: Green, Health, Home

By Victoria Klein, Ode Magazine

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Julia P.

9:34AM PST on Feb 25, 2011

I had an elderly neighbour who told me "it will always be there tomorrow" in other words enjoy today and don't let housework rule your life

send a green star

Kathleen O.

2:03PM PST on Feb 22, 2011

I don't like killing spiders so they either go outside or stay in the corners :D. Now cockroaches are another story. Too many poopies in the house. :p

Karin M.

6:17PM PDT on Nov 2, 2010

yes I should do less..

2:48PM PDT on Sep 21, 2010

A clean house is a sign of a wasted life ...

Carol C.

11:53PM PDT on Sep 17, 2010

Interesting!

Theo R.

5:54AM PDT on Sep 1, 2010

i love my dust..kidding!

Maria A.

9:19AM PDT on Aug 7, 2010

I agree! Cleanliness is over-rated! And cleaning chemicals are harsh. I've become allergic to many of them from over exposure so, over the years, I have relaxed my cleaning routine. I do some cleaning when I expect company, but not much. You won't find something growing in my house that I didn't plant, LOL!

Patricia H.

1:12PM PDT on Aug 5, 2010

When i know if someone is coming to my house, I do a quick run around to make sure everything is clean, or if i know someone is spending the night I have to clean my place, mop, vaccum etc.... But when its just me I clean once a week and vacuum, sweep, mop twice a week. I hate washing dishes so I wait till the sink is almost full. So if you stay at my place its spotless just for you, otherwise its clean but not like no one lives there clean

Linus S.

12:34PM PDT on Jul 31, 2010

I already know this but I still enjoyed reading it, thank you for sharing