Hands up who feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day when it comes to keeping on top of household chores?

If, like me, you feel the overwhelm when it comes to *trying* to keep everything spick and span with kids in the house, then this post is for you!

As a family of six our household to-do list can feel never-ending and just as you tick everything off, it’s time to start over again.

Anything that quickens the process and gives us more quality family time gets the thumbs up from me, and by making simple changes to your routine it is possible to speed through your to-do list. If you don’t believe me, this collaborative post reveals all!

7 easy ways to fast-track chores for busy parents

1. Make the most of smart technology

Using smart appliances, such as ovens and fridges, with self-cleaning functions will save you the job of manually cleaning them. The UK’s sole domestic luxury smart toilet and bidet toilet seat brand, Washloo, offers a range of self-cleaning intelligent toilets, which also flush automatically, clean the user with water jets, and increase comfort with heated toilet seats. You can also buy intelligent cleaning devices, such as robot hoovers and mops, which you can schedule to carry out chores for you.

2. Get the whole family involved

Instead of trying to complete all the household errands by yourself, delegate age-appropriate chores to your children. For example, ask toddlers to put their toys away and ask teenagers to make dinner. Conducting errands from a young age can teach children self-reliance and life skills. If you’re struggling to motivate your children, you could use a reward system, such as pocket money, dessert, or a day out, to encourage them. If you have room in your budget, consider hiring a cleaner to help you out once or twice a month.

3. Clean as you go

Try not to let daily chores build up into a time-consuming task, and clean as you go. For example, wash a plate after using it, rather than adding it to the pile, as it will quickly turn into a one-hour long job instead of taking a quick 30 seconds.

4. Minimise screen time

It’s easy to waste time on your phone by endlessly scrolling through Twitter, refreshing your Instagram feed, or watching addictive TikTok videos. But you’ll only regret it when you remember that there are still stacks of dishes to wash or piles of laundry to iron. If you want to be on your phone less but keep reaching for it out of habit, put some boundaries in place. You can reduce your screen usage by:

• deleting social media apps
• implementing digital wellbeing settings
• turning off notifications
• leaving your phone in another room
• keeping your phone on flight mode

If you still want to spend part of your day on your phone, wait until there’s some downtime instead of when you have things left on your to-do list.

5. Set yourself a five-minute challenge

Challenging yourself to clean as much as you can in five minutes can be a great motivational tactic. You can often get more done than you think, especially when you know it’s just for a short interval. Focus on smaller jobs during these bursts of productivity, such as:

• decluttering
• wiping the kitchen counters
• taking out the bin
• emptying or filling the dishwasher
• sweeping

Spending five minutes every day on chores will prevent an overwhelming amount of mess from accumulating over time.

6. Prioritise your chores

Before starting your to-do list, decide which tasks need immediate attention and which are less critical. Your home doesn’t need to be perfect, so don’t worry if you only finish the priority chores.

7. Create a schedule

Organise your chores into daily, weekly, monthly, and bi-annual to-do lists so you know when to complete them. Otherwise, you might find yourself doing chores that aren’t due yet while ignoring priority tasks.

Focus on achieving your daily tasks each day, along with one item from your weekly chores, each week, including one of your monthly errands too. Don’t forget to leave room in the schedule for relaxation either. If you’re constantly productive, you’ll quickly become exhausted and burn out!

This is a collaborative post.

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