Do you have just 1 hour this week? Maybe 30 minutes on Saturday and Sunday? If so, you will be free of cleaning chores for the rest of the entire week. Sound good? Let me show you the formula I use in 60 minutes or less to a tidy home all week long.
Let me start off by saying, it took me about one week to get this system that I use to flow seamlessly. I was in “determination mode” to find a simple formula that would not have me tidying the house and cleaning every day.
Before you start doing this, there are a couple things that will be helpful to do beforehand:
- Purge. Get into the habit throughout the week to purge all things immediately. Do not let junk mail sit on the counter, your children’s school papers lay out or catalogs lay around the house. Be ruthless – throw them out or find a designated spot to store them out of the way.
- Purge again. Clean out all closets of unwanted clothing. Clean out your cupboards and pantry so everything is accessible and tidy. This will help your time during the week for meal prep.
My One Hour Simple Formula to a Tidy Home
- My personal opinion, if a house smells clean, it appears clean. First thing I do is light a candle or check my plug-ins and make sure they are full. Simple isn’t it? When I come through the door and inhale – the house smells “clean” and if you have guests that drop by, they will think the same way.
- Wash and dry clothes. Over the weekend, do all laundry from start to finish. Wash. Dry. Fold. Put away. Since your machines do the hard part, all you need to do is fold and put away. Of course, if you have children they can fold and put away. If not, this task essentially takes minutes from switching from washer to dryer. Of course, don’t sit and wait for it to get finished. Do your other chores in between.
- Vacuum. Even vacuum the kitchen floor or any non-carpeted areas instead of sweeping with a broom. Vacuum all floors in the main areas. If you have time left over, move onto other levels of your house.
- Dust all tables and surfaces.
- Clean bathrooms. Clean toilets and sinks and surfaces.
That’s it! Doing this each week takes me no more than one hour from start to finish.
A Few Tips
- No interruptions.. I do not answer a ringing phone or stop and sit to watch TV. I blaze through the house on a mission.
- Use Extra Time Wisely. If I have time through the week and feel motivated, I will throw in another load of laundry or undertake a task like cleaning the tubs, cleaning windows quickly etc. But I get to it when I can and when I am feeling motivated.
- Plan it. Throughout the week, map out a plan of how you can done quicker each time. Once you do this, you will feel more motivated to take on an extra task.
- If you need additional help on getting started purging and organizing, see this post I did on using the “LOSE” method. Also, here is another post on getting your home company ready in 20 minutes.
By spending this mere hour every week, it is enough to keep my house tidy and company ready at all times.
What tips do you have on keeping your humble abodes tidy?