How to Cut Your Housework in Half

If you have a lot of housework, it may be the symptom of a much bigger problem. Once you tackle this underlying issue, your housework will be almost cut in half.

I recently ran across this great infographic about clutter and I got really excited. I know. I’m a little nuts. But there are a few things on here that give me great hope.

The one I want to talk to you about today is that first red item on the left-hand side. The one that says, “Getting rid of clutter eliminates 40% of housework in the average home.”

Seriously? Can that be true?

I can tell you that as a professional organizer, your issue is not the dishes and the laundry and the toys and all the “cleaning” and “tidying.”

“Cleaning” and “tidying” are band aid issues for a 911 problem.

If you are upset that your house is always a mess and you keep trying to “clean” things, it’s like putting a band-aid on an artery that is gushing blood. (Sorry to be so gross here with the medical analogy).

You need to take care of the real issue, which is the underlying clutter.

I’m talking about all the extra paper, books, toys, clothes, dishes, lotions, and everything else we have in our homes that don’t need to be there in the first place.

You don’t need to clean. You need to declutter. Hard core.

Once you’ve decluttered, you will be AMAZED at how much less housework you have to do.

Let’s just take a quick example. If you’re like most people (and like me, before I learned about decluttering), you have a bathroom counter that is loaded with hair products, makeup, brushes, lotions, toothpaste, etc. etc.

When you want to clean the bathroom counter, you have to take all that stuff off, right?

I used to take everything off, two at a time, (since I only have two hands) and line everything up on the edge of the tub.

Then I would clean my counter and sink, wait for it to dry, and then take everything off the edge of the tub, two at a time, and place it all back on my counter. I would organize it and make it look pretty. 

Three days later, it would be a mess again. Can you relate?

Here’s what to do instead, and how to cut the time cleaning your bathroom counter in half.

Declutter first. Throw away all those lotions, soaps, creams, makeup, hair products, etc. that you don’t use. Yes, I know you paid “good money” for them. I know you don’t want to “waste” things.

But you have a choice. You can “waste” things, or you can waste your time managing your things. 

Next, get a basket and put everything in that basket that you use on a regular basis. Toothpaste, hairspray, your favorite lotion, etc. Everything not used regularly should be stored in a drawer or under the sink–out of sight.

To go the extra mile, put a pretty fake plant on your counter and create a “spa” vibe.

Now when I clean my counter, I just have to take off ONE BASKET with almost everything in it. Of course, I need to remove the plant and soap dispenser and the two other things you see there. But Instead of removing 20-plus things from my counter, I’m removing five. 

Can you see how much time that would save?

Decluttering your whole home is a daunting task. But you can start today by just deluttering your bathroom counter. Do it and see how great you feel every morning when you wake up and are greeted with your bathroom counter THAT STAYS CLEAN AND ORGANIZED! What a perfect way to start the day!

Want to know the KEY to home organization success? It’s your HOME Girl organizing type! Take this quick quiz to learn your unique strengths and challenges when it comes to home organization, and how you can use this knowledge to create the home of your dreams!