Housework piles up FAST if you don’t have a system for streamlining and maintaining it all. These tried-and-true household hacks come from the best homemakers on the web, and include 31 genius ways to make your home run like a well-oiled machine!
I’m a firm believer that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail, and this has never been more true when it comes to managing a home.
There’s cleaning, laundry, making meals, more laundry, picking up, and even more laundry. Did I mention how much laundry there is? I think you get the point. There’s just so much to do!
I wish I could say I had the perfect solution to every homemaking problem ever, but I’m still learning to keep my own busy lifestyle and schedule under control. Much of what I have learned, though, has been from my favorite books and blogs. There are some really talented ladies out there—many of whom I’ve been fortunate enough to meet!
These 31 household hacks include the most clever ideas I’ve picked up over the years. I guarantee ALL will help your home run like a well-oiled machine, and are pretty much pure genius!
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31 Household Hacks to Streamline Your Home:
1. If clothes always end up on TOP of the hamper instead of IN it, remove the lid. Such a simple concept, but hugely effective! – All About Laundry
2. Print all your favorite recipes and put them in a single binder. No more searching for your family favorites. Here’s how I do this!
3. Fill your dirty blender with warm water and a squirt of dish soap. Turn on and let run until residue is clear.
4. If you forget to move laundry from the washer to the dryer, set a timer for 30 minutes after starting a load. Because that never happens…
5. Use seasons to find a manageable rhythm for housework and your home. For example, deep clean in the spring, focus on family for summer, declutter during fall, and rest and rejuvenate during winter.
6. Prepare breakfast the night before. This helps you get a head start on your day, and leaves less hassle to deal with in the morning. – Healthy Make-Ahead Breakfast Recipes
7. Wash one window a week. It’s much more manageable to do it this way rather than all at once. Plus, you’ll always have squeaky clean windows!
8. Maintain 2-4 storage baskets of toys and rotate on a monthly basis. This keeps the amount of toys you have out to a minimum, and gives your kids “new” toys to look forward to. – 31 Days to A Clutter Free Life
9. Keep all cleaning supplies in a bucket so they’re easier to carry around while you clean. – Cleaning Around the Seasons {Note: I also like to keep a set of supplies in each bathroom.}
11. Create 21 standard meals to rotate throughout your meal plan. Include new ones in so you won’t get bored, but have at least 21 to fall back on for when you don’t have the energy or desire to plan dinner. – Plan It, Don’t Panic
12. Soak a sponge in water and place it in your microwave for 1 minute on HIGH. The moisture from the sponge softens residue inside so it’s easier to clean.
13. Keep paper plates on hand to give yourself a break. No one says you have to wash dishes ALL the time!
14. Make your grocery list according to the layout of the store you shop at most. Even better, have separate lists for separate stores. Ex. Sam’s Club, Publix, etc. – Family Systems: How to Automate Your Housewife Life
15. Place receipts immediately into a clear jar when you get back from the store. Then process on a specific day each week.
16. Spend 15 minutes in the morning doing dinner prep (chopping vegetables, pre-cooking, marinating meat, mixing bread dough, etc.). Dinner will come together much easier and faster! – Plan It, Don’t Panic
17. Use plastic dollar store caddies in the fridge and freezer to keep things organized. I like to corral cheese and chocolate chips in the fridge, and frozen fruit packages in the freezer.
18. Make a master list of chores to keep the home running smoothly. Then assign each chore to a specific family member so no one person is responsible for the entire home. – The Modern Girl’s Guide to Homemaking
19. Put your shower and bath products in a plastic, drainable caddie. This makes all products easy to take in an out while you’re cleaning the shower. – 31 Days to A Clutter Free Life
20. Buy chicken in bulk and cook. Freeze in clear, ziplock bags to use in casseroles.
21. File your t-shirts vertically to save drawer space. Bonus, you’ll also see everything you own at a glance.
22. When you make a to-do list, be sure you put actual tasks on the list, not projects. This makes it much easier to take action, and won’t leave you feeling overwhelmed. – It’s About Time
24. Temptation bundle the mundane tasks with things you like to do, so they’re not as daunting. For example, listen to podcasts or watch HGTV while you clean or fold laundry.
25. Keep a Spice Inventory Sheet to keep track of all your spices. This saves you from rummaging around in the cabinet or spice drawer looking for ones you don’t currently have on hand.
26. Use an app like Todoist to remind you of recurring tasks that are easily forgettable. Examples are household maintenance, car maintenance, and monthly cleaning tasks.
