Household Chores You Can Skip

Have more to do in the day than you can possibly finish? There are some household chores you can skip and reduce your to-do list.

We all seem to have more we want to get done in a day than is possible. Over the last couple of years, this has become very true for me. It’s something I’m working on and one thing I’ve learned is you have to remove somethings from your day. Having too much to do all of the time will burn you out and over time can even impact your health.

Keeping up with our homes can take a lot of time and energy. There are an endless number of chores to do and our time to do these chores seems to be shrinking.

Decluttering can help a lot and organizing does as well. However, that isn’t always enough. You may find you are still spending more time on your home than you would prefer. There are a few household chores that really aren’t worth your time and may even be bad for your home.

There are four common household chores that I have found to fit this category. Each by themselves may not seem to save you time but they add up. And your home will actually be cleaner if you skip these household chores.

Household Chores You Can Skip

• Drying Dishes

  Hand drying dishes can seem like a good idea but it actually causes more bacteria on your dishes. If you hand wash your dishes let them air dry. If you have a dishwasher you can use the heat dry cycle, or if you have the time crack the dishwasher when it’s done running and let them air dry. This option saves energy but takes a bit longer. If you must towel dry a dish make sure the towel is freshly washed and hasn’t been used for anything else.

  

• Washing Clothes Every Day

  Some clothing items like socks and underwear should be washed after every wear but not all clothes should be. Outer layers that were not gotten dirty, sleepwear, and clothes not worn for very long can be worn multiple times before being washed. This not only cuts down on laundry, it also helps make your clothes last longer. If possible set up a place to keep clothes that can be worn again separate from clean clothes. It’s best if they can be hung up so they can get some air. Bath towels can also be used a couple of times before washing. Just be sure they are hung up and allowed to dry between uses.

• Making the Bed in the Morning

  This chore isn’t really one you should totally skip but it’s one you should delay. When you get up throw your blankets to the end of the bed and allow your bed to air out, at least for a couple of hours. This helps keep your bed fresh and clean. Go ahead and make it later to have a more put together room. Though if you are running low on time, this is a chore that is not critical. I know this goes against many homemakers that say you should always make your bed. For some this is important but if it doesn’t really bother you or anyone sharing the room with you, it’s okay to skip on busy days. Try to make it when you have time because it will make the room look less messy but don’t stress about it. Airing out your bed is far more important.

• Washing Poultry

  This is one that many people believe is necessary for food safety. However, it has not been shown to reduce any pathogens in food and actually can cause foodborne illnesses. When you wash the poultry water and bacteria are being spread around your kitchen. Instead just make sure to cook the poultry to the FDA recommended temperature. I recommend a good digital thermometer to make sure your poultry is cooked properly.

• Meal Planning
  

  I don’t mind meal planning and I have gotten it down to a science but if you just can’t find the time or hate it try Eat at Home. Eat at Home is a service that makes meal plans and shopping lists for you. This can save you a lot of time and if you weren’t meal planning before it can save you money as well.
  

• Vacuuming
  

  Robot vacuums are getting more affordable and can be a great option if you find yourself vacuuming a lot. There are several options on Amazon with great reviews. You likely will need to occasionally do a good deep vacuuming but this can save a lot of time. It’s especially helpful if you have pets.

Look at your to-do list and see if you can mark off any of these household chores. It’s always nice to spend less time doing chores and more time enjoying our families.

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