Best 5 tips for an efficient cleaning with minimal effort

Hello valuable mommies!

You are coming back home after a challenging day at work, thinking about dropping your kids off at their afternoon activities, checking their homework, and doing last-minute groceries because—of course—you missed that one ingredient necessary for tonight's dinner recipe. And on top of that, the sight of piled clothes, toys, cables, dirty dishes, crumbles on the floor and dust everywhere makes you want to scream! Does that sound familiar to you?

It certainly does to me… If you too are feeling overwhelmed by the demanding task of cleaning and believe that 24 hours per day are just not enough, welcome to the club. Maybe one day true equality between men and women when it comes to household chores will be achieved and that would be a significant relief. But for the time being, let me share with you my best cleaning hacks, the ones I come up with through blood, sweat and tears they help me enormously to maintain my house (and mental state) clean and organized most of the time, with minimal effort.

1. One room per day: This is my life-savior technique. Instead of dedicating a full day or two to a general cleaning spree and feeling like you've been hit by a truck afterward, try focusing on one specific room per day. Unless the space is an absolute disaster, it should not take you more than 10-15 minutes to clean and tidy it up. By doing a little bit each day, your home will always look relatively clean and put together.

Plus, this few-minutes-a-day cleaning technique will enhance your sense of productivity and help you avoid the overwhelming cleaning marathons that can destroy your weekend. This is a winner from every possible aspect!

2. Use all-in-one cleaners: Invest in multi-purpose cleaners that can be used on various surfaces. This saves time and reduces the number of products you need and inevitably, reduces the clutter in your cleaning closet. It goes without saying that your pocket will also be grateful…

3. Laundry routine: This is a major hack: if you have more than one kids, consider doing one load of laundry each day to prevent piles from building up. Fold and put away clothes immediately to keep things organized. Fold the clothes while watching a movie, or listening to an audiobook, or a podcast, just to turn these 5-10 minutes required into a fun activity!

4. Clean as you cook: Wash dishes and wipe down counters while cooking to avoid a big mess afterward. World’s biggest chefs are doing the very same, to keep their kitchen (= workspace) clean and organized and their mind focused. Why not borrow a bit of their wisdom?  

5. Nightly wipe-down: After kids’ bedtime, do a quick wipe-down of kitchen surfaces and load the dishwasher. Light a relaxing scented candle to help your spirit calm. Trust me, waking up to a clean, fresh smelling kitchen makes all the difference in setting the right tone for the day!

So my friends, when it comes to cleaning, it looks like the motto “work smarter, not harder”, really applies. I hope these tips will help you maintain a tidy home without spending too much time on cleaning and save instead some precious time for the much-needed self-care!

Love,

Katerina