Meme lore
What is the Clean All The Things meme?
Clean All The Things (part of the 'X All The Y' meme family) is a Hyperbole and a Half comic panel showing Allie Brosh's stick-figure alter ego lunging with a broom, declaring she will 'CLEAN ALL THE THINGS!' It captures a burst of manic motivation that rarely lasts - usually about chores, productivity, or adult responsibilities.
Origin & history
Allie Brosh published 'This Is Why I'll Never Be an Adult' on her Hyperbole and a Half blog on June 17, 2010. The comic contrasts fleeting bursts of adult ambition - paying bills, going to the bank, cleaning - with the author's inability to sustain that energy.
The 'Clean ALL the things!' panel was remixed on Reddit and Canvas within months, spawning the broader 'X All The Y' snowclone format and the /r/AllTheThings subreddit in July 2011. Brosh's crude MS Paint style and relatable burnout humor made it one of the most enduring exploitable memes of the early 2010s.
The 'Clean ALL the things!' panel was remixed on Reddit and Canvas within months, spawning the broader 'X All The Y' snowclone format and the /r/AllTheThings subreddit in July 2011. Brosh's crude MS Paint style and relatable burnout humor made it one of the most enduring exploitable memes of the early 2010s.
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