Ode to Delores Dee, the Goddess of Stick Vacuuming

Written by Minot Cleveland

Here’s how getting a new vacuum just before New Year’s reminded me of two fundamental principles in promoting movement. I hadn't shopped for a vacuum in many years, so off I went to the nearby Lowe’s Home Improvement store. I knew about upright and canister options, but little about stick vacuums. The salesperson offered high praise - light weight, easy to use, efficient, a cleaning head that swivels. Then I heard a magical word, “Cordless!”  What? Dr. Gramps can vacuum the apartment without a damn cord to trip over?! Point me towards one of those, please.

The stick vacuum aisle was packed with many brands - Bissell, Black+Decker, Craftsman, Dyson, Electrolux, Shark. I gazed at the myriad of models. I got to the end of the aisle and glanced up to my right. That’s when I saw the Vision Splendid. Perched upright on the upper shelf, statuesque with her sleek cobalt wand, capped with the purple air filter - I knew this was the “Goddess of Stick Vacuuming.” Going to the car, I cradled the long box with my new Dyson V11 and zipped home to unpack. (Disclaimer: There are many worthy brands. I’ve received no compensation from or had communication with Dyson or any other company.)

I removed the elaborate packing, watched an easy-to-follow video for assembly, and squeezed the red trigger. Light, quiet, with an easy back and forth motion, I christened my new friend Delores Dee. She is just my type.

Within the first few days, I noticed a great thing. Vacuuming for 5-7 minutes made me feel like I’d just been on a short, brisk walk.  Slight increase in my breathing and heart rate, a pleasing sense of modest exertion. Walking back and forth, pushing the wand to and fro, switching hands to use each arm, I was getting part of my daily dose of moderate-intensity activity. Dancing with Delores Dee reminded me of fundamental principle #1: Any physical activity is SO MUCH better than none.

What are the current guidelines for getting the right dose of moderate-intensity activity? 150” (minutes) per week. That provides most of the health benefits physical activity can offer. You get a few more with longer or more vigorous bouts of activity (up to a point). But 150” of enjoyable activity per week is a great goal. A common way people achieve it is 30” of brisk walking, five days each week. 

But too often we treat these guidelines as rigid rules. If we don’t reach the recommended level, there must not be any benefit and we stop the activity. NO! Small increments count! They add up over the day. Previous teaching about aerobic activity stressed the importance of 20-30 consecutive minutes. Research has caught up with the reality of our bodies and found that even 5-minute bouts of moderate-intensity activity promote health. Dancing a few minutes with Delores counts! (I will leave it to Bill Murray in Ghostbusters to clarify a rule vs. a guideline).

During those first few days, I confess I surveyed the Goddess: the clear canister vacuum atop the cobalt wand, the LCD screen for charging status and selecting cleaning modes, accessory tools that snapped on and off with ease. Reaching corners and maneuvering around furniture were easy-peasy with the swiveling cleaner head. No cord decreased Dr. Gramps’ risk of falling! I tried out the accessories: the versatile 2-in-1 Combination Tool, an elegant anti-tangle Hair Screw Tool, and the slender Crevice Tool. (Don’t get me started on the wonders of these three!) When I removed the wand and converted Delores into a powerful portable for the car, I had the same experience. 7-10 minutes of vacuuming the floor mats, seats, and trunk gave me that pleasing sense of modest exertion. (When she’s portable, she’s Dee Dee.)

By the fourth day, I had my new morning routine. Leave the broom and dust pan in the closet, start in the kitchen, then travel the hallway carpets into the home office. Moving about among my books, I remembered an aphorism most scholars attribute to Henry David Thoreau, “Cut your own wood and it will warm you twice.” What a perfect example of a physical activity category we often forget or don’t think counts: activities of daily life. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator, carrying groceries, gardening, doing errands on foot, household chores. Fundamental principle #2: Activities of daily life get us moving in ways that count. 

Delores Dee is the perfect tool to accomplish a needed task, make it more enjoyable, and bolster my health. She is the one for me! My fervent hope is that you also enjoy a taste of stick vacuuming Bliss.