Housekeeping | 150 ways to free yourself from housework

While I enjoy housekeeping and speed cleaning my home with Doof Doof blaring through my headphones, I can think of better ways to spend time. For instance, instead of cleaning toilets in my home, I could spend more time collecting home renovation ideas or learning how to make the perfect Chicken Tikka Masala curry. What a fabulous world it would be if we were all free from housekeeping duties!  If you have read my Are You A Super Housewife post you will understand my position on this matter! I just want to wiggle my nose bewitched-style and make all that cleaning disappear in a puff of Baking Soda! Well! The good news is that I have created various sneaky methods for reducing the housework burden from setting up a cleaning trolley to cleaning a kitchen in five minutes! If you action everything on this list you will be a clean mean housekeeping machine!

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150 ways to free yourself from housework

Appliances – Get the right equipment

1. Create a cleaning trolley like a hotel (see Printables)
2. Get a washing machine with a 15-minute cycle
3. Install a dishwasher if you do not have one
4. Invest in a dust buster for spot cleans
5. Upgrade appliances for better efficiency

Attitude – Make cleaning fun!

1. Change your attitude about cleaning
2. Listen to fast music on headphones for motivation.
3. Listen to savings podcasts while cleaning!
4. Put extra effort into housework and make it a workout

Baby – Time saving tips

1. Bath baby in the day
2. Clean while you settle baby in the room
3. Collect toys on your travels
4. Invest in baskets for systems
5. Shower baby with dad
6. Shower baby with mum

Bathroom – Keeping it clean

1. Clean out bathroom rubbish bins when full
2. Clean the bath thoroughly one night each week when showering or when bathing the kids
3. Clean the shower while you are in it, once a week
4. Clean while in the bathroom
5. Keep a cleaning kit in the shower
6. Keep a dump bucket in the bathroom
7. Keep a large washing basket in the bathroom
8. Make a bathroom cleaning kit for quick cleans
9. Mop the bathroom while bathing the kids
10. Place a rubbish bin in the bathroom
11. School aged children love cleaning a shower with a big sponge!
12. Wash the dog in the shower

Bedroom – Keeping it tidy

1. Keep a dump bucket for a dirty partner and throw their stuff in it
2. Keep a laundry bag for each person in the master bedroom
3. Make your bed immediately after rising
4. Make your partner clean out their bedroom dump bucket
5. While getting changed pick all items up off the floor

Cooking – Free up week nights

1. Buy cheap takeaway one night a week.
2. Cook convenience meals two nights a week
3. Cook dinner in the day if you are at home
4. Cook three crock-pot meals each week
5. Create a weekly cooking schedule
6. Get a menu-planning book like Table Tucker!
7. Teach the kids to cook as soon as possible!

Declutter – Little jobs

1. Have a big clean out seasonally
2. Bring something new in and throw something new out
3. Organise a garage sale or an online one here
4. Put stuff for second-hand shops straight in the car
5. Remove old stuff every weekend
6. Set a reminder on your phone to deliver the stuff to Op shops. E.g. After dropping the kids to school

Delegating – Getting help from others

1. Get kids to clean the shower
2. Get the kids watching housework YouTube videos
3. Give kids a countdown to clean something. Make cleaning a fun game and a challenge for them
4. Sell cleaning as a concept to family
5. Train up people in the house

General – Housework tips

1. Check our housework checklists in Printables
2. Create dump buckets. Get family members to clear their own dump buckets
3. Divide your home into zones and divide up the housework
4. Do housework with headphones and music on
5. Draw up a housework roster
6. Every time you pay bills also de-cobweb your home
7. Get a dust-buster and do spot cleans. Avoid big vacuuming sessions
8. Keep on top of your housework always

Groceries – Getting organised

1. Buy groceries online while watching telly
2. Get auto-deliveries like an Aussie Farmers box
3. Shop on a weeknight for groceries. Free up the weekend

Guests – Unexpected guests coming

1. Quickly wipe down toilets with water and Eucalyptus oil
2. Throw dishes into the dishwasher and wipe benches
3. Throw items into named dump buckets
4. Wipe down all surfaces for a quick spruce-up
5. Wipe down the front door with Eucalyptus oil

Kids bedroom – General tips

1. Buy same colour socks. No matching required!
2. Get kids cleaning while you organise their room
3. Install a rubbish bin in the kid’s room
4. Make cleaning fun for kids

Kitchen – Quick cooking and cleaning tips

1. Always clean before cooking
2. Bath a toddler in a safe tub while you cook dinner
3. Clean more while waiting for veggies to steam
4. Clean while waiting for a kettle to boil
5. Keep bowls, sponges and Eucalyptus oil handy
6. Make a rule: First person up cleans the kitchen!
7. Make lunches on Sunday
8. Put your peelings in a bowl while cooking
9. Run a sink of soapy water before cooking

Laundry – Getting it done and fast

1. Fold washing in front of the telly
2. Have set laundry times and de-slave yourself
3. Make an out-and-about box for errands
4. Make up Mon-Fri uniform and clothes sets
5. Use a good laundry system – check out ours!

Living room – Systems to help you

1. Ban eating in the living room
2. Clean remote controls and create a wall holder
3. Create dump buckets where you dump their stuff
4. Get each person to clear their own dump bucket
5. Keep a lounge cleaning kit for quick cleans
6. Make the family clean up together before bed
7. Put a rubbish bin in the living room
8. Introduce an old rug to protect carpet from kids

Multi-tasking – Make more use of time

1. Clean while you talk on your phone
2. Deliver stuff to Op shops while running other errands
3. Have a foot spa while watching TV
4. Read about reducing housework while on the toilet
5. Sort laundry while watching TV
6. Sort through mail while watching TV

Paper – Managing the paper war

1. Aussie Farmers couple’s box is perfect for archiving
2. Box up old stuff constantly
3. Bin letters to householders
4. Create a bill folder
5. Create a great system for mail
6. Deal with mail right now
7. Create paper archive systems
8. Dedicate an evening each month for admin
9. Get up early one morning a week and do filing
10. Grab boxes for archiving at the supermarket
11. Read your junk mail outside near the bin

Parties – Reducing clean up and tips

1. Clean as you go during a party
2. Create an outdoor entertainment area for parties
3. Have potluck parties to reduce work on the night
4. If warm enough keep the party outside
5. If you clean as you go others will help and follow

Shed or garage – Creating space

1. Build a loft in the shed for extra storage
2. Dedicate a family shed working bee weekend
3. Hang up hooks to get stuff off the floor
4. Install great shelving systems
5. Keep a little notebook of stuff you are selling
6. Photograph items before storing for easy selling
7. Sell your stuff ASAP. Use our classifieds
8. Send photos of your gear to SR using our app
9. Grab uploaded SR photos to load to classifieds

Tomorrow – Staying ahead of things

1. Do a little extra at night for an easier tomorrow
2. Organise your clothes for tomorrow each evening
3. Pack your bags in the evening
4. Pack your gym back in the evening so you get there
5. Plan tomorrow tonight
6. Try to stay ahead of the game all the time

Toilet – Nice to do

1. Add books and pictures in your toilet
2. Buy toilet paper in bulk every month or season
3. Get a toilet duck
4. Include rubbish bags in cleaning kits
5. Keep cleaners handy in the toilet for quick cleans
6. Make or buy toilet deodoriser
7. Put a rubbish bin in the toilet
8. Put a scented candle in the toilet
9. Put inspirational pictures and books in the toilet