20 Lazy Cleaning Hacks You Have to Try
I am probably one of the most undomesticated people you will ever meet. I’m a terrible cook and I absolutely hate to clean. So I’m not going to get into how to create a cleaning schedule (screw that) or how to make your own laundry soap, blah. Nope. Today I’m going to share with you my personal list of 20 lazy cleaning hacks you can use to keep your house somewhat tidy on a daily basis.
Now, I’m not a clean freak by any means, but I just can’t stand clutter. It makes me feel like my world is caving in on me!
And the number one cause of clutter is – PROCRASTINATION!
I can freaking nag my family until I’m blue in the face, but since I don’t want to wait for hell to freeze over, I often end up having to clean up after them to keep the small amount sanity I have left.
The #1 cause of clutter is procrastination. Just looking at this mess is gives me anxiety.
My SIL always has a spotless house, so I asked her what the trick is:
Clean as you go!
Sometimes this is easier said than done. So for someone as lazy as me, cleaning has to be a lot more convenient.
Here are my personal lazy cleaning hacks for those who don’t need their house to be perfect – just somewhat presentable. Because none of us is freaking Martha Stewart.
Bust it out in the bathroom!
One of the hardest things about cleaning is getting the motivation to do it. And if you actually have to get off your lazy ass to go grab cleaning supplies from another room, it makes it that much more annoying.
But if you keep your daily cleaning supplies nearby, you can simply multi-task. Especially in the bathroom.
Does this look familiar? Dried blobs of toothpaste in my sink give me an aneurysm.
1. Always keep a dual-sided sponge somewhere in the bathroom.
After junior (or hubby) finishes brushing his teeth, use it to clean up the mess immediately. Unless you like scrubbing away dried up toothpaste all over your sink.
Better yet, teach him how to do it!
2. Use a bathroom caddy like this.
You can keep your sponge within reach and it serves double duty as a soap dispenser and toothbrush holder.
If it’s in your face, it will make it easier to remember to use it. I also have one in my kitchen!
This sponge caddy is a lifesaver in the bathroom. You can use it in the kitchen too!
3. Keep a sponge and plastic cup in the shower or bath so you can wipe it before getting out.
You’re already in there and everything is still wet, so take a few seconds to clean up that blob of shampoo on the wall or that nasty ring around the tub as the water drains.
Oh, and stay away from bar soap. Nobody needs to see that dirty cake of goo covered with pubes melting in your bathtub.
4. Clean the baseboards while you poop.
Simply store a couple of old washcloths or rags under your sink, wet them, and wipe down those gross baseboards you’re staring at while you are on the toilet.
When you see how nice and clean it is, you’ll probably want to finish the rest. And maybe you’ll want to wipe down the walls and door while you’re at it.
Then just toss the rag in the laundry for next time.
5. Keep Multi-Purpose Cleaner under the sink.
I particularly like the kind that does glass and surfaces so you can clean your mirrors and your counter with one product.
I certainly don’t do this every day or even every week. But if you want to get really fancy, it will be there whenever you need it.
6. Have cleaning supplies both upstairs and downstairs if you live in a multi-level home.
It’s a pain in the ass to bring all your cleaning junk upstairs every time. But with this hack, you don’t even need to spend extra money.
You can simply cut your sponges in half and pour your multi-purpose cleaner into separate spray bottles to keep one upstairs and one downstairs.
Alternatively, you can get just yourself a caddy like this one to take your supplies with you.
If you have no room in your bathroom, you can use a portable caddy like this to transport your cleaning supplies.
Tackle that monster pile of clothes
My hubby has this wonderful habit of leaving piles of his clothes in pretty much every room in the house. Argh! I don’t even know which pile is clean or which one is dirty.
I get that doing laundry is no fun. But unless you want to leave the house looking like Pig Pen, you have to do something with your clothes.
So here are the lazy cleaning hacks I use to keep my side of the room clean.
My husband’s side of the room. I don’t know if these clothes are dirty or clean. All I know is they drive me crazy!
7. Keep a hat/coat rack inside your closet!
I love using coat racks to store clothes. I keep one in my closet to hang my belts, purses, and scarves. But it’s especially useful as a place to hang your bras.
Then when you need something, just grab and go. The best part is, it doesn’t take up much room and everything is out of sight.
Use a coat rack inside your closet to keep your purses, scarves, and bras out of site.
8. Hooks are amazing!
I have them behind every door. I use them in the bedrooms for robes, in the closet for jackets and hats, and in the bathroom for extra towels.
The only time you see what’s hanging is when you close the door. Sneaky!
Hooks are a great way to hide your clothes or towels behind a door!
9. Assign a laundry basket for each member of your family instead of a hamper.
Hubby has one, I have one, and my kid has one in his room. I like them much better than hampers because they are easy to carry and requires less sorting.
You can just keep it in a corner so it’s not directly in sight when entering the room.
