BuzzFeed recently rounded up 35 products for people whose life motto is "I'll do it tomorrow," pitched at getting chores done today. The one item the roundup's description spells out is a drain-cleaning product meant to loosen gunk quickly. The rest of the list isn't detailed here, so this isn't a rundown of all 35. Instead, here's the useful idea underneath it: chores get done when they feel small, so build your day around making them small.
By the end of this piece, you'll have a simple way to pick one dreaded task, shrink it, and finish it today.
Start With the Task You Keep Walking Past
Every home has one. The slow bathroom sink. The counter corner that collects clutter. The thing you glance at and think, "later."
Pick just one. Not a whole-house reset, just the one that bugs you most. Finishing a single irritating chore tends to feel better than half-finishing five, and it gives you momentum if you want to keep going.
Match the Chore to a Quick-Fix Tool
The BuzzFeed roundup leans on a smart premise: the right product can make a task feel less intimidating. Its drain example is a good one. A sluggish, gunky drain feels like a plumber-level problem, but a product designed to loosen buildup turns it into a pour-and-wait job.
When you're shopping for any chore helper, ask three questions:
- Does it replace effort or just add a step? Look for tools that do the hard part for you.
- Can you start it in under a minute? If setup is a project, you'll postpone it.
- Is it right for the surface or pipe you have? Read the label and follow the directions, especially with drain products, and never mix cleaning products together.
A product isn't a promise of a perfect result. Think of it as a way to lower the barrier to starting.
Set a 10-Minute Timer
Here's the trick that makes "today" realistic. Set a timer for 10 minutes and work only until it rings. Anything you finish is a win, and many small chores fit comfortably inside that window.
Good 10-minute candidates:
- Treating a slow drain, then letting the product do its work while you do something else
- Wiping down one counter or the front of the appliances
- Clearing one surface completely
- Gathering everything that belongs in another room and returning it in one trip
These are our suggestions, not claims from the roundup. The point is to choose jobs with a clear finish line.
Use the Waiting Time
The best chore products let you walk away. If you're treating a drain, follow the package's wait time and use it for another quick task, like clearing the sink area or taking out the trash. Stacking a hands-off job with a hands-on one is how a 10-minute window starts to feel productive instead of punishing.
Make It Pleasant, Not Punishing
Chores stick when they feel a little nicer. Put on a playlist or a podcast. Open a window. Keep your supplies together in one caddy or basket so you're not hunting for them, which is often the real reason a task gets postponed.
A small reward helps too. A fresh cup of tea once the sink drains properly is a perfectly good finish line.
Know When to Call in Help
Quick-fix products are for everyday gunk. If a drain stays stubbornly slow after you've followed the directions, or water backs up, that's a sign to check with a professional rather than keep stacking products. Better to ask than to risk damage.
Your Move for Today
Choose the one chore you've been dodging, pair it with a simple tool that does the heavy lifting, and set a 10-minute timer. Start before you've finished deciding whether you feel like it. Tomorrow-you will thank you.