What to Clean While You Brush Your Teeth

The day that I became more vigilant about brushing my teeth for a full two minutes is the same day that I decided that despite studies that say you shouldn’t, maybe sometimes it’s ok to multi-task. Or that I’d make an exception during teeth-brushing because two minutes is a damn long time to stare at your slobbery face in the mirror. Since speaking with a mouth full of foamy toothpaste and a brush is nearly impossible, these two minutes couldn’t be devoted to preaching about tidiness or saying aloud what I was grateful for that day. And since I only have one hand available while I brush, pushups weren’t an option and any exercise would rock the dribbly boat anyway. So, duh. I realized that this moment is yet another prime time to complete a tidy task or two. Granted, tidying is all I want to do always but there seriously are so many things that you can accomplish while you brush those choppers! Just watch out for falling saliva - it’s a real threat.

Here are a few to consider so you can get in on the fun:

1) Wipe down the bathroom counter or floor. Load up your toothbrush and grab a rag! It’s time to lightly clean the bathroom. Don’t get worried about using cleaners right now - just dampen the rag if you’re cleaning the floor and I bet you’ll collect lots of dust and hairs. And if you’re wiping down the counter, just swipe around and make sure to clean the faucet and bottom of the soap bottle while you’re at it.

2) Put away dry dishes. This is my personal go-to but you gotta know yourself before taking this on. If you’re prone to butterfingers and doing this one-handed will risk fallen glasses or plates, head to the next idea. But if you trust your ability to work with one hand, these two minutes are a great time to clear any dry dishes and put them away. It’s a real treat to go to sleep with counters that are clean and clear.

3) Sweep the floor. If you’re feeling super ambitious, the one-handed sweep can be just the right task for you. It’s not simple but gosh, what a wonderful way to maximize your time. Grab the broom and sweep the kitchen (at least) while you brush.

4) Put shoes away. Eaaaaasy-peasy! Two minutes is the perfect amount of time to put away the shoes for a large family. So if you’re just cleaning up after yourself, you’re in extra luck. Scuttle around the house and get your shoes back to their shoe rack or closet. I challenge you to take this on even if you know you’re wearing those shoes the next day. It feels oh-so-good.

5) Pick dirty laundry up off the floor. If you brush your teeth, there’s no excuse for dirty laundry on the floor before you get into bed. This is the ideal time to scoop it up and put it into the hamper so take advantage. The best part is that if you feel like you’re about to drool onto the floor, you can wipe things away with a dirty sock. Yummmm.