Want to spend less time cleaning? Give these quick and easy time saving cleaning tips a try!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Neato. The opinions and text are all mine.
My Favorite Time Saving Cleaning Tips
If there’s one thing that I consistently seem to need, it’s more time! Between work, the kids, sports activities, and all of the other day-to-day issues that come up, finding the time {and energy!} for cleaning tasks can be hard. I’m always on the lookout for time saving cleaning tips and am willing to try any little cleaning hack that will help to make our household cleaning tasks more effective and efficient.
Today I’m sharing all of my best cleaning time savers including my new favorite tool, the Neato D7 Robot Vacuum. This has been a total game changer for me and I’m super excited to be able to give one to one of YOU as well! You can find all of the giveaway details at the end of the post, so don’t miss out!
Now let’s get going with those time saving cleaning hacks….
Set up a cleaning routine.
Having some sort of daily cleaning routine can really help you to stay on track and be more time efficient with your cleaning. You can make it as basic or as detailed as you would like – just make sure that it’s realistic! The goal with this is to develop some regular cleaning habits that fit in with your schedule and lifestyle. A dedicated 15-20 minutes of cleaning each morning and night really goes a long way. You can see our daily cleaning routine here.
Don’t multi-task.
This is sometimes hard for me to do, but I know that focusing on {and completing!} ONE task at a time is a huge time saver. Multi-tasking has been shown to actually decrease productivity and can make your tasks more stressful to complete. Staying focused on just one task really allows you to “get in the groove”. This will decrease the amount of time needed to complete the task and increase how well you perform it. So just pick a task and do it!
Work the room.
When you’re cleaning a room always work from top to bottom and from one side of the room to the other so you’re not getting dust and dirt on places that you’ve already cleaned. I find that having a system helps me to stay more focused too. So if you’re going to be dusting, be sure to do this before you clean your floors!
Set a timer.
If you only have a limited amount of time to clean, put on a timer and work as quickly as possible. This works especially well if you’re trying to get your kids to clean up! It makes it a little more fun and you can get a mini-workout in at the same time. It’s a win-win!
Keep cleaning supplies handy.
Keeping cleaning supplies easily accessible and close to where you need them allows you to do those simple cleaning tasks on an “as -you-go” basis. I keep all of our bathrooms stocked with the basic cleaning supplies and use a Command hook on the inside of cupboard doors to keep cleaning cloths handy. Doing a quick wipe of the counters or a swoosh of the toilet bowl wand as needed will decrease how often you need to do a deep cleaning. Once you get in the habit of doing it, you barely have to think about it.
Tote your supplies.
Having a cleaning tote stocked with your favorite cleaning supplies makes it easy to carry to any area of your home. No more running back and forth looking for supplies! My must-have cleaning supplies include microfiber cloths, a polishing cloth for windows and shiny surfaces, a good all-purpose-cleaner, a spray bottle of water, and a toothbrush for cleaning those small little crevices. If you don’t have a tote, an apron with pockets would work well too!
Take off your shoes.
Taking off your shoes when you enter your home takes less than a minute, but it can be a be a huge time saver when it comes to cleaning. Not only does it help to keep out the obvious dust and dirt, but it also keeps nastier things like bacteria, fungus, and viruses away. Don’t forget to wipe down your pets’ paws too.
Have a “Put-Away” basket.
If you’re short on time, having a laundry basket or bin to toss random items into can really help to tidy things up in a hurry. Of course, you’ll still need to put the items away at some point, but the basket makes it easier to carry everything back to their proper spots. This works especially well before company is coming.
Clean as you go.
Cleaning things as you go doesn’t really take up much time but it will definitely add up by the end of the day. Load the dirty dishes directly into the dishwasher instead of just placing them on the counter. Put away food items as you cook instead of leaving rather than leaving them out on the counter. Put your shoes and coat away as you come in the door. Have all the family help out cleaning up the kitchen after dinner so you’re not stuck with a messy kitchen when it’s time to go to bed. All of these little things are just habits that can be created with a little intentional planning. Obviously there will be times when this is not possible, but do it when you can and you will save yourself a ton of cleaning in the end.
Ditch the top sheet.
