7 Time Management Tips for Cleaning Your House

If keeping a clean and clutter-free house feels like being on a never-ending carousel ride of tasks, there's a better way that doesn't involve spending your entire weekend cleaning. A tidier house is within your grasp when you have a plan to tackle your chore list with efficiency and a bit of speed, too. Here are seven housekeeping tips for managing your time more efficiently.

1. Keep a Full Stock of Cleaning Supplies 

Household tasks are infinitely more manageable when you have the tools you need to complete them ready to go. This means replenishing your stock of cleaners, paper towels or cloths, duster refills, and anything else you need to keep your house clean. This also includes plugging in any handheld vacuums or other devices that need to be recharged. If you're reluctant to take on a household task, not having any of these items ready to pick up will always be your excuse for not getting things done. 

2. Put Away Laundry ASAP

There's nothing like the smell of fresh clothes out of the dryer, but don't let this be why you keep them in your laundry basket for a week. Take the time to put your laundry away each time so you're not cluttering up your bedroom, dining room table, or any place else clean laundry can accumulate. Suppose you discover that you're not putting your clothes away in a timely fashion because your closet or dresser is overflowing. In that case, it's time to use these declutter tips and either donate or sell your extra clothes to a consignment shop. 

3. Group Similar Tasks for Faster Results

Housekeeping might not resemble a game to you, but you can make it feel a little bit more playful when you break tasks down to do them faster. For example, when you unload your dishwasher, unload all the items at the same time, like the silverware, then the dishes, then the cups and mugs. If you attempt to put away a spoon followed by a cup followed by a plate, it'll take you forever.

The same strategy also works for laundry. Sort the pile of dry clothing into groups of similar apparel, like socks, underwear, T-shirts, etc. You'll be pleasantly surprised to see how quickly you can fold that avalanche of socks instead of mixing them into shirts and other clothes.

4. Tidy a Little Bit Every Day

No, we're not trying to make you clean more—just smarter! If you let clutter pile up, then it's no wonder you'll end up spending hours cleaning your house. Take 10 minutes to tidy your home every day, particularly the surfaces in the rooms you spend the most time in. You'll have less to do by the time cleaning day rolls around. You might even find that you're trained to put these things away. For example, break the habit of leaving your coffee mug in your sink and either wash it right away or put it directly in the dishwasher.

5. Sort Mail as It Arrives 

Every trip to the mailbox should result in a quick sorting of mail. Put all the unwanted mail right in the recycling pile so you’re left with just the most important items. Keep a basket or decorative tray nearby as an in-real-life inbox so you have easy access to paper bills and magazines, which you might actually get to read sooner now that you're sorting your mail each day.

6. Set a Timer for Chores

Cleaning is one of those things that can be an endless task if you let it. Productivity experts suggest setting a timer for complicated or unsavory tasks to see how much work you can get done within a specific timeframe. 

Try it with cleaning. Set a timer for 15 minutes and see how much you can tidy up and clean in a room. You might be amazed to see that cleaning your space doesn't have to take all day. Plus, when you're on the clock, you'll find ways to speed up the process and maybe even learn a new strategy or two for keeping it cleaner in the first place. 

7. Schedule or Delegate Tasks 

No rule says you've got to do all of your cleaning in one day—or all by yourself. Consider assigning certain tasks only on a particular day or time. For example, instead of cleaning one room at a time, choose a day where you'll vacuum your entire house so you don't have to haul out your vacuum cleaner constantly. 

Or, if there's room in your budget and you're putting off a particularly loathsome task, hire someone else to do it for you, like a local cleaning service or professional organizer near you. When you hire a pro, you're getting someone to do the work better and faster than you would, which can be well worth it.