If you tend to do the house cleaning alone, you know that it takes a considerable amount of time. Boredom and distraction tend to make it take even longer, until the work has taken up a big chunk of your time.

If it’s taking too much time, hiring a maid service is probably a good idea. You need to have time for yourself, your family, and your friends, too. Another way to shorten the time, though; is to get the whole family involved. A team of helpers can clean a room in no time!

Make it fun! It is possible to make cleaning a little more fun by including a game, music, and general silliness (especially with your children). Race against the clock to see how long it takes to clean the room or turn on some music and sing your favorite songs at the top of your lungs. Whatever your family finds fun, find a way to work that into the cleaning.

Assign the right tasks to the right people. Split up the jobs in each room, and then assign them appropriately. Picking up trash or toys is a great job for little hands, while decluttering a table or desk is probably best left to the grown-ups.

Show your appreciation. Rewards work! Tell everyone how grateful you are that they helped, and point out what a great job they did. Talk about how clean the house is, and how much you like it when you work together as a team. When they feel they’ve really contributed, your family is more likely to help without complaining in the future. 

When everyone get involved, cleaning will be faster and easier for all of you, and you’ll have a nice, clean house to enjoy.