How To Make Housecleaning Easier

I confess, I am not one who likes to do house cleaning. But yet I do my best coz' I know it is my responsibility. Plus, having a DH that is a clean freak makes it hard for me to ignore the dirt, dust and clutter.

Cleaning house is a never-ending job. I am so happy when I see my laundry basket empty, even if it is only for a few minutes. Getting laundry done is like trying to achieve an elusive dream. Let's not forget the kitchen sink. Somehow, an empty cup or dirty spoon will magically show up there. Oh, the pesky dust never stays away for long. Sometimes it seems that there are just not enough hours in the day to keep the house clean and get everything else done too.

A friend of mine once shared with me her house cleaning routine. I was amazed. It is so true that if you want to stay on top of housecleaning, it is essential for you to have a routine. However, every situation is different, so the routine that works for your mother, sister, or friend may or may not work for you. But we can all create our own routines to make housecleaning easier.

Here are some housecleaning tips that may help:

• Tackle one room at a time. Many of us don't have an entire day to dedicate to house cleaning every week. Doing one room at a time allows us to break the work up into smaller chunks while still accomplishing something noticeable. One or two rooms each day should allow us to get the whole house clean in a week's time.
  
  
• Do one task at a time, but do it for the whole house. This is another effective way to break the work up. For example, you could dust the entire house from end to end and be done with it. Then you could move on to sweeping or vacuuming. Doing things this way will save time by eliminating a lot of the "stop and go" as well.
  
  
• Try grouping certain tasks together to multitask. Chores like doing the laundry do not require constant attention, so we can do other things while we're waiting for the clothes to be washed and dried. Associating another task with it that is more labor-intensive, like dusting or cleaning the kitchen, can increase our productivity. Once the first load is finished, we can fold or iron clothes while waiting for the next load.
  
  
• Break larger tasks up into smaller ones if they become too monotonous. Some of us have rooms that it seems to take forever to clean, or certain chores that we just hate to do. Breaking them up into smaller, more manageable parts might help us get them done. For example, if you despise cleaning the bathroom, you could clean the shower and then go work on something more enjoyable for a while. Then you can come back later and tackle something else, and repeat until the whole bathroom is clean.
  
  
• Put on some upbeat music to keep yourself motivated. Listening to music you love can make any task more pleasant, and something with a good beat will keep you moving. You might even find yourself dancing as you clean.
  
  
• Get your children involved in the routine. Don't pamper your children and exclude them from doing any house chores. Even a child as young as 3 years old can help around. I get my kids to take out the garbage, put away their folded clothes, wash and dry some of the dirty dishes, and sweep and mop the upstairs once a week. You don't have to bribe them. Teach them that keeping the house clean requires team work.
  

Having a routine is a great way to do anything more efficiently. This is especially true for housecleaning.

Do you have a housecleaning routine? What are some ways you make your housecleaning more efficient?