Nobody wants to spend his or her weekend doing boring housework. No, we would all much rather relax and have fun. But, unfortunately, even if you hate doing housework (and unless you want to live in absolute squalor) there are some chores you simply can’t ignore. So how can you keep a clean house, but spend as little time as possible doing the housework?
Create a Schedule
Being organised is a good way of maximising what little time you do have. Cleaning haphazardly is always inefficient. You might get one or two jobs done, but often the most important tasks are forgotten and before you know it, dust is accumulating and the bathroom is a health hazard. To ensure you get the key jobs done, create a schedule for housework and give everyone a job.
Cook One-Pot Meals
Cooking meals from scratch is usually more desirable (and healthy) than spending money on ready meals and takeout food, but it takes time to do this. Of course if you are a cooking enthusiast, great, feel free to spend your evenings chopping, slicing and sautéing exotic ingredients. But if you are like the rest of us, invest in a slow cooker and learn the art of one-pot meals. Simply put the ingredients in before work and you’ll have a delicious meal waiting for you when you get home.
Invest in a Steam Cleaner
A steam cleaner provides a fast and practical way of keeping hard floors, including laminate, hygienically clean. These devices are really effective at getting rid of dirt, and cleaners from top brands like Karcher will remove up to 99.99% of bacteria. The best part about these cleaners is the fact that they clean purely using steam and nothing else, so there’s no need to keep stocking up on cleaning products to clean your floors with.
Re-Use Clothes
Don’t be too quick to wash clothes after one wear. Unless they are caked in dirt or food residue, there is no reason why you can’t wear jeans, jumpers and pyjamas twice or even three times. Even gym clothes can be worn several times – after all, are they really going to smell any worse after another session on the spin bike?
Delegate Cleaning Chores
I’m not suggesting you pay someone to clean your house – although this is a good option if you can afford it – but rather than struggling to do the housework yourself, try delegating some of the chores to other family members. Kids can strip their own beds off and even do their own laundry, whereas partners can take a turn with the vacuum cleaner once a week.
Carry Stuff Upstairs When You Go
Instead of making a special trip and wasting time, put items on the stairs for the next available person to carry up. The same applies to things that need to be brought down. Just be careful not to turn them into a trip hazard or you might end up nursing a fractured leg for several weeks.
Clean the Bathroom Whilst Using It
Clean the bathroom while the kids are in the bath. That way you can keep an eye on them whilst scrubbing the toilet and sink. It is also easier to clean the shower straight after use, and it will save you lots of time.
There are lots of ways to save time and effort on the housework – you just need to take advantage of a few shortcuts!