10 Smart Time-Saving Tips for Quicker Cleaning & Organization

Try our strategies to save time while cleaning so you can spend your time doing more of what you love.

Updated October 28, 2021
Happy man standing with vacuum cleaner

Life is busy. Streamline your home and cleaning processes to ensure you get the most out of your time. From prioritizing your tasks to using to-do lists, check out a few time-saving tips to try in your home.

Prioritize Your Tasks

To keep from getting overwhelmed and letting clutter reign supreme, you need to focus your energy on the crucial tasks. Prioritize your chores in your cleaning schedule and focus on them. For example, cleaning and decluttering your living room daily should be a priority. However, bedrooms and closets can wait for weekly cleaning. It's all about time management.

Set Timers to Keep You on Task

Woman washing organic kale in kitchen sink

Cleaning can take up a lot of your precious time. Maybe you tell yourself that you'll just throw the dishes in the dishwasher and wipe down the counters. But an hour in, you discovered that the refrigerator needed cleaning and the floors needed mopping. Now you're behind on everything. Rather than overwhelm yourself with housecleaning tasks, set a timer. If you have 15 minutes to pick up the kitchen, set a timer for 15 minutes. When it goes off, you're done. The tasks that are still left will need to be done in another cleaning session.

Use Cleaning Schedules

Doing a little bit of cleaning every day can go a long way. Therefore, setting daily and weekly cleaning schedules can save you time. Schedules can work to break up your morning and nightly cleaning routines to ensure you have time in your week to get everything done. Having a plan and sticking to it can make your cleaning process more efficient. While it might seem like a lot at first, you'll find that using these schedules means your household is more organized and has less clutter.

Use a Cleaning Caddy

One of the easiest ways to keep yourself organized and save time is by using a cleaning caddy. You can take this with you as you clean to avoid wasting time finding cleaners and looking for your supplies. It keeps everything at your fingertips when you set aside time for cleaning.

Multitask When You Can

Cute little baby playing on the floor by her working mother

Many cleaning tasks flow together in life. So, it's wise to group them. For example, you can clean and organize your desk as you are sitting down to pay your bills. As you're making dinner, you can rinse the dishes off and throw them in the dishwasher. Another time management tip is to wipe down the shower with your towel when you're done showering. It saves you from removing soap scum later. Multitasking is a perfect way to save time.

Declutter Your Life

Clutter can defeat you fast. Make an effort to declutter when you can. As you walk through the living room, grab any odds or ends that need to be removed from the end or coffee tables. Any time you notice clutter in your way, move it to where it belongs. And, don't forget to assess items you haven't used in a while. As a rule of thumb, if you haven't used it in a year, you probably don't need it. It only takes a few minutes a day to declutter your life.

Delegate the Duties

Two teenage girls washing dishes

Cleaning and organizing your home isn't a one-person show. Delegate the duties out to your family, roommates, or even a cleaning service. Getting everyone involved makes cleaning less stressful. However, it's also important to remember everyone's expectations are not the same as your own.

Organize Your Household

Organization sounds great. But, most people don't stick to it. Rather than try the newest Pinterest craze, find a few organization hacks that work for you and your family. It could be as simple as adding baskets for the kids to put the toys in or organizing your closets. Even minor changes can make you more efficient, cutting minutes off your weekly routine. For example, organize your child's closet so their favorite clothing is within reach. You save precious time every morning not having to find their jacket.

Disconnect When Cleaning

Cleaning time needs to be dedicated to cleaning. When you check Snapchat and Facebook every few minutes, you aren't going to get a lot done. Shut off your phone and give your complete focus to the task at hand. You won't believe how quickly you can get things done with complete focus.

Simplify Your Cleaning

Simple is always better. Do things around your home to make life simpler. Rather than sorting laundry in the laundry room, have a hamper for whites and colors. All you have to do is treat stains and throw them in. Another time-saving tip is to leave space around your furniture for vacuuming. When you don't have to move anything, you get the task done more quickly. Simple solutions like this help you to get your cleaning done faster and free up your time.

Time Saving Tips for Cleaning and Organizing

Saving time around the house can start with your cleaning schedule. By incorporating a few tips and tricks, you can save time and be more productive. The key to saving time with organization is to develop the system that works for you. Try out a few of these tips to get you started.

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10 Smart Time-Saving Tips for Quicker Cleaning & Organization