ONE-MINUTE CHORES

Only have a minute for cleaning? No problem. This first set of tips will give you some ideas for chores that take less than a minute.

1. Dust One Thing It only takes a minute to choose one thing and dust it. You can either use a feather duster, a dust spray and a rag, or a dust wipe. Here are some things you can dust quickly: TV screens •

• Shelves •

• Blinds •

• Ceiling fans •

• Air Vents

2. Change Vacuum Bag It doesn’t take much time at all to change your vacuum bag, and it can make your vacuum run more efficiently. A good tip is to take your vacuum outside to change it so the dust from the bag doesn’t go back into the room.

3. Clean a Mirror A clean mirror makes a room look cleaner. If you don’t have glass cleaner and paper towels, try vinegar and old newspaper. This is a lot less expensive and it works just as well.

4. Change Towels Fresh towels make a room smell great, whether they’re in the kitchen or the bathroom. It takes less than a minute, and it freshens up the whole room.

5. Change Trash Bags Even if you don’t have time to take the trash all the way out, just taking full bags out of the cans and replacing them with clean bags can help tidy up when you only have a minute.

6. Sort Today’s Mail Mail can really pile up if left alone. If you take 30 seconds every day to organize that day’s mail, you’ll have a lot less clutter. Don’t be afraid to throw away junk mail.

7. Treat a Stain Got an extra minute? Treat that nasty stain that you noticed last week. Here are some tips: •

• Flush stains with water. •

• Blot the stain with a dry cloth. •

• Apply a mild cleaner and let set. •

• Blot again.

8. Take Care of Plants A minute is more than enough time to care for your favorite houseplants. If they need water, fill a pitcher so you can water them all faster. Take a pair of scissors with you to snip off dead vines or leaves.

- Chris Cassady