Proper Tools Improve Efficiency

The right supplies and appliances will improve efficiency at home. Every business needs the proper tools and equipment to deliver good service. How long would it take a carpenter to build a house without a power saw?

We should apply the same principles of efficiency to our homes as we do to a business. The president of a large women’s service group told me she waited eight years before getting a long telephone cord. She lost hundreds of hours because she couldn’t get more than five feet from her phone. She could not turn down the burner, wipe the counter or empty the dishwasher. What office worker would put up with such conditions? But at home, inefficiency isn’t as obvious and remedying it doesn’t seem as necessary.

Very few homes have a budget that will allow unlimited spending for supplies and equipment. Besides, in the era of smaller living space, we have to be very selective. You’ll need to manage this fund and carefully weigh the cost, time savings and actual need for each proposed investment.

Before buying, ask: Do I have to have it? How much time will it save? Will something I already have do instead? Use good management principles here. Select just what you need at a price you can afford. Some people buy too many things; they are equipment junkies. Other people live with outdated items when it is not necessary.

Bankrupt Home Managers

Many businesses go bankrupt every year because of mismanagement. Home managers can go bankrupt, too, if they buy more equipment and appliances than they really need. It is possible to overfill a house, especially the kitchen, with appliances that perform the same tasks. You wouldn’t expect a secretary to use a manual typewriter, but sometimes at home we use dumpy equipment.

Take a tour of local housewares stores once or twice a year to see what’s new. Without breaking the budget, keep household equipment fairly professional.

Set aside a reasonable monthly allowance to upgrade or replace things. Buy a new throw rug or dish towels, or replace the bent baking sheets. Getting new things once in a while gives the housekeeper a boost.

When you get new equipment, it will be necessary to adapt work habits. When I got my first dishwasher, it took longer to load and empty it than to wash the dishes by hand. Give yourself a “learning time.” Any time you do something new, whether it’s trying a new recipe or using a food processor, it will take longer. I was afraid I had been unwise in my dishwasher investment, but after mastering the motions, I considered it my most valuable appliance, next to the washing machine.

One piece of equipment that every household needs is a good vacuum cleaner. There are two types: a tank with a hose, and an upright with a built-in beater brush. Both are good, but not good for the same things.

To maintain carpets, traffic areas need to be vacuumed every day with a vacuum that has good suction and a beater brush that combs and beats at the same time, loosening and drawing up the dirt before it gets to the carpet backing. A moderately priced upright vacuum will do quite well; you don’t need to spend $800 for a big-name machine. One of the prime considerations would be the size of the motor. Very few people use more than the basic attachments; you pay a lot for the frivolous add-on features.

Tank vacuums are wonderful for cleaning corners, stairs, drapes, edges and the car, but not for the carpet. You’ll work yourself harder than necessary and wonder why the carpet doesn’t look nice if you try to do carpets with a tank-hose style.

Savings in the Long Run

An investment in a vacuum that preserves carpets will be a savings in the long run. If you live in a small place, an upright that comes with simple attachments will probably be suitable. Those maintaining a house would benefit by having both a tank and an upright vacuum to suit multiple cleaning projects.

And if you have a large house with a garage and yard and are involved in a lot of do-it-yourself projects, you may also need a wet/dry vacuum that will help when the basement floods, toilets clog or hot water heater breaks, or if you want to shampoo carpets and upholstery.

The key to vacuum efficiency is the dust bag. It needs to be replaced regularly. If you go over the floors with a full bag, you might as well have taken a nap.

Be ready with extra pulley belts, and have the vacuum checked periodically to see if the brushes need replacing or if the fan has been damaged by coins, nails, paper clips or metal objects.

Housecleaning will be easier if you have the right cleaning supplies and organize some sort of container so that you take them with you when you are ready to start work. If professional custodians had to return to the supply closet every time they needed a dust cloth, sponge or can of disinfectant, they would never be able to provide economic service. To save time, steps and money, professional cleaners always carry their supplies with them in a basket or bucket or cart. This same rule can be applied at home.

Prepare a simple cleaning basket by gathering such supplies: general cleaner, glass spray, disinfectant, furniture polish, cleanser, dust cloth, paper towels, an old toothbrush and a bag for trash. Keep the inventory simple. If you take these supplies with you as you clean, you will save time and find yourself doing a more complete cleaning job.