Cleaning can be tedious, but it’s necessary to help keep your home in good shape. The following steps can help you save time while still cleaning effectively, so you can spend less time scrubbing and more time enjoying your home.

Set a schedule

Cleaning your home without a game plan can lead to cleaning more than you really need to. Set a cleaning schedule so you know what tasks you need to do every day, every week, and every month.

Apps like Sweepy can help you track tasks and mark the last time you did them—and it’ll give you a gentle reminder when you need to clean a particular room. If you prefer to go a more traditional route, laminate a schedule, and use a dry erase marker to check off your tasks as you complete them.

Get everyone involved

Once you have a schedule, make sure you involve the rest of your household. Assign tasks based on day, area of your home, or level of difficulty. By letting others pitch in, you won’t have too many time-consuming tasks to accomplish on your own.

Upgrade your cleaning tools

Take inventory of your cleaning tools and note anything that needs to be replaced or upgraded. Old vacuums, dusters, and other similar items can become worn down and less effective, which makes even the simplest of tasks require more time and effort. Research high-tech cleaning products, such as a robot vacuum, that can even do your cleaning for you.