Key Takeaways
- Completing many chores—especially those that offer a quick, visual win or a repetitive movement—can help you feel calmer when you complete them.
- Consider tasks like handwashing dishes, vacuuming, or folding laundry for that calming vibe.
- To make your household tasks more enjoyable, try including scents and sounds that you find soothing, look for tasks you can complete quickly and that give you a sense of satisfaction, and focus on the task at hand.
Whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed, I find myself rearranging the throw pillows that inevitably end up tossed all over the floor (thanks, kids and pets!). There’s something about completing that oh-so-quick task and having my living room look put together that helps me feel a little more peaceful.
And it’s not all in your head—many chores can be weirdly soothing to your psyche in addition to helping you put your house in order. “When the world around you feels chaotic, cleaning can become a powerful tool to reset the mind and space—and get you something you can control alongside a sense of accomplishment,” says Alicia Sokolowski, founder of AspenClean. “By turning cleaning into a mindful routine rather than a to-do list item, it becomes less about perfection and more about creating peace and clarity, both in your home and in your head.”
Ready to create a little inner calm and outer order? Tick off the items on our list of expert-approved calming tasks that’ll help you feel more chill in no time flat—then check out our tips for turning almost any chore into a more mindful exercise.
Chores That Are Incredibly Soothing
Folding Laundry
This chore kind of checks all the calm-yourself boxes, especially if you’re folding up a fresh-from-the-dryer load. Clean clothes smell amazing, the warmth has you feeling cozy, and it takes just a few minutes to turn a basket of laundry into a satisfying stack of perfectly folded clothes—especially if you’ve mastered folding the fitted sheet into a perfect rectangle. It’s also a chore you can accomplish while multitasking, if you desire—so go ahead and indulge in a feel-good binge watch or connect with a friend over the phone while you’re tackling the towels.
Handwashing Dishes
Think of handwashing dishes as an ultra-mini bubble bath for your hands (and your pots and pans). The warm water and the scent of the soap help engage your senses. To make it even more soothing, try sorting the dishes by type. “Wash all the plates at once, all the bowls, all the glasses,” says Cian Ballentine, founder of Cannonball Cleaners. “You get into a groove with each category, and that makes the motions easier to manage.”
Decluttering a Small Spot
Decluttering a whole closet sounds like a noble goal, but for the best sense of calm, try a very small declutter session—like clearing off the coffee table or kitchen table. “Quickly putting things back in their place offers an immediate sense of control and accomplishment,” Sokolowski says.
Vacuuming
The white noise sound from the vacuum can help soothe you, and you do get those oh-so-satisfying visible lines in your carpet as you plow through the dirt.
Breaking Down Boxes
Nothing’s better for anger management than cutting something down to size, whether it’s chopping vegetables or trimming branches. Ballentine recommends breaking down boxes as a task that checks all the soothing boxes. “It is such an easy way to get something done, actively working on getting rid of clutter, and a repetitive task that is basically the same for every box you pick up.”
How to Make Every Chore More Calming
Even the grubbiest tasks (like cleaning the toilet) can be given a mindful makeover with a few key tweaks. Will you be eager to grab the toilet brush after a tough day? Not necessarily—but following these tips can help you make it more enjoyable when you do.
Focus on fast-and-easy wins
That all-day deep clean may be satisfying when you view the results, but it’s not going to help you relax and unwind. Sokolowski recommends starting with a single task that gives you fast and visible results, like making your bed or wiping the counters. “That creates a sense of accomplishment without feeling overwhelmed.”
Look for activities that are a bit repetitive
There’s definitely something soothing about going through the same motion over and over again. “Repetitive or sensory tasks tend to activate a rhythm that helps calm the nervous system for most people,” says Sokolowski. That’s why many of the tasks on the relaxing list are things you do over and over again the same way. Other options: weeding gardens, sweeping, or mowing the lawn. Then, simply focus on the process and breathe to help you unwind.
Indulge your senses
Go ahead and make chore time as enjoyable as you can. “Set the mood with soft music or a lit candle to make the environment more soothing,” Sokolowski says. Or keep a favorite cup of tea by your side to sip while you’re going through your papers.
Keep it low tech
Watching The British Baking Show while you declutter can definitely be soothing, but you may find that it’s even more soothing to skip the media altogether. “Cleaning chores that allow you to disconnect from screens and focus on the physical world also help you slow down your nervous system and stay present,” Sokolowski says.
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