This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Fellowes Brands. All opinions are 100% mine.

I don't let spring cleaning obliterate my carefully planned "time budget." Instead, I focus on what really NEEDS to be done, then go back to living my life. Spring cleaning? Who on earth has time for that? I barely have time for regular cleaning! I have to really be in the mood to go on a cleaning spree, and quite honestly, that mood doesn’t strike when the weather is finally beautiful!

As a single mom, I have to budget my time very carefully. My first priorities are paying the bills and spending time with my son. That doesn’t leave much time left over to scrub surfaces of my house that have never even seen the light of day. Still, I know that by getting a bit more organized and cleaning the really important things now, I’ll be freeing more time for myself and Jacob when summer rolls around.

Spring Cleaning on a Tight Time Budget

Spring cleaning on a tight time budget is all about prioritizing! Read on for my tips for spring cleaning without busting your time budget.

Think safety and security first

I start by really thinking about what things pose the most risk to our life if they’re not clean. Dust and replace the batteries in all your smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, and such. Really clean the lint filter on your dryer (including the part on the outside of your house!). Check for dust bunnies around all your power strips and give your toaster a good cleaning. You’re looking for anything that could start a fire as well as any excess moisture that could allow dangerous mold to grow. Spring Cleaning for People on a Really Tight Time Budget Next, break out your Fellowes 79Ci shredder and start shredding anything laying around that could pose a threat to your overall security. Things like old tax papers that you no longer need to hold onto, printed bank statements and anything else with personal information. I also always shred those papers that come on prescription bags. You don’t want thieves knowing what medications you have in the house because to some burglars, they’re worth more than the electronics and jewelry combined.  I shred them staples and all, because my 79Ci can handle it with its patented 100% Jam Proof System.

Decide which rooms matter most

Now that your safety and security is taken care of, make a list of all the rooms in your house, starting with the most important to you and working your way down to rooms you really just don’t care that much about. For me, the kitchen/dining room area is the most important because that’s where I spend all my time. When it’s clean and I can actually find everything, I’m definitely more productive!

My “office” is in the dining room area, and the kitchen is where we cook the food. I’d rather that be clean than, say, the basement or garage. I also prioritize my son’s room above mine because he’s more likely to have guests in his room. When we have family functions, if my room is a mess, I just shut the door. The bathroom ranks higher than the laundry room, and the coat closet doesn’t even make my list.

One room at a time, one break at a time

Now that you’ve decided which rooms matter most, plan your cleaning in manageable spurts of time. I try to make myself take breaks from working to do a little here and there. Spring cleaning on breaks makes me feel more productive and it forces me to get up and move a bit. Plus it’s not so daunting when I’m only committing 10 minutes to wiping counters, 15 minutes to cleaning out the medicine cabinet, or 20 minutes to shredding a stack of papers. Spring Cleaning for People on a Really Tight Time Budget With the Fellowes 79Ci , I can get a lot of paper shredded in that break, thanks to its heavy-duty blades that can rip through up to 16 pieces of paper at a time: paper clips and all! I can even run it late at night when everyone else is sleeping, since it’s so quiet. With the school year coming to an end soon, I’ve been getting rid of all those “first day of school” papers that don’t really matter anymore. I keep them in a box most of the year, just in case I need to refer to them. I used to be horrible at getting rid of them! I found stuff from kindergarten, and Jake is going into 6th grade next year! Now I actually look for things to shred because it’s gives me such a satisfying experience to watch it turn to tiny little scraps. It’s zen-like, I tell you.

Think multipurpose!

When you’re stocking up on both cleaning and organizing supplies, think multipurpose to save both time and money. Cleaners that clean more than just one thing, boxes and bins that double as decor, and so on. Instead of dragging 50 pounds of supplies and tools up to your bedroom, take one great vacuum cleaner with multiple attachments. You’ll spend less time swapping out supplies, which means more time getting the job done.

Even your shredder should be able to handle more than just a few pieces of paper. The Fellowes 79Ci can also tear through old CDs, credit cards and all those old greeting cards you’re finally ready to part with. It has an Energy Savings System that makes it 100% energy-efficient all the time. It also has great a SafeSense® Technology safety feature that stop the shredding when your fingers get too close. Head over to Amazon or favorite Office Superstores to grab your 79Ci shredder (for a suggested retail price of $239.99)! You’ll be so happy you did. I’ve been using mine for a few months now and I love it.

Let yourself off the hook

If you don’t get to everything at the bottom of your list before spring cleaning season ends, don’t worry about it. By prioritizing, you’ve done the things that matter most. There’s always summer to clean out your closets and start working on that garage! I’d personally rather spend time with this goofball than scrubbing grout! Fellowes Spring Cleaning Jacob Being Goofy So do what really NEEDS to be done, then repeat after me: good enough is good enough! I’ve said it before, it’s become my mantra. I’ll take a ” best mom ever” award over “best baseboard cleaner ever” award any day! Fellowes put together a great infographic to help you make the most of your spring cleaning and decluttering. A lot of it ties in with what I said above. Cropped 390462ae 1ece 493f a0ee 4ee4ea2e2487

Do you have any favorite spring cleaning tips that don’t bust your time budget? Share in the comments!

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