Stay Focused
Before setting out to clean, be clear with yourself about the task at hand. If you're set on accomplishing a weekend morning cleanup, then stick to it and don't get side-tracked by the temptation to remove clutter on the kitchen counters or reorganize the hallway closet, says Melissa Kaye, founder of Healthy Homes Cleaning in Boston and Mommybusiness.net.
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Put on the Tunes
Keep the TV off and opt for some upbeat music instead. Mashable has compiled 33 songs that will speed up spring cleaning here. So get your groove and rubber gloves on, and start cleaning!
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Family Walkabout
Set a timer and do a family walkthrough of the house. Make it a race and reward the person for cleaning up the most. And yes, even Dad can win.
Toy Grab
One of Kaye's favorite tips is to label storage boxes or tote bags with each family member's name. Everyone is responsible for rounding up scattered belongings into their corresponding box or bag.
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Team Effort
If your children are old enough, give them a checklist of tasks to help lighten your load and make chores into a fun competition (as Kaye notes, even the youngest ones can help by using a spray bottle of water to clean the cabinets). For children who aren't old enough to help, let your cleaning time be their time to enjoy an activity they only do sporadically (like watching TV for 30 minutes). Not only will it keep them out of your way, it gives you a 30-minute time limit to get the cleaning done.
Pre-Treatments
A great multitasking strategy is to pretreat certain areas of the house while you clean another area, says Kaye. For example, don't start in the bedroom and work your way to the bathroom. Start with the bathrooms first. Especially for toilets, tubs and counters, spray them with a cleaner, add some baking soda and let the solution sit anywhere from five to 30 minutes. When you come back from finishing your other cleaning task, all you'll have to do is wipe up the spray. This method is guaranteed to cut your bathroom cleaning time in half, says Kaye.
Handle It Now
Even if it's the busiest morning on the busiest day of your life, any spills that happen on your way out the door are best to be dealt with immediately, says Kaye. Wiping it up quickly with a rag or paper towel or giving it a swift spritz with an all-purpose cleaner will make a big difference later on. The longer the moisture sits, the more time-consuming the cleanup will be once you get home, especially if it leaves a stain.
Less Is More
You may think that having more cleaning products formulated for specific tasks will make your cleaning more efficient. But it actually costs you more time. "I think it's unbelievable how much time this can save or add," says Kaye. "Instead, limit the number of products you use so you're not going back and forth or lugging a load of them all around the house." Kaye suggests using an all-natural cleaner, a bottle of vinegar and water and a few lint-free rags. "There's nothing you can't clean with those products," she says.
You've Got Mail
It's a tip you've likely heard before, but it bears repeating: Keep your mail under control each day, and it will save you a lot more time (and annoyance) than having to piece through a gargantuan pile at the end of the week. Kaye suggests placing a "mail center" and a stylish yet functional recycling bin near the entryway of your home. Quickly file through the daily mail, sorting the junk from the bills, as you walk through the door. Don't allow yourself to step foot past the entryway with any unattended mail.
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In the Habit
Research says it takes 21 days to form a habit, so let this be your habit-forming endeavor for the next three weeks. Kaye suggests developing a routine — whether it's for 30 seconds or three minutes — each morning as you make your way from your bedroom to the kitchen. Grab whatever items will fit into your arms — from stray drinking glasses to scattered toys — and return them to their rightful areas just before you head out the door. You'll be pleasantly surprised to return home and notice the house isn't as messy as you expected, says Kaye.
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