I know that there are some people that love their top sheet, but if you’re not too attached, ditch it! Our top sheet always ended up just getting bunched in the bottom of the bed and was way more of an inconvenience than anything else. Making the bed is so much quicker when you’re just dealing with a duvet. It’s also a lot easier for little ones if you’re trying to get them to make their beds too. You can always keep an extra quilt at the bottom on your bed during the winter months if you feel like you need another layer. Yes, it’s an extra step, but it’s still way easier than trying to tuck in those top sheets!
Let a robot do the work!
If you’ve been curious about robotic vacuums {or just need to upgrade yours}, let me introduce you to the Neato D7. The kids named ours Gary and he’s pretty much the next best thing to having a live-in house keeper! This little vacuum is fully loaded with all of the bells and whistles to give you an awesome clean no matter where you are. Using the app, I can program our Neato to run while we’re out at hockey practice or even when we’re sleeping. So even on the busiest of days, I can at least have a clean floor!
The Neato D7
Overall, I’ve been so impressed with our Neato D7. We don’t have an easy floor plan to navigate and I was amazed at all of the little places that the D7 was actually able to go. It went under our kitchen table, through the small passageway between our sofa and coffee table, underneath furniture – all awkward spots that I was initially worried about it getting stuck. It also did an awesome job with the actual cleaning itself and picked up everything from dirt and dust to crumbs and pet hair. With two boys, three dogs, and a cat, we definitely have a lot to clean! The D-shaped design and side brushes really helped to clean along baseboards and into all of those corners. You can even look on the app to see exactly where it cleaned!
There are a ton of features on the Neato D7 that I loved, but here are a few of my favorites…
Easy Set Up.
There’s a quick start-up guide that’s easy to follow and only takes a couple of minutes. Basically all you need to do is charge the vacuum, download the app, and pair your device to get started. {NOTE: If you don’t wish to use the app, you can still run the vacuum. There will just be a few features that aren’t available such as the floor planner, scheduling, etc.}
The Neato app.
The Neato app allows you to totally customize your cleaning schedule. Preset your weekly running times so you don’t even have to think about it. Or start up your D7 for another cleaning run from your phone wherever you are. The app also reminds you when maintenance is required on your Neato, allows you to see exactly where the D7 has cleaned, and notifies you if the Neato runs into any difficulties.
Awesome laser guided mapping technology.
The D7 actually creates a map of your home so you can totally customize your clean. Once your floor plan has been mapped out, you can set “no go” lines on the app to limit where you Neato cleans. You can also create zones so the Neato will just clean specific areas at specific times. Since the Neato D7 uses a laser, it can even run at night when you’re sleeping! If you have multiple floors to clean, the D7 can create up to three different floor plans so each floor is custom cleaned.
Easy transitions between rugs and flooring.
Our main floor has a mix of hardwood, carpet, and area rugs, and the Neato went easily back and forth between all of the surfaces. The only rug that was an issue was a small rug we have in our laundry room that had fringes. Basically, anything that you wouldn’t be able to run over with an upright vacuum should also be avoided with the Neato.
Tips for the Best Neato D7 Experience
Here are a few tips to get to know your Neato and get the best cleaning experience…
- Stay close by the first 1-2 times that you run your Neato. This allows you to see how the Neato navigates and what {if any} areas you may want to limit access with the no-go lines.
- Empty out the debris bin after each use. The Neato actually has quite a large debris bin, but cleaning the bin and filter regularly will give you a better result. You’ll be amazed at everything that it picks up! {NOTE: If you happen to forget to empty the bin, don’t worry. The app will remind you when the bin is full.}
- Create your custom cleaning schedule. Just set your cleaning schedule on the app and forget about it. Your Neato will do all of the work! Our Neato is programmed to run on our main floor three times per week. I also take it upstairs {where there is a lot less traffic} about once per week.
- Take a little time to set up your floor plan and any no-go lines. This will give you the best clean and minimize any obstacles that the Neato might come across.
Neato D7 Giveaway
Okay guys! I’m so excited that I get to give one of YOU your very own Neato D7! This is Neato’s top of the line model {valued at $839.99} and it’s fully loaded with every option that you could possibly want. Who doesn’t want their own personal house cleaner?
All you need to do to enter the giveaway is follow the prompts on the Rafflecopter below. And if you don’t want to wait, you can purchase one of your own for 20% off with my promo code Jenn20. This offer and giveaway are open to residents of the United States only.
