Buzz
When I moved into my current apartment, the previous tenants left behind a mix of random items, from a creepy puppet to a malfunctioning window AC. However, they did me a huge favor by leaving a standing broom and dustpan set.
I never gave much thought to brooms, aside from the usual dislike I have for cleaning tools. As I was about to throw out the standing broom along with other broken appliances, I stumbled upon a TikTok video from one of my favorite mental health advocates, therapists, and authors, KC Davis, who was raving about her standing broom and dustpan.
In the video, Davis explains how she used to avoid sweeping. However, she discovered that her standing broom — which locks into a flat-bottomed dustbin with a long handle that eliminates the need to bend over repeatedly — has made sweeping less tedious and more frequent.
“Sometimes the solution isn’t to push yourself harder,” Davis said in a TikTok. “Sometimes it’s about finding the right tool to make the task easier.”
Using a standing dustpan is such a straightforward, old-fashioned concept, yet I had never considered it a way to simplify cleaning. After watching Davis’ video, I decided to try the old, slightly dirty standing dustpan left in my apartment. To my surprise, it made sweeping far less intimidating and removed many of the smaller, annoying steps — like bending, brushing, and walking to the trash can.
With my standing broom, I simply sweep debris into the dustpan, and the job is done. On particularly tiring days, I don’t even need to empty the dustpan immediately. The collected dust can wait until I’m ready to dispose of it.
While researching standing dustpan options, I couldn’t help but smile when I read an Amazon review from Jody M., who shared how a standing broom has simplified her life as well.
"Although this broom and dustpan combo isn’t groundbreaking, it never crossed my mind before,” they shared. “And I’m so glad it did. While sweeping remains a ‘chore,’ it’s now far less of a hassle! With my back and leg pain gone, I’ve also lost my excuse to skip the gym!!”
After my inherited dustpan finally ended up in the trash, I replaced it with a charming pink one (listed below) that I adore even more. Its cheerful color makes sweeping feel almost like a game, and its stylish design allows it to blend seamlessly into my home decor.
If you dread dusting and sweeping, struggle with mobility, or simply want to simplify your cleaning routine, here are my top picks for enhancing your life with a practical standing broom.
1. My favorite vibrant standing broom
2. A collapsible standing dustpan for compact storage
3. An OXO upright sweeping set
