I also find doing the mundane, everyday things in life has a calming, creative influence on me. Some of my best ideas come when I'm vacuuming or waiting in lines.
The cleaning is something I use as a reward if I get some work done. I go into a very happy state of mind when I'm vacuuming.
The act, when vacuuming, of running over a string at least a dozen times, reaching over and picking it up, examining it, then putting it back down to give the vacuum one more chance.
I find vacuuming very therapeutic. I like the lines it makes on the carpet.