Today, we’re talking all about how to clean a messy house fast. Even if you don’t have company coming over (but especially if you do), the thought of spending hours cleaning a messy house can be daunting. So, how to clean a messy house fast without stuffing things in closets and shoving the doors closed? This is the real question!
In order to clean a messy house fast, you must remember this vital fact: the goal is not perfection, but completion.
Post Contents
How Do You Clean a Messy House Fast?
For how to clean a messy house fast, quickly clear off and wipe down all horizontal surfaces, make each bed, check the bathrooms, gather the laundry and start a load, then give a cursory vacuum and a quick spot mop (if you have time).
Clear Off and Wipe Down Surfaces
This includes counters, tables, beds, floors…basically anything horizontal. If you have a lot of clutter built up (especially paper clutter), it can be hard to imagine how this step could go quickly, but if we’re aiming for completion and not perfection, you’d be surprised how speedily you can get it done.
Throw trash, toss laundry in the hampers, grab two boxes and label one “returns” for items that need to go back to others and one “donations.” Once you’ve finished this step, put both boxes in the back of your car (great tip I heard in a YouTube video from Our Oily House). Delegate toy clean-up to your kids (or if you have young babies like me, make a fast sweep and tidy up the toys yourself).
For paper clutter, there is a time to get granular and go through the stuff hanging out on your counters, but the time is not now. If the goal is to clean a messy house fast, put all of those loose papers into a paper tray or a shallow box and set it aside. Make a date with yourself–I mean this literally–to handle the box (or boxes…real life, right?), but right now, the focus is to get surfaces cleared off, get them wiped down, and keep moving.
Make the Beds
Now that all the surfaces are cleared off, get the beds made. If you’re looking at how to clean a messy house fast because you have company coming, skip changing the sheets and just pull up the comforter or duvet, give the pillows a quick fluff and call it good. However, if you don’t have that deadline and just want to move fast, do take the extra couple minutes to change the sheets and make the bed fresh. You’ll be glad later!
Check the Bathrooms
I say “check” instead of “clean” because again, we’re aiming for speed here. If you clean it regularly, your bathroom may be in pretty good shape. Wipe any spots from the mirror, wipe down the sink and vanity, and give the toilet a swish with the toilet brush if necessary. A surface cleaning is good enough for the time being.
Gather Laundry and Start a Load
You may have multiple loads that need to be washed, but I recommend one of two options: either start with the biggest load you have to make the biggest dent in the laundry pile, or start with what you can get processed the quickest (i.e. a load that can be washed, dried and folded with no special soaking, handwashing, hang-drying, etc.) Either one of these options keeps the momentum going and should prevent you from getting bogged down in a mire of laundry despair.
Vacuum and Spot Mop
Lastly, give your floors a little love with a quick vacuum and spot mop. This post is all about how to clean a messy house fast, so don’t take the trouble to move furniture when you’re doing this. Vacuum up the visible stuff, then grab your mop (or even a wet rag) and quickly clean up any noticeable spots on your hard floors.
And you’re done! 🙂
How to Do Fast Cleaning Long-Term
Often, when we’re searching for how to clean a messy house fast, it’s because we’re in need of “crisis cleaning.” You know the scenario: you have surprise company coming over and you’re hit in the face with the overwhelm of a messy house. But what about if you just like getting things done fast, regardless of whether company is coming or not?
I wrote in a previous post about how I follow the Clean Mama cleaning routine, and in my opinion, this cleaning routine takes the cake when it comes to getting cleaning done fast. Clean Mama has a system structured around five daily tasks and six weekly tasks you can accomplish in less than 20 minutes per day (the steps mentioned above for how to clean a messy house fast actually loosely follow Clean Mama’s daily tasks). If you like a clean home but don’t enjoy spending a ton of time making it that way, I would recommend checking her out.
Conclusion
So, how to clean a messy house fast? Clear off and wipe down surfaces, make each bed, check the bathrooms, gather laundry and start a load, then do a quick vacuum and spot mop. This speedy step-by-step process will whip your house into shape in a short amount of time, freeing you to receive guests without stress.
Pin It For Later
More From A Flourishing Place
How to Declutter a Small Bathroom
Leave a Reply