Seven Easy Ways to Transform Your Evening Cleanup Routine

The sun set around 5:30 and we had just finished dinner. It had been a long day, my back was tired, and I was feeling less than motivated to clean up our dinner dishes. Do you know what I’m talking about? That feeling of dread? The thought of having to do one. more. chore. I’d like to tell you I just squared up my shoulders and dove right in. But I didn’t. I procrastinated. And then, around 7:00 p.m., after walking past that stack of dishes in the sink and on the counter, I decided to transform my evening routine. And guess what? I think you can transform your dinner dishes routine, too! Wanna know how? Well, let’s go then!

Set the mood

Let’s be honest, there is nothing romantic about cleaning up the dinner dishes. But if you put a little thought and intention into your routine, you, too can transform your mood. Before you know it, this dreaded evening chore will become something you actually look forward to! It might even become a little personal quiet time. I mean, how many interruptions do you usually get while cleaning up the dinner dishes?

I like to get my kitchen prepared by doing a few things to help set the mood. They’re not difficult. They’re simple. And I bet you have all of these things at your fingertips, too. They won’t cost you a thing!

Dim the lights

Let me just tell you from experience, those dishes aren’t as intimidating when you turn off the dreaded overhead light, and turn on a lamp or two. Light a candle in your favorite fragrance. Even a well-positioned night light will do the trick. Of course, you need enough lighting to actually see what it is you’re trying to accomplish, but dimming the lights and lighting a candle honestly make all the difference in the world.

Play soothing music

There’s a saying that music soothes the savage beast. Is it just me, or does dinner dishes clean up bring out the savage beast in you? It is one of my most hated chores, and yet, it must be done. However, if you find a music channel you love, a playlist that inspire you, or even your favorite album playing softly in the background, you will find the chore is far less horrible than it was before.

So find something that will soothe your attitude and your mind. Breathe in the fragrance of your candle, bask in the warm ambient glow of your mood lighting, slow down, and absorb the peaceful sounds as you suds up those dinner dishes. Take your time. Relax your mind and clear your thoughts as you clear away the mess.

Here are a few of my absolute all time favorites:

Make a cup of tea

There are proven relaxation benefits of chamomile tea. Why not indulge just a little and brew up a steaming cup of tea to sip and enjoy while cleaning up the dinner dishes? I mean, what’s one more dirty cup?

Now, I’ve had a lot of chamomile tea in my life. This one is mild, almost honey-flavored, but not sweet. It’s caffeine free, and organically made. It is hands down, my absolute favorite tea.

You could make yourself any warm beverage to enjoy; tea, decaffeinated coffee, warm milk, or even a warm lemon water. Having a warm beverage to sip on while enjoying your music, candles, and lighting really makes the after dinner dishes routine feel more like an enjoyable indulgence.

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Use your favorite cleaning products

I think we all have our favorite cleaning products. While not brand loyal, I do find that a few products do a phenomenal job at cleaning up messes.

For dish soap, I cannot be swayed from Mrs Meyers. Of course, all those glorious seasonal scents don’t hurt any. I just find they clean my dishes with ease, and they never leave any residue. If you’ve never tried Mrs Meyers, I’d recommend these to get started: Lavender, Peony, or the variety pack of Lilac, Mint, and Peony. It’s seriously so good!

For counter tops and cabinet fronts, or any general spills, I really trust Young Living Thieves cleaner. It is an ultra-concentrated formula, infused with Thieves Essential Oil with a clove-like fragrance. It’s safe for family use and won’t harm pets. It is a multi-purpose cleaner and leaves a streak-free shine. I’ve even put a few drops in my essential oil diffuser to fragrance the entire room. It’s not inexpensive, the because it’s ultra concentrated, a 14 oz bottle lasts me almost a year.

And who doesn’t love a good dish cloth? I really like these from Mia. They are 12×12 and extremely durable. I think I like them so much because of their size. They’re small enough to use as a dish cloth, or for wiping up spills, and large enough to use as a dish towel if you need it. They wash up beautifully, and I’ve used them daily for eighteen months now.

Be kind to your future self

Why not be kind to your future self and prepare your morning coffee. Most coffee makers have a programable alarm that will come on a few moments before you wake up. It is such an amazing feeling to wake up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee, knowing you only have to shuffle to the kitchen in your fuzzy slippers and pour that glorious first cup.

I have found that since I’m already cleaning things up, it isn’t any more trouble to swish out the coffee pot, rinse the filter basket, and set up my coffee maker for the next morning. It has truly become one of the things I enjoy most about my dinner dishes routine. It is a favor I am doing my future self, and it is one my future self appreciates every morning.

Be like Fly lady

I’m sure you’ve heard of the Fly lady, but in case you haven’t, you really need to go check her out. She has single handedly transformed the lives of millions of women (and probably men, too) with her methods of cleaning your home in zones.

I believe she is most well known for her encouragement to shine your sink. Here’s a link to her Shiny Sink 101, in case you’re interested. She encourages you to not go to bed with a sink full of dishes, which, is exactly what we’re talking about here today. But she takes it one step further and encourages you to shine your sink – the thought being that a shiny sink deters you from filling it up again with more dirty dishes. In the words of Kathleen Kelly, “Read it! I know you’ll love it!”

The final takeaway

Well, friends, I hope you’ve found encouragement today to view your dinner dishes routine in a new light, and maybe with unexpected excitement. It’s funny how a simple mind-shift can change our attitudes about doing these mundane tasks. But since we have to do them anyway, why not make them an enjoyable experience? Many of us don’t have the time to sit down with soothing music, dim lighting, fragrant candles, and a cup of tea. But when we intentionally work these little pleasures into otherwise dreaded chores, we can transform them into a routine we actually look forward to and enjoy!

Please leave me a comment and let me know what your least favorite chore is, and how you can transform it into something more pleasurable!

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