How to Clean a House Quickly
- Get all surfaces tidy and clear — Clean, uncluttered tabletops and countertops make all the difference in presenting a neat home. Stack up papers and books into only one or two piles. Kitchen counters should be free of utensils, food products, and dishes. If the worst comes to the worst, shove everything on your desktop into one of the drawers, and the desk will look a lot better!
- Take care of your dirty dishes — Dirty dishes in the sink or in plain view create an image of untidiness. If you don’t have time to wash them, put them in the dishwasher or, if you’re really desperate, hide the dirty dishes under the sink or inside the oven. Just don’t forget to take them out and wash them after the guests have gone!
- Put away all clothes and shoes — If clothes are draped on furniture or beds, make sure you hang these up in wardrobes or at least on coat hooks. Mounds of clothes should be hidden somewhere. For the really desperate, shove loose clothes in a bin bag and use one of the hiding places we suggest below. Shoes can also create a sense of clutter. If they’re not in a shoe rack or lined up neatly, either put them in a shoe bin or squirrel them away in a wardrobe.
- Use hiding spaces for your mess — One of the fastest (and laziest) ways of cleaning your house quickly is to shove your mess into a bin liner and stash it in a special hiding space. Maybe you have a drawer, cabinet, or wardrobe that doesn’t get used much. Here’s where you can get creative in your efforts to clean your house fast: laundry baskets, empty suitcases, washing and drying machines, even your car or shed can be used to stash your mess. Or put the mess under a bed or table, and cover it with a throw that hangs all the way down to the floor.
- Contain your mess to one off-limits room — If you’re really pressed for time, gather up everything that isn’t where it should be and store it all in one room, and close or lock the door! Just make sure guests know that room is off-limits. Your home will seem miraculously tidier, and you can just deal with the clutter once your guests have gone.
In general, you don’t want anything (toys, papers, books, etc.) lying around. Stack them or hide them somewhere to give the impression of order. After all, the illusion of tidiness is really all you’re trying to achieve by following these quick cleaning tips. It’s about temporarily hiding your mess and transforming your place into a (seemingly) tidy and presentable home!
Key Points
- Prioritise the mess that looks the worst
- Hide dirty things away in cupboards or any space available
- Collect all the mess in one off-limits room if you have zero time