20 Cleaning hacks for busy mums… Feel like you have a never-ending pile of laundry? Like those dishes just never stay clean for long? Like you can just never get on top of all the cleaning that needs to be done…
Between taking care of kids, managing work, preparing meals, and juggling countless other responsibilities, cleaning often falls to the bottom of the priority list.
But fear not! With these 20 cleaning hacks, you can maintain a tidy, organized home without sacrificing too much of your precious time. These time-saving tips will help you stay on top of your cleaning tasks and enjoy a clutter-free space.
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1.Cleaning Hacks For Busy Mums… Why You Need Hacks
Being a mum means you’re always juggling multiple tasks, which can make keeping the house clean feel overwhelming. Cleaning hacks are your secret weapon for managing daily chores efficiently.
By applying a few time-saving strategies, you can stay organized without spending hours cleaning. Working smarter, not harder is essential.
2. Speed Clean Your Home in 10 Minutes
When you’re in a rush, it’s helpful to have a go-to strategy for a quick tidy-up. Focus on high-traffic areas like the living room, kitchen counters, and bathrooms.
Pick up toys, load the dishwasher, wipe down surfaces, and fluff cushions. In just 10 minutes, your home will look noticeably fresher! Cleaning hacks for busy mums are designed to make our lives easier!
Write yourself a list of the things that bother you the most when they are a mess. Then focus on these things. Clean the parts that give you that feel good.
3. How to Clean Your Home in 30-Minute Blocks
Rather than spending hours cleaning in one go, break it down into manageable 30-minute blocks. Set a timer and tackle one area or room at a time.
This allows you to stay focused and not get overwhelmed, all while making significant progress in a short period. You might just do vacuuming for 30 minutes.
Or tidy toys for half an hour, or tidy the kitchen for half an hour then change. By setting yourself a time limit you will work more efficiently and also know that you aren’t going to be stuck in the kitchen all day!
4. Use Multi-Purpose Cleaners for Efficiency
The fewer products you have to use, the faster you can clean. Invest in a good-quality multi-purpose cleaner that works on counters, floors, bathrooms, and even glass.
This reduces the number of items you need to keep track of and speeds up your cleaning process. You can usually purchase a good quality, safe and/or natural spray from your local supermarket.
A basic all-purpose cleaning spray, some glass cleaner, and stove top cleaner will get you a long way when it comes to keeping your house sparkly.
5. Declutter as You Go: A Busy Mum’s Secret
One of the easiest ways to stay on top of cleaning is to declutter regularly. While you’re doing tasks like cooking or helping your kids with homework, take a moment to pick up stray toys, clothing, or papers.
This simple habit prevents clutter from building up and saves you time later. Teaching your kids to tidy up before they go to bed is a great way to build positive (and helpful habits), pop on some music and set the expectation that each night whatever they have played with needs to go away.
This is a great habit to start with your toddlers as they will enjoy the simple game of putting on the ‘’tidy up song’ and packing up their things with you.
6. Use Storage Bins and Baskets for Quick Tidy Ups
Storage bins and baskets are lifesavers when you need to clear up clutter quickly. Designate a bin for each room (toys in the playroom, shoes by the door, etc.), and when the house starts looking messy, simply toss items into the appropriate bin. You’ll have an organized space in no time!
This is also a great technique when it comes to laundry, pick draws and don’t fold. Chances are your kids and your husband will just rummage around or pull the clothes out anyway!
We want ROI – return on investment, we want everything we put our energy into to have a return for us. Is spending time folding the washing for your kids to pull it all out of their drawers a beneficial use of your time?
7. The 10-Minute Daily Declutter Routine
Instead of letting clutter pile up over the week, dedicate just 10 minutes every day to tidying up. Whether it’s making the beds, putting away laundry, or clearing kitchen counters, this quick routine helps keep your home feeling clean without a big time commitment.
10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes at night can change the things you have to do on your reset day at the end of the week! This is one of the best cleaning hacks for busy mums as it keeps your load light.
8. Cleaning with Toddlers Around: How to Tackle the Chaos
Cleaning with toddlers can feel like a battle, but it’s possible to get things done without much stress. Set them up with safe, easy tasks (like wiping surfaces with a damp cloth or putting away their toys), or give them a fun cleaning tool (like a mini broom).
This keeps them entertained and allows you to get some cleaning done at the same time. Involving your toddler teaches them good habits throughout their life and makes them feel included. It is quite nice to spend quality time with your toddler showing them what you do and involving them.
9. Get Kids Involved: Fun and Easy Cleaning Tasks for Children
Teaching your kids to clean up after themselves is an important life skill. Make it fun by turning chores into games. You can set a timer and see if they can clean up their room before it goes off, or give them “chore charts” to help them stay on track.
The more involved they are, the better habits you are setting for their future. Get them good at setting habits now and in no time you guys will have a great routine going.
10. How to Tidy Up Without Disturbing Naptime
Naptime is often the perfect opportunity to clean, but it’s crucial to keep noise to a minimum. Focus on tasks that don’t require much sound, such as putting away laundry, organizing drawers, or wiping down surfaces with a cloth.