This is my son’s laundry basket hidden in the corner of his room. Hope there are no skid marks in sight!
10. Do separate loads of laundry for each member of your household
Let’s be honest, the worst part of doing laundry is putting the damn clothes away, right?
Separate loads make doing the laundry way easier since you don’t have to spend as much time sorting and taking to each room.
Do separate loads of laundry for each family member to make putting away much easier.
On Sundays (when the electricity is cheaper), I perform the “laundry train”.
One load goes in the washer while the other load is in the dryer. Then I just put the clothes in their respective baskets and do all my sorting and folding right in the room where they go.
And do it right away so you don’t have to look at it anymore. It seriously takes only 5 mins.
11. Then dust off your dresser with the USED Dryer sheet
It’s there, you’re there, why not?
The anti-static chemicals in a dryer sheet will help to repel dust and lint! Great for cleaning the TV screen and keyboards too.
Kill it in the kitchen
The kitchen can be a scary place. The sight of old stuck-on food grosses me out and washing dirty dishes gives me anxiety. I hate sticking my hands in a bowl of dirty water with mushy mashed potatoes, silverware, and who knows what else soaking in it.
Other than nagging my family daily, this is how I deal with kitchen clutter.
Seriously?! The trash and recycle cans are right THERE!!!
12. Wash your dishes as soon as you finish eating.
At the very least rinse off your plate and put it in the dishwasher if you have one.
If there’s one thing that makes a house feel dirty, it’s a pile of dishes in the sink. Just stop it!
In fact, I prefer to just use microwavable paper plates and throw them the recycle when done. I’m classy like that.
The most important thing is to clean it up immediately. Don’t let it sit there and please don’t wait for someone else to do it (hubby)!
13. Use tin foil or boil bags to line your pots and pans.
Avoid the mess in the first place. Simply lift and toss in the trash.
Slow cooker bags like these from Pan Saver, make cleaning up a breeze!
14. Get non-stick cookware.
Non-stick cookware makes cleaning pots and pans super easy.
They have this amazing coating on them that makes food and burnt on crap slip right off when washing by hand. We love them!
We have these Gotham Steel Pots and Pans and they are amazing! Super easy to clean. Love love love them!
15. Over the door pantry storage is a lifesaver.
We have one in our pantry that we use to put spices and our canned goods on.
It frees up the shelves so we have more room for healthy staples like potato chips and cookies.
We also use over the door cabinet storage for the tin foil and boil bags.
16. There’s a liner for that.
You can use liners for your oven, your shelves, your fridge, and your gas cooktop. They are great for catching spills when they happen.
The only thing is, you still have to clean the stupid liner.
Non-stick Oven Liners like theseare great for catching spills.
Finally, If you can’t clean it, hide it!
Let’s face it. We probably all just have too much stuff. And if you live in a small place with not much storage, you have to get creative. Here are a few tips for keeping your clutter out of sight in a small space.
This is what I have to deal with on a regular basis. Shoes do not belong on the damn coffee table!
17. Get furniture with built-in storage.
These days, you can find tables with drawers. Even a cool storage ottoman is a great place to stash your stuff when the mayor comes to visit unexpectedly.
Furniture with storage serves multiple purposes. A storage ottoman doubles as a coffee table or even extra seating.
18. Pick up a cubby or bookshelf while you’re at it.
Get those stinky shoes off the floor (and coffee table) or fill some pretty baskets with your random stuff and hide them on the shelves in plain sight!
We re-purposed our son’s changing table and are now using the cubbies for storage.
19. Cedar chests are great hiding places.
You can store all kinds of things in a cedar chest. Plus they also double as a bench – which is a perfect place to put on your shoes.
Cedar chests like this one are great hiding places for clutter. If only my hubby would use it instead of putting shit on top of it. Oy!
20. Don’t forget the space under your bed.
Under the bed storage boxes are a great place to hide your Xmas ornaments, your old baby blanket, puzzles etc.
Just make sure to put them in mold and mildew-proof boxes first. And no jumping!
There are lots of ways you can keep your house tidy without exerting a lot of effort.
Now just get off your lazy ass and do it!
Disclosure: I was not compensated for writing this post, but it does contain affiliate links which means I may be compensated a small amount if you click through and purchase. Full disclosure policy here.
I love all the tips. I think this post is made for people like me hahaha lazy but cant stand dirt lol
Exactly. When you can’t clean it, just hide it!
These are some great cleaning and organizing tools. This just reminds me i really need to get a bathroom caddy to start cleaning up better. I really need to get things organized.
Caddies are awesome. If you have stuff nearby, it makes it easier.
These are some really great cleaning hacks, many of which I use. It is so important to keep cleaning supplies handy.
I absolutely agree with this simple lazy hacks for cleaning at the same time maintain the “Claygo Rules”. Everyone must applied in their houses. Thanks for this.
I seriously needed these tips I struggle with keeping up with cleaning and then become extremely overwhelmed by it.