Some people find it overwhelming to clean their homes, especially when the heap of mess has gotten too much. Others have tried different methods but have failed since they treat it as a cycle—tidying then unintentionally messing things up again.
You might even stress yourself out with the thought of wasting your time cleaning and doing chores instead of doing what you have originally planned to do. Lack of motivation to do housework is perfectly understandable. But there is one method that you might not have tried yet—author Rachel Hoffman’s 20/10 method.
The concept is simple: 20 minutes of cleaning followed by a 10-minute break.
The author of the book “Unf##k Your Habitat” admits that she also finds cleaning dull and tiresome, therefore coming up with a more relaxed approach to cleaning. Tidying up does not need to be treated as a responsibility. If you see it as a hobby or perhaps a pastime, you’ll be seeing it from a fresher perspective. You might miraculously see it as something fun to do.
But for those who think that that is impossible and get tired just by the thought of spending hours cleaning, then this method is perfect for you to try out.
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How to Incorporate the 20/10 Method
The 20/10 method is straightforward to follow—20 minutes of work and 10 minutes of break. It fits people who find cleaning challenging to do. Hoffman suggests doing 20 minutes of cleaning and stopping for a break. After those 10 minutes, you can either go back through the cleaning or continue your day to do something else.
It may sound like a minimal change, but the goal is cleaning with minimal effort. Of course, you’ll have to really work in those 20 minutes. Once you incorporate the method into your daily routine, you will be surprised by how easy it is to keep your home tidy.
20/10 Tips to Follow
Hoffman also included 10 tips in her book to effectively clean without exhausting ourselves to the point of giving up:
- Before and After Pictures: Taking photos or a good way for you to see the changes that you have made.
- Make Your Bed Every Day When You Wake Up: It is vital to make it the moment you wake up. Doing this ensures that you will be motivated throughout the day.
- Open Your Windows: Make it a habit to open your windows for your house to be ventilated. Fresh air can get rid of odors stuck inside your space.
- Clean from Top to Bottom: The best system to follow is to clean up from the top floor first and go your way to the top of whichever has the most prominent space. With this system, you’ll be able to clean everything.
- Wash Your Dishes and Never Leave Some on the Sink: Never leave dirty dishes in the sink. Clean them after you eat, so they won’t pile up on you. Also, pick up dishes that you have left inside your dishwasher or kitchen rack and place them back in your cupboard or kitchen cabinets.
- Pick Up Your Dirty Clothes: People often leave dirty clothes everywhere at home, from the foot of the bed to bedroom floors. Make it a habit to put it in your laundry bag or, better yet, do the laundry before it piles up.
- Clean and Disinfect the Fridge: Always check your fridge, see if there are spoiled food, moldy vegetables, and anything that belongs in the trash. Sanitize your fridge and try to defrost it from time to time as well.
- Don’t Leave Your Clothes in the Rack: Many people often leave their clothes in the drying rack after doing their laundry. They often leave it there because they are too lazy to fold clothes and keep it in the closet. You have to muster up the energy to get them and fold them up neatly.
- Always Sweep and Mop the Floors: Floors are the biggest space that collects everything—from dust to mud and dirt that you pick up outside your house. Therefore, it is a must to sweep and sanitize them whenever you have the chance. If you have pets shedding a lot of furs, you can use pet grooming scissors to thin or trim their coats. That way, you won’t have to vacuum as much when it’s shedding season. If you have made it a habit not to leave your shoes after you go out, then it is the perfect time to leave that habit and start a new one. You can also try to clean the legs of your furniture since dust from that can accumulate throughout your home and transfer to floors.
- Start Today: The most important step is to start today. You’d be surprised how 20 minutes can change everything and direct you to a better relationship with cleaning. Start with small steps, spend at least 20 minutes 4 to 5 times a week. Remember that consistency is the key.
Cleaning your home might inconvenience you for the day. But by following the 20/10 method, you won’t have to scratch your head thinking about cleaning. All it takes is 20 minutes a day to change how you look at cleaning your home.