When babies are in the womb they hear all the noises from our bodies, similar to being underwater so white noise won’t necessarily wake your children. This is individual for each kid but generally, as long as you don’t start the vacuum up next to them they should stay sleeping.
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11. How to Keep Your Kitchen Sparkling in 5 Minutes a Day
The kitchen can quickly become the messiest room in the house, but a 5-minute daily cleaning routine can make a huge difference. After meals, wipe down counters, load the dishwasher, or clean your dishes and put away any stray items.
If you keep on top of it daily, the kitchen will remain cleaner with minimal effort. It is super key to get used to following a routine so you do it automatically.
Then once a month do a good clean where you make sure to get those not-as-often-cleaned spots made sparkling clean.
12. Disinfecting Kitchen Surfaces the Fast Way
For a fast and effective disinfecting routine, focus on high-touch areas like countertops, door handles, and the sink. Use a multi-surface cleaner that also disinfects, or make your disinfecting spray with vinegar and water.
Spraying and wiping down these areas daily can keep germs at bay without taking up much time. Anywhere you put your hands is a good place to wipe, including light switches (with caution), fridge doors etc.
13. Tidy the Kitchen While Cooking: Cleaning as You Go
Cleaning as you cook is a game-changer for busy mums. While prepping meals, wash chopping boards, utensils, and dishes as you go. This prevents a huge pile-up of dishes at the end of cooking and makes the cleanup process faster and easier.
By keeping on top of them it stops overwhelm and allows you to get on with the things that are important to you or that you enjoy.
14. Speed Cleaning Your Bathroom in 10 Minutes
Bathroom cleaning doesn’t have to take hours. Start with the toilet, sink, and countertops. Wipe down surfaces, clean mirrors, and replace any used towels. A quick 10-minute session every few days ensures your bathroom stays fresh without taking too much time.
Even once a week wipe surfaces and reorder your bathroom.
15. The Best Bathroom Cleaning Products for Busy Mums
Essentials for fast cleaning:
- Microfiber cloths for quick dusting and shining.
- Sponge clothes for wiping down surfaces
- Cordless vacuum for easy, quick cleanups.
- Disinfecting wipes for high-touch areas.
- Extendable duster for hard-to-reach places.
- Squeegee for a streak-free shower or mirror.
16. Plan When You Will Clean
Knowing when and what you are going to clean makes everything so much easier, will you have one reset day a week where you do all your cleaning or do a little bit each day.
Bullet journaling is a great way to make a plan of what you need to get done each day, then you know everything is getting done that week.
17. Glass Cleaner Is Magic
Glass cleaner works well on windows, silverware, and mirrors. Anything you want to shine glass cleaner and a cheap cloth work wonders. Keep a bottle of glass cleaner handy for quick touch-ups around the house.
It’s not just for windows—use it on mirrors, stovetops, kitchen appliances, and even tabletops to make everything shine in a flash. A quick spray and wipe can make your space feel fresh instantly!
18. Do Laundry Every Day:
Set a small goal to do at least one load of laundry every day. It prevents the laundry from piling up into a daunting mountain and helps you stay on top of it, ensuring everyone has clean clothes without spending an entire weekend catching up.
Cleaning hacks for busy mums are so important and staying on top of laundry is so key.
19. Use A Cleaning Schedule
Use a cleaning schedule, you can draw one up or create a digital PDF. By having a visual guide you know exactly what needs to be done and when. This will help you never run out of ideas. You will always have a list of cleaning ideas to get on with when you have a spare 10 minutes. Break down your cleaning tasks into manageable chunks by assigning specific chores to different days.
For example, Monday could be for bathrooms, Tuesday for dusting, and Wednesday for vacuuming. This helps prevent overwhelm and ensures you stay on top of things without needing to deep-clean all at once.
20. How to Clean and Maintain Your Home with Minimal Effort
The key to minimal-effort cleaning is consistency. Set aside a few minutes every day to tidy up, and don’t let clutter accumulate. If you stick to a routine, your home will stay relatively clean, and you’ll avoid major deep-cleaning sessions.
Plus, little habits like putting things back where they belong can save you time in the long run. Printing and laminating also allow you reminders to keep in your kitchen and bathroom to keep everywhere clean!
Bonus Tip – Use Our Weekly Reset Cleaning List
10 minutes of your time a week spent on these places and you will have a sparkling clean house to begin the week with.
By staying on top and ahead you make your life easier for yourself, we are always looking for ways to make Mum’s life easier so let us know your favourite tips!
Also setting up a bullet journal spread, or digital plan is a great way to get on top of your cleaning.
Check out our post on bullet journaling for non-artists…
Our favorite journals are the Tiefossi journals and you can get 10% using the code AREALMUMNZ.
Busy Mums Cleaning PDF Included FREE
Concluding 20 Cleaning Hacks For Busy Mums
Cleaning doesn’t have to be a daunting task for busy mums. With these 20 simple cleaning hacks, you can stay on top of housework while making the most of your time.
Whether you’re tidying up in 10 minutes, getting your kids involved, or using clever tools and products, these strategies will help keep your home looking fresh without overwhelming you.
What are your favourite cleaning hacks for busy mums? Share them in the comments below, and let’s help each other keep our homes sparkling while juggling our many other responsibilities!
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