Last Updated on February 15, 2021 by Katie Barton
You walk into a room, and there’s trash all over the tables, toys, and dirty laundry strung across the floor, crumbs everywhere, and before you even start cleaning, you’re ready to give up.
If this sounds like you – please know that everyone who has kids has encountered this situation before – so don’t feel bad.
However, if you struggle to know where to start or feel like it takes you forever to clean a room, I’ve got you covered.
If you follow these steps in order and focus completely on one (that’s right, no multitasking!) before moving to the other, you’ll be able to clean any room in your house quickly -even if it’s super messy.
Here’s what to do.
Start By Picking Up Trash
The first step is always to go around the room and pick up any trash.
If your house is like mine, your kids and/or husband have left you at least some trash that needs to be dealt with. Grab a plastic grocery bag and walk around the room collecting every last bit of trash, then dispose of it.
Return All Items that Don’t Belong in the Room
Start grabbing the items that don’t belong in the room you’re cleaning and quickly put them back where they go.
If there are TONS of items in the room that don’t belong, grab a laundry basket, throw them in and have your kids help put back whatever they’ve drug out.
Related: 10 Things to Do on Sunday to Prepare for the Week
A Quick Organize/Pickup of Items that Do Belong in that Room
If you’re cleaning your kitchen, you’re going to load your dishwasher before starting this step.
For everyone else, do a quick run-through of the room, ensuring that all items are where they’re supposed to be. (I.E. The T.V. remote is on the coffee table, throw pillows are back on the couch, etc.)
Wipe Everything Down
Grab your favorite cleaner and give everything a good wipe down. If you’re cleaning your kitchen, knock all loose crumbs off of the counter before you wipe it down.
Clean counters, tables, and any obvious messes/spills that need wiping down.
Sweep/Mop
Lastly, sweep and mop your floors. You’ll be left with a clean room and can move to the next one if you’d like.
Stay Focused to Clean Any Room Quickly
If your house is messy to the point of overwhelm or feels like it takes you forever to clean, this system will help. Focus on one task at a time and make sure it’s completely done before moving on to the next.
Katie Barton is the owner of Cabin Lane. She's also a home improvement writer for Bob Vila and Homedit. Her cleaning and organizing advice has been featured on Realtor.com, Yahoo News, GoBankingRates, and more. In her spare time, you can find her with a paintbrush in hand, searching for her next project.
