Household Chores

Make household chores easier, and simplify your daily routine. This will help alleviate physical stress that could aggravate your condition and cause pain.

Here are some suggestions.

Housekeeping

• Eliminate clutter – Picking up daily around the house will make those heavy cleaning projects much easier and less exhausting. Also, inventory your home and see what you might keep and what can be sold or donated. If you don’t need it or use it, then don’t keep it around. It’s one less item you have to clean or care for.
• Stairs – If you have to climb stairs, keep a small basket near them to hold items that need to be taken upstairs or downstairs. To avoid carrying heavy loads, collect items throughout the day and ask someone to carry the basket up or down the stairs for you.
• Dusting – If you experience joint pain in your hands, dusting can be uncomfortable. Use an old sock as a dust cloth. Work with your fingers as straight as possible, and use both hands so your arms and shoulders do most of the work. If you do not have a dust mop, dust hardwood floors with a tack cloth wound around the end of a broom.
• The dishwasher – Have someone pour a small amount of detergent from the large container into a smaller, more manageable pitcher that you can handle. Each time you run the dishwasher, just pour what you need from the pitcher. When it’s time to unload the dishwasher, pull up a chair beside the machine to empty the bottom tray so you do not have to bend and place stress on your lower back.
• Laundry – Again, transfer some detergent from a large box or container into a smaller one so it is easier for you to handle. Have the dryer raised to a comfortable height – about six to eight inches higher than usual – so that you do not have to bend down to remove your clothes. Keep a reacher nearby so you can use it to transfer clothes from the washer to the dryer. Keep a laundry basket near your washer and dryer and one in every closet in the house in order to move clothes back and forth from the closet to the laundry more easily.
• Ironing – Buy a mini ironing board that you can place on a tabletop, or invest in a handheld steamer that eliminates the need for ironing. If you must iron, purchase a lightweight iron that handles easily and does not place stress on the arm, shoulder, and hand.
• General housecleaning tips – Buy long-handled mops, dustpans, and brooms. Use sponges when you clean since they allow you to use an open hand. Store supplies within reach, and transfer soaps and cleaners into smaller, more manageable containers.

Gardening and outdoor chores

• Planting – To plant seeds while standing up, prepare the soil and then use a salt shaker or spice bottle to shake seeds over the areas you want to plant. Purchase a “flower carpet” in which the seeds are already embedded. You just need to loosen the soil to a depth of about four inches, drop the carpet in, and rake the soil smooth.
• Buying plants – Visit a nursery and buy plants that simply need to be replanted in your garden. Ask the salesperson to recommend hardy plants that require minimal care.
• Pulling weeds – Pull weeds when the ground is moist, typically in the morning. It is easier to loosen weeds from the soil, and a softer surface places less stress on your joints. Consider purchasing a long-handled weeding tool from a garden shop so you can pull weeds while standing.
• General gardening tips – Rather than having to get up and down to tend your garden, try cultivating a garden in a raised bed, trellis, or container. Use garden tools with enlarged or padded handles, and purchase garden gloves that are a size too large. Stuff foam or padding in and around your fingers for extra protection.

In the kitchen

• Shopping – Of course, before you cook, you need to shop. Do your grocery shopping when the store is least busy. Make a list before you go, and stock up on staples like paper products, canned goods, and other frequently used items. Try wearing a glove with a leather palm so handling glass bottles is easier. The glove will also protect your hand from cold foods. Ask the bagger to pack frozen and refrigerated items separately from foods that don’t require refrigeration, and request that he or she make each bag about half-full so that they are easier for you to carry.
• Meals – When you feel particularly energetic, take time to prepare meals in advance and freeze them for use later in the week.
• Storage – Store items near the places where they are most used. Keep coffee mugs near the coffee maker and microwave supplies, including containers, in the microwave. Store frequently used pots and pans in an easily accessible cabinet, or install pegboards or a cast iron wall fixture. Alphabetize your spices, and keep them in a kitchen drawer rather than a high cupboard. Store flour, sugar, and coffee in plastic containers with handles and easy-to-remove lids.
• Dishes and cookware – Replace heavy dishes with lightweight dinner dishes. Use aluminum cookware with big handles. Make sure your knives are always sharp so that cutting and chopping is easier. Rather than using a fork or mixing spoon, use a pastry blender with a large, thick handle to mix foods.
• Lighting – Keep a flashlight in the kitchen to make it easier to see in the back of deep cupboards. Under-cabinet lights can be installed in your kitchen workspaces and are available at most lighting supply stores.
• General kitchen tips – Collect one-dish recipes and keep a menu of them near your refrigerator for quick and easy meal planning. Your healthcare provider can advise you where to purchase a universal turning aid, which will help you turn the knobs on your stove. Tie a towel or a loop of fabric around the refrigerator door, and use this loop to open the door. Put a colander with cool-to-the-touch handles inside your pasta pot. When your pasta is cooked, simply lift the colander. Purchase whipped butter and cream cheese, both of which are much easier to spread. Instead of beating eggs with a whisk or fork, crack them into a jar and shake the jar.

Be sure to always consult a physician before you begin any kind of diet or fitness program or before you make any significant adjustments to your lifestyle. The severity of your disease can impact your ability to do certain activities. Your physician can help you determine what activities and quality-of-life adjustments are best for you.

Next: Stress Management