You know that feeling you get when you find out someone is 'dropping by' in a few minutes? It's like a perfect mix of panic and shame.  Today on KSL Studio 5 I'll be sharing a few of my favorite speed-cleaning hacks to help you tackle mess faster and put your kids to work! 

Here's the low-down on my favorite tools for quicker clean-ups. 

Gather Junk Fast with Foldable Couch Baskets

The very best way to clean up your living room in a hurry...is to gather up all the random things and stash them somewhere. I keep these cheap pop-up baskets tucked under my couch. When we need a quick clean up I pull these and toss all the random items inside. If guests are on the doorstep, I just tuck the whole basket inside the coat closet or in the master bedroom.

Trap Wandering Toys with Couch Noodles

If you hate finding a million trinkets under your couches, slide pool noodles under them (I pulled mine out in the pic so you could see them). They'll keep all the toys and dirt in front of the couch - not under it. If your couch is taller and you're worried about the bright color showing...just cover the front of the noodle with dark duct tape.

Get More Reach with Handy Grabbers

If I'm picking up in a hurry I always grab one of these handy tools. I can pick up twice as much junk without bending over a million times in the process. *As a side note, it's also my favorite baby shower gift. Both super-pregnant moms and moms with newborn babies constantly in their arms always appreciate having a little extra reach.

Pick up Tons of Tiny Toys at Once with a Dustpan 

To pick up small toys like legos, blocks, dolls and crayons, I pull out this clean dust pan from cleaning area. It's the perfect tool to scoop up small stuff off the floors and tables.

Get More Reach with a Vacuum Extender

Nothing slows down a clean up like moving your vacuum cord. Store an extension cord next to your vacuum so you can navigate around the whole main floor without stopping. You'd be amazed what a difference 6 more feet of reach can do for your clean up speed.

Ditch Dishcloths with Shop Towels

Paper towels are great but they tend to tear when you're rushing. I stock up on blue disposable automotive towels instead. They're tough enough to be rinsed out multiple times and sturdy enough to scrub the counters, sinks, floors and walls. I usually use (and re-use) one each day and then toss it at the end of the night.

I buy almost all of these products on Amazon Prime (along with most of the other stuff in my house). Here are a few affiliate links if you're ready to start shopping. Happy hacking, everyone!

Link to: Foldable Hamper Baskets

Link to: Easy Grabber

Link to: Jumbo Dustpan

Link to: 6ft Extension Cord 

Link to: Automotive Shop Towels

INSTAGRAM BONUS:

I usually post my favorite mom hacks on my Instagram feed (@MeckMomLife) on Mondays. This lazy-cleaning hack was from this week.

This might be my favorite cleaning tool of all. We don't have a huge house but amplifying my mom voice makes directing clean-ups much easier. It's also really handy for getting groggy teenagers out of bed. Just pass the megaphone to your toddler and send her straight to their room. 😉