27. Wash your family’s socks in separate lingerie bags so you never lose a pair again. (Or I guess I should say, half a pair!)
29. Clean your blinds easily and effectively with a sock. Just slip one onto your hand and then dip it into a solution of 50/50 water and white vinegar to wipe blinds.
30. Keep power cords organized by stuffing inside empty toilet paper tubes. Get fancy and decorate with washi tape!
31. Create a family command center to house important paperwork. This includes a calendar for appointments, your cleaning schedule, meal plan, and a grocery list. – 31 Days to A Clutter Free Life
Whew! So many good ideas to get your home in order…and help keep it that way!
If you liked this post, you’re going to love my other cleaning and organizing goodies:
I also wrote a workbook called, The Modern Girl’s Guide to Homemaking, which shows you how to run a successful home in the 21st century. It’s the resource I WISH I had when I first learned how to manage a home!
Did you learn any new-to-you hacks?
What’s your favorite tip to streamline and organize your home?
Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Read my full disclosure policy here.
I already (attempt to) do most of these on the list. However, the one that hit me like a ton of “duh”s was to write TASKS down not PROJECTS. It may just be a mind trick but seems less daunting.
Oh, oh, oh… I do the first 3 tips! The rest were so inspiring! A window a week — why hadn’t I thought of that?! I hate window washing. That would certainly take the edge off wouldn’t it?!
Such an awesome list of tips and now I have to check out your book (since I already have a bundle)!
I have to give credit to Joseph for the window washing trick. He HATES doing windows, but started doing 1 a week so that we wouldn’t have to do them all at one time twice a year. 🙂
These tips are amazing and super helpful! One thing I do every weekend to keep my own clean is to focus on one area and really clean it well. Last weekend was the bathroom sink and the week before that was the coat closet. Giving myself one area of the house to work on often motivates me to want to do more. But when you have just one small area to focus on it makes cleaning and organizing a breeze!
I really need to do the whole laundry timer thing though, that’s a great tip.
I love the “wash one window a week” tip! I have less windows to deal with now that we live in our Airstream, but they get dirty quick! Maybe I’ll do 2 a week on separate days and that way I’ll hit all of them once a month. Brilliant! Thanks!
One nice thing about living in an apartment while I repay my student loan debt from law school is that the space is small, which means cleaning doesn’t take that much time! I think if I’m financially able to in the future, I will outsource some of the cleaning in my future home (at least, ideally)!
Cheyenne says
I already (attempt to) do most of these on the list. However, the one that hit me like a ton of “duh”s was to write TASKS down not PROJECTS. It may just be a mind trick but seems less daunting.
Kalyn Brooke says
It’s funny how sometimes just a simple change in perspective can make a huge difference.
Jennifer | The Deliberate Mom says
Oh, oh, oh… I do the first 3 tips! The rest were so inspiring! A window a week — why hadn’t I thought of that?! I hate window washing. That would certainly take the edge off wouldn’t it?!
Such an awesome list of tips and now I have to check out your book (since I already have a bundle)!
Thanks for sharing!
xoxo
Kalyn Brooke says
I have to give credit to Joseph for the window washing trick. He HATES doing windows, but started doing 1 a week so that we wouldn’t have to do them all at one time twice a year. 🙂
Lindsey says
These tips are amazing and super helpful! One thing I do every weekend to keep my own clean is to focus on one area and really clean it well. Last weekend was the bathroom sink and the week before that was the coat closet. Giving myself one area of the house to work on often motivates me to want to do more. But when you have just one small area to focus on it makes cleaning and organizing a breeze!
I really need to do the whole laundry timer thing though, that’s a great tip.
Kalyn Brooke says
That’s a great idea, Lindsey! Breaks daunting cleaning routines down even a step further.
Courtney says
I love the “wash one window a week” tip! I have less windows to deal with now that we live in our Airstream, but they get dirty quick! Maybe I’ll do 2 a week on separate days and that way I’ll hit all of them once a month. Brilliant! Thanks!
Kalyn Brooke says
You’re welcome, Courtney.
Joseph and I are actually planning a summer long RV trip in a few years… so I’m going to be stalking your blog for a while. 🙂
Natalie @ Financegirl says
One nice thing about living in an apartment while I repay my student loan debt from law school is that the space is small, which means cleaning doesn’t take that much time! I think if I’m financially able to in the future, I will outsource some of the cleaning in my future home (at least, ideally)!
Kalyn Brooke says
I love how you said this: “Outsourcing some of the cleaning…” 🙂 This is one of my life goals as well! Until then… it’s hacks, tips, and checklists. 🙂