House Cleaning Routines For People Who are Short on Time and Hate Cleaning

“Cleaning house while your kids are still growing up is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing.” – Phyllis Diller

 

Kids can undo the work of an hour in less than 30 seconds. So why spend too much time on housework? Apply these house cleaning routines, and you’ll have a peaceful home in just a few minutes each day. Here’s to beating back the clutter!

1. Only Touch it Once

If you’re washing a pot, don’t just leave it in the drying rack. In my house, something in the drying rack will keep getting wet when I rinse other dishes, and end up staying there for days. Far better to dry and put the clean item away immediately if possible.

2. Don’t Go Up or Down the Stairs without Carrying Something

If you have a multi-story house, there is almost always something that needs to go up or down. Have something in your hands on every trip, and you won’t have piles to transfer later on.

3. If it Takes Less Than One Minute, Do it Now

It takes mental effort to remember every task. Rather than store a quick task away for later, just do it now. When I’m tired, this is my mantra. If it takes less than a minute, just do it now.

4. Do Your Future Self A Favor

It takes a little effort to hang up your clothes right after they come out of the dryer. It’s less work in the long run, though, since you avoid ironing when you’re ready to wear the clothes. Do your future self a favor and do a little more work now for a little less work later.

5. Control the Inflow

It’s hard to keep a clean house when you constantly have stuff coming in. It’s so hard with kids, but try to control the inflow of gifts, art, papers, and little trinkets. You’ll never stop the tide completely, but at least try to contain it!

6. Don’t Overthink Selling or Donating Unused Items

When you declutter, don’t get bogged down in the step where you actually get rid of the items. I used to try to sell things until I realized that usually it’s too much trouble to meet up with a buyer for every random item. Here’s my simple approach:

• If it’s not in good condition, recycle or throw away
• If you’ll get less than $30 for the item, donate it
• If you decide to sell something, price it aggressively and be specific about your ability to meet (e.g. I can meet at Wal-Mart on weekdays between noon and one) so you don’t spend time driving all over the place

7. Clean in small sections

I am very prone to distraction when I clean. I’ll carry something to another room, start picking up the new room and never finish the original room. So inefficient! Instead, focus on one room at a time. Do not move on to another room until you’ve finished the one you’re working on. To focus even more, divide the room into sections and focus on one section at a time. Make these sections small! One of my sections might be the countertop to the right of the sink or the floor of my room between the window and the bed. Micro-sections will really help you stay on task!

8. Commit to 5 Minutes a Day

There are days when you really, really don’t feel like cleaning. The kids are in bed (finally!) and you just want to sit down and relax. Instead of crashing right away, challenge yourself to do just five minutes of cleaning. You can do anything for five minutes, right? If you feel like stopping at the end of five minutes, stop. You may find that you keep going for another 5, 10 or 15 minutes and you have a pretty tidy house! If you do a little every day, it doesn’t take long to get things back into a decent state.

9. Make Your Bed

My husband and I recently starting making our bed and opening the curtains every morning. Somehow, the sense of calm that comes from making your bed radiates to the rest of your day. It also inspires you to keep your room cleaner. It’s really nice to turn the sheets back at the end of the day, too!

10. Entertain Yourself During Chores

Listen to a podcast, dance to music or watch TV while you get stuff done. I have a rule that I only watch my guilty pleasure TV shows when I’m folding laundry. You can put on your favorite playlist or check out a new podcast while you’re emptying the dishwasher. It feels a little bit like you’re unwinding, and you’re getting your chores done too.

11. Finish What You Start

This is a big one for me! If you fold the laundry, put it away. If your kids get some art supplies out, put them away (when they’re done with art). If you start a craft project, do your best to finish it. Unfinished projects or chores can create a big mess, so give yourself enough time to finish whatever it is you’re working on, or save it for another time.

12. Invite People Over

I love having the motivation that comes from inviting people over to the house! We always tidy up before guests visit, even if they’re just coming for a quick hello. This week, we had some people over to give us quotes on painting and we have a weekend visitor coming, so we’ve already cleaned up three or four times. It’s a record!

Make New Habits for a Cleaner House

It takes around 21 days to form a new habit, so I challenge you to try one or two of these tips that are new to you! Test the new house cleaning routines for a few weeks and see if you feel better about your home. My ultimate goal is to feel calm and happy in my surroundings, and I imagine that you want to feel the same way. With every new cleaning habit you implement, your home and your mindset will be a little more serene!