Happy New Year! Is anyone else feeling dazed and confused by the fact it is already 2025? Just me?
Hot on the heels of setting mantras and fun ideas for the year to come, I thought I’d consider the flip side to that coin.
Chores aren’t created equal. I don’t love emptying garbage cans or cooking dinner, but I do take satisfaction in preparing food (read: I’d like to cook again before I die) and taking recycling out to the curb isn’t so bad.
But there are a few tasks I dread, despise (yes, I’m looking at you ironing), or simply don’t enjoy. Here are ten chores I would be happy to never do again in my life:
- Vacuum/clean a vehicle.
- Scrub a toilet or, better yet, a shower stall/bathtub. Or, best of all – never clean anything in a bathroom ever again.
- Do another load of laundry.
- Iron anything.
- Clean up vomit.
- Potty train a child.
- Pack a lunchbox.
- Wash sheets.
- Mow a lawn.
- Do taxes.
Your turn. What are ten chores you’d happily avoid doing for the rest of your life?
Header photo by Filip Mroz on Unsplash
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Heather Mar
Wow, TEN whole chores to never do again!
1. Clean a toilet.
2. Wash a car.
3. Take out pets to relieve themselves in the cold/heat.
4. Unpack after a trip.
5. Anything with kids. I don’t have kids, so I don’t even know all the terrible things you parents deal with lol.
6. Work…? Does that count? LOL
7. Clean greasy dishes.
8. Pump gas.
9. Clean mirrors (because I’m terrible at it).
10. Make the bed. It’s not that bad, but eh, I’d rather not do it.
Heather Mar
Wait! I forgot ironing! Replace #10 with ironing 😉
Elisabeth
I don’t have pets (#3) so I’m off the hook on that one. I DO have kids (#5) and can confirm it is…a lot. Worth it, but still a lot!
I also HATE unpacking after a trip (#4). Ugh. One of the worst aspects of travelling for sure.
Oddly enough, I don’t mind pumping gas and do it very regularly. The only time I dislike it is if it’s horrifically cold outside and then I get grumpy because you really feel the cold while pumping gas.
#9. YES, I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate cleaning mirrors.
#10. I don’t mind making the bed and it basically never bothers me to do it. I’m glad to see you switched #10 to ironing which is one of the worst things ever invented in the history of the universe.
Heather Mar
: ) Yes, I get all of this! And hahahaha agreed about ironing. Why is it so terrible? Lol.
Elisabeth
I remember Gretchen Rubin making a list of chores people find relaxing and multiple people responded they LIKED IRONING. It’s unthinkable.
Alexandra
Amen to all these and a few more. I think we can all join the ‘I don’t ever want to to do this again’ club!
Though it’s true the only reason I get grumpy about cooking is we have a teeny tiny galley kitchen that is not conducive to cooking in, especially during the heat of summer. Take out anyone?
Also, the machines do the laundry for me. I just have to fold and put away. Though it is also true … I DO NOT IRON. Anything! Not one thing.
Elisabeth
I don’t mind the washing, it’s the moving it to the dryer and pulling out the items that need to be air dried and hanging those and then carting dry laundry upstairs and getting it put away quickly so it doesn’t wrinkle (because I HATE ironing, remember). Sigh. It’s such a hassle.
Alexandra
Consider it as part of your daily workout routine. Bend, stretch, bend, stretch … what, no? And does anyone like ironing? I think we all know the answer to that one.
mbmom11
I don’t mind most of these chores, but your #6- that is indeed on my “never again” list. I was so bad at potty training- basically waited until the kid was old enough to deal with and and paid a fortune in diapers.
I would iron if I could the ironing board up all the time.
Oh, I’d rather not cook a turkey ever again. So big, unwieldy, and never can I get it sliced smoothly. However, as Thanksgiving occurs every year, I will do it for the kids. They’re big on tradition.
Elisabeth
There is not a single ounce of me that regrets being past the potty-training stage.
I will cook a turkey once a year – at Christmas. The rest of the time, it’s rotisserie chickens. Equally delicious but cheaper and so much less work!
Birchie
Happy New Year and Happy First Post of 2025!
My hot takes:
1. YESSSSS! I love having a clean car and even though it only takes a minute to vacuum, I hate everything about it.
2. Don’t get jealous but…I’ve been super stressed by work and Hubs has some down time so HE AND THE BOYS HAVE CLEANED THE HOUSE FOR TWO WEEKS IN A ROW!!! THE SECOND TIME WAS WITHOUT ME ASKING THEM!!! YES THEY DID A GOOD JOB!!! YES IT’S A SOURCE OF STRESS TAKEN OFF MY PLATE AND IT IS EVERY BIT AS GOOD AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE.
