House-cleaning can be a boring, monotonous and sometimes even infuriating endeavor. Who wants to wash dishes when you can be reading a book? Why spend time tackling a mountain of laundry when you’d rather be gardening? Cleaning is not all bad, though — here are 10 reasons you can look forward to cleaning your home.

1. Get Some Good Exercise

Who knew cleaning your house could help you stay fit? On average, a 135 person will burn about 145 calories per hour of house-cleaning. Just think about it: You do lots of bending and picking things up, pushing a vacuum cleaner, and hauling never-ending loads of laundry to the washer and dryer. While you’re working up a sweat, your body is burning up those calories.

2. Get Some ‘Me’ Time

Most of the time, cleaning is a mindless activity. You don’t need to think too hard about folding towels or swishing a mop back and forth. While your body is actively engaged in something physical, it releases endorphins into your brain, giving you increased alertness and sharpening your brain.

3. Show You Care

You wouldn’t wash your spouse’s underwear or scrape glued Cheerios off of the bottom of the kitchen table if you didn’t love your family. It might not seem like much, but providing a safe and healthy environment for your family is one of the most important things you can do.

4. Save Money

If your bills are late because you can’t remember where you put them, or you find yourself replacing lost objects, cleaning and organizing your home can cut down on expenses like these. Keep them in a special place so you know exactly where to go when you’re looking for them.

5. Time To Listen To Audio Books or Music 

If you reserve your audio books and music for car rides, think again: You can spend those hours cleaning catching up on all those books or songs you’ve been meaning to get around to. You might even find yourself looking forward to tackling that growing mountain of laundry that needs folding.

6. Make Your Home a Less Stressful Place

Some people are stressed just by the presence of clutter. Even after a stressful day at work, some people will dread going home just because a cluttered house can make them feel overwhelmed or uncomfortable. When your home is neat and clean, it becomes a relaxing safe-haven for both you and your family.

7. Cut Down on Symptoms for Seasonal Allergies 

If you or someone in your household suffers from allergic rhinitis, recurring sinusitis or asthma, being in a clean home can lessen discomfort. Dusting and vacuuming removes dust, dirt, animal hair and dander, dust mites, pollen and other allergens that can trigger or worsen symptoms. Regular cleaning can help keep symptoms in check.

8. Keep Pests Away

Vermin and insects love mess and clutter. It provides a place for them to comfortably hide from us while they get free reign over the house during the night. Keeping your home free from dirt and clutter minimizes the possibility of pest invasions, such as mice, bed bugs and ants.

9. You Will Always Be Ready for Unexpected Visitors 

Everyone has that person in his or her life that doesn’t understand the meaning of “Call first before you come over.” If you regularly maintain your home, you’ll never have to worry about being embarrassed by the state of your house when an unannounced person pops over for a visit.

10. Take Satisfaction in a Job Well Done

Let’s be real — cleaning your house is hard work! After a long day of vacuuming, mopping, dusting, washing and organizing, pat yourself on the back. Have an extra scoop of ice cream. You earned it. Take pride in your beautiful home.