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How to Have a Clean Home Even If You’re Busy

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Having a clean home can sound like a dream that is impossible to accomplish, especially if you have no time. As a busy mom of 9 from 18 down to 1, I hear you. While I spent years attempting to keep the house clean all the time and then beating myself up when this didn’t happen, I knew there had to be a better way. The thing is, I discovered that the whole house doesn’t have to actually be clean in order for my whole house to feel clean. And, I would bet the same is true for you. In helping busy women like you maintain their homes, conquer the overwhelm, and have more time for doing the things they really want to do, I have found that my method is the perfect solution for everyone I share it with. It’s all about focusing on just one area of your home at a time. Plus, it needs to take you less than 30 minutes. How freeing is that? It really is possible to have a clean home in no time!

Yes! You only need 30 minutes!

With 30 minutes of focused attention, you can really get an entire area of your home clean when you know exactly how it works and what to do. This time saving strategy will help you have a home that feels clean in no time. After all, someday, when the house is quiet because all the kids have left, we will have all the time we want to keep a clean home. For now, as a busy mom I want to enjoy both worlds – a clean home and life with my kids. Maybe you want the same. If so, I’ll teach you exactly how to make cleaning zones work and how to create a clean home checklist that will help you make your home a clean and decluttered haven from all the craziest that surrounds of every day.


Before you go any further, make it easy to put start this in your home today. Be sure to grab our cleaning zones worksheet that will walk you step by step through what I’m teaching you here. Just tell us where to send it!

 

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What are cleaning zones & how can they keep your home clean in under 30 minutes a day?

I’m glad you asked.

A cleaning zone is an area of your home that is in close proximity filled with a few targeted cleaning tasks that will make that entire area feel (& really be) clean.

In your cleaning zone, you will do a quick declutter and choose the cleaning tasks that matter to you ahead of time.

Then, when you’ve got your 30 minutes of zone cleaning time you’ll know exactly what to do and get to work.

When you’re done, you’ll step back, breathe in a contented breath, and be more focused and calm to take on the other parts of your day.

Now, let’s talk about exactly how to make this work so you’ll have a clean home fast – even if you’re busy!

Choose your cleaning zones

First, you’ll want to divide your home into between 6 and 10 different cleaning zones. These should be areas that are next to each other and that make sense to group together.

For example, I know that in 30 minutes, I couldn’t clean more than two bathrooms. Therefore, I will take this into account when choosing my cleaning zones.

Furthermore, I don’t have two bathrooms that are close to one another. So, more than two bathrooms don’t make sense to group together in a cleaning zone.

What does make sense for me is to group my mudroom, my laundry room, and my bathroom all together in one zone because they are all right next to each other and have tasks that together I can get done in 30 minutes.

Also, know that you may be making adjustments to your cleaning zones in the following steps if your tasks end up taking you more than the allowed 30 minutes. But for now, you’ll need a place to start.

Outline your cleaning tasks

Once you’ve chosen your cleaning tasks, you’re ready to start outlining and listing the cleaning tasks you’ll want to complete during your 30 minutes.

Something to keep in mind is the fact that in most cases, you’ll have a bit of decluttering to do in your zone before you can start cleaning. I find that the more people you have in your home, the more random things you’ll have in an area that don’t belong.

Factor in a few minutes of your 30 minute cleaning time to include removing things from your areas that belong elsewhere. I find it effective to plan on 5 minutes to declutter and 25 minutes to take on the cleaning.

cleaning schedule moms

Make adjustments to your cleaning zones

If as you’re listing the cleaning tasks you discover that you’ll need more than 30 minutes, you’ve got two choices in how to proceed.

First, you can break your cleaning zone down into smaller cleaning zones. Perhaps you’ll need to divide one cleaning zone down into two cleaning zones.

Or, you could chose less cleaning tasks in that zone. You may need to adjust your expectations.

In reality, this is what I end up doing when I face this problem.

I start off with a longer list of items that I’d like to clean in an ideal world. Then, I whittle the cleaning tasks down in the name of being realistic when living a busy life.

Like me, you might discover that you can focus on the main tasks in your cleaning zone and feel just as good as if every little thing you initially listed got done.

As you’re working through this remember that progress, not perfection, is the goal. There will be a time and a place for a more deep clean. For our purposes here, our objective is less time spent cleaning, more time spent doing the things you actually want to do, and still feeling accomplished and happy with your home.

Check for these objectives when you’ve completed your cleaning zones

  • You spend no more than 30 minutes in your cleaning zone
  • And, you aren’t focused on doing a deep clean
  • You will feel accomplished and content with these specific tasks done

Now, you’re ready to move forward.

Write all your cleaning zones and tasks out

Since most of us will have been making adjustments up to this point, you should have a final draft of sorts as to what your cleaning zones are and what you’ll be doing in each one.

Now is the time to make your cleaning zones and tasks official.

Write them out. Write them down. Make them look nice and easy to read so you know exactly what to do when you’ve got that precious pocket of time to clean.

I don’t know about you, but knowing what I’m supposed to do ahead of time is often the motivation I need to just get started.

Writing everything out in this way will help you do just that.

making-lists

How to work with your cleaning zones

I have nine cleaning zones in my home. This means that most weeks, I’m choosing two cleaning zones to tackle each weekday with one day that only has one.

We do our deeper cleaning on the weekend, so cleaning zones really only apply during the week for me.

I imagine something similar will be the case for you.

After all, who wants to spend all weekend cleaning the house?

Not me, and probably not you.

Weekends are for relaxing and having some fun. So, try to get all your cleaning zones taken care of during the week.

What are the benefits of having cleaning zones?

Cleaning zones help you stay on top of house cleaning

There is often a fine line between a sense of order and a sense of chaos in the home. This is certainly the way it is in my home.

So, cleaning zones will help you stay on top of the wave and maintain order. That way, you’re not swallowed up into an overwhelming cluttered and messy house. When that happens, you aren’t even sure of what to do first, at least if you’re like me.

Taking care of a cleaning zone or two every day will make your home feel like it’s clean all the time. Even just one clean zone gives you the feeling of a home that is clean overall.

clean kitchen table

Cleaning zones are good for your mental health

The sense of accomplishment and contentment that having a clean area in your home is priceless for your state of mind. Like me you’ll probably find that with just one clean area, the rest of the house can be near chaos levels but you’ll still feel sane.

Cleaning zones are perfect for working moms who want a clean home

Most of us, even those of us who work, can find 30 minutes a day. This is especially true once you experience the peace of a clean zone in your home. Once you experience the benefit, it becomes very easy to prioritize the 30 minutes needed to create that peaceful area.

Cleaning zones are perfect for stay at home moms who want a clean home

As a mom who works at home, I fall into the stay at home mom category as well. I know what it’s like to be cooped up in your house day after day. If your home feels like it’s in shambles around you, this can be a very bad thing.

With a clean area or two in your home every day, you’ll find it’s much easier to be in your home all day every day.

Looking for more on cleaning? Try these?

How to Have a Clean Home All the Time

Cleaning Shortcuts

Cleaning Window Tracks

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