Beyond ironing while watching TV, there are plenty of ways to make the most of our household chores. Here are just a few ways to save time and effort next time you tackle your tidying To-Dos.
Start From the Top Down: Apply this mantra to the whole house and each room within it. Think dusting high up surfaces first so the particles fall to the next level, cleaning that level, and so on it goes, leaving the floors to the end.
Glove Love: If you wash the dishes by hand and wear gloves don’t remove them right away: take advantage! Clean other kitchen surfaces and head to the bathroom, too. You are already set up to battle some of those less than lovely spots.
Wash and Brew: Speaking of washing the dishes, a friend of mine clued me in to her morning ritual and I think it’s a great idea. Start your pot of coffee and wash any dishes from the night before whilst you wait. You might still feel like a zombie without the caffeine kick, but it only takes as long as the brew to do!
Hold the Phone: Dispute a bill or call back a friend during a quieter act of cleaning (best to leave the vacuum alone for this one). Cordless phones are handy, speaker phone handier still, but I really prefer the cordless-headset combo. A little call-center chic works wonders when it comes to clear, cleaning conversations.
Spray and Stray: Don’t waste elbow grease on caked-on messes. Spray your cleaner and walk away to complete another task. The extra surface time will allow the solution to penetrate through so you can wipe, rather than scrub, upon your return.
Reach Out: If you need to change a light bulb in a high-up, hard to reach spot, look around. There are probably a few webby corners of dusty door tops that could benefit form the fact that you busted out the ladder.
Water Works Place a vessel under the tub-tap before you start shower. Rather than watching the water wash down the drain as it heats up, reuse it later for the garden or in the washing machine.
What kind of multitasking do you do around the home? Share your tips!
(Image: Flickr member Tom Baugis licensed for use by Creative Commons)
Before & After: Emily Henderson Transforms a Senior's Studio Space
Monica & Austin's Charming Bungalow
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
White Enamel Four-P...
How To Cook Fluffy, Tasty Quinoa
True Greek Recipe: Paximadi Bread Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Capers
sorry, maybe i'm a bit of a germaphobe, but i wouldn't use the same rubber gloves on my dishes as i would in the bathroom.
@mbrady - I got the idea the gloves were disposable. I agree, I wouldn't go bathroom-to-kitchen either, but the other direction seems fine.
Ewww! Yucky bathroom gloves near my food! Bleh.
Eww, disposable gloves. :-(
I definitely try to wash the dishes while the popcorn is popping -- in the same pot I cooked the veggies earlier in the evening.
I keep baby wipes in: (1) the kitchen to clean up messes, to wipe counters/stove/sink , (2) my bathrooms (in the cabinet) for a quick cleaning, and (3) my car for sticky fingers and messes. It saves time having them in convient places ready to use. I feel I am not spreading germs with a new wipe used each time verses a dish towel or sponge. Other cleaning solutions can be used along with the wipe on the surfaces, if desired. If I am drawing a bath for my young son I can easily wipe down the surfaces in the bathroom in just minutes. It is right where I need it, there is no need to look for cleaning products in another area. This saves time and energy.
I keep microfiber towels and some voda/water/essential oils in spray bottle. Quick clean up in every room and smells good too.
I think it's a waste to throw gloves away. I keep one pair for the kitchen and another one for the bathroom (and label it "bathroom").
I also use sponges desinated for the kitchen (to scrub the stove top and sink with cleanser) and one for the bathroom tub. After 2 uses, I dump them in the dishwasher for sterilzation. I also clean my dish drainer at the same time if needed.
I work from home as a transcriptionist. It's important to take frequent breaks. I keep a list of chores I can do in under 15 minutes like cleaning the bathroom, washing the floors, vacuuming, changing the cat litter, etc. Instead of having a designated 'cleaning day', I sneakily get my home clean during the work day.
When I've used a washcloth to wipe off my facial cleanser, I give it a good rinse and wring and use it to wipe down the bathroom vanity top and sink (NEVER toilet or tub or anything) to keep them looking clean and dust-free between "for-real" cleanings. Rinse it again and toss it in the laundry! (Bonus: you can do it one-handed while brushing those teeth)
I don't think it's redundant to EMPHASIZE that you should take those kitchen gloves OFF when you enter the bathroom. What are you THINKING???????? If I ever saw somebody doing this I wouldn't even have a glass of water in their house!!!
Gross. Don't head to the bathroom with your kitchen gloves on.
So, not only you leave your dirty dishes in the sink from the night before, but you use the same gloves for cleaning both kitchen and bathroom (or: you give for granted that everybody uses disposable gloves for cleaning). I bet you wrote these tips while you were doing (and thinking) something else...
Has it occurred to anyone that rubber gloves can be sanitized? I don't bother with gloves, but I do eat off the same hands I use to clean the bathroom.