Speed Cleaning Tips

When people hear I only spend 40 minutes a day cleaning, they tend to wonder how that is possible, so I thought I'd share my Speed Cleaning Tips with you. Plus, you can snag a free printable with some of my favorite homemade cleaner recipes!

I often have people tell me “I don't know how you manage to keep a clean house, work from home, and homeschool four boys as a single mom”. Well, I'll admit, it's not easy!  

I've talked before about how I'm a terrible housekeeper. It's just not something that comes easy to me, so having a strict schedule, solid cleaning routines, and the ability to be flexible when needed are a must.  I typically spend about 40 minutes cleaning in the morning, plus we tidy up as we go throughout the day.

Speed Cleaning Tips:

• Make it fun!  Turn on some of your favorite tunes to get yourself in the mood (or at least trick yourself into thinking you enjoy cleaning)!
• Create a cleaning schedule. You don't have to do the same things every day. If you have a guest bath that doesn't get used often, it won't need scrubbed down as often. Decide what tasks need to be done daily or weekly and create your schedule.  Tweak it later on if you need to.
• Have kids? Assign them age appropriate chores so you can spend less time cleaning and get more done.
• A cleaning caddy is your friend. For all my downstairs cleaning, I have a caddy with my cleaners, a trash bag, and rags. Not running back and forth to grab cleaners saves more time than you think. I keep an extra grocery bag on the cart so I can throw anything I find that is in the wrong room in there & put it all away when I'm done.
• Get a long extension cord for your vacuum and steam mop. Instead of unplugging and replugging it in for each room, do it once & put it away when you finish the last room.
• Don't waste time going around the house over & over with each task. Start a room, do each task on your list (set a timer if you need to in the beginning so you don't start deep cleaning), and move to the next room.
• Start at the top of each room (mirrors, counters, etc) and finish with the floor.
• If you are cleaning with the kids awake, set them up with an activity in the last room you plan to clean. This way, they aren't following you around making messes in the rooms you just got done.
• Set aside time every week to declutter!  Cleaning around clutter makes it so much harder. Find out how to declutter in only 15 minutes a day!

Now, here my morning routine:

• Make bed & get dressed. Dirty clothes get tossed in the hamper.
• Spray tub with my homemade tub cleaner & let it sit while I wash my face (with my favorite Coffee Facial Scrub)
• Wipe down vanity & mirrors, if needed (normally with 4 boys).
• Scrub tub & toilet.
• Wake the boys & head down with the dirty laundry.
• Start the laundry.
• Start the coffee pot & unload the dishwasher (shine your sink every night to make mornings a breeze)
• Wipe down the counters & load the dirty dishes after breakfast.
• Sweep the living room, dining room, and kitchen.
• Use my homemade disinfectant spray to wipe down the light switches and doorknobs.

If you subtract the time for cooking & eating breakfast, I only spend about 30-40 minutes cleaning every morning. One of the main ways this works is by assigning the kids little tasks, picking up after ourselves every day, and making sure everything has its place.

Subscribe below to snag this free printable with some of my favorite homemade cleaning recipes!

Note: This post was originally published when I had 4 boys from 3 to 7 and a dishwasher. Since then, a lot of cleaning has shifted to the kids. I do the majority of the cooking. The kids do the majority of the cleaning. My husband does most of the deep cleaning & I never touch the mop. I rarely do the dishes or laundry now, but that schedule/routine saved my sanity when I had littles that couldn't help much!

Creating your own routine is very important because what works for me, may not work for you. What does your daily cleaning routine look like?