What the 80/20 Rule Can Teach Us About Housekeeping
The story goes that one day, the Italian philosopher and economist Wilfredo Pareto observed that 20% of the pea plants in his garden produced 80% of healthy pea pods. He observed something similar when studying production in a number of different industries: 80% of the overall output comes from about 20% of the firms.
The 80/20 rule is a generalization of Pareto’s observations, that 80% of results come from only 20% of action.
So what does that have to do with housework? Well, the 80/20 rule can help us maximize the results of the efforts we put in around the house, helping us get more done in less time. By identifying the tasks that have the highest impact and addressing them first, we can keep our homes clean without hours of effort!
related to: 7 Ways You’re Making Cleaning Harder Than It Should Be
Apply the 80/20 rule to cleaning around the house
If you’ve ever tried to speed-clean your house, you’ve probably noticed that you can actually get a lot done in just 10-15 minutes. Having a time limit forces you to accept that you won’t be able to complete 100% of any task, which allows you to focus on doing “good enough” work in the time you have.
When I’m particularly short on time, reminding myself of the 80/20 rule helps me use the time I have wisely. When you use this approach, you’ll be surprised at how much impact you can make with relatively little effort!
4 quick tasks that make a big difference
Here are a few examples of 80/20 rule-inspired tasks that have a big impact while requiring relatively little time and effort:
I don’t need my kitchen to be spotless all the time, but it’s hard to focus on anything when my countertops are covered in clutter. Even if the sink is full of dishes, a quick clean of clutter from the countertops can seem like a big step in the right direction.
related to: 11 Golden Rules of Cleaning That Will Save You Time
If your bedroom is messy, take a minute or two to make your bed. Even if you’re in a hurry, it doesn’t take that long, and a freshly made bed will instantly make your bedroom look more harmonious. Put the dust and clothes away for another time!
related to: in a hurry? 5 Cleaning Tasks to Prioritize (and 5 to Skip)
3. Clean glass and/or mirrors
This may come as a surprise, as many of us do not include glass or mirror cleaning in our daily cleaning routines. But maybe we should, because it can make a big difference in terms of how clean the area looks!
So go ahead and wipe fingerprints (and canine nose-prints) off your glass door or toothpaste splatters off the bathroom mirror. The area will instantly look tidy and bright.
related to: Keep your glass surfaces sparkling with these reliable cleaners
Even if you don’t have time to completely clean messy surfaces, taking some time to straighten things out can give them a more organized feel. Never underestimate the power of neat stacks of papers or neat rows of food!
A note on minimalism and other variations of the rule
There are many ways to interpret and apply the 80/20 rule. The minimalist interpretation claims that 80% of the time, we only use about 20% of our assets. The implication is that we have a lot of stuff that we rarely use, and getting rid of those things Declutter Simplify our homes and our lives.
It’s an interesting idea, and definitely worth thinking about (especially considering it’s a pretty spot-on assessment of how I use my purse collection). There are many other variations and interpretations on the 80/20 rule, so feel free to use any that work for you!
How can you apply the 80/20 rule to your own housework?
