I promise it's possible!
I get asked how I do it so often that I thought I would share!
I say 20 minutes because most days that is all the time I can make for cleaning. If you have more bathrooms or bedrooms it might take a little longer.
I still tidy at night and follow the general rules of get it out, put it away. This cleaning is more detailed than tidying and less detailed than seasonal cleaning.
Just my thoughts on this, before you can get, and keep a house clean, you need to do a couple things first! So, here is Part 1. These are the guidelines I guess I would call them, for how I clean.
1. Clear the clutter!
I could spend hours on clutter if I didn't keep it in check. Managing the stuff that is a time thief will help!
2. Don't expect perfection!
Some days I spend 20 minutes on 2 jobs instead of the whole room. It's going to happen, we all have off days or sweet darling kid interruptions that take up all our cleaning time. Saying "good enough for today" once in a while is totally ok, going for a clean comfortable home, not a museum.
3. The old "A place for everything and everything in it's place"
I agree with a place for everything! Although, chances of everything being in it's place all at the same time when you have kids seems far fetched. That PLACE for everything doesn't have to be separate. At our house we mix dolls and dress up in the same container.
4. Keep Supplies Together
I could spend half my time running to get supplies. Instead I keep what I need together in a basket and get it all out the first time.
4. Keep Supplies Together
I could spend half my time running to get supplies. Instead I keep what I need together in a basket and get it all out the first time.
5. Prioritize
What is bugging you the most? If your shower is sparkling but your bathroom molding is making you crazy you aren't going to notice how nice the shower looks. Skipping a week of shower cleaning to tackle what is catching your eye and your attention will make the room feel cleaner.
6. Set that timer
It is so easy to get caught up in the cleaning in the beginning, and even after it's been routine for weeks. Setting your timer for 20 minutes and stopping when it goes off is both a challenge and rewarding. I think most of us hustle a little more under pressure and if you hate cleaning you can see you only have ___ minutes left and sometimes that is just the thing to encourage sticking with it. Personally, I still do this even after years! I feel like I can sacrifice 20 minutes but I don't want to spend more than that and later on feel like I missed out on a whole day.
7. Don't Multitask
But DO start things that can work by themselves before you move to something else. Stick to your area for the day and have a basket handy for straggler items. Another thing I do is make phone calls while I clean, I can wait on hold on speakerphone while I am folding laundry or dusting.
8. Don't give up!
When you have that day where nothing goes right. Skip that room if it's not a priority and you will catch up next week but don't give up entirely. Every time I give up (it happens once in a while) I regret it the first week! Even if you just aim for 1 month of sticking to a routine of 20 minutes you will notice a difference!
9. Delegate and Work Together
That 20 minutes does not have to be spent alone, kids can help too, even if it's not a huge job, everything they do, you don't have to do! I think it's good for kids, big and little to see what it takes to make a home run smoothly.
You might not be ready to start tomorrow, but working towards a routine that lets you have more time with your family AND a home you are comfortable with is worth it!
If you don't already have a tidying routine I would start there!
Mine is pretty much the same every morning and evening
Morning
~Start a load of laundry as soon as I get up
~Dishes as soon as breakfast is wrapping up
~A quick pick up trip around to grab things I can see are in the wrong room
If it's downstairs and belongs upstairs I make
a pile on the stairs and go up once with it all
Evening
~Dishes once dinner is done
~Finish up leftover laundry from the day
~quick pick up
~Sweep up the big stuff
~Use a baby wipe and take care of food spills I can see. This saves SO much time when mopping!
~quick wipe down of bathroom counters and anything major
None of those I do alone! Our kids are plenty old enough to pitch in!
Part 2 Will be the KITCHEN! 20 minutes to a clean kitchen!
Linking up HERE
It is so easy to get caught up in the cleaning in the beginning, and even after it's been routine for weeks. Setting your timer for 20 minutes and stopping when it goes off is both a challenge and rewarding. I think most of us hustle a little more under pressure and if you hate cleaning you can see you only have ___ minutes left and sometimes that is just the thing to encourage sticking with it. Personally, I still do this even after years! I feel like I can sacrifice 20 minutes but I don't want to spend more than that and later on feel like I missed out on a whole day.
7. Don't Multitask
But DO start things that can work by themselves before you move to something else. Stick to your area for the day and have a basket handy for straggler items. Another thing I do is make phone calls while I clean, I can wait on hold on speakerphone while I am folding laundry or dusting.
8. Don't give up!
When you have that day where nothing goes right. Skip that room if it's not a priority and you will catch up next week but don't give up entirely. Every time I give up (it happens once in a while) I regret it the first week! Even if you just aim for 1 month of sticking to a routine of 20 minutes you will notice a difference!
9. Delegate and Work Together
That 20 minutes does not have to be spent alone, kids can help too, even if it's not a huge job, everything they do, you don't have to do! I think it's good for kids, big and little to see what it takes to make a home run smoothly.
If you don't already have a tidying routine I would start there!
Mine is pretty much the same every morning and evening
Morning
~Start a load of laundry as soon as I get up
~Dishes as soon as breakfast is wrapping up
~A quick pick up trip around to grab things I can see are in the wrong room
If it's downstairs and belongs upstairs I make
a pile on the stairs and go up once with it all
Evening
~Dishes once dinner is done
~Finish up leftover laundry from the day
~quick pick up
~Sweep up the big stuff
~Use a baby wipe and take care of food spills I can see. This saves SO much time when mopping!
~quick wipe down of bathroom counters and anything major
None of those I do alone! Our kids are plenty old enough to pitch in!
Part 2 Will be the KITCHEN! 20 minutes to a clean kitchen!
Linking up HERE
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