An Extra Hour Every Day

Did you ever thing about how much time you spend cleaning your home throughout your entire life? Although this routine work represents a major part of our life’s, we behave like amateurs without thinking on how to streamline this often boring and unpleasant tasks. A lot of recommendations from professionals in the cleaning industry can also be used at home:

1) Don’t switch the TV on:

The TV distracts you and the danger of making a small break from time to time to watch some interesting part is high. Putting some dynamic music with a dynamic beat might rather motivate you in moving fast.

2) Tidy up first:

Don’t try tidying up and cleaning up the same time. These are two very different tasks that require different equipment and routines. You also cannot make a good cleaning job if there is clutter around. Before you clean you therefore have to tidy up first. If you have small kids you can use this to teach them that  if they do not tidy up their room does not get cleaned.

3) Use professional clothes:

Professionals in the cleaning industry use professional clothes with a lot of pockets. This allows you to carry a lot of equipment you need with you and reduces the distances you walk around. Putting on your “cleaning uniform” also helps getting the right mind-set to focus on cleaning without looking for distractions.

4) Get the right equipment:

Using the right equipment can significantly improve the results as well as the effort when cleaning stains, etc. Go to a good DIY or cleaning specialty store and find a competent sales representative to explain the best tools to you. Replace bushes and sponges. Ideally you write an expiry date on it with a water resistant pen.

5) Create a cleaning routine:

If you follow a routine you will get better and faster over time. Define an order of the tasks to be done and create checklist. You then complete the items from the top to the bottom and strike out each item when completed. Write down the time you started with the first task and calculate the duration when you finished the last item on your checklist. If you record the duration you can start competing with yourself to reduce it over time.

Related articles:

• Use checklists for routine work
• Use both hands for cleaning your home
• Save time planning your TV consumption
• Buying and storing cleanser at home
• 11 habits to clean your home clean

Every household keeps a collection of soap, shampoo and other cleansers. We usually do not change our brands frequently and the containers contents does not perish.

It therefore makes a  lot of sense to buy cleansers in large containers, so that you do not have to purchase them frequently.

On the other hand I recommend small dispensers. A friend working at Procter and Gamble once told me that they like selling big dispensers, because it unconsciously gives consumers a feeling of abundance which results in higher usage. A smaller dispenser has a notion of scarceness so you that you just use what you need. You have to refill the container more often but it saves you real money.

Related articles:

• Personal boxes in the bathroom

A few very simple habits can significantly contribute to a clean home. The basic philosophy of these habit is: Do it now. Whenever you are in one of these situations, remind yourself the “Do it NOW” and it will slowly become a real habit.

1) Coming home from a trip:

Unpack your bags immediately. Put the clean stuff in your storage and put the dirty stuff directly into the washing machine.

2) Coming home from sports:

Unpack your bag, put your clothes directly into the washing machine and clean the equipment or accessories.

3) Washing:

After the washing machine finished directly put your clothes into the dryer or on the clothesline. Otherwise they get a bad smell and you have to wash them again.

4) Cleaning your shoes:

Clean your shoes when arriving home. Otherwise you might want to leave and realize that your shoes need a brush, you might not have the time to do this.

5) Undressing:

Put the clean things directly on a hanger and put the dirty things into the basket.

6) Mobile devices:

When arriving home directly connect mobile devices to their chargers, so that you never run out of battery just because you forgot it.

7) When cooking:

During cooking directly throw away the waste and keep cleaning the kitchen in between. You then do not have to clean a huge mess after you finished eating.

After eating:

Directly clean up yourself and wash everything directly or put it into the dishwasher.

9) Receiving mail:

When you open envelopes and boxes directly throw them away so that they are around for days or weeks. If you have to file something you better also do it immediately.

10) Getting up:

Make the bed just after you got up.

11) Tools:

After using gardening or other tools tidy them. This also increases safety in your household.

Related articles:

• Have a box for each family member in the entrance
• The one in - one out principle
• Lay the table in advance