3. Eh, laundry is fine. But as I’ve said before I only wash my own clothes plus the house laundry of towels and such, I might feel very differently if I was doing laundry for the whole family.
4. Word. I use the iron once a year if that.
5. I avoided this by going the stepmom route vs the mom route. My vomit cleanups have been limited to rare pet situations.
6. I feel that house training a puppy is way easier than house training a kiddo. All you have to do is go outside with the dog A LOT until they figure it out.
7. Yep. I’ve never packed a kid or husband lunch, and not having to pack my own is on the long list of things that I do not miss about working in an office.
8. Yeah, not my favorite but I enjoy having a nice clean crisp bed so the results are worth the effort. What I really don’t like is changing pillow cases, since that’s where most of the labor is.
9. Agree, have rarely done since getting married.
10. Yup. Sigh, that time of year is coming up.
Elisabeth
Can I just say that you not having to ever clean up kid vomit is the only thing making me jealous. I’m thrilled about your #2. #5? Straight up jealous.
And never packed a lunch for a kid. Ever???? Gah. Okay, jealous about that one, too.
Lisa’s Yarns
I’ll play with my top 5.
1. Potty train. I am so glad I will never have to potty train another kid. It was challenging for both boys. I read a book that said there is no difference between boys and girls. I CALL BS! We saw my 18mo niece over Christmas and she is already showing interest in the potty and uses it every morning and throughout day. Her older sister was trained before she turned 2. My sister is not a wizard. Her kids are clearly built differently than my boys.
2. Clean a shower or bathtub. It is worse than a toilet for me because of all the surfaces to clean.
3. Clean a bathroom sink. Why is there always little remnant of lint? I have tried wiping the counter down with a dry cloth to prevent that. It doesn’t seem to matter.
4. Iron. But I have only ironed the boys button down shirts that they wear on special holidays and I had to iron some work dresses. But that’s it so I rarely do this.
5. Vacuum. I do not enjoy this at all.
But here is where I admit that I rarely clean since Phil does our cleaning rather than hiring it out. So I have unsourced it.
Elisabeth
For our family, potty training was easier with a boy. I think it is 95% the child (I know boys are traditionally more difficult to help with potty training, but I think a lot of it has to do with personality as well) and 5% is the parents. Regardless – I hated the process with both kids.
Cleaning showers and bathtubs is awful. Is there anyone who LIKES to clean those things?! If so, can they please stop by my place.
I used to hate vacuuming and mopping but now that I have the right tools, I find both things quasi-satisfying. I don’t go out of my way to do it, but when I have to I don’t dread it nearly as much.
Luann
1. mop
2. clean the stovetop
3. clean the bathroom
4. anything outside when it’s 90 degrees and humid
5. meal plan
Other than those….I’m good 🙂
Elisabeth
I used to HATE mopping but now I almost like it with my Vileda Spin Mop (I think it’s Cedar something in the US). It has made such a difference. It cleans so well and it’s so easy to use.
Heat and humidity make me extremely grumpy…
Melissa
I think your list just about covers it for me as well. I would have to put clean up vomit at the top because my second used to vomit everytime she got a cold, until finally I got wise and started using a decongestant at the slightest sign of a runny nose. So many times she vomited in her sleep, so you can imagine how good that was by the time morning rolled around.
Elisabeth
Oh no! There is just nothing redeemable about cleaning up/dealing with vomit. And some kids are definitely more prone to it. I feel like we had a lot of vomit in the little years. Thankfully, it is MUCH less common now that they’re older and their immune systems are perhaps a bit hardier.
Michelle G.
Ha! Ha! I love your list, Elisabeth! I’m with you on all of them, and will add one more: I love to sew, but I hate practical sewing, like mending and hemming. I do it – because I can – but I hate it!
Elisabeth
Wow – I would not have guessed this about you, but it very much makes sense. It’s a bit like chef’s who don’t want to create fancy meals at home.
I would agree that I also would love to NEVER sew on another button in my life – let’s be honest, that’s about the only thing I can do. I think I’m going to need a longer list…
Nicole MacPherson
Weirdly I don’t actually mind cleaning bathrooms. There is something I find weirdly satisfying. But when it comes to doing anything with the car? No. I hate that.
I haven’t ironed anything in a million years. I think I donated our irons when we moved, because it had been so long.
I’m with you on potty training, also on cleaning up vomit, but I’m somehow always the one cleaning up Rex vomit. LIKE WHEN HE EATS SOMETHING DEAD. He’s got a bit of a sensitive stomach anyway so I’ve had to do it more than one might think.
