Spring cleaning is in full effect right now. Everyone is spending weekends deep-cleaning, throwing away unnecessary items, and basically getting their lives together. Everyone except, uh, me. I'm not a big cleaner, and by that I mean I'm one of the messiest people out there. I'm all about feeling ready for spring, but to be honest, I would much rather learn how to clean quickly rather than learn how to spring clean everything in my house. That's where these super handy spring cleaning shortcuts come into play.
If you're one of those people who runs around like a maniac stashing things under the bed or in any available closet to make your place look acceptable whenever someone is coming over, then I know you feel me. Cleaning is a chore, and it's not a very fun one. Unfortunately, it's also necessary if you don't want to live in a gross place full of bacteria and other icky things. But who says you can't make the process as fast as possible?
You could spend hours once a year dusting, washing, and shining every possible thing you own, or you could only spend about an hour making things tidy and neat every once in a while. I don't know about you, but I would much prefer the latter. These tips and tricks on how to clean super quickly will make your life easier and neater. You're welcome!
1. Keep all of your cleaning supplies in one area so that you don't spend time searching for things as you go along
A bucket or basket is your best bet here so that you can easily carry it from room to room.
2. Invest in some storage boxes and baskets so you have a place to store extra clutter
Much better than under your bed.
3. Put on some energetic music to really get you going
It'll make this whole miserable process seem instantly more fun.
4. Clean from top to bottom, because dust falls
You're honestly just wasting time if you start by vacuuming.
5. Spray surfaces with cleaner, and let it sit for a few minutes while you tidy up other areas
While you're getting something else done, the cleaner will work its magic, and when you go to wipe it off, you won't have to scrub as hard for as long.
6. Dust certain surfaces (like lampshades and fans) with a lint roller instead of vacuuming
It's faster and less annoying.
7. Need to clean out your gross microwave? Boil a bowl of water in there
The steam will help loosen stains and grime so that when you go to wipe it down, it won't take as much time and scrubbing energy.
8. When tackling the bathroom, start by filling your toilet with cleaner
Let it sit while you do everything else — by the time you're done, getting the toilet sparkling clean will be easy.
9. Walk around with a trash bag in hand as you're cleaning up to throw things out as you go along
That way, you can quickly throw things away as you move from room to room, saving you time in the long run.
10. Keep a basket with you as you're cleaning
Put everything that doesn't belong in a certain room into the basket, and then distribute it to the right place later when you have more time.
11. Skip the sweeping, and just vacuum instead.
Make sure vacuuming is the very last thing you do so you don't have to redo it.
12. If you have a lot of stuff, figure out a nice way to stack it instead of hiding it
Turn books into centerpieces, and hang your jewelry up on walls rather than toss it all into drawers. It adds a nice personal touch to your decor, and it makes life way easier when you're trying to find something.
13. Place small trays or bowls around to collect loose clutter, like keys or jewelry
It looks pretty, and keeps you from going crazy.
14. Open the windows and light a candle to get your place smelling and feeling fresh right away
It's a small tip that really makes a difference.
15. When making your bed, speed up the process by using one hand to lift corners, and the other hand to tuck the sheet underneath
Seriously, it's a total time-saver.
Images: 20th Century Fox; Giphy
