Shortcuts for cleaning the house. Some of them are hardly conventional, but sometimes you just have to get creative, especially when you're in a hurry.

Fast Window Cleaning
Got a big window that needs to be cleaned super quick? Try only pulling the blinds up halfway, and only cleaning the bottom half of the window. Vinegar and newspaper work well in a pinch.

Carpet Sweeping

It helps to have a carpet sweeper or a cordless hand vacuum handy. This way you don't need to drag the big vacuum out every time your floor needs a quick clean-up.

Pet Hair

Pet hair can be hard to control, especially on furniture. Here are a couple of ideas for fast clean up:

Ball up an old pair of pantyhose and rub them all over your furniture - they're really great at picking up pet hair.

Buy a cheap lint roller (the kind with sticky tape) and roll it over the furniture.

Do the Towel Shuffle

Who would have thought a house-cleaning tip would mean doing a dance? If your floor needs a good mopping but you don't have time, simply wet two towels, put one under each foot, and shuffle them across the room. You'll find this quite effective as well as fun.

Cleaner Alternatives

Out of cleaners? Here are some things that you can use to clean instead of store bought cleaners:

Vinegar
Baking soda
Lemon juice

Laundry Baskets

Laundry baskets aren't just for laundry anymore. You can get them at almost any dollar store, and they can really speed up housework. Here are some ideas:

When cleaning a room, put all the things that don't belong in that room in a basket. Then put the baskets in the rooms that they go in.

Use a basket to carry dishes from the dining area to the sink.

Use baskets to separate magazines.

Give each household member a basket. When cleaning, line up the basket in the room you're cleaning and put belongings in corresponding baskets. Have each family member put away the things in their basket.

Decorative Baskets

Decorative baskets are a great way to hide clutter. Take a trip to your local dollar store and invest in some fancy baskets of all sizes. Use them to organize. Here are some things you can use them for:

Mail
Magazines
Couch pillows
Remotes

Go Paper

Don't be afraid to use paper plates and plastic utensils. This reduces the clean-up time to almost nothing. You can even dress up paper plates with wicker holders, and utensils with colorful ribbon.

Spray Dust Mop

No time for a full mopping? Try giving your floor a good spraying with your favorite cleaner, then go over it with a mop. Depending on the cleaner, you may need to then spray your floor again with just water, and mop again to remove any residue.

Music

Every grueling task is easier when music is involved. Find yourself some good music to clean to, and you'll find that time goes by much faster. In no time, the CD is over, and your house is clean.

Good Smells

A clean house may be the first thing people see as they come to visit, but what are they smelling? An inviting smell in your home is just as important as keeping it clean. Here are some things you can use:

Spray air fresheners
Candles
Plug-in air fresheners
Scented pine cones
Scented oil lamps
Potpourri

Make a Plan

Housework is a lot less overwhelming if you have a plan. If you divide chores up into specific time blocks, or even days, they will be a lot easier to tackle. Don't forget to make fun chore charts for the kids.

Know When to Quit

With housework, there will always be something else to clean and organize. It's important to know when to quit. When wiping down a cupboard door, resist the temptation to pull everything out of that cupboard and reorganize; save that for another day.