I was checking Quora.com for suggestions on music to write by and came across some posts on music suggestions to clean by.
So do you have favorite music or groups that help you declutter?
I'm so used to just leaving the TV on for the parrots that I seldom choose music for projects, but I'm thinking maybe I should start.
PS: Quora.com is not a commercial site; it's a weird fascinating kind of search facility that you can spend hours and hours on.
For some reason, Depeche Mode's "Policy of Truth" is perfect housecleaning music for me. The entire "Violator" album, actually.
Classical or classical crossover vocalists. On occassion the Young Dubliners, ABBA, or Broadway musicals. Most often, no music, just the happy internal music of joyful decluttering!
FRANK!
I usually listen to NPR when I clean (which is also when the decluttering happens). But I think any music that you enjoy singing along to works well - when I sing (and I'm only a moderate singer - so skill doesn't matter), I feel really powerful and confident, which helps in making decisions. For me, that's music like Fiona Apple or (rest in peace) Etta James.
I schedule my light daily cleaning to coincide with Terry Gross's "Fresh Air" program on NPR.
For heavy cleaning, it's the soundtrack to "The Wizard of Oz" which I know by heart. By the time it gets to "Oh Auntie Em, there's no place like home!" my own home is looking pretty darn swell as well.
But for serious decluttering, no sound except my own mutterings aloud as I talk my way through all the reasons why I should or shouldn't keep an item, what's the best/greenest way to get rid of it, and so forth. A lot of "WWIT?" or "WTFWIT!?"
While I clean, I usually listen to an audiobook; decluttering often gets a shuffle of my iTunes. WHen I work on my bookkeeping stuff for the church, it's classical. Working out gets upbeat country music, and for drifting off to sleep, a podcast. I often wonder if I spend too much time plugged in. When I'm reading blogs and posting, no external sounds (except right now I can hear the washing machine!)
The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show. Yes, that Craig Charles. Stop laughing! It's really good "get up off your backside and do something!" music.
I've done a lot of research into this (hee hee) and found that the best decluttering album for me is "Grown Ups" by The Lodger. I can only listen to it when I'm in my bedroom, where my record player is. This has led me to associate it with cleaning my bedroom. ;)
Whatever you enjoy, and that gets you moving, is a good choice, I think.
I don't use music. I use movies or a tv series. I pick one that I've seen a million times and know exactly what's happening by what they're saying, and I get busy. If it's a really good scene, I'll bring my pile into the living room and watch while i work. My favorites are all 3 Jurassic Parks, MASH (I have all 11 seasons!), Friends, both Sister Acts. The list goes on.
Bhangra :)
Lol, Zora! That would probably be quite good for uncluttering! I listen to podcasts, they make even ironing and cleaning bearable.
@Lucy - ok that I have to check out! I loved him in Red Dwarf, and I suspect I'd enjoy his music choices too!
Bhangra sounds like it would be fun.
I get too mesmerised by Video to use that, but I do like what I think of as Down and Dirty Music - music with a beat, that makes me tap my feet and bounce my head around and sing to it. So stuff like:
Matt Bianco
ELO
Blues and heavy rock (Bad to the Bone, I drink alone)
Bob Seeger
etc
Music you can't be miserable to. It's my housework mix too :)
swing, jazz, opera, classical.
i like to be relaxed, it helps me focus.
I guess I am the oddball on this one. I don't listen to anything, usually end up talking to myself-and listening for my timer(which I guess is even more weird). I struggle with staying focus-music-would probably have me bustin out my poor dance moves or singing into the end of my broom. Movies- I would slip into my zombie movie watching mode, and possibly end up taking an unexpected nap. So, after typing out what would be the outcome between them...talking to myself maybe not that weird after all.
International Superhits by Green Day
A garage rock compilation free with a magazine several years ago
3 minutes or less, quite energetic guitar tunes. However, I will second the Craig Charles Show and Depeche Mode... or New Order!
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