As a busy parent, you’re likely juggling your kids, a career, and household chores at a minimum. When you add socializing and any spare leisure time you can get, cleaning seems like an impossible task to fit into your routine. Cleaning isn’t negotiable, though; kids are messy, and you don’t want to live in filth! Thankfully, you can keep your home sparkling clean without wearing yourself too thin or losing precious work hours. You just need to get a little creative and add some convenience to your routine.
Diversify Your Vacuum Collection
Some vacuums work more efficiently than others, but they won’t do you much good if you’re too tired or busy to pull them out of the closet. You may want to add more vacuums to your arsenal for quicker cleanups. Handheld vacuums can help you suck up localized messes quicker and easier than lugging out your full-size vacuum. Smaller, flexible, battery-operated stick vacuums may help you do a quick in-between cleaning for a fresher living area with less time and effort. Robot vacuums can be programmed to a schedule and will help scoop up crumbs and dirt while you’re busy. When you’ve got more options that can fit your schedule, you can keep a much cleaner home.
Invest in a Quicker Mop
Traditional mops do an excellent job of keeping hard floors clean, especially in bathrooms. However, filling a bucket with water and cleaner and then cleaning it up afterward can deter you from mopping as often as you should. While you don’t want to eliminate your traditional mop, you can invest in solutions that make the job easier. Some buckets have built-in wringers to make the job smoother. There are spray mops with cleaners built inside for quick cleanups and in-between cleanings. Some robot vacuums also come with a mopping option! Like vacuums, you want to provide faster solutions for yourself. You’ll keep your home fresher more often.
Use a Convenient Lawnmower
Lawn care can be time-consuming, and when your weekend is booked to the brim, it’s likely the last thing you want to do. Unfortunately, lawns don’t mow themselves unless you want to hire a landscaping crew. You can save a ton of money doing it yourself, and you can cut the time and effort spent on cutting your lawn with the right mower. When was the last time you got a new lawnmower? Go out and scope the different mowers for sale. Consider a riding mower to reduce the amount of labor required to cut the grass. Electric mowers may be suitable to avoid the hassle of refilling a gas-powered mower. Consider the features you’d want out of a mower to make the task simple and quick.
Take Advantage of Your Dishwasher
Are you handwashing your dishes every night? Not only are you likely wasting more water than the dishwasher, but you’re also wasting valuable time. Use your home’s dishwasher, and if you don’t have one, you may want to consider getting one installed. A dishwasher can handle many types of dishes, from glasses to cooking pans, so you can spend more time doing more important tasks. All you need to do is scrape your plate of larger food debris and throw it in the dishwasher. Leave the handwashing to non-dishwasher-friendly items only. Your schedule will thank you.
Set a Timer
You may think you don’t have time for cleaning, but you can likely spare a few minutes in between tasks or at the end of the day. Set a timer for five, ten, or fifteen minutes—whatever you can spare—and clean as much as possible. Try to tackle the most problematic areas, like wiping down counters or sweeping up the floor. Small improvements can make a major difference.
Incorporate Cleaning Into Your Routine
It’s easier to get tasks done when we’re used to doing them as part of a routine. You’re likely doing a lot of tasks before you go to bed, such as preparing lunches, choosing your work clothes, and brushing your teeth. As you’re doing these tasks, consider selecting a cleaning task to get done each day, too. Choose to wipe down the counter or scrub your toilet. You’ll get these chores done more often without severely impacting your routine.
Break Tasks Into Smaller Steps
When you think of cleaning as an entire multi-step project that can take hours, you’re not going to get anything done. Break tasks down if you need to. Instead of dusting, vacuuming, and mopping, consider just dusting first. Alternatively, you can tackle the process room by room instead of the entire home. You can even break down one task into smaller steps, such as vacuuming one part of the room and then tackling the rest later. Give yourself more time and flexibility, and cleaning is much easier.
Conclusion
If you constantly feel like you don’t have time for cleaning, you may need to change up your routine. Give yourself more break time to rest, and consider breaking tasks up into smaller, manageable steps. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your partners, friends, family, or even your kids if they’re old enough. You can assign chores to lighten the burden on yourself. Investing in tools and equipment that make cleaning easier is worth it; you may need to budget, but a clean home is important for you and your family.