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Hate cleaning? Here are 10 crowdsourced 'lazy hacks' for keeping any home spotless

Laziness can turn into resourcefulness with the right piece of advice.

cleaning tips
Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

Cleaning is not everyone's idea of a good time.

Some people love cleaning. They find it to be rewarding, cathartic and enjoyable, helping their souls scrub their way toward peace.

Then there’s the rest of us.

Sure, we all prefer some level of cleanliness in our home. But do we want it enough to whip out the mop and bucket to achieve it? Nahhhh, not for us anti-clean freaks. For those who hate cleaning, it really is a chore in the purest sense of the word—the very image of spending precious time doing the dishes (again? weren't they just washed?) is soul draining. That’s without even taking into consideration how mental illnesses like depression can dwindle our motivation to maintain any sense of upkeep.

Luckily, there’s hope for everyone, no matter what your situation is. Making an overwhelming task less daunting often comes down to incorporating small changes. Incremental progress is a slow, yet comfortable way to move toward a goal. This philosophy works for cleaning as well. And we live in a time when crowdsourced tips to get started are but a click away.

Reddit user u/Luckyjulydouble07 asked, “For those of you who hate cleaning, what’s your secret to a clean home?” to the online forum, and the hacks that people shared were surprisingly helpful. I definitely found myself taking a few notes. Other answers are sure to be hilariously relatable for fellow lazy cleaners.

Take a look below:

"Invite someone/people over. The only thing worse than cleaning is being embarrassed by how disgusting you are." – @DarwinsDayOff

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If this isn't absolute truth, I don't know what is. I can be struggling to clean my apartment for weeks, then suddenly make it spotless in less than an hour as soon as I know a guest is fast approaching. Sometime societal pressures can be helpful.

"Own less shit." – @obtusername

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This was seconded by @golindsatan74 , who shared:

"I have my house on the market, and because of this I have pretty much packed EVERYTHING that isn't something of direct use, as in all knick knacks and clutter are completely gone. With this, I have discovered it is incredibly easy to keep a house clean when it is extremely minimized with clear, easy to clean surfaces and open spaces easy to navigate. And when the day comes when we sell our house and move I will not unpack the cutesy crap and keep a clean, minimalist house. To me, this is now the way."

"Robot vacuum! Run it daily, pick up whatever it hits. I love that thing." – @No-Trouble814

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Where robot vacuums might not be strong enough to replace upright vacuums, there's no denying that having a little droid to help with basic upkeep is a godsend and also fulfills our dream our living in a real "Star Wars" universe.

"Clean a little bit as you go. I hate cleaning, but when I lived by myself my apartment was spotless. I would use a dish and wash it right then and there. 20 seconds now is better than 30+ minutes when dishes stack up." – @domestic_omnom

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This person also alluded to pairing less than fun tasks with an enjoyable activity, such as folding laundry while watching Netflix.

One of the best things I did for my mental health was hire a cleaning service twice a month. We have young kids, who just walk into a room and make it messy. Also, my husband's tolerance for mess and dirty areas is a lot higher than mine. I was going crazy asking for help and not getting it, or feeling like nothing ever stayed clean. So, a cleaner comes twice a week, and if I have to clean the kitchen floor once because the kids helped make pancakes it's fine, because that's all I have to do.” – @Fionngirl14

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Granted, not everyone can afford this kind of help. On the other hand, it might not be as out of reach as you'd think. Many cleaning services offer coupons and discounts, and companies such as Task Rabbit might be able to find an individual who's affordable. The point is, there's nothing wrong with needing and seeking out help.

"It may seem counterintuitive, but I do the cleaning chores I dislike most first and get them out of the way. Then, gradually, work on the rest. It always looks good that way." – @Back2Bach

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Doesn't seem counterintuitive at all. This method of doing the hard, important thing first is touted by several productivity experts, including James Clear, author of "Atomic Habits."

"I schedule things. I would never, say, vacuum because the house needs vacuuming. But if Tuesday is vacuum the living room day, I do it because it’s time. Litter box every day at 2:00. Weirdly, I find myself doing things early, so I can beat the schedule clock." – @Wienerwrld

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This is a great tip to make sure everything gets done and to avoid overwhelm. Unless your floor is on fire, as seen above.

"Music. If I can dance while I clean, I can clean forever. I'll still hate it, but at least it won't be boring." – @Nicetwin123

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Obviously, the Outkast classic, "So Fresh, So Clean" would need to be on the playlist.

