Cleaning Hacks for Busy Parents

We get it- Life is really busy! 

When you’re always busy, it’s hard to find time to clean. Unless you really make it a priority, cleaning often gets pushed to the bottom of the to-do list when more “important” things arise. Then, cleaning just becomes an even bigger task because everything piles up while you’ve put it off for so long! To help, we've created a guide with all of our favorite cleaning hacks for busy parents.

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We get it- Life is really busy! When you’re always busy, it’s hard to find time to clean. Unless you really make it a priority, cleaning often gets pushed to the bottom of the to-do list when more “important” things arise. Then, cleaning just becomes an even bigger task because everything piles up while you’ve put it off for so long!

With the kids out of school until the fall, we know that summer is one of the busiest times for parents everywhere. Whether you’re home with the kids during the day trying to keep them entertained, or driving them around to camp or other activities, the time you may have had to clean is quickly dwindling.

Our Top 10 Cleaning Hacks

Letting your cleaning tasks pile up is one of the worst things you can do. It only leads to a bigger to-do list that can eat up a whole day with a bunch of tasks that could have been done in 5 minutes. We believe in cleaning smarter, not harder

We’ve come up with some tips on how to use your time efficiently and integrate cleaning in your everyday routine. Letting your cleaning tasks pile up is one of the worst things you can do. It only leads to a bigger to-do list that can eat up a whole day with a bunch of tasks that could have been done in 5 minutes. We believe in cleaning smarter, not harder

1. Make your bed every morning when you get up, so that if you’ve accomplished little else, at least you’ve made your bed. Check out these five other reasons why you should make your bed every morning!
2. Keep a checklist of daily chores handy to help make sure everything gets done.
3. Put things away right away! Whether it’s a board game you’re playing as a family, or new clothes you just purchased at the mall, make sure everything is put away the second you are done with it or it enters your home. Doing this right away will help you to keep your home tidy.
4. Put on some upbeat music to get you motivated and cleaning efficiently. Use this playlist to even get your kids helping out!
5. Use these age appropriate chores to enlist your kids’ help in getting things done around the house.
6. Meal preparation can save a ton of time in the busy evenings so you don’t have to worry about what to make for dinner when you’re running around to soccer practices and scout club meetings. Plus, reheating meals you already made means less clean up!
7. If you’re grilling or preparing a meal that uses more dishware, be sure to do a quick clean up of the kitchen right away. Make sure everything is cleaned or put in the dishwasher and that your counters are wiped down.
8. Declutter often. Getting rid of clutter on a regular basis will make things easier for yourself in the long run.
9. Purging items you don’t want or need anymore will always make cleaning earlier—because there is less stuff to clean or clean around! We personal love the Marie Kondo method!
10. Don’t forget about your car! Use this list of must-haves to keep your car clean and organized so you won’t have to spend time cleaning a messy car.

5 Habits To Stay Organized

When keeping your home tidy and organized becomes a habit, you will no longer need to be stressing over cleaning or housework. It will become second nature and cleaning will be less work since you’ll be maintaining your clean home on a daily basis.

It is a lot easier to stay organized than to get organized when things are out of control.

We want to help you get ahead of a clutter problem and stay organized. All you need to do is add these five habits into your routine.

1. MULTI-TASK WHILE YOU’RE ON THE PHONE. Whether you’re catching up on the phone with a parent, sibling, or friend or on hold with the bank, walk through your home and straighten up anything out of place while you’re on the phone. It won’t seem like work when your brain is preoccupied.
2. SORT THE MAIL RIGHT WHEN YOU BRING IT INSIDE. Mail is one of the easiest things to get unorganized. After a long day of work, you pick up the mail on the way inside, but it’s so much easier to just throw it on a table and deal with it later. Say “No more!” to this mentality. It takes less than a minute to go through what is junk, bills, or cards from friends and family. Just get it done—you’ll thank yourself later.
3. UTILIZE BINS, BOXES, AND BASKETS. Use these storage heroes to keep items in your home organized. You’ll be on your way to the perfect, Instagramworthy organized home soon enough!
4. EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, YOU MAY NEED TO DO A CLUTTER OVERHAUL. You’ll know it’s time when you feel stressed or frustrated when looking around your home. Grab a laundry basket and go room to room picking up everything that is out of place. Then, sort through it and decide what gets put away, donated, or trashed.
5. KEEP YOUR LIFE ORGANIZED, TOO! Invest in a good daily planner to make sure you keep your appointments, kid’s activities, and family events nice and organized. Having a better handle on your day will keep your stress levels down, which will help to ensure you’re not to burned out to keep your home organized.

