17 Simple And Lazy Cleaning Hacks That Really Work

Cut a rug, make a list, get ~totes~ organized, and more tips for the lazy or short on time.

Alice Mongkongllite / BuzzFeed

We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us their best hacks for quick and easy cleaning. Here’s what they had to say:

1. Use totes to stay on task.

J. Sibiga Photography / Via Flickr: picturepurrfect685

"I have three young children, so by the end of the day, things are never in the room they ought to be! I go through the house with a few reusable grocery bags in the afternoon (one for kitchen items, one for toys, one for trash, etc.), so that I can quickly take all of the items where they need to go. It saves a lot of back-and-forth when I’m tidying up, and makes the process a lot quicker!" —glamatomic

2. Prevent dust before it settles.

chaps1 / Via Flickr: the_light_show

"My parents got me a high-quality air filter after theirs had helped them breathe better. What we’ve all noticed is that we dust far less often, because there's no dust in the room the filter is in, and much less in the rest of the house." —josephinef42e73ed31

3. Get your groove on.

OVO Sound

"I usually put on some music that puts me in a great mood, because I absolutely hate cleaning and it really motivates me. I just dance all over and sing along while cleaning!" —sharlenec4d100c07d

4. Do double duty while cooking.

Ashley Bischoff / Via Flickr: handcoding

"If you’re waiting for water on the stove to boil or for something in the microwave, just go fold a basket of laundry or empty the dishwasher. Get all the little things done while you're already up — then you can sit down to dinner or to Netflix and relax." —katelynf4787a7cd3

5. Make a list to keep you motivated.

NBC

"Sit down before cleaning and make an overly thorough 'task list,' including even the most menial tasks (throw that Kleenex away), and itemize the things that need to be done in groups. It makes cleaning quicker and less overwhelming. I'm a professional organizer, and I find this helps clients who have ADD and trouble focusing, who get overwhelmed easily with the room as a whole, or who need help getting their kids involved.

Also, reward systems help. If I finish 10 tasks, I get to play a level on Cookie Jam, read a chapter in my book, or have a snack, and then continue. It helps with the work burnout!" —@erinbyrnes

6. Stave off vacuuming with a carpet sweeper.

"There's a device called a carpet sweeper that is completely manual. It has no cords and doesn’t use electricity, but is great at picking up dog hair and crumbs and leaf bits. It’s perfect for those times when you want to tidy up but don’t want to lug out the vacuum." —omgitsaclaire

Pick up the well-reviewed sweeper above ($28.48) via Amazon.

7. Or, simply upgrade your vacuum.

"A high-quality vacuum is so worth it compared with the wasted time and frustration that comes from using a crappy one. Also, having a wireless handheld one prompts me to vacuum small things more frequently because I don't have to go through the hassle of lugging out the full size and dealing with the cord if I'm pressed for time." —Anna Rose, Facebook

Get the popular full-size vacuum ($199.99) above, or the equally beloved dust buster ($24.63), both via Amazon.

8. Put everything in its proper place.

sbristow / Via Flickr: sbristow

"Before you throw your purse on the couch when you get home or take your shoes off just anywhere, think about how you’ll have to make another trip to pick them up, and put them away where they actually go instead." —Ladylibrary

9. Simplify your cleaning products.

FOX

"It’s so much easier to clean when you don’t have a huge variety of different products. We buy Simple Green in bulk and have it in the common dilutions, and that’s it." —neridar

Here's a great resource for learning how to narrow down your under-the-sink bottle collection.

10. Give yourself a five-minute miracle.

Pascal / Via Flickr: pasukaru76

"I keep a jar with the names of the rooms in my house, and every time I have a spare five minutes I draw a room, set a timer, and get to cleaning. It’s amazing how much you can get done in five minutes if you just focus!" —k4ffaae8d5

11. In fact, instead of one marathon session, try cleaning a tiny bit every day.

Bravo

"Every day I have one thing to do so I don’t dread it as much." —judahachenry

12. Treat yo'self to some grown-up organizational aids.

containerstore.com

"If laundry is your nemesis, try buying baskets or bins that you like, or that better fit the room you drop your clothes in, so you can start to drop them in the basket instead of the floor." —stephaniei

People love this laundry basket ($39.99) from The Container Store.

13. Make. Your. Bed.

Bgton / Getty Images

"It makes the bedroom seem clean, and that will inspire you to pick up whatever else is on the floor. My boyfriend is a sloppy human, but he started this about a month ago and he realized he's started to clean up little things more often. Now he feels better at the end of the day, because he comes home to a clean area rather than a stressful mess!" —kncoleman

14. Get your family and/or roommates in on it, too.

Oonal / Getty Images

"Give each person in the home a basket. When tidying up, put their items in the basket so they can put things away on their own, and so nothing gets lost." —kimh4ee2ba7be

15. Choose your weapons wisely (even if they're not totally conventional).

amazon.com

"Wet dryer sheets cut through mold and bathroom grime better than anything else." —Emma Kathryn Brodie

Grab a package of 240 ($8.94) at Amazon.

16. And know that dryer sheets apparently do a lot of things.

Warner Bros.

"Put dryer sheets on the floor, stand on them, and slide around. They pick up dust, hair, etc., and and make the house smell great!" —natashal441d643b6

17. Though baby wipes are pretty great, too.

amazon.com

"I use baby wipes all the time for what my mop won’t pick up!" —andersonnataliejane

Get a pack of 648 ($11.65) at Amazon.

Now go forth and make your place sparkle!

20th Century Fox

Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.

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