Adding Whimsy to Your Housework
Not sure where to start with that massive list of chores? Try rolling the dice — literally. TikTok user Aubrey Rose shared this trick, which involves a 20-sided die and a numbered to-do list. Start by creating a numbered list of up to 20 tasks you need to complete. This can include weekly chores, like washing your bedding, or bigger undertakings that you’ve been meaning to get to but just can’t seem to find the motivation to start, like organizing a shelf in the garage.
Next, roll. If you don’t have a 20-sided die, two regular dice will work — just keep your list to 12 items then. The number that you roll determines the chore you’ll complete that day — or the one you’ll do first, if time and energy allow.
Say you roll an 11, and number 11 on your list is “scrub the shower.” That’s your task, decided. Spare yourself the deliberating and procrastinating.
Why Is This So Effective?
This method can be helpful for a number of reasons. First, it breaks down chores into a manageable structure. Letting chores pile up can be overwhelming, and many people feel like they have to tackle everything at once. That usually results in putting them off for another day. Rather than make a hard thing even harder, the dice trick whittles chores down to a single, actionable task. After one is complete, you can roll again if you’re feeling ambitious, or save the next for another day.
More from our network
House Outlook is part of Inbox Studio, which publishes content that uplifts, informs, and inspires.
Second, keeping this type of system in place ensures a routine that might otherwise be hard to keep up. Doing even one task per day, most days, will prevent a pileup down the line.
Finally, the dice method gamifies chore completion in a fun way. Leaving the chore at hand up to the fates saves you the time it takes to decide which task to tackle first. It removes the energy expended when you overthink, and adds an element of surprise to cleaning and organizing.
