How to clean a messy house

How to clean a messy house

Ever have a messy house? Ever have a house that looked like a disaster? Ever have a house that made you want to leave because it was a mess?

Well, here are a few tips and steps on how to get that house clean as quickly and neatly as possible. This isn’t cleaning out closets or drawers, this is surface cleaning, cleaning what is out in the open, the stuff that a visitor would see.

There are a few things we need to think ahead for before we start. Do you know what is for dinner? If possible I like to get dinner in the crockpot before starting. Even if it is chicken pieces with bbq sauce, it helps. I also like to get out my cleaning supplies that I will need and plug in the vacuum. This way, I am not hunting for anything, it is already out and ready for me to use.

If you have kids at home that can help, then you will want to get them involved in this. Many hands make light work! If your kids are too small to help, then you will need to be creative and come up with some activities to keep the preoccupied while you are busy. Some ideas are coloring, drawing, blocks, legos, cars, dolls, play dough, an educational video (I love to get educational videos from the library), etc. Set up a spot for them to be and let them know you will be busy and you will check on them in a bit. When mine were younger I would have a few ideas and be ready to swap their activities so they wouldn’t become bored and make more messes. If yours are older, explain to them that the house is messy and that they are going to be needed to help get it back in order.

I like to use a timer when the kids are helping so they don’t get overwhelmed. There have been times that it took 2-3 hours to get the house back into shape and that would have caused burnout. Decide how long you are going to work at a time and set the timer. I like to work for 40 minutes and break for 20. If the break is too long, I won’t get back up. The time this will take is going to depend on the amount of mess and how long you work and break. You don’t want to burnout but you also don’t want to take too many breaks. You will need to find the niche that is right for you.

One quick note, you are trying to go as fast as possible. Move your body as quickly as you can. Don’t stop to read or play with something or talk on the phone. Try not to let things distract you, this is key to get done in as little amount of time as possible.

The timer is set now and I head to start laundry. Chances are, if the housework has fallen behind, so has the laundry. Get a load going and head to get a trash bag. Go around the entire house and get all trash into the bag. If you can balance 2 things at once, have a tub or bucket for all the dirty dishes too. If not, you can collect those next. Now, all trash and dirty dishes have been collected. If you have a dishwasher, load it. If not, get the sink filled with warm soapy water and start soaking the dishes.

You are in the kitchen, stay in here and start working in here. Spray the inside of the microwave with cleaner and start it for a minute. The steam produced will loosen the debris cooked onto the surface. Put everything away on the counters and table. Now you can clean out the microwave and clean the counters and table. One trick that I have learned is if you have hardened stuff that you are trying to clean off, you spray it and let it sit for a few minutes. This allows the cleaner to soften the hardened food and it comes up easily. Wash the soaked dishes and let them dry. Put in more dishes to soak, if needed. The laundry might be ready to be switched now. If so, go get it done. On days like this, I like to get 2 loads done. If I do too much, I won’t fold them. So, I try to get enough done that everyone has something clean.

Now move into the living room. Straighten cushions, pillows and throws. Is the floor picked up? If it is, move onto end tables and the coffee table. I like to take everything off of them so they can be dusted quickly. Straighten anything that is left. Are there any movies lying around or magazines? If so, put them all away or straighten the area. Now dust and Windex the living room as quickly as possible. You can vacuum now if you want and the living room is done.

Go to the bathroom and spray cleaner on the sink, counter and toilet. Go back into the kitchen and put up the dishes and wash the next batch. Rinse them and allow them to dry. While the dishes are drying go back to the bathroom. Spray the mirror with Windex and clean it. Clean the sink, counter and toilet. Shake out the rugs and sweep. Change the bathroom trash if needed and go back to kitchen. Repeat dish washing if needed. Kitchen is now clean except for the floor. Sweep the floor quickly. I like to pour a cup of boiling water on the floor when I mop. This won’t work for all floor types but does for mine. I don’t use any cleaner, just the hot water. I mop quickly and vigorously. I often break a sweat when I mop. I don’t like to take my time when I clean; I like to get it done and then relax.

While the floor is drying, move onto your room. Make your bed if you haven’t already. Pick up the floor and clean off your horizontal surfaces. Any clean clothes that need to put away? Do that now. Now you just need to dust and Windex if needed. I like to leave my room last because it is usually pretty quick, even when it is a mess.

I vacuum the areas that haven’t been vacuumed and light some candles. Before we take a break we need to check the laundry. It would be nice if the clothes in the dryer were finished and we were able to move the clothes from the washer into the dryer and put away the dry ones. Don’t forget about the clothes in the dryer.

Now we are done. The house is clean, it looks nice and smells nice. Fix yourself a cup of something nice to drink and relax with a smile on your face.