Housekeeping Tips for Spring Cleaning - Use a Timer to Clean Up a Messy Room Quick in 15 Minutes

I'm pretty messy and sometimes have to find ways to motivate myself. I could piddle around for hours and never finish straightening a cluttered room. Finally, I came up with a method that got me going and could actually keep me going for hours.

Much later, after I had started using this technique, I heard that the flylady (see link below) also recommended this technique. Well, I can vouch for it. If it works for a somewhat messy procrastinator such as myself, then it can work for anybody.

What is my secret? An egg timer. A simple little egg timer. I started setting my timer for 15 minutes and then would rush around one room de-cluttering, straightening, and cleaning until the timer went off. Then I would go to another room and try the 15 minute time frame again. This strategy really gets me going. It makes me much more efficient!

Recently, I cleaned my living room and kitchen using the 15 minute timed method. After I was finished and pleased with the results, I thought that I should have taken before and after pictures and used them to write an article. Oh, well, I thought, the rooms will be messy again in no time. And right I was! So, tonight, I set my timer for 15 minutes and cleaned my kitchen yet again.

In 15 minutes, I put dishes in the dishwasher; washed some pans and pizza pans; cleared off groceries, mail and numerous other things off the counters; wiped down the stove top, counters, and sink; put away the bag of cat food; straightened the rug, and swept the floor. I worked fast and had about two minutes to spare.

I was extremely pleased, as I rarely clean during the week. Doing so gives me a headstart on the weekend, leaving me more time to do things I'd rather do!

Here's a method I've used before to get the whole house in good shape as fast and efficiently as possible.

--Use timer for 15 minutes per room. As soon as the timer goes off, move to the next room for another 15 minutes until you have covered every room in the house. If you finish any room before the timer goes off, do extra things in the room, or go back and finish what you didn't get to in the previous room.

--If your house needs more than 15 minutes per room, do another go-around, this time setting your timer for 10 minutes per room. Again, go through each room, stopping after 10 minutes.

--Finally, go through with 5 timed minutes to put on the finishing touches.

I've found that this method will turn out a pretty nice-looking house. Next, try 15 minutes per evening during the week to maintain your success. I'm hoping that when I get good at maintaining a neat house, then I will move on to use the timer for specific areas to de-clutter, areas such as a closet, cabinet, or even under the bed!

You are probably way ahead of me in being able to keep a neat and clean house. Naturally neat (or motivated) people perhaps don't understand the need to trick oneself into cleaning house, but those messy folks like me will definitely understand where I'm coming from.

If you have ideas and comments, feel free to leave them. Any tips are appreciated.