How Just 20 Minutes Cleaning Can Keep Your Home Clean All Week

Keeping a clean home is essential, but balancing that with a busy lifestyle can be challenging. Many of us struggle to find the time to maintain our homes while juggling work, family, and personal responsibilities. If you feel like you never have time to clean your home, these tips are for you.

In today’s post, I share my insights on crafting a cleaning routine that is both efficient and effective and provides some example routines to get you started.

How To Create An Easy And Efficient Cleaning Schedule

Regularly Clean The Key Areas

Start by identifying the areas in your home most prone to dirt and clutter, such as the kitchen and bathrooms. Focus on these high-traffic areas daily. It’s more manageable to regularly maintain cleanliness here than to tackle a major cleaning job later.

Streamline Your Tools And Products

To make your cleaning process as efficient as possible, minimise the number of cleaning products you use. I recommend sticking to versatile, multi-surface cleaners and durable microfiber cloths that can handle most cleaning jobs. Choose products that serve multiple purposes, reducing the need to switch between different bottles and tools.

Set Cleaning Time Limits

Establishing firm time limits for each cleaning task can help you stay focused and efficient. Allocate about ten minutes per task. For example, spend ten minutes wiping down kitchen surfaces, another ten sweeping floors, and ten minutes tidying up living areas. Using a timer can help keep you on track and prevent you from getting sidetracked.

Organise Your Cleaning Supplies

Keep your cleaning supplies organised and easily accessible in every area of the house that requires regular cleaning. Use a caddy or a bucket to carry your essential cleaning products, and always put them back in the right place. This way, you won’t waste time looking for supplies.

Use Efficient Cleaning Techniques

Use effective cleaning techniques such as the “top-down” approach, where you start cleaning from higher surfaces and work your way down. This method ensures that any dust or debris falls onto lower surfaces before you clean them, which means you don’t have to do double the work cleaning the lower surfaces again.

Suggested Daily, Weekly, And Monthly Cleaning Schedules

Daily Tasks (20 minutes)

Load/Unload The Dishwasher: I recommend keeping your dishwasher loads down to one per day, both for your ease and to save energy. I don’t own a dishwasher, so I just wash the dishes by hand, dry them and put them away immediately.
Wipe Down Countertops and Tables: A quick wipe-down after meals will prevent the build-up of crumbs and stains.
Sweep High-Traffic Areas: Focus on the areas you and your family walk through the most, like the kitchen or entryways.

Weekly Tasks (30 minutes)

Clean Toilets And Sinks: These areas require frequent disinfection to stay clean, so a weekly clean is best.
Vacuuming: Focus on carpets and rugs in the main living areas.

Monthly Tasks (2 hours)

Do Some Deep Dusting: Make sure to include all the nooks and crannies, like baseboards, ceiling fans, shelves, and the tops of cabinets.
Vacuum And Wash Sofas And Cushions: Vacuuming sofas and washing cushions can significantly reduce allergens and dust.

**RELATED:** How to Perfect Your Cleaning and Organising Skills

By incorporating these tips into your daily routine, you can effectively manage your home cleaning tasks in just twenty minutes a day. It’s about efficiency and regularity. By maintaining a regular schedule, you ensure that no area of your home gets too dirty, simplifying cleaning and saving time in the long run.

Detox Your Home

THE TOXINS OF THE HOUSE ARE:

Objects You No Longer Use
Clothes You Don’t Like Or Haven’t Used In A While. Damaged underwear.
Broken Things
Old cards and notes
Plants that are dead or sick
Receipts and Old Magazines
Broken or damaged Shoes
Stuff of all kinds calling the past.
If you have children, toys that are not used, that do not work or broken.

WITH CLEANING THEM OUT:

Health gets better
Creativity grows
Relationships get better
There is a greater reasoning capacity
Improved mood

QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT HELP CLEANSING:

Why am I saving that?
Is it about me today?
How will I feel if I release that?

SEPARATE & CLASSIFY:

To donate
To throw
To sell

INSIDE CLEANING REFLECTED OUTSIDE:

Avoid extreme noises
Less strong lights
Less saturated colors
Fewer chemical odours
Less sad memories
Finish unfinished projects
Cultivate positive energy in your home

Do a general cleaning and use boxes for organisation. Start with drawers and cabinets and conclude each piece, do everything at your pace…

Trash
Arrangements
Recycling
In Doubt
Gifts
Donation
Sell

6 Ways to Simplify Your Cleaning Routine

Cleaning can be a time-consuming and overwhelming task, but there are several ways to simplify your cleaning routine and make it more manageable. Here are some tips:

Create a cleaning schedule: Having a routine for when to clean specific areas of your home will make it easier to stay on top of tasks and prevent things from getting out of hand.
Keep cleaning supplies organised: Having all your cleaning supplies in one location, ideally close to where you store them, makes it easier to grab what you need and get started with cleaning.
Use multi-purpose cleaners: Rather than having multiple cleaners for different surfaces, find a multi-purpose cleaner that can be used on most surfaces. This saves time and money.
Clean as you go: When you’re finished using something, put it away or clean it immediately, rather than letting it pile up. This helps keep your home tidy and reduces the amount of time needed for deep cleaning.
Declutter regularly: Getting rid of things you no longer need or use reduces the amount of clutter in your home and makes cleaning easier.
Involve the whole family: Assigning age-appropriate cleaning tasks to family members not only lightens your load but also teaches children responsibility and helps create a sense of shared ownership of the home.

By implementing these tips, you can simplify your cleaning routine, making it more manageable and less stressful.

**RELATED:** 4 powerful questions to ask while decluttering

Feel free to sign up to my Sunday Morning Letters HERE! It's like having a cup of tea and a chat with me on Sunday mornings - a strong dose of inspiration and encouragement to help you Curate & Live a Well-Designed Life; Consciously, Intentionally & Wholeheartedly. I want you to live your life fully - each day, less on autopilot and more on purpose - living a life of meaning ♡