Finally, @Applejuiceinthehal broke cleaning down in the best way possible:

"First, there are 3 types of cleaning

  1. Tidying (putting things away/out of sight)
  2. Organizing
  3. Actual cleaning

You should only do one of those at a time. If you start tidying but start organizing, then you won't get the tidying done. If you need to clean it, there are things in the way, and so you start tidying, then you won't end up cleaning, or it will take longer.

So if you need to clean bathrooms, but there are things on the counter, put whatever belongs in the bathroom in the correct draw/cabinet. If it doesn't belong, just put in a basket outside bathroom. Clean bathrooms.

Every room should have a junk drawer. When you are tidying, if the object doesn't have a 'place' then just put in the junk drawer. When it's organizing time, you can give the object a home.

There are some chores that you should do daily. I do dishes daily. I heard someone say once that it takes like 4 minutes to do them. So you can do them even if you had a long night. On the off night where you don't get to it, then at least there is just 1 day backed up.

Other non negotiables for me is wipe down kitchen sink, counter and stove. Kitchen is where food is so prefer that to be clean even if other areas are messy.

Some people sweep/vacuum, do ten minute pick-ups, laundry, make beds. But I suppose that depends on family size and etc." – @Applejuiceinthehall

Sponsored

Three women, three MS journeys: How multiple sclerosis looks different for everyone

Gina, Nathalie and Helga share their reactions to being diagnosed with MS and how they stay informed and positive in the face of ever-changing symptoms.

Courtesy of Sanofi

Helga, Nathalie and Gina all have MS, and their experiences show how differently the disease can manifest.

True

It’s been 155 years since neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot gave the first lecture on a mysterious progressive illness he called “multiple sclerosis.” Since then, we’ve learned a lot. We know MS causes the immune system to attack healthy tissue, including damaging the brain and spinal cord. Resulting symptoms can be debilitating and include fatigue, blurred vision, memory problems and weakness. Huge advancements in our understanding of MS and its underlying causes, as well as treatment advances, have been made in the past few decades, but MS remains a complex and unpredictable reality for the 2.8 million+ people diagnosed around the world.

Ironically, the only real constant for people living with MS is change. There’s no set pattern or standard progression of the disease, so each person’s experience is unique. Some people with MS have mild symptoms that worsen slowly but sometimes improve, while others can have severe symptoms that drastically alter their daily lives.

All people with MS share some things in common, however, such as the need to stay informed on the ever-evolving research, find various lines of support and try to remain hopeful as they continue living with the disease.

To better understand what navigating life with MS really looks like, three women shared their MS stories with us. Their journeys demonstrate how MS can look different for different people and interestingly, how the language used to talk about the disease can greatly impact how people understand their realities.

woman with horse, woman riding horseGina loves riding her horse, Benita.Courtesy of Sanofi

Gina—Hamburg, Germany (diagnosed with relapsing multiple sclerosis in 2017)

When her youngest son was 4 months old, Gina started having problems with her eye. She’d soon learn she was experiencing optic neuritis—her first symptom of MS.

“Immediately after the diagnosis, I looked up facts on MS because I didn’t know anything about it,” Gina says. “And as soon as I knew what could really happen with this disease, I actually got scared.”

As her family’s primary income provider, she worried about how MS would impact her ability to work as a writer and editor. Her family was afraid she was going to end up in a wheelchair. However, for now, Gina’s MS is managed well enough that she still works full-time and is able to be active.

“When I tell somebody that I have MS, they often don't believe me the first time because I don't fulfill any stereotypes,” she says.

Overwhelmed by negative perspectives on living with MS, Gina sought support in the online MS community, which she found to be much more positive.

“I think it’s important to use as many positive words as you can when talking about MS.” It’s important to be realistic while also conveying hope, she says. “MS is an insidious disease that can cause many bad symptoms…that can be frightening, and you can't gloss over it, either.”

To give back to the online community that helped her so much, Gina started a blog to share her story and help others trying to learn about their diagnosis.

Though she deals with fatigue and cognitive dysfunction sometimes, Gina stays active swimming, biking, riding horses and playing with her sons, who are now 11 and 6.

Cognitive dysfunction is common in MS, with over half of people affected. It can impact memory, attention, planning, and word-finding. As with many aspects of MS, some people experience mild changes, while others face more challenges.

