How Do You Make House Cleaning Easier?

Ellie Miller

Snow White’s cleaning motto may have been “Whistle while you work,” but then she had all those adorable woodland creatures lending her a helping paw. Whom can you turn to? Why, Real Simple readers, of course. Thanks to their time-saving strategies and mood-lifting techniques, you’re sure to be whistling a new tune. No dishwashing squirrels or dust-busting fawns required.

This Month’s Winner

Book Her
Listening to books on tape has helped transform once dreaded household chores into (almost) enjoyable tasks. I’ve discovered that scrubbing toilets is less drudgery when I can listen to Reading Lolita in Tehran. And waxing hardwood floors isn’t quite as arduous if I can “read” The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency or 1776 while I work. My latest feat? I just finished cleaning the guest room — and listening to The Devil Wears Prada.
Cecelia Thomas
Dallas, Texas
Cecelia will receive a copy of the book Real Simple Solutions.

Methodology

The Zamboni technique: Every night after the kids help pick up their toys and then head off to bed, my husband and I “reset” the house. Like the Zamboni that resurfaces the ice during hockey games, we make a clean sweep through the rooms — reorganizing games and toys, clearing clutter, filing paperwork, and readying the house for a relaxed evening and an orderly start to the next day. This system really helps us keep things under control.
Kate McLeod
Newton, Massachusetts

I match a specific chore with a day of the week: Mondays, bathrooms; Tuesdays, stove and refrigerator; Wednesdays, laundry, etc. This setup allows our family to do a little bit each day and avoid cleaning up one big mess over the weekend.
Lakeisha Abram-Bridgeman
Gary, Indiana

When my house is in need of straightening up and my two children are ready for a game, we play hide-and-seek. While I’m counting or hiding, I take that time to tidy up the room I’m in. Of course, I’m very strategic about which rooms I choose. In the end, the kids have fun and I get some housework done.
Debra Mostow Zakarin
Los Angeles, California

I don’t think of housecleaning as a chore but as a weekly workout. Every Saturday morning, my house becomes a gym, where I can get away with working out in my pj’s and listening to my favorite upbeat music.
Tammy Poulin
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Source: http://www.realsimple.com