7 Life Changing Cleaning Hacks for a Busy Schedule

Let’s be honest — between quarantine, cancelled plans, and chaos, cleaning has probably not been one of your top priorities this year. But whether you’re just getting back into things, or struggling to stay on top of a busy scheduled summer, I’ve got 7 life changing cleaning hacks for you. These cleaning hacks will become habits that’ll make cleaning, organizing, and decluttering so much easier, and you’ll never want to look back. 

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7 Life Changing Cleaning Hacks

Clean Your Dishes Right Away

Stepping up to a pile of dirty dishes is never a good feeling. As soon as you take your last bite, clear the table right away.It’ll take you 5-15 minutes max to get them done, and not only will you feel satisfied and accomplished, but it keeps them from building up and overwhelming you.

Wipe Down the Counters Before You Leave

Keeping a spray bottle & an extra cloth hidden by the door is the greatest thing I’ve ever done. Just before running out the door, give your kitchen & living area surfaces a quick wipe-down. Not only will this save you if you end up with last-minute plans, but it builds consistency and keeps them from ever getting too dirty.

Run Your Dishwasher At Night

Nothing kills my motivation to clean more than waking up to a messy house. Mornings are when I’m most energized, and I want to fuel energy into creativity and tasks that require more mental effort. Every night, I gather any extra dishes or tools to run through the dishwasher. That way, I wake up to a clean space, and empty the dishwasher first thing to set myself up for the day.

Time Yourself When You Empty Your Dishwasher

All right, I have to give credit for this one to one of my favourite Instagram accounts and sources of home inspiration, @abigailmarygreen. A few months ago, she shared on her story that she timed herself doing small, tedious tasks like emptying the dishwasher. Setting a timer and realizing that you spent an hour procrastinating a two minute task is a bit of a slap in the face. It may serve as a helpful reminder the next time you’re tempted to drag your feet.

Declutter

Simple math, but you’ll have a lot less to clean if you just have a lot less. Somehow, over the last two decades, I’ve collected a bunch of – well, crap. I don’t need it, use it, or really even want it. I’m actually in the process of exploring minimalism, and what it might look in my life. I don’t ever plan on living with a mere 10 possessions or anything crazy, but there’s certainly something to be said for making sure that every item you own actually adds value to your life. If not, could it add value to someone else’s?

For more resources on Minimalism, check out “The Minimalists” blog here.

Move Your Furniture Around

Switch it up! Giving your place a quick refresh and moving things around will feel like a fresh start. Not only is it fun, it allows you to clean areas that were previously less-accessible. 

Organize Your Most-Used Items Together 

This is one of the greatest things I’ve done since moving into a place by myself. Do you have a small collection of items that always end up in junk drawer? They don’t seem to go with anything else, but you use them all the time. For me, this includes a lighter for candles, scissors, nail clippers, my watch, and a few other odds and ends. Rather than frantically shoving them all away before having company over, I actually created a designated “Miscellaneous Crap” space. It’s made my life a million times easier. I’ll admit part of the reason I love it is that I adore cute organization. I just love that it looks so much nicer.

I’ve discovered that the bane of adulthood is that I am in a constant state of cleaning my kitchen. I’ve come to terms with my reality, but I’m always looking for new ways to make cleaning easier and more efficient.

What are your life changing cleaning hacks? Let me know!