How to clean your house when you have no time...It is possible!.
I'm a full-time teacher in a secondary school, which means lots of paper work and class preparation at home; indeed, sometimes it seems the only thing I do is correcting and looking for new class material (teenagers! they get tired of everything soooo fast! but that's how it works, we've all been there...).
Besides, I don't have a housekeeper to help me at home, and I refuse to have one, at least, until we're debt free. It seems I have too much to do in too little time, but I'm committed to not spending more than 30 minutes everyday in doing the housework. Here is how:
- Keep a cleaning schedule. This will help you a lot, and with time you won't even have to look at it. However, don't be feel discouraged if you can't fulfill it one day; sometimes, you might be too tired to clean, or you have unexpected guests, or you have to take your kids to the doctor. Continue the following day. I've organised mine by tasks instead of by weekdays because, being a working mom, it's not easy to do that exact chore that exact day (i.e. do the dusting on Mondays). Besides, I do them in a cyclical way which takes two weeks. You can see a summary of my cleaning schedule in http://www.organisedandhappy.com/2015/11/survival-tips-for-working-moms/
- Set a timer. I know it's what everybody says, but it's true! or you'll spend all your time cleaning. 30 minutes is enough for me. Unless I'm about to finish, if time is over, I usually stop and go on the next day.
- Split tasks in two (or three or four!): for example, today I've had to wash floors, but obviously I haven't had time to do it all, so I've done half of the house, and I'll finish tomorrow. To be true, if I'm really busy, I divide the house into three parts and deal with them separately. And to be true again, I don't feel guilty. The house is as clean as if I'd done it in one day: Maintenance is the key to have a clean home.
- Always clean with a wipe in your hand. But...why???? because lots of stains on floors and furniture are removed easily with wipes. I'm pro-wipes, I love them, I always have several packs in the basement...they are a blessing! This will help you keep your house clean. And the next question is... how? Suppose you have to clean walls or doors...take the duster on one hand and a wipe on the other, and as you go from room to room, clean that spot in the mirror, on the floor, etc.
- Be strict with your morning and night routines. You can read my posts for a full explanation http://www.organisedandhappy.com/2015/11/5-night-habits-that-will-ease-your-mornings/ and http://www.organisedandhappy.com/2015/10/3-habits-that-will-make-your-day/. They are the basic chores in my house (beds, bathroom, kitchen and decluttering ). If I don't do them, the house is a mess.
- Vacuum your house everyday. Fast. No more than 10 minutes; do it in two or three days if your house is big, but do it. Vacuuming will help you keep your floors clean and your furniture free of dust. This is something I hardly miss doing everyday. http://www.organisedandhappy.com/2015/12/3-reasons-vacuum-everyday/
I hope you find it useful, and if you have any comments or ideas, please write them below!
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