I hate cleaning. Plus sometimes it just feels like a wasted effort when the mess is back an hour later. And then if that weren't enough to dissuade you, the time it takes can be incredible. Hours to clean what takes my kids 30 seconds to dirty. On the other hand, the peace of mind that comes with a clean and organized home is amazing. You can physically feel the difference when you enter a clean room. It also does wonders for your mindset! So, in order to help you get in and out of cleaning mode more quickly, here are some tips to make cleaning go faster.
Be Conscious About Your Amount of Decor
I love a well designed house. A trip to Home Goods can lead to a full trunk and empty bank account. However, dusting time can drag on when you have a ton of different frames and knick knacks and figurines on your surfaces. Since this is not a budgeting post, I won't tell you to stop buying things. On the other hand, it will definitely serve you to put less out at one time.
Get a large container for all your decor items and rotate. Have a few things out at a time that add to the design but don't overwhelm. This will decrease dusting time with the added bonus of bringing new life and focus to your current decor items. You can rotate decor seasonally to change up the look of your home.
Remember Who Lives There
If you are reading this blog, there is a pretty good chance that you have kids. I have two myself. Having them has taught me a few things about decorating my home. Some are obvious like don't decorate with light colored fabrics unless you want to constantly be cleaning these fabrics. Don't decorate with glass object on low surfaces. Here are some others which may not be as obvious.
Don't put a ton of throw pillows on the couch unless you like constantly picking them up off the floor. Don't use flat paint on the walls unless you want scrubbing the walls to be your go-to arm workout. Pick low maintenance materials for surfaces like floors, counters, and tables. You don't want to spend all your cleaning time rubbing out stains.
Time Management Tips
Schedule cleaning time and be realistic about the time frame. If you have a set time frame, you will be more motivated to get it done quickly and efficiently.
Use comforters instead of blankets to make the bed. Far less fussing is required to straighten out a comforter versus a blanket.
Don't answer calls while cleaning. Let it go to voicemail. You want to get in and out and phone calls will take you out of the zone making it take that much longer to clean.
Keep sponges and cleaners in each bathroom if you have more than one. This makes them readily accessible for a quick clean.
In the kitchen, If you don't use it everyday, take it off the counter. This makes it so much easier to just wipe the counter clean after food prep.
Use Your Crew
Having kids means you have built in mess makers but you also have built in helper. Enlist the help of your kids when cleaning. Give age appropriate tasks like dusting or putting away utensils. Young kids especially love to help, so let them. Have them wipe the baseboard while you clean the walls. Let them dry the dishes. Make a race of who can make their bed the fastest. Even the smallest task that you don't have to do can decrease your overall clean up time.
I hope these tips will increase the speed of your next cleaning project. As far as decluttering the surfaces, don't go all in through the whole house. You don't need that kind of overwhelm. Do one area at a time and you will get through it.
Do you have tips that help you clean faster? Share them in the comments!
Cheers,
Emily
