For many, the prospect of a full-day cleaning marathon is a daunting chore that's all too easy to postpone. A mountain of mess can quickly accumulate, leaving even the most well-intentioned feeling overwhelmed. However, a clever piece of advice shared on Reddit offers a brilliantly simple solution that takes just minutes, turning mundane waiting time into a powerful tool for tidiness.
The Genius 'Beat the Clock' Microwave Method
The hack emerged when a Reddit user, grappling with the transition to living alone after having a cleaner, asked the community for 'lazy, clean-as-you-go tips' for each room. They explained that due to ADHD and recovery from PhD burnout, scheduling extensive cleaning sessions felt impossible. In response, one commenter shared a transformative strategy centred on an everyday kitchen appliance: the microwave.
The tip is elegantly straightforward. 'When you put something in the microwave, use that couple of minutes to clean something. I try to 'beat the clock'. It's amazing what can be done in two to three minutes,' the user advised, as reported by the Express. This method leverages short, focused bursts of activity, making tasks feel less intimidating and more like a manageable game.
Expanding the Hack: Bathroom and Coffee Maker Routines
The original poster expanded the concept to the bathroom, suggesting a multi-tasking shower routine. 'Pour bowl cleaner in the toilet before you get in the shower then give it a quick brushing when you get out. Use the shower towel to wipe the floor,' they recommended. This approach means the bathroom, excluding the sink, can be cleaned with almost no extra time dedicated.
Other Redditors were quick to share their own variations on the theme. One person revealed they race their coffee maker in the morning. 'When I'm waiting for the coffee maker to make coffee, I try to race it to get the dishwasher offloaded and reloaded. I rarely win, but my future self always thanks me,' they wrote. Another confirmed that coffee brewing time is also designated dish-washing time in their household.
Hacking the 'All-or-Nothing' Mindset
A particularly insightful comment addressed the common 'all-or-nothing' thinking often associated with ADHD, which can derail an entire day's plans if one thing goes wrong. To combat this, the commenter leaves small, easy tasks for the morning to build momentum. 'I'll leave a few mugs in the sink to handwash while my coffee brews. I won't take the trash out the night before so I can quickly take that out too,' they explained. Completing these minor tasks generates a sense of accomplishment, encouraging further productivity.
Another user suggested reframing the day into quarters to avoid writing off a full 24 hours. 'If the morning is too slow and lazy, that's okay, I've got the midday quarter to turn it around. Then an afternoon and an evening quarter to really aim for the Moon!' This psychological trick helps maintain motivation and prevents a single unproductive period from defining the entire day.
Ultimately, these tips underscore a powerful principle: maintaining a clean home doesn't require Herculean effort. By piggybacking on existing routines and using brief windows of time effectively, anyone can keep their space manageable without contributing to burnout. The microwave timer, it seems, is more than just a kitchen gadget; it's a potential secret weapon in the fight against clutter.
