The never-ending nature of household chores can make you feel like you will never get on top of them—and in a way, you won’t. There will always be more dishes to be done and more washing to hang out. But while the chores themselves still need to be done—the way you do them can change everything. Here, we take you through our best hacks for making household chores effortless.
General cleaning
Make a cleaning bucket
Make cleaning the house easier – and faster – by creating a special toolbox for the job. Keep all of the cleaning products in one caddy and take it from room to room. This saves you extra time and effort from walking back to the kitchen to collect new products for a different room.
Divide the chores
If you’re doing the bulk of the household labour then it might be time to divide the chores up. Assign specific jobs or areas to each member of the house, so cleaning becomes more manageable. Make sure everyone knows when their jobs have to be done (and if they’re kids, the consequences if they’re not done) so that you don’t take on the mental load of reminding everyone to do their chores.
Take advantage of technology
Technology advancements can really streamline your household management. Something like a robot vacuums, which can literally clean while you’re at work, is well worth the investment. Likewise, a slow-cooker is going to help you get a healthy meal on the table (and save on dishes) when you have a busy day. For the jobs you hate, like grout cleaning, you might benefit from buying one of the viral electric scrubbers from amazon to make the job more bearable.
One-in-one-out rule
Too much stuff only creates clutter and an unnecessarily stressful home. While an annual declutter is always a good idea, adopting the one-in-one-out rule can break the cycle of stuff accumulation. The rule states that you must remove something from your home every time you bring something new into it. This might be as simple as donating your old pot when you buy a new one, or finally getting rid of an empty shampoo bottle when you come home with a new one.
Cleaning the bathroom
Leave cleaning items where you need them
The bathroom is a room that benefits from daily cleaning so make that easier for yourself by leaving some cleaning items in the room. A stack of wipes on the bathroom counter will remind you to wipe down the mirror, taps and sink after you use them. This will streamline your cleaning process and make it less of an effort by the end of the week.
Clean your shower while you’re in it
Simply spray your shower fixtures and screen with vinegar and then wipe it down with a squeegee while you’re in it. After turning off the taps, dry the shower screen with a microfibre cloth.
Invest in a dehumidifier
If your bathroom is prone to mould and mildew then investing in a dehumidifier will mean your spend less time cleaning it. Simply leave it running while you’re showering and for half an hour afterwards to significantly reduce the amount of moisture that stays in the room.
Doing the washing
Have divided hampers for your washing
Create divided hampers or different baskets for dirty washing: one for lights; one for darks; and one for delicates. That way, sorting your washing is already done for you! If you tend to wash everything together, then you might still benefit from using divided hampers for separating your clothing, towels and cleaning rags from each other.
Have an area for sorting clean washing
Make sorting laundry easier by having fold-back bench for sorting and folding. It doesn’t have to be a built in—a trolley or tall table will make still life easier. If you don’t have a dryer then installing a hanging drying rack will save you a lot of stress on wet days. A portable clothing rack from Target will also do the job.
Get a table or stand for your washing basket at your clothesline
Having wet laundry accessible at table-height, you’ll save time and effort hanging your laundry.
Fold your clothes when you take them off the line
Instead of collecting them in a basket, fold your clothes as soon as you take them off the line or out of the dryer. You’ll be more organised and will sort your washing quicker. Best of all, it cuts down on wrinkles so you’ll have less ironing!
Keeping a clean kitchen
(Credit: Photography: Ryan Linnegar)
Install an extendable tap
Having an extendable tap be able to reach all of the corners of your sink and direct water pressure makes cleaning the sink (and everything in it) so much easier.
Use a counter top bin
Using a counter top bin or garbage bowl for food scraps makes it much easier to clean while you cook. The contents can be simply tipped into your normal bin when you’re cleaning up, or ideally, into a compost system to be extra sustainable.
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