EASY 30 MINUTE CLEANING SCHEDULE

I have the most perfectly wonderful easy house cleaning schedule and it only takes 30 minutes a day! Yes, really!!!!!! Do this almost every day for just one tiny half hour and you will live in a clean home every day! I’m so excited to show you how I clean my home…

Okay, I just need to say I mostly hate cleaning. But I really, really hate a dirty house even more! And I love love love the idea of a clean and tidy home!!!

I have used this easy cleaning schedule to clean my home in 30 minutes a day for decades!!! It’s easier than you think to have a clean home if you have a plan and execute it daily or almost daily!

It’s all about quick cleaning tips! I set a timer for 30 minutes and get to work and when the timer goes off I am done, done, done for the day!

Before we begin let’s set up some expectations for 30-minute house cleaning! 

WHAT IS THIS EASY CLEANING SCHEDULE?

  • cleaning is cleaning. It’s not organizing or picking up a week’s worth of stuff that has been lying around. That’s a totally different thing! To declutter, see DECLUTTER YOUR HOME IN 15 MINUTES A DAY
  • it is not spring cleaning. We are not talking about flipping the mattresses in all the bedrooms and washing the inside and outside of the windows. That is deep cleaning.
  • this cleaning does not include making your bed. Make it when you get out of bed every day! If you don’t make a habit of it… you should! You can see WHY I MAKE MY BED EVERY MORNING for some great reasons and motivation to make your bed!
  • it does not include weekly wet washing the kitchen and bathroom floors. Although I do add it to the end of my routine and it takes an additional 10 minutes.
  • clean fast, fast, fast and efficiently like an aerobic exercise!
  •  30-minute cleaning is not perfect. Let’s be honest, nothing is!
house cleaning with a vacuum

The first thing to do is to get your cleaning arsenal together!

THE CLEAN HOUSE TOOLBOX

My easy house cleaning schedule lives and dies with my cleaning toolbox!

I keep my cleaning supplies in a large kitchen bucket. Having things ready to grab and go is part of the secret to the 30-minute cleaning routine! Here’s my cleaning toolbox…

  • paper towels
  • scrub brush
  • glass cleaner
  • multi-purpose cleaner (I use Thieves concentrate and water in a spray bottle)
  • a wet cloth
  • furniture polish
  • a dust cloth
  • toothbrush (for getting into corners)
  • plastic bags
  • timer
  • feather duster
  • stick vacuum

Nothing fancy but very effective! Remember this is an EASY house cleaning schedule.

The bucket is kept in a closet so I can grab it every morning when I am ready to clean! It’s easy to carry from room to room as I clean!

house cleaning bucket with items to clean the house

WHERE TO START CLEANING

It’s important not to get too rigid when using this easy house cleaning schedule but to work quickly and consistently!!!! The key is to get this system down to a science and just do it every day!

One day I clean the downstairs and the next I clean the upstairs! If I cannot finish the whole job on a certain floor I stop when the timer goes off and pick up where I left off on the next designated day for that floor! Easy and no pressure!

On the days I start with the downstairs I start in the kitchen…

CLEANING SCHEDULE FOR THE KITCHEN

  • Always start with the high areas of your rooms and work my way down- ceiling to floor! 
  • Using my feather duster I dust my chandy. I love a feather duster it collects lots of dust and can be easily shaken out!
  • Dust kitchen stools with the feather duster
  • I wiped down half of my white kitchen cabinets (tops one time, bottoms the next time) with a multi-surface spray and a paper towel. I also wiped down one appliance surface. Quick! I hit the high spots and any dirt.
  • Wipe down all kitchen counters with multi-surface spray and paper towels, and clean out the sink. (Don’t judge- I use paper towels. If that bothers you, have a couple of cleaning cloths on hand.) Do not move things off the counters. Move them to the side, clean them, and quickly move them back.
  • We clean the cooktop and stove after every use so they stay clean, but it is not part of my daily 30-minute routine.
  • Cleaning the oven hood is not part of my 30-minute cleaning routine. I clean it when I see it needs it when I clean the stove and cooktop.

All of this takes less than 5 minutes! Don’t go crazy!

