The therapeutic value of doing dishes

I love transforming a dish from dirty to clean.

I love the water on my hands, the soap on the sponge, the repetition of rubbing the plate or cup or silverware.

It's simple and it's satisfying.

And when I've emptied the sink, I feel like I've accomplished something.

Plus, no one else wants to do it, so there's a certain virtue in getting my hands dirty.

Did I mention our new house has no dishwasher?

What household chore(s) -- if any -- do you find meditative?

Comments

[betty]

I find washing dishes a very soothing chore myself. We've never had a dishwasher, so I guess that it's a good thing that I like to wash dishes!

When I was young, one of the chores that I liked to do was mow the lawn, even though that was originally considered to be one of my older brothers' chore.

[Philip]

Nothing is meditative, but I like putting away the vacuum cleaner, closing the cabinet on the cleaning supplies and walking through a pristine house thinking "If I could just keep everybody from moving for the next few minutes and just let me enjoy this one little sense of peace: a clean house, humming with life and ready for the next day, week, adventure..."

[Ellie]

Nothing. Domestically challenged. I abhor housework, didn't have a dishwasher for years, and used to pray for brownies to come in at night to do my laundry. All this is pretty sad considering the fact that I stayed home with my kids until my oldest was 11 and my youngest started kindergarten. Except for mothering my children, I pretty much sucked at the whole thing.
My mother on the other hand loved to wash dishes, she would wash dishes and look at the neighbors thru her binoculars. (bird watching;)

[beth]

I don't enjoy it, but if I have to pick one it would be vacuuming because the noise drowns out what else is happening around me and I can just think.

[Elizabeth]

Neither did ours.

So I looked at CD. *That* look.

And he went to Sears, and got a dishawasher. And then he went to IKEA and got a woodblock dishwasher holder. Then he installed the dishwasher in to the holder, and that into whatever pipes and electricity. And now my kicthen? Has a woodblock island. And in the island? A dishwasher.

Because he KNEW who was doing dishes, otherwise.

I am SO crushing on your dishwashing skillz right now!

[Ann]

I like to polish silver, especially the big pieces. Not an everyday chore but something where you can REALLY see what you have accomplished!

[Cathy]

I have never had a dishwasher--I do have 2 teen girls--who do most of the dishes--for me it is wash--the wash has to done--from start to finish--then I am at peace -well not really--but I feel calmer :)

[Shelly]

I don't have a dishwasher, oh I do! It is ME! I hate doing the dishes alone. I like help, but that is not very often. As I speak my dishes are calling me and I am ignoring them. Besides, my son made the mess, not me.

My other household chores I like help with, but then again, I do not get the help. Laundry is a good one. I fold and hang up, everyone else puts away.

I do get a sense of accomplishment and I love that. BUT I need the motivation at times when the overwhelming feelings, like today, creep in on me.

[Robin]

You can come *meditate* at our house any time. Even with a dishwasher, we are slouches on that front.

I think there's a famous essay by Tillie Olsen on the meditational nature of ironing.

Unfortunately household chores don't capture my imagination. I just do them because they must be done. The outdoor ones suit me a little better. I like sweeping the deck, walking the dog, and tending the garden.

[Kathy]

I love to iron clothes while watching a nice sappy movie. Mopping a really dirty floor is also calming to me. Yes I am strange .
I hate to clean the pantry the most which is why I'm sitting here not doing it!

[Suzanne]

I think I like having done the dishes rather than the actual doing of the dishes. For me, there are few housekeeping pleasures (you could in fact end the sentence right there) as satisfying as a newly cleaned up kitchen.

[Meredith]

I'm a laundry and ironing girl. I abhor doing dishes with my entire body and soul. :)

[Chana]

Laundry because I can be in a different room than the gang!
I know this isn't a household chore but I love to color also. When my kids outgrew some of their coloring books I was deeply saddened. lol

[vanessa]

I love doing dishes as well, although not really at my house...but when I babysit/nanny I totally enjoy it. The hot water and the smell of soap...
I also really love laundry...again the smells.
And window washing...the smell..
okay, so I love the smell of cleaning fluids!

[barbara]

i hate doing dishes...one of the major ironies of my life is that i have NEVER had a dishwasher. i find painting meditative...but wait, that's not a household chore [i meant painting pictures]...mmmmmmmmmm, guess there isn't one? yeah, that would have to be my answer: there is not one. :(

[Mieke]

NO DISHWASHER????? GET ONE IMMEDIATELY! I hate hate hate hate hate washing dishes. My husband and family call me Princepessa. I cannot stand putting my hand in food-water.

Folding laundry I can handle. Food-water blech! Yet, I have no problem with the constant poopy diapers and dog poop that I have to deal with on a daily basis.

What do you HATE to do?

[VJ]

Laundry. I like to hang it out to dry in the summer. There's something so low tech and simple about hanging out the laundry that I really enjoy. And that fresh line smell of the clothes can't be beat.

I save folding clothes for the last hour before starting supper. It gives me a break where I can sit and watch my childhood favorite TV program.

[Cat]

Ironing. Though I prefer to do it while watching a baseball game on TV. Luckily we don't have that many winter clothes that require ironing.