How to reduce your cleaning

Let’s be real… cleaning is not the best way to be spending your weekends. This easy, seven-step cleaning guide will ensure you stop wasting your precious time cleaning the house. Pronto.

 

Tidy as you go

It may sound completely obvious, but one of the main reasons why people spend so long cleaning is because there is so much to do! Having a few simple – but effective – habits, such as cleaning up after you’ve eaten, putting things away, and wiping up messes the moment you see them, makes it much easier to stay afloat of your housework.

Most importantly, instilling habits into yourself and your loved ones will ensure that the cleaning job is almost halved (effort, and time-wise!). A good tip is to make a rule that you don’t eat meals in front of the television, rather at a table, where the mess is much more condensed and easier to clean.

 

Do a load

This step kind of ties in with the last; try to get into the routine of putting on a load of washing on every day, or second day. Whether you do it before you go to work or head out for the day, this simple step will ensure that you’re not spending your weekends doing load after load of washing! If you’ve got a washing machine with a delay-start timer, you can even have it set to finish right before you’re due home so you can hang it up as soon as you arrive!

 

Start the day clean

This trick has a two-fold effect: you’ll cut oodles off of your cleaning time, and you’ll feel more motivated to take on the day! incorporating general tidying of your bedroom/bathroom into your wake-up routine is a great way to ensure your home is tidy (even if a little dirty), which will certainly clear your mind a bit more in preparation for the day ahead.

Personally, I can’t relax when I see mess and clutter in my home, so start keeping your private spaces tidy and let it work its wonders on the mind!

 

 

Follow a cleaning schedule

A simple weekly cleaning schedule will ascertain that your home is actually clean, but won’t overwhelm you or leave you feeling exhausted afterwards! This schedule can outline which days to do which tasks, and is great to keep you on top of what you have/haven’t done so you’re not over working (make sure you get the kids involved too!).

Tailor your schedule to what is most achievable for you, whether its 15 minutes uninterrupted each night, or an hour on a Sunday arvo. Find what works best for you and your lifestyle to keep your motivated to keep it up!

 

Create a cleaning pack

If you follow the step above and give yourself set times on a day or each night to clean, creating a ‘cleaning pack’ will ensure you don’t waste time going back and forth to get more cleaning products and tools!

Make sure you have: surface cleaners, cloths, and perhaps a feather duster – a cheap plastic basket will do the trick! Labels help too, even if you use a permanent market and write your own labels.

 

 

Focus on the areas that matter

That is, if time is running out!! If you’re in a rush, pay attention to what will be seen, and what needs it most: high-traffic areas. Areas such as kitchens and bathrooms are constantly used, and must be kept hygienic, so this is always a good place to start! Next, if you and your family eat while watching television (which most of us do), target this area, as there are always hidden crumbs!

If you’re working on a very short deadline, a simple dust, vacuum and wipe down will do the trick until you can attend the rooms with a little bit more lovin’. Leave studies, guest bedrooms and outdoor areas for a day where you’ve got all the time in the world!

 

Create some hacks

It is always good to have some tricks up your sleeve when it comes to cleaning. Use any or all of these hacks we’ve outlined below – or create your own – to cut your cleaning time down as much as possible:

Surface wipes: leave a packet of disposable (and biodegradable) surface wipes in multiple rooms throughout the house. Places like bathrooms, ensuites and kitchens collect dust and grime quickly, so these wipes are the perfect defense line to remove unwanted dirt and germs in a simple swipe.

Baskets: keep a basket in every room of the house – and I mean every! Use this to quickly toss items into when cleaning a space to reduce any clutter while mopping or vacuuming. Then, you can simply go through the basket! What a great way to also get rid of unnecessary household items.

Wipe down glass: start quickly wiping over your shower screens after every shower, clean glass doors in high-traffic areas daily and wipe down the occasional window to avoid getting buildup of dirt and grime. The longer you leave it, the harder it will become to remove – and no one wants dirty glass!