Time Management Tip 19: Timer Magic

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We all have those things around the home we just hate to do. For me it is cleaning the bathrooms. I use to put it off, and waste time feeling guilty about it, and then I would need to spend more time scrubbing it when I finally did do it.

Then came Money Saving Mom’s “4 Weeks to A More Organized Home” series. Each week she said set your timer for 15 minutes and clean your bathroom.

15 minutes! That’s it! To my surprise that was it. The first week it did take me all 15 minutes but after 4 weeks of regular cleaning, my bathroom can now be cleaned from top to bottom and windows too in under 15 minutes.

I discovered the laundry I loath to put away takes under 5 minutes per basket.Now that I know that I grab a small window and do it.

Another timer trick I love, is what I call the “5 minutes until the visitor arrives tidy”. I set my timer for 5 minutes and attack one room. I work at a brisk pace clearing clutter, tossing garbage and wiping away visible dirt and dust. When the timer goes off the room isn’t perfect but presentable.  I then attack the next room with the same “company is coming” mode of thinking.

On days I have no energy and want  to give in and rest. I make myself a deal, for every 45 minutes of reading, I will spend 15 minutes cleaning one room. By the end of my rest day, I have enjoyed a great book and my home is tidy.

There is just something about working against a timer that will make you clean faster and more efficiently. Trust me! Give it a try it will shave your time spent cleaning substantially.

Never stop carrying around your timer. It is Magic!

Looking for time saving tips? Follow the Goal Setting & Time Management board on Pinterest

A few timer tips: You should be able to see the timer counting down at all times (which is why a smartphone timing app doesn’t work well) . It is also helpful for the timer to have a pause function, should you get interrupted mid cleaning spree by say a child with an urgent need, or a phone call. I also like the face to be large enough to read from some distance. This timer by KitchenAid meets all those requirements and is under $15.

Dig Into The Time Management  Series Using The Links Below

Introduction: 31 Days Of Time Saving Tips For The Work-At-Home Mom

Day One: Perform a Time Audit

Day Two: Night Owl Or Morning Bird?

Day Three: Where are Your Largest Windows?

Day Four: Making the Most of Small Windows

Day Five: Daily To Do Lists

Day Six: Maximizing The To Do List

Day Seven: Say No

Day Eight: Eliminate Poor Yes Choices

Day Nine: Put Your Time Offenders On a Budget

Day Ten: Combine Joy

Day Eleven: Making Effective Use of Waiting Time

Day Twelve: Making Use of Travel Time

Day Thirteen: Making The Most of Mom Taxi in Waiting Time

Day Fourteen: Take Time to Rest a Few Moments Each Day

Day Fifteen: Tag-Team

Day Sixteen: Involve the Kids

Day Seventeen: Mechanical Slaves

Day Eighteen: Outside Help

Day Nineteen: Timer Magic (you are here)

Day Twenty: Take a Rest Day

Day Twenty One: Less Stuff, Less Mess, More Time

Day Twenty Two: Hold A Family Work Bee

Day Twenty Three: Keep Gatherings Simple

Day Twenty Four: Saving Time in The Kitchen

Day Twenty Five: The Self Cleaning Home

Day Twenty Six: Streamlining Your Homeschooling day

Day Twenty Seven: Create an I Did It List

Day Twenty Eight: Create a Simple Cleaning Routine

Day Twenty Nine: Create To Go Bags

Day Thirty: Making Minimum Standards

Day Thirty One: Treat Life Like a Marathon Not a Sprint

Tired of living a chaotic life? I recommend taking Make Over Your Mornings and/or Make Over Your Evenings. These are 15 day, video driven courses that come with a workbook for you to complete. Each day’s lesson consists of a five minute video, five minutes of reading and a five minute workbook activity. These courses will help you streamline your day taking you from frazzled to calm.