How To Clean Your Home Up—Fast!
We’ve all been there: Unexpected (but welcome) visitors are coming to your home, and it’s a total mess!
Im going to help you clean up your home super fast if you ever find yourself in a situation like this. With two different plans of attack for getting your home environment presentable— in no time at all: One if you have only 10-15 minutes to clean up; and One for if you have 20-30 minutes notice.Both strategies are similar, the 30 minutes clean-up just goes a little further into it, but, honestly neither are house cleaning in a real sense, but, they’ll do in a pinch to make your home presentable and fast!
I need to start by saying that this may not apply to anyone who has a great deal of clutter, or, anyone who’s a bit of a hoarder, because that obviously goes beyond an average messy house, and often requires a lot of time, planning, and, effort to get presentable.
Ok, let’s start with the super fast clean-up: when you only have about 10-15 minutes.
The First thing to do is consider where your guest or visitor will be. Are they coming for a quick cup of coffee just to say hello? Or for you to sign an important paper? Then, Use that info to determine where to pick up—for example if there bringing papers to sign etc make sure there’s a cleared off table and area where you can sit with them for a short while. Keep in mind that No matter the person or reason for their visit, they may need to use the restroom so make sure to do a quick sweep through your bathroom.
Regardless of time you have, you’ll start by grabbing a basket, or bin, etc. A laundry basket is my first choice because they’re roomy and usually have handles. Start with your basket at the front door and do a super quick walking “sweep” going only through rooms or areas where your guests will be—picking up anything that’s out of place or laying on surfaces, floors etc and putting them into the basket.
If you only have 10-15 mins this may be all you have time to do, and, if so then take the basket and put it into a room or closet if necessary just to get it out of sight for now. Once the guests leave, go through your home once again carrying your basket and put everything away as you walk through all the rooms.
Ok, so, If you have a bit more time-say, 30 minutes or so, you’ll want to take about 5-10 minutes with the basket and do the same sweep through the rooms picking up like before. Then put your basket somewhere to be sorted through later, and return to your front room.
Take about 5 mins to “make” your couch, or seating area up—fluff and place the pillows, fold blankets, etc. Next head into the bathroom with paper towels, and some spray cleaner and wipe out sinks and wipe countertops and the toilet seat top and bottom at least. Also, Make sure there’s a clean hand towel and soap.
After that, you’ll likely be at the 15-20 min mark.
With the last ten minutes, scan your floors, tables and countertops, and do a quick sweep or vacuum of the floors if they’re dirtier, or, if the surfaces are worse than the floors, do a quick wipe down of any surfaces your guests may encounter while in your home, like the dining table, coffee table, and the kitchen or living room surfaces. And that’s it really!
In 30 minutes you really can make the main living areas of your home look pretty clean. And if it’s not too messy to begin with, you may even have time to put everything away from the basket when you did your room sweeps, which will save you time later with the evening tidy.
By the way, this is exactly the same method I started using when my sons were small, I’d go room to room with a laundry basket and pick up their toys, laundry, and plates and cups. And I still start all my daily and weekly cleaning in this exact way because it clears the clutter so you can get down to cleaning, and deal with the put away after or carry the basket with you as you clean each room if it’s a weekly cleaning.
Remember you deserve the comfort and convenience of a clean home!