8 Cleaning Tools That Save Your Time

Have you ever thought about the different ways you can use your cleaning tools and products? You’ll be surprised to learn about some hidden uses!

These tools can help you not only save time, but also save money on other unnecessary tools. Here’s a list of the eight best cleaning tools that will save your time this summer to have fun with your family

1. Magic Erasers: Cut off a piece and leave it in the toilet to remove stains
2. Baking Soda: Use as a stain remover by mixing a tablespoon each of baking soda, dishwashing detergent, and hydrogen peroxide. Place a box of baking soda in your fridge to get rid of stinky scents.
3. Toothbrush: Fridges can be especially difficult to clean. Use an old, unused toothbrush to clean the shelves, nooks, and hard-to-reach dusty areas inside your fridge. After using a cheese grater, brush it down before washing it in order to remove food clogs.
4. Lint Rollers: Use lint rollers to clean curtains, lampshades, bed covers, pillows, or other pieces of furniture covered in pet hair or dirt.
5. Broom: Are your shower walls dirty? Spray a cleaner on the walls, use a soft bristled broom to scrub them, and then take off the cleaner with a towel.
6. Scrub Sponges: Use a sponge with soap and water to clean door tracks. Grills can became very messy after a lot of summer use. Simply use the scrubbing side of the sponge on stains and grease, the sponge side on dirt, and then rinse the area with water.
7. Windex: Use Windex as a stain remover by spraying Windex on any stain, wait 15 minutes, and then wash the Windex off. Kids can bring in a lot of dirt, which then gets onto their toys. Use Windex to clean children’s toys and then wipe the toys dry. When changing out the litter in your kitty litter box every two-four weeks, spray the empty box with Windex and then dry it with a towel.
8. Vacuum: Soak a cotton ball in an essential oil and place it inside the vacuum cleaner bag. The scent will spread in the house as you vacuum. Do you have carpet dents from moving furniture? Place ice cubes on the marks until they melt and then vacuum over the wet area.

Simplify Your Life

When the summer days get too hectic and things start piling up, the best way to handle it is to simplify your life! The less you have on your plate and less clutter you have around will ease how busy your life feels and let you enjoy your time

We want to help you make life simple for yourself. By cutting things out and reorganizing, your day-to-day will be easier and less stressful! Check out these tips to help you simplify

• Clean out your purse!
• Wake up earlier. Build in the extra time to have a slow, relaxing morning.
• Cook double! That way the leftovers can be tomorrow’s lunch.
• Turn off your cell phone! Pick one night a week to disconnect and relax.
• Learn to say “No.” This will help you from overcommitting yourself to too many plans.
• Write shorter emails.
• Simplify your wardrobe! Go through your closet and donate anything you don’t remember wearing in the last six to nine months.
• Organize the files on your computer! Get rid of any unnecessary files you have saved.
• Declutter! Pick the busiest room in your home and grab three bags or boxes labeled Trash, Donate, and, Move. Go through all of the items in the room and put them in the appropriate box. Then, do with those items what the box says!
• Set up your bills for auto-payment!
• Prepare! Doing simple things like prepping your meals for the week on Sunday or setting aside your clothes for the next day at night can help make the mornings a breeze.

Let The Cleaning Authority Help!

At The Cleaning Authority, we want to give you more time to do the things you love. Let us do the housecleaning for you. You can use your time instead to enjoy the summer with your family, start a new gym class, or just relax!

Visit The Cleaning Authority to find the location nearest to you and get a free online estimate, then you can get the following tasks off your busy to-do list for good!