Everyone has dishes and laundry, they are pretty unavoidable. And all spaces need to be cleaned up occasionally. I’ve found that these things weigh on me when they get out of control, and it is worth prioritizing the time to keep up on them. Here are a few tips I have for making it easier to manage everyday chores when life is extra busy.
Focus on the most important areas
While I was going to school, this meant to always keep my studying area clean. That way I had a nice place to focus without having the distraction of clutter around me. Now this has transitioned to keeping my living room clean because that is where my husband and I spend the most time at home now. So if you spend majority of your time in your bedroom for instance, taking care of it first can make a bigger difference in your life than another room.
Involve kids in age appropriate chores
If you have children, involve them in everyday chores that are appropriate for their ages. This will help ease the work load while also teaching your children important life skills. They will need these skills when living on their own in the future. Many college kids struggle when they move out and no longer have their cooking and laundry done by their mother. The kids who helped with family chores have one less learning curve when going to college which is really helpful.
Load directly into the dishwasher
If at all possible, load dishes directly into the dishwasher after eating and rinsing them off. Run it at convenient times like overnight or when you leave for work even if it isn’t 100% full. This way it gets done and will have room for the dishes from the next meal. Leaving them in the sink often leads to them building up and causing stress. When cooking, try and load dishes as you finish with them.
Keep cleaning supplies accessible
Keep cleaning supplies in an easy to access place so that you can quickly take care of messes as needed. This looks like keeping a spray bottle of cleaner and rag underneath the bathroom sink, keeping washcloths or “unpaper towels” in a basket or roll on the kitchen counter, and keeping a laundry basket anywhere that people normally undress, like the bedroom and bathroom. In general, people are much more likely to wipe down the countertops when there are washcloths within reach.
Clean as you go
Along the lines of the previous tip, try to clean up messes as they happen instead of putting it off until later. If possible wash the prep dishes from dinner as it is cooking and wipe up spills on counters immediately. This way you will not have to come back to these messes later in the day or week. Sometimes the hardest part about cleaning up is the mental overhead of starting and this trick can help avoid that feeling.
Fold or hang up only what you want or need
This tip may be a bit controversial… but in my opinion, when you are really busy and stressed, worrying about folding and putting away all your laundry may not be worth it. Sometimes just having separate baskets for clean clothes, dirty clothes, and clothes to wear again before washing is enough for items that don’t show wrinkles easily. Unless this is a specific priority for you, feel free to let it go without guilt.
Check out the other posts in the Home Management for Busy People Series:
Ultimately decide on the everyday chores that are most important for you and your family to have done, prioritize them, and let the others go occasionally.