Gina says that while there’s still a lot of education about MS needed, she feels positive about the future of MS because there’s so much research being done.

woman in wheelchair holding medal, woman rowingNathalie is an award-winning rower with multiple international titles.Courtesy of Sanofi

Nathalie — Pennes Mirabeau, France (diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in 2002)

Nathalie was a teenager and a competitive athlete when she noticed her first symptoms of MS, but it would take four years of “limbo” before she was diagnosed.

“Ultimately, the diagnosis was more of a relief, than a shock,” she says. “Because when you have signs and you don’t know why, it’s worse than knowing, in the end, what you have.”

However, learning more about the disease—and the realities of disease progression—scared her.

“That glimpse of the future was direct and traumatic,” she says. Her neurologist explained that the disease evolves differently for everyone, and her situation might end up being serious or very mild. So, she decided to stop comparing herself to others with MS.

She said to herself, “We’ll see what happens, and you’ll manage it bit by bit.”

By 2005, Nathalie’s MS had progressed to the point of needing a wheelchair. However, that has not dampened her competitive spirit.

Nathalie began her international rowing career in 2009 and has won multiple world titles, including two Paralympic medals—silver in London and bronze in Tokyo. Now, at 42, she still trains 11 times a week. Fatigue can be a problem, and sometimes hard workouts leave her with muscle stiffness and shaking, but she credits her ongoing sports career for helping her feel in tune with her body’s signals.

“Over the years, I’ve learned to listen to my body, letting my body guide when I need to stop and take breaks,” she says.

Nathalie explains that she used to only look backwards because of the initial shock of her diagnosis. In time, she stopped thinking about what she couldn’t do anymore and focused on her future. She now lives in the following mindset: “Even when doors close, don’t miss out on those that open.” Instead of focusing on what she can’t do, she focuses on the opportunities she still has. Right now, this includes her training for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, where she will compete for another rowing medal.

“I only go forward,” she says. “Well, I try, anyway…It’s easy to say, it’s not always easy to do. But that’s what I try to do.”

woman exiting water after swimming, woman with great daneHelga's Great Dane has become a helpful and beloved companion.Courtesy of Sanofi

Helga—Johannesburg, South Africa (diagnosed with relapsing multiple sclerosis in 2010)

When Helga first started having balance issues and numbness in her feet, she chalked it up to her training as a runner. But when the numbness moved to her face, she knew something was wrong. She never guessed it was MS.

“When I was diagnosed, I felt completely overwhelmed and clueless,” Helga says. “I felt that I had nowhere near enough information. I did not know anything about the disease…I had no idea that it was going to be a process of continually monitoring and adjusting your lifestyle.”

In the beginning, Helga’s symptoms developed slowly, and she didn’t appear ill to others. She was even able to run for a few years after her diagnosis, but she couldn’t do marathons anymore, and she began to fall frequently due to balance issues and right-foot dragging. Then her cognition issues became more problematic, especially in her job as a trainer in a printing company.

“My executive function, decision-making and short-term memory were affected to the point that I was eventually medically unfit for work,” she says. She stopped working in 2017.

However, she didn’t stop living life. Even though she could no longer run, she continued to swim competitively. She got a Great Dane puppy and trained him as a service dog to help her walk. She also serves as vice chair of the patient support organization Multiple Sclerosis South Africa, and she advises others who have been diagnosed to join a patient advocacy group as soon as possible to get reliable information and meet others with MS.

Helga says she is “hopeful” about the future of MS. “I must say that I am so grateful that we have all the new medications available, because my life would not be the same if it wasn't for that,” she adds.

Part of how she manages her MS is by looking at the positives.

“If I could tell the world one thing about MS, it would be that MS is an incurable disease of the nervous system, but it's also the greatest teacher of valuing your health, family, friends, and managing change in your life,” she says. “My life is diversified in a way that I never, ever thought it would, and MS has been honestly the greatest teacher.”

Each MS journey is unique – with each person impacted experiencing different struggles, successes, and feelings as they manage this unpredictable disease. But the common thread is clear – there is a critical need for information, support, and hope. We are proud to participate in World MS Day and share these incredible stories of living life while living with MS. To learn more about MS, go to https://www.sanofi.com/why-words-really-matter-when-it-comes-to-multiple-sclerosis.

MAT-GLB-2301642-v1.0-05/2023

This article was sponsored by Sanofi. Participants were compensated when applicable.

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