Always start at the top of the room and work your way down.
Always clean top to bottom. When you dust, start at the top and work down.
Take all your cleaning tools with you into each room to avoid unnecessary trips back and forth.
Unplug the phone and the turn off the T.V.
Eliminate clutter. An uncluttered home looks better than one that is dust-free but strewn with odds and ends.
Clean as you go! It takes a lot less time to remove new dirt than old, and to clean and put away stuff as you use it, than to clean and store the pile-up you can accumulate.
A house that smells fresh will give the impression of cleanliness. Leave baking soda on carpeting for the night to absorb musty odors, vacuum in the morning.
Keep a big astro-turf mat on the porch to cut down on tracked in dirt.
Keep a basket in the kitchen for the mail, newspaper, car keys to help with clutter.
Keep a hamper in every bathroom.

Also you should make everyone in charge of making his or her own bed and picking up their stuff.
Always pickup the T.V. room before bedtime and start the dishwasher.
Prioritize, if your time is limited decided what is most important.
Delegate, get the entire family involved.
Make a checklist, when a job is completed, check it off - you'll feel as though you are really accomplishing something.