Speed Cleaning Rule #11: Keep track of your time.

Welcome back! For those who are just joining us in our Speed Cleaning series, we are happy to see you here. You are not too late but make sure you read Rules #1 to 10 first before moving on to Rule #11.

Chart your weekly housecleaning times so you can see how dramatically your time improves. You'll notice that you get a little faster every time. Just pretend like you're in the Olympics. You know deep down that sometimes you just need a little competition to light your fire and get moving.  This time you're competing with yourself-to get better and faster.   Speed Cleaning is the game and more free time is the gold medal!

Cleaning is one of my favorite games. Start the clock each time you clean your home and record how long it took you once you've finished. I'll bet you cleaned your bathroom faster the fourth time you cleaned it than the first time.

Am I right?  Try to beat the clock, and beat your own record.  Practice and routine will go a long way to improving speed and efficiency each time.

Oh you haven't tried yet?

Just try it and let me know what you find. To visually see your progress and to reward yourself, make a chart out of poster board and give yourself a sticker each time you improve your time. Post it where it is easily seen, reviewed, and ultimately admired.

What's that you say?

Stickers don't motivate you? Well if that's the case, think about what does motivate you. Heck, give yourself a $1 each time instead and treat yourself to something good when the pot of cash is big enough.

Do whatever you have to do to get excited about cleaning, but just do it. Bottom line is housecleaning isn't going to go away, so you need to practice. Practice and be fast, and then do something much more fun or satisfying with all the time you saved.