IF you feel overwhelmed every time you have to do spring cleaning, whether for a festive season or simply because your home needs to be freshened up, there is one simple solution that will help make things less difficult.
Instead of doing your entire house in one go, why not try speed cleaning it daily? You can speed clean anytime you get a chance, even after a hard day’s night at work.
Speed cleaning involves spending not more than 15 minutes at a time cleaning a specific space. The relatively short amount of time spent on each task helps you stay focused, and builds a habit of maintaining order and tidiness.
How to start
Pick a day and a room, and simply begin cleaning. You can do each room for a few minutes a day, or one room per day. The most important thing is developing a schedule that you will be able to follow in the long run.
Here are some basic cleaning tips that you can implement.
Once you get started, cleaning will feel less like a chore and more like part of your daily routine.
Bedrooms (5-10 minutes each):
Always make the bed. Even if there are other things laying around, the room will look much, much cleaner. Quickly pick up any clothes, toys, or dishes that are lying around. Use a duster or dry rag to quickly dust all surfaces, including the headboard and footboard.
Bathrooms (5 minutes each):
Use disinfectant wipes or a wet rag and disinfectant spray to quickly wipe down the sinks, tub, and shower. Use a brush to quickly scrub the toilet, rim, and seat. Use disinfectant wipes or a wet rag and disinfectant spray to wipe down the toilet seat and surrounding floor.
Living room (10-15 minutes):
Quickly pick up any shoes, dishes, toys, or other items lying around. Use a duster to quickly dust all surfaces. Use damp cloth to wipe down furniture, tables, and dining chairs.
Kitchen (10-15 minutes):
Quickly pick up any items that don’t belong in the kitchen and place them where they belong. Gather any dirty dishes. Wash them.
Spray all counters and the stovetop with disinfectant spray. Then use soapy water and a wet sponge to wipe them all down.
Finishing Up:
Use a mop to clean the floors. Spot clean with a sponge if necessary. Clean glass surfaces and mirrors as needed with glass cleaner and a lint-free rag. Don’t forget to spray and wipe the bathroom fixtures for extra shine. And put away items collected in baskets while cleaning.
You can even do your cleaning while waiting for another task to be completed. For example, wiping down the countertop while waiting for your meal to finish cooking, or picking up things around the living room while you are binge-watching a show on TV.
It may take a little getting used to, but once you are in the habit of speed cleaning each day, you will be done in no time and can be free to enjoy a clean house for the rest of the day.
