The last thing busy moms want to think about is cleaning. There’s so much on their plates already, that this task is probably the least favourite. But, since it cannot be avoided as a clean house contributes to a better quality of life, there are ways to cut house chores in half. It might take you a few times until you cut down the time to half, but with our tips and guidance, you’ll get there faster.
Work on a plan
If you want to be efficient, sit down and make a plan. Since your goal is to be as efficient as possible on a tight schedule, having a plan makes everything easier. Sit down and write a list of tasks you need to complete for a week. You can alter this plan on a weekly basis until you come up with several plans which you can use later on. Some of the chores will repeat weekly, some won’t, and there will be also those urgent tasks like mopping something spilt. Most important tasks always go first and then you’ll move to smaller tasks. Put everything in writing, so you’ll know in which order to do things. Of course, it’s okay if you step away from the plan and improvise if you feel like that.
Include every member of the family
Each family member spends time in the kitchen. Everyone uses the bathroom equally. Every person living in your house is an equal member of the household. With this in mind, including every member of the family, as equally as possible. Even if you have young kids, they can still contribute based on their age group and capabilities.
Kids learn through play, so doing chores can become a game. With every completed task they get a number of points. Every milestone means something special. For example, on every 100 points, kids get to choose a game to play on a family game night. Also, by including kids in daily and weekly chores, kids will feel their contribution is valued and that everyone contributes to the well-being of the entire family.
Men can do chores
Man can be equally good at doing chores, it’s just a matter of communicating everything clearly and giving your 100% to your household. Busy moms need to learn how to include their partners 100% and equally participate in household chores. Sit down, make a list, divide chores and conquer. That’s the key to a happily partnered life.
Outsource a portion of your to-do list
Every busy person can buy time by delegating a portion of their to-do list. By making smart choices, you’ll get more time in your day. You won’t have to learn magic to be able to get more time in your day. You just have to outsource some of your chores and hire house cleaning services. The cure for being busy all the time is to ask for help when you need it.
By delegating a portion of your chores, you can focus on other things like spending quality time with your kids or working on other goals in life. Even if you feel like this is something you can’t afford, try hiring a kid next door to mow your loan or wash your car.
Declutter first and declutter often
The key to cutting your chores in half is to declutter your home first. Clutter is something that creates visual clutter. If you feel like every shelf, every surface is stacked with things, cut it all in half. This will decrease visual clutter and reduce your stress. Cleaning or any other household chore is easiest when you prepare the area. Get into the habit of putting back everything after its use. Children should learn how to put their toys away, where to put dirty laundry and how to clean after themselves.
Next, fold the laundry regularly. This will make folding or ironing the laundry easier because you won’t create a mountain of clothes. So, declutter first and declutter often to cut down chores in half.
Set a timer
A timer is a useful way to learn about the time needed to do a specific task. This can also motivate you to be faster and more strategic with your chores and smart with your time. Set a timer to 15 minutes to deal with laundry. Once the timer runs out, move to another task. This way you won’t be overwhelmed by one thing, especially if you have a lot to do. Or, if you have just two hours of free time and you have to tackle the mess you made, divide the time into several 20-minute or 30-minutes tasks. You’ll feel like you’ve accomplished everything because you’ve been strategic with your time.
Do work in chunks
Another great strategy is to do work in chunks. For example, you can run a washing machine daily, so you won’t have an enormous pile of clothes, you’ll break it down into chunks. You can dust off your furniture on Mondays, vacuum the apartment on Tuesdays, and so on. By breaking everything into chunks, you can easily do daily maintenance and make sure your place is tidy most of the time.
If it will take you just five minutes, do it immediately
Get into the habit of cleaning after yourself. If it takes you five or under five minutes to complete a chore, do it. Let’s say that you’ve been cooking and you have to clean the kitchen. It will take you just five minutes to return every ingredient to its place in the cupboard. The same applies to any other room or activity you’ve engaged in that leaves a mess afterwards.
Clean your house in zones
Separate your house in several zones and clean strategically according to zones. This can be done twice a month when you do deep cleaning. Every room can be one zone, so you clean the bathroom zone on Mondays, the living room zone on Tuesdays, and so on.
In conclusion – keep a schedule
When you’re busy, your greatest excuse would be that you don’t have the time. The solution here is to keep a schedule and stick to it as much as you can. But, also remember that it’s completely okay to stray away from the schedule and just do as much as you can and feel like doing it.
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