LAZY DOES IT

A Lazy Person’s Guide to a Clean Home

For some, keeping a clean home is a joy in itself. For others, it’s a job best left to an hour before company comes over. If you find yourself in the latter group then odds are you’re just a little bit lazy when it comes to housework. Fear not, even the laziest people can have a clean home, all you need to do is follow these 5 tips.

1. One task a day

Cleaning your entire home in one go is an overwhelming task whether you’re lazy or not. Instead of trying to clean everything in one day, make a list of the things you need to do and then assign each task to a different day. By breaking up your list over several days, the tasks become more manageable. You’ll also feel accomplished after completing them and will be able to see the progress as you go. By the end of the week no one will know a lazy cleaner lives in your home.

2. Clean as you go

Cleaning as you go makes a huge difference in how much time you have to spend cleaning. Simple things like putting your clothes directly into the laundry basket instead of on the floor will cut back on the amount of time you spend pushing piles of clothes from one corner of your bedroom to another.

Another easy clean as you go tip is to soak your pots and pans while you eat dinner; this way, they’ll be much easier to clean once you’re done eating. If you can find little things to help you as you go, your home will stay tidier for longer and you’ll have less to get through.

3. Set a time limit

A big reason people don’t want to clean is because of the amount of time it takes. Who wants to spend hours washing floors when you could spend those precious hours binging your latest Netflix find? The truth is, if you focus on your task and don’t have any interruptions you’ll be surprised by how quickly you can get it done.

Pick a time limit and commit to it. Set an alarm or a timer if it helps keep you on track. An hour will go by whether you clean or not, so you might as well get your one task for the day done and over with. Then you can go back to lounging knowing you’re one step closer to a cleaner home.

4. Clean by task

Cleaning by task is a time saver which is great for the lazy-inclined. When you clean by room, you spend most of your time stopping and starting different tasks because you need to get different items for each job. Instead, try cleaning by task. Pick a day to do all your vacuuming or dusting and then do it in each room of your home. This way you’ll not only accomplish your one task for the day, you’ll also have cleaned multiple rooms!

5. Clear the clutter

The easiest way to have to do less cleaning is to have less stuff. Too many table tops covered in who-knows-what? Get rid of them. Do you ever find an item you totally forgot about owning while cleaning? The chances are you have and this is because said item was hidden under a pile of junk. Clearing out the clutter means you have less stuff to go through and clean. As an added bonus, you’ll appreciate the items you do have and take better care of them.

Try combining some or all of these tips for a cleaner home. If you find you still can’t commit to cleaning or you simply don’t have the time, call in a professional who will be happy to clean your home for you. Either way, you’ve got options and a clean home in your future.