The following are some tips to help you get your home cleaned quickly and a few shortcuts to “fix” some minor problems until you can spend more time on them.

1. Musty Curtains: freshen curtains by tossing them into the dryer on the no-heat of air-fluff setting. The tumbling will loosen dirt and dust and transfer it to the dryer’s filter. Remember to clean the lint screen afterwards.

2. Dusty Blinds: clean dusty blinds by submerging them, fully extended, in a bathtub filled with warm water and one to two cups of powdered dishwashing detergent. Dip them, then wipe with a cloth. Rest them on towels to dry. This is easier and quicker than cleaning them slat-by-slat.

3. Banish build-up in the bathroom: keep soap scum and mineral deposits off shower walls by applying a thin coat of clear furniture wax or car polish to the tiles. The slippery finish will make water bead and roll off quickly, before leaving behind any hard-to-clean residue. Be careful not to get any of the wax on the bottom of your tub to avoid a potential fall.

4. Redecorating repair: small holes in walls where old photos used to hand can be filled with a dab of white toothpaste until you have time to spackle.