Clean your home better, faster with these four strategies.

Professional butler Charles MacPherson (a regular guest expert on CTV's The Marilyn Denis Show and author of The Butler Speaks: A Return to Proper Etiquette, Stylish Entertaining and the Art of Good Housekeeping) shares his top strategies.

1. Make a list
Before you start, take a 10-minute coffee break to note the chores that need doing. "We write lists before we go grocery shopping; we should write down the tasks we need to tackle at home, too. Having a game plan is key and will help get you to the finish line with ease," says MacPherson. Keep the list as a guide for next time.

2. Do one task at a time
"We used to be taught to do one room at a time, but now, in large part due to the popularity of Marie Kondo, a Japanese cleaning consultant and bestselling author, the switch to cleaning and organizing by category is proving to be more efficient," says MacPherson. So pick one chore (such as vacuuming), then do all the necessary rooms in one session instead of lugging equipment around several times a week.

3. Deep-clean twice a year
This will save you a lot of work during your regular weekly sessions. For example, says MacPherson, "if you deep-clean the grease from your range in spring, you won't have to worry about it later collecting dust and turning into a bigger project down the road."

4. Break it up
To spare yourself the drudgery of a single jam-packed cleaning day on the weekend, check a few chores off your to-do list each weekday. Bingo: More time to enjoy with family and friends when it counts the most!


Image courtesy of CTV.

For more housecleaning tips, check out our ultimate housecleaning guide.

This story was originally part of "The Ultimate Housecleaning Guide" in the April 2016 issue. Subscribe to Canadian Living today and never miss an issue!