How to Keep Your House Clean in 20 Minutes a Day

There is no worse feeling than looking around your house, realizing that it looks like a trash heap, and then finding your in-laws standing on your doorstep three minutes later. My in-laws happen to be wonderful, and very non-judgmental people, but I still prefer to have my house clean when they drop by. There are some people who are natural neat freaks, and their houses are always spotless. I am not one of those people. I lead a very busy life with three messy children. Rest assured that if I can keep my house reasonably clean in just 20 minutes a day, then anybody can do it!

First of all, there is no way you can possibly clean your whole house in 20 minutes. You have to start with a clean slate for my tips to work well, so I'll start by giving you some ideas on how to overhaul your entire house over the course of a day or weekend. No matter how awful you might think your house looks, it isn't that hard to clean it up if you have a system. First, start with the big, easy stuff. Kitchens and bathrooms are what really make your house look dirty, so start by making those sparkle. I generally do these rooms at the same time because they require the same cleaning products. Pick up all the dirty laundry and wet towels. Replace dishrags and hand towels. Do all the dishes so you have a clean sink. Make sure you wipe down all the counter tops in both rooms, and scrub out the tub. Make sure all the stuff that gets left out on counter tops is put away. Your home will look much neater and cleaner when you hide all your clutter. If you have too much clutter to hide in drawers and cupboards, then you need to get rid of it! Last, sweep and mop the floors.

Once you have a clean kitchen, the rest of the house seems easier to clean. Make all the beds, put away clean laundry, and pick up all the junk that gets left out. Again, if you have too much stuff, get rid of some. Sometimes it seems stressful to have to decide what to keep and what to throw away, but clutter wastes your time and space, so make a clean break now!