By Arabella Peterson 29.04.2025

7 Low-Effort Cleaning Tips Busy People Swear By

Procrastinators, take note. Get your space sparkling (without the overwhelm) with these clever cleaning shortcuts.

If I had a dollar for every time I passed by a pile of clutter or surface in need of wiping, telling myself I’d deal with it later, I’d probably have enough cash to hire a cleaner. Alas, nobody is funding my penchant for procrastination, and my home is still in need of some serious attention.

If you feel too frazzled to dedicate hours a week to cleaning, you’re not alone. The average person spends about three hours per week tending to chores at-home, and when you consider the fact that dual-income households are now the norm and women's workforce participation is steadily rising alongside unpaid responsibilities, we’re busier than ever before.

If you’re stuck in a cycle of idealising the version of yourself who’s supposed to tidy up tomorrow – only to repeat the same pattern when tomorrow arrives – it might be time to rethink your approach to housework. Rather staring down the barrel of an hours-long cleaning spree, shorts bursts of productivity framed in less tedious and tiring ways could be the answer to your perpetual overwhelm. Here, we explore seven low-effort tips for busy people, chronic procrastinators and the cleaning averse.

1. The “clean the first thing you see" rule

It may surprise you to learn that not everyone thrives with help from a to-do list. Some evidence has shown that the act of writing down what we need to do gives us a dopamine hit similar to actually completing one of the tasks, which causes us to get all the satisfaction we need before we actually make any progress. To-do lists can also lead to tackling the easy, more enjoyable tasks rather than the most important ones – giving us a quick victory buzz, but ultimately derailing real progress.

For some people, to-do lists are a must-have for productivity and structure, but if you’ve found it’s not working for you, simply clean the very first thing you lay eyes on when you decide to start cleaning, no matter what it is. This method can help you avoid decision fatigue and get you into action without overthinking, hopefully nudging you into a flow state without rigid planning.

2. The "passenger seat test"

Be honest, we’ve all wondered what people think of our home. Now's your chance to step into someone else's shoes play the role of judgy house guest. Pretend you're seeing your space for the first time – like you’re walking through the front door or sitting in the "passenger seat" of your living room. This mental shift can help you spot the areas that have become invisible to you over time – the pile of unopened mail on the counter, the throws and cushions that have slid off the couch, the sticky coffee ring on the table.

Focus on the one or two spots that would be most noticeable to someone walking in. Tackling these high-impact areas first makes the biggest difference with the least amount of effort. Think of it as a cheat code for making your space guest-ready (even if the only guest is you).

3. The "1 song = 1 task" trick

Pick a favourite upbeat song and give yourself permission to only clean while it plays. That’s it – no pressure to keep going afterward unless you feel like it. Simple jobs like doing the dishes, wiping counters, and folding laundry can often be knocked out in three to four minutes without feeling like work when you set a musical time limit.

If your favourite song is something short and punchy, you can use it to tackle small tasks that would otherwise pile up. But if your go-to track is a little longer — say Frank Ocean’s Pyramids or Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody — you can stretch into slightly bigger jobs, like changing your bed linen, or giving the bathroom sink a quick scrub.

4. Create a "dump basket"

This one might seem counterproductive at first, but as always, we’re looking for wins that work for us – even if they’re not the “ideal” way to clean. Remember: progress over perfection. Instead of stressing about putting everything back in its exact place immediately, toss all random, out-of-place items into a designated (and preferably attractive) basket.

Set a reminder to empty it once a week, or whenever you have a bit more energy. Think of it as a soft landing spot for clutter, rather than letting it sprawl across every surface. Not only does this keep visual chaos at bay, but it also helps you maintain momentum without getting bogged down by decision fatigue. And when the time comes to sort through it, it feels like a single, manageable task rather than dozens of tiny ones scattered throughout your home.

5. Micro-zoning

Has anyone who set out to clean their entire house ever actually done it in one session? I’m skeptical. That’s why breaking it down into rooms can be a more sustainable approach. Even better for busy minds: micro-zones. Instead of "I have to clean the whole kitchen," it’s "I'm just wiping this one counter." For those who do thrive with a to-do list, you can break each room down into tiny, specific tasks on paper and chip away, or if you prefer a more fluid approach, just pick one micro-zone and see where it leads. Shrinking the zone makes it feel manageable and often snowballs into doing a little more without pressure.

6. Reverse cleaning

Building quick wins early can give you a feeling of momentum instead of dread. Instead of starting with the biggest, most overwhelming task (like scrubbing the entire bathroom or deep-cleaning the oven), flip your usual approach and begin with the easiest thing you can find – like fluffing a pillow, folding a few towels, or quickly wiping down a mirror.

These small victories act as a mental warm-up, giving you an instant sense of accomplishment that makes it much easier to tackle the next thing. It’s a way to outsmart the resistance we often feel around housework: once you’re in motion, staying in motion feels much less intimidating. And if all you do is those few small tasks? That’s still a win – and it’s a lot better than doing nothing at all.

7. Visual clutter blitz

Sometimes, the mess in our home can look worse than it really is. As intimidating as a cluttered surface can seem, dedicate a couple of minutes to moving items from surfaces into drawers and cupboards, and you can make a huge difference to your space. Set a two-minute timer and aim to remove five things from visual surfaces: tabletops, countertops, chairs, the floor and open shelves. Clearing visible clutter has an immediate impact, even if deeper cleaning doesn’t happen yet. But do this each hour throughout a whole day and you’re on your way to a more organised home.