Cleaning the house is a tedious and time-consuming chore. As a busy person, I’m always looking for ways to get it done faster without compromising quality. After years of experimentation, I’ve discovered some simple tricks to cut my cleaning time in half by multi-tasking.
Tackle Multiple Rooms at Once
One of the best ways I’ve found to speed up my cleaning is to work on multiple rooms simultaneously. Here are some of my favorite multi-room techniques:
Start Laundry While Cleaning
I start a load of laundry at the beginning of my cleaning session. While the washing machine is running, I clean another area like the bathroom or kitchen. Switching the laundry over when needed allows me to make progress in two rooms at once.
Vacuum While Dusting
I’ll bring the vacuum into the room I’m dusting and go back and forth between both tasks. Dusting takes no effort from me physically, so I can easily stop to vacuum a section, then go back to dusting. This shaves significant time off working on them separately.
Scrub Bathrooms During Downtime
For cleaning tasks that require letting chemicals sit, like scrubbing tile grout, I take advantage of the downtime to tidy up another room. I spray the bathroom, then head to the living room to pick up toys while the grime loosens.
Combine Multiple Tasks per Room
I also utilize every minute spent in a room by combining complementary tasks. This prevents wasted time from repeating setup and transitions between rooms.
Wash Walls While Cleaning Surfaces
When tidying up a room, I’ll fill a bucket for washing walls and grab a sponge. As I dust furniture and pick up clutter, I take a quick wipe to any dirty walls within reach.
Scrub Surfaces During Bathroom Cleaning
In the bathroom, I start by cleaning the mirror, then scrub the sink basin while cleaning supplies sit on the toilet and shower walls. I’m able to thoroughly clean every necessary surface this way.
Sweep While Vacuuming
I’ll do a quick dry sweep of floors before I vacuum. This picks up all the big debris first so my vacuum can focus on deeper cleaning. The dual process leaves floors extra clean.
Streamline Transitions Between Tasks
I minimize downtime between tasks through smart planning. This keeps me in constant motion and avoids wasting time.
- I gather all needed supplies for several tasks at once before I start cleaning.
- I focus on cleaning top to bottom and front to back within each room.
- I group tasks by room proximity to limit unnecessary movements.
Embrace Multi-Tasking Limits
Despite my best efforts, I know I can only multi-task effectively to a certain point before quality suffers. I avoid going overboard by:
- Not taking on multiple tasks requiring intense focus simultaneously.
- Building in breaks to reset when needed.
- Recognizing when it’s best to focus on a single project.
With the right approach, multi-tasking can cut cleaning time dramatically without compromising results. Try out some of my favorite go-to techniques to make the most of your valuable time. You’ll be amazed by what you can accomplish in just half the time!