Elisabeth
Nicole. You know I love you, but I think you might have a concussion or something. Too much fresh air? Too much wine? YOU LIKE CLEANING BATHROOMS?! How? Why? What??!!!
I don’t mind pumping gas or taking the car in to the mechanic, but I really do dislike cleaning it out.
Poor Rex. Poor you.
Jenny
Ha, well I may have achieved one of these- I haven’t ironed anything in years and there’s a chance I’ll never do it again in my life! Now if I could only eliminate a few more…
Elisabeth
I fully support you never ironing again in your life. Life is too short for horrible jobs like that. I mean…I guess if we were in the military or something and had to have perfectly pressed uniforms, but I work from home. If my dryer can’t get the wrinkles out sufficiently, they stay!
Joy
Well, I basically copied and pasted your list, although I have been quite spoiled in the taxes department as Tim is super on top of this.
1. Vacuum/clean a vehicle. – definitely top of my list. In San Diego we always take the vehicle we borrow to a carwash before we return it to friends and in 15 minutes for about $30 it’s clean and fresh, inside and out! 😍
2. Scrub a toilet or, better yet, a shower stall/bathtub. Or, best of all – never clean anything in a bathroom ever again. – um yes.
3. Do another load of laundry. – I would just settle for not being in charge of it. I don’t mind the actions but I don’t like having to think about staying on top of it all the time. It doesn’t stop!!
4. Iron anything. – I basically refuse at this point.
5. Clean up vomit. – enough said.
6. Potty train a child. – You know how I feel about this! I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel with Manny!
7. Pack a lunchbox. – yep.
8. Wash sheets. I’ll happily wash and dry them if someone else will make the beds!! Especially bunk beds!
9. Mop – it feels so futile and exhausting.
10. Debone anything. I hate picking meat off of bones and dealing with the leftover bits but I love homemade stock so I put up with it.
Elisabeth
Deboning is THE WORST. John tends to do most of this in our household, so I shan’t complain.
I hate everything about changing sheets. Removing them, wrangling the duvet into the washing machine, drying them, putting them back on. Why do people need to sleep, anyway?
You are so close to the finish line on potty training, my friend.
Why are Chores Such a Chore? – Alexandra
[…] on from Elisabeth’s post, 10 Chores I wouldn’t Be Sad To Never Do Again, over at The Optimistic Musings of a Pessimist, I have a solution. I won’t say it’s […]
Tobia | craftaliciousme
Clean the toilets.
Clean the shower.
Clean the windows
Clean the bike.
Fold laundry (but I don’t need to do that anymore)
Everything else needs more thought.
Ernie
Oh man. If only we could snap our fingers and have this wish come true.
My ten:
Dusting.
Toilets and showers.
Pay bills.
Ironing (but really I admit that I do not iron much AT all.
I buy wrinkle free clothes when possible).
Grocery shopping.
Paying bills.
Cleaning out the GARAGE!
Managing/switching cell phone service. :0
Cleaning out the fridge.
Elisabeth
If you figure out a way to make this wish list reality, please let me know at your earliest convenience.
I know you have had THE WORST time with the cell services. Ugh. I hate anything that requires making phone calls or dealing with customer service.
I like grocery shopping but hate putting said groceries away. Thankfully my husband likes to put them away, so I try to leave them for him.
Stephany
Gosshhh, there are so many chores I’d love to never do again:
1) Clean the tub – YES, AGREE ON THIS ELISABETH. I hate cleaning the tub. I never feel like I do a good job.
2) Dust – I hate it. Dust still seems to get everywhere even though I use a swiffer.
3) Mop. The worst. So time-consuming, too.
4) Cook. Can I just NOT? FOREVER?
5) Clean the litter box. I love my cats, I don’t love cleaning up their poo.
6) Clean the oven. I mean, I rarely do this anyway. But I wish it would magically clean itself.
7) Unclog any drain. Eww. Just eww.
8) Mow the lawn. One of the main reasons I don’t want to own a home.
9) Grocery shop. I hate it so much. I wish grocery delivery wasn’t so much more expensive, lol.
10) Deal with the trash. It’s just gross.
Elisabeth
I like grocery shopping okay, but hate putting things away.
Unclogging drains. How did I not think of this?? It is the worst.
I have never cleaned an oven in my life. Meh. The world is still spinning on its axis.
Suz
I’ve all but stopped ironing years ago. I have to do it maybe once or twice a year now? I mostly steam stuff if it’ in dire shape.
Like you, I’m tired of laundry & tired of cleaning my car.
Honestly, if I never had to prepare a meal again, that would be heaven. 🙂
Elisabeth
We have a steamer too and it is amazing. It’s mostly my husband that uses it for business clothes, but it’s great for getting wrinkles out of covers for throw pillows that have been folded.