Since having a kid, my housework starts after 9:30 pm. When chores pile up, my mind races, and I forget things. I’ll think I’m done, ready to relax, only to remember laundry. After hanging clothes, I sit, then remember the trash. As an efficiency nut, this is unacceptable. After some late-night pondering, I realized housework can be streamlined. It just needs some imagination and memory tricks.

Two problems arise when things get hectic: 1. Forgetting tasks; 2. Poor prioritization, leading to bottlenecks.

Avoiding Omissions

Let’s tackle forgetting. Why does it happen? Our brains struggle with unrelated items. Interruptions add to the memory load. You have to remember your original task and the interruption. After a few, you’re lost. This memory is linear, like a chain—break one link, and it’s broken.

“The faintest ink is better than the best memory?” Not here. Jotting notes on your phone is inefficient. Information detours through your fingers, phone, screen, and eyes. It’s slow. Your brain is faster. Bioelectrical signals are lightning-fast compared to fumbling with a phone. Plus, wet hands and housework don’t mix with phones.

Too much to remember? Create connections. Categorize. Understand each task, find common ground, and group them. This seems like more information, but it shifts the structure from linear to tree-like. It’s more robust, easier to recall. You only need the trunk; the branches (specific tasks) follow.

Commonalities in chores? Location is intuitive. Our brains excel at concrete images. You know your home. Standing in the living room, you know where everything is. Use this perspective. Two tasks in the kitchen? Imagine a neon “2” there. Three on the balcony? A neon “3.” You’ll remember the specifics upon entering the space.

For the abstract-minded, or those in smaller homes, categorize differently. Daily chores boil down to: washing dishes, clothes, and yourself. Infrequent tasks become “other.” Imagine a table, neon numbers – same principle.

Specificity boosts memory. Engage more senses. If a kitchen task is added, the “2” flashes and “dings” to “3.” Balcony tasks done? The “3” “sizzles” out, sparking.

How to recall specifics? Before adding to the number, mentally check: Is the item visible? If yes, great. If not, interrupt yourself, go place it in plain sight. It’s a real-life “snooze.”

Remembering the number is key. Even if you forget the task, you know something’s missing. Let the number hang there; you’ll likely remember.

Scheduling

The second problem, bottlenecks, often involves waiting for machines.

If everything were manual, this wouldn’t matter. Total time’s the same. But I need to wait for the washer before the next load, the dishwasher before prepping veggies, the sterilizer before the next batch of bottles.

Cooks know this. Juggling appliances requires mental timing. Apply this to housework. Add a ticking clock to the neon number’s corner. If a machine’s running in that space (or category), a clock appears.

Now, sequence matters. Prioritize starting the machines, then tackle manual tasks.

Conclusion

Using this, I visualize the neon numbers from my living room. Like a game, I start the clocks, then clear the numbers. It cuts down on forgetfulness, boosts efficiency, and even makes chores a bit fun.