How To Cut Cleaning Time in Half & Make Time for Things You Enjoy

I’m a firm believer in cutting any time you have to spend cleaning, and I’ve spent the last few years trying different tricks. Some things worked great, while others created more work, and because I want you to live your best life possible, I’m going to share with you exactly how to cut cleaning time in half!

The best news is that you don’t have to be a minimalist to cut your cleaning time in half! You just have to implement a few things into your routine. Easy peasy, right?!

If you don’t know about my cleaning routine story, let me share it with you.

I used to spend Saturdays cleaning my home versus going out with friends to do something fun because I didn’t know how to manage a cleaning routine.

I was a new wife, a college student, and had two jobs. It was a very overwhelming time in my life, to say the least. Cleaning wasn’t a priority on my list, even though it needed to be.

What made it worse was that I was that I thought I was the only person who could clean. I got mad at my husband for helping [hindsight is definitely 20/20] and allowed dirty clothes to pile up until I didn’t have any clean clothes to wear.

Things were definitely a hot mess back then, and not my proudest moment in time.

You see, I didn’t have the tools I have now, and too many people share similar stories to this, which is why I’m sharing this information with you!

The biggest mistake I used to make with my cleaning routine was leaving it all for one long day of the week. I wasn’t proactive in keeping things clutter-free or clothes clean.

I seriously left it all for the weekend.

When things changed with my cleaning routine…

One day, I had enough of spending my Saturdays cleaning my house. I started looking for pockets of time to tidy my home.

After that became a habit, I started trying different things, and long story short, I literally cut my cleaning time in half with little tips and tricks I learned along the way.

The greatest news is that my cleaning routine now takes less than 30 minutes a day!

This transformation has been life-changing, and the best part is that I can do whatever I please on Saturdays!

Now that I have mastered a cleaning routine that takes less than 30 minutes a day, I have to share with you all the tips that help me achieve this!

How to cut cleaning time in half

1 // Deal with the mail as it enters the home

Do not avoid sorting your mail! This can lead to paying bills late and creating unnecessary clutter overwhelm.

Recycle junk mail, file important paperwork, and keep bills handy so that you can pay them on time.

Related Post: How to Organize Paperwork in Your Home the Easy Way!

2 // Put dishes in the dishwasher when you’re finished with it

There is nothing worse than a pile of dirty dishes in the sink, so make sure you keep your dishwasher ready to accept dirty dishes.

I personally run my dishwasher at night, open it the next morning to unload, and can add any dirty dishes throughout the day into it.

It keeps your sink clutter-free and is one less step to getting your dirty dishes clean.

If you don’t have a dishwasher, do a quick washing of your dish as soon as you are finished with it.

When you’re cooking and using several pots and dishes, clean as you go. If you have a couple of minutes in between cooking things, do a quick washing of the dirty dishes.

This will reduce the cleaning time for the final cleanup.

3 // Make sure everything has a home

The BIGGEST SECRET to overcoming clutter is making sure everything has a home. When everything has a home, you can actually clean your home and feel accomplished afterward.

When you stuff, shift, or move something around without giving it a home, you are telling that item that it isn’t important to you or necessary to have.

This is a great way to figure out what to declutter as you clean and something I use frequently to ensure my home stays tidy.

The truth is you will always have clutter if you don’t give everything you have a designated home.

4 // Keep countertops clear

This not only makes your home feel more spacious and clean, but it also helps to calm your mind. When your countertops are clear of unnecessary things, there is less to think about cleaning, which helps you relax and enjoy your home.

When you finish cooking or getting ready in the bathroom, be sure you put everything you pulled out back where it belongs.

It takes less than a minute, and it keeps your home clean and tidy for far longer than if you don’t do this!

I have trays for my skincare and makeup products. I pull out the one I need, wash my face or put on my makeup, put the product back in the tray when I’m done, and then the tray goes back under the sink.

While it sounds like one more step when you’re getting ready in the morning, it only takes 15 seconds to deal with, and it is worth the results!

