Spend any time on Facebook and Instagram and you will see countless memes about tired parents, overworked moms, and things that we should have done or wanted to do, but didn’t, because we didn’t have enough time. Cleaning our homes is important, yes, but there are ways to streamline this process. Have you ever considered that maybe we are wasting our time cleaning our homes?
5 Ways You Are Wasting Your Time Cleaning Your House . All opinions are mine. Contains affiliate links.
You are trying to do everything by yourself.
The thought that the wife/mom of the house should do all of the housework alone is an antiquated idea. If you live in a house, it becomes your responsibility to clean up after yourself. Teach kids and spouses to put their dishes up, throw their dirty laundry in the hamper, put up their shoes, etc. It isn’t Mom’s job to clean up after kids once they reach about 2 or 3 years old and allowing your kids to believe that it is will only set them up for filthy college dorm rooms and angry spouses.
You are making your bed.
I know, I know, your mom likely told you that in order to have a clean looking home, you should make your bed every day. However, if you make your bed, you not only are wasting time, many experts agree that making your bed is inviting to dust mites and also traps skin cells and sweat. Leaving your bed unmade allows the light and air to take care of dust mites for you. You’re welcome. (also, don’t forget to wash your sheets every week or so!)
You aren’t prioritizing.
I have been known to hone in on something that is small that I feel needs to be done before everything else. Laundry is piled up, but somehow I think that the bathtub needs to be scrubbed down immediately. Look around, see what needs to be done the most, and get it done. Then, if there is extra time, tackle those smaller chores.
Prioritizing when it comes to cleaning is important – but part of that must include the prioritization of the right things. One of these being the maintenance of your cleaning. Not only should you prioritize cleaning regularly, but you should also prioritize setting a good foundation for your cleaning activities. Many people will not do this, and it will result in you wasting your time. To set a good foundation for your home being ready to clean, you need to ensure that from top to bottom, you make it clear from clutter. Clutter gets in the way and makes cleaning a big waste of time because it makes it much harder to do and increases your chance of missing spots. Make sure you prioritize decluttering your home before you clean it.
You will also need to look out for gaps and holes in the flooring and the walls, as this is where a lot of dirt and dust can collect, which then gets ignored when cleaning or is impossible to get clean in the first place. Make sure you prioritize some home renovations and updates, such as filling in floor gaps with peel and stick wood trim and using wall filler on any holes. This will make cleaning much easier, and you will waste less time.
You aren’t utilizing checklists for the kids.
A few years ago, our oldest son said he liked when I made checklists for him so he just knew what to do and could mark things off as he did that. Some kids love checklists, some don’t, but they are always helpful in helping kids visualize what needs to be done. During the summer months, especially, I use checklists for the kids and add anything that needs to be done and they are to do them BEFORE playing video games.
You are sweeping.
Plain and simple, sweeping is a thing of the past. Rarely do I use my broom, and here is why. Vacuuming is as good, if not better, than sweeping. Vacuuming with the BISSELL CrossWave X7 Cordless Pet Pro Multi-Surface Wet Dry Vacuum with WiFi Connectivity is safe and effective on tile, sealed wood floors, linoleum, rubber floor mats, pressed wood floors, and more. It easily picks up pet hair that gathers along baseboards and corners in your home. It also vacuums and washes your floors at the same time!