Here are some tips to help you clean smarter, not harder.

Tip one:
The less amount of stuff that you own, the less you are going to have to clean. You should go through all of your belongings, including furniture and get rid of stuff that you no longer want or have a need for. If you are undecided about certain items the best thing you can do is place the items in a box and tape the box closed. Write on the box a date six months into the future and the name of the local charity. If the items are still left in the box six months later because you have not used them, take the stuff straight to the charity.

Tip two:
Make sure that you have all of the cleaning supplies that you are going to need in a handy location. You want to place the cleaning supplies in an area that they are going to be needed, rather than out in the garage where you will have to walk to go get them when you are ready to clean. Another benefit to having the cleaning supplies in a convenient location is that you will be more motivated to clean little things, which makes spring-cleaning easier. By keeping cleaning supplies easily accessible and in convenient locations you will be more apt to deal with smudges, spills, and dirt when you notice it rather than putting it off until later.

Tip three:
When thinking about spring-cleaning rather than focusing on the large areas that need to be cleaned it is better for you to think in smaller terms. You will want to make sure that you handle the little jobs before they turn into big jobs. For example, vacuum up dirt and blot up spills before the dirt is ground in or sets. If you wait until after the job is going to be harder to accomplish. You also want to split up your big jobs into smaller more manageable tasks. For example, instead of waiting until Christmas to clean the china clean it every few months. You should clean as little as possible whenever possible. For example, wipe off the handprints but don't clean the entire wall. This will help reduce time you spend cleaning but it is also better in the end for your walls because it will prevent the paint from being worn away.

Tip four:
While you are cleaning your house, focus your attention elsewhere. For example, call a friend using a cordless phone and a headset or even your cell phone and a blue tooth. Talking to somebody on the phone will provide you with company will you are cleaning, which helps make the time pass by faster while you are doing those unpleasant tasks. Sometimes turning on the radio can also help to direct your attention elsewhere. Before you call a friend, make sure you have gathered all of your cleaning supplies and are ready to go; this will help prevent you from becoming distracted from cleaning.