5 // Clean as you go

Similar to the dishes, you want to clean as you go throughout your home. Picking up things here and there or taking care of tasks that take less than 2 minutes go a really long way to keeping your house clean.

For example, you brush your teeth and get toothpaste on the countertop and mirror. Instead of leaving that for when you are ready to clean, grab a washcloth and wipe it off then and there.

No, this isn’t a deep clean or an all-purpose cleaning, but it does cut down on dirt, dust, and grim building up on top of the toothpaste.

If I had implemented this when I was first married, I wouldn’t have spent all of my Saturdays cleaning my house.

Yes, it makes that much of a difference!

6 // Implement the One-Touch Rule

The One-Touch Rule is a basic principle that every momma wishes their child would learn. [I was in my mid-twenties before developing this as a habit.]

This rule is exactly as it sounds. If you need the scissors to cut something, put them back once you’re finished with them.

This cuts down on so much unnecessary clutter and ensures that something is where it is supposed to be when you need it again.

Imagine your home without this rule:

• Scissors on the nightstand with a cup of water, books, and relaxing essential oils from last night.
• Clothes you tried on but didn’t wear, ending up on the floor.

[We won’t even acknowledge the laundry basket full of clean clothes that needed to be put away.]

Now imagine your home with this rule:

• Scissors back in their home after being used, a cup of water is in the kitchen, only one book on the nightstand being read and all the rest in the bookcase, and essential oils back in their home.
• Clothes you tried on but didn’t wear are hanging in the closet where they should be.

[That laundry basket full of clean clothes we weren’t going to acknowledge above is put away, not crowding the bedroom floor.]

7 // Never leave a room empty-handed

The cool thing about this tip is that it takes no extra time! So any momma or busy woman who says they have zero time to do anything will LOVE using this tip!

It’s really simple.

If you’re leaving a room, scan the room to see if anything belongs in the room you’re going to or another one along the way. Grab anything you see and take it into the room it belongs to.

When you get into the habit of this, you’ll notice that you’re tidying your home effortlessly, and it will encourage you to keep doing it!

8 // Clean from top to bottom

One mistake I used to make was starting at the floor and working my way up to the ceiling. However, gravity pulls down dust, dander, crumbs, etc., and it is hard to get your home clean when you attempt cleaning this way.

By starting at the top, and working your way to the bottom, you can clean more thoroughly, which means that your efforts actually provide results!

9 // Use fewer cleaners

The truth is that you only need a natural all-purpose cleaner to clean your entire home. When you use a different cleaner for each and everything in your home, you slow down your progress.

Grabbing one cleaner and a cleaning rag or two to clean your house means no lagging around caddies, which also saves your energy for cleaning.

10 // Use my workbook – A Simple Cleaning Routine

It’s no secret that I love having a cleaning routine that takes very little time to maintain, and I hate that women all over the world struggle with having a cleaning routine that works for them.

A Simple Cleaning Routine is designed to help you create a cleaning routine that fits your lifestyle. It provides step-by-step instructions for creating your cleaning routine, including what you need to clean and how often.

The truth is that a cleaning routine isn’t a one-size-fits-all, so I also offer advice for when life gets in the way and derails your routine.

There are also some very helpful bonuses I’ve included to ensure you have success with a simpler cleaning routine.

Get your copy here!

Final thoughts about how to cut cleaning time

Now that you know how to cut cleaning time in half, it is time to take action! Don’t just read through this blog post without implementing these tips.

If you’re reading this it is because you are sick and tired of spending so much time cleaning your home. Now you have the tools with these tips and my workbook to go after the life you want!

Yes, I’m very passionate about helping you live more intentionally and reducing your time doing things that aren’t helping you achieve your best life possible.

Sure! A clean house helps you focus, but spending all your free time cleaning it is distracting.

Okay, I’m leaving my soapbox and wishing you the very best day that includes you trying all the ways you can cut cleaning time in half!

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Related Posts:

• The Key to Clearing Clutter Fast! It’s Time to Remove Unnecessary Clutter
• Declutter Fast: How to Declutter a House When You Zero Time
• How to Get Your Life Together and Make Your Dream Life a Reality