Now I move to the powder room. I keep the bathroom cleaning supplies in the bathroom. I call this routine  SWISH AND SWIPE! Here’s how it works…

CLEANING THE POWDER ROOM

  • Spray the sink with bathroom cleaner but do not wipe it out
  • Squeeze toilet bowl cleaner into the toilet but do not scrub
  • Dust the chandy with the feather duster
  • Dust mirrors with a feather duster and clean off all smudges with glass cleaner and paper towels.
  • Using the paper towel from cleaning the mirror, wipe out the sink
  • Using the same paper towel, clean the outside of the toilet and toilet seat. I also clean the floor around the toilet with the same paper towel.
  • Clean the toilet with a toilet brush.
  • Shake rug onto the floor
  • Empty the trash can into a plastic bag
house cleaning the coffee table with a dust cloth

Now I move to the family room, then the dining room, foyer, and living room.

THE DINING ROOM, FOYER, AND LIVING ROOM

  • Dust all surfaces with a feather duster. Start with the mirrors and work down. Zip around and get the dust off everything!
  • Use furniture polish and a soft cloth on large flat surfaces like the dining room table, coffee table, cabinets, end tables, etc., but work quickly!!!!! I don’t always use furniture polish. Often the feather duster or soft cloth is enough.
  • Use a paper towel on any smudged glass surfaces, like a hutch. DO NOT use this time to clean your windows. That is for heavy cleaning! Remember, move, move, move!!!!

HOW TO CLEAN THE FLOORS

Now I backtrack and clean the floors…

  • Clean all hard floor surfaces downstairs.
  • Then vacuum all carpeted floors
  • Put back all throw rug

Don’t overthink or work it. Just do it!!! Clean and move on! Break a sweat!!!

house cleaning the mirror in the powder room

Let’s head upstairs…

UPSTAIRS CLEANING

I tackle one bathroom each time I clean upstairs! And I clean them much like the powder rooms. All the cleaning products for cleaning the bathrooms are in each one!

  • Spray the sink with bathroom cleaner. I DON’T CLEAN THE TUB BECAUSE IT GETS CLEANED AFTER EVERY USE.
  • Squirt bowl cleaner into the toilet but, do not scrub out.
  • Dust the vanity lights with the feather duster
  • Dust the mirror with a feather duster and clean off all smudges with glass cleaner and paper towels.
  • Using the paper towel from cleaning the mirror to wipe out the sink.
  • Now, using the same paper towel, clean the outside of the toilet and toilet seat. I also clean the floor around the toilet with the same paper towel.
  • Clean the toilet with a toilet brush.
  • Shake rug onto the floor
  • Empty the trash can into a plastic bag

Ready to tackle one or two bedrooms…

CLEANING THE BEDROOMS

  • Dust mirrors with a feather duster
  • Use glass cleaner and a paper towel and clean off all smudges on mirrors
  • Dust all surfaces with a feather duster
  • Use furniture polish on a soft cloth on beds, dressers, nightstands, and all other wooden pieces. Clean the tops, fronts, and sides. I don’t use furniture polish every time I clean the bedrooms. A soft cloth often does the job.
  • shake out all throw rugs onto the floor. 
  • empty trash cans into a plastic bag

Remember to keep a brisk pace when cleaning! We don’t want to take any longer than 30 minutes! When the timer goes off we are done until the next time we are scheduled for upstairs cleaning!

Now, backtrack in each bedroom and the upstairs hallway and…

CLEANING THE FLOORS

  • Dust and vacuum all hard floor surfaces
  • Vacuum all carpeted areas. Vacuum like you mean it!
vacuuming the dining room floor

It’s important to make your easy, house cleaning schedule as simple as possible and customized for your home! I hope you will give my 30-minute house cleaning a try!

As you make it a habit it will get easier and you will get faster and more efficient! Your home will also stay cleaner and you will have to do a big spring cleaning type cleaning less often!

If you are in a real pinch and need your home to look clean and tidy fast I’ll show you how to get it done in about 20 minutes!

See HOW TO FAKE CLEAN YOUR HOME HERE.

White foyer that is clean

Make sure you check out …

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CLEANING AND ORGANIZING YOUR HOME

This post is a must-read! It’s loaded with tips and has tons of ideas for you! Let’s have a clean and organized home!!!

You might also like…

CLEANING BUCKET FILLED WITH CLEANING SUPPLIES

This was first posted in 2015 and revised December 28, 2019

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123 Comments

  1. Karen VanLoo says:

    These are excellent tips! I don’t mind cleaning when I have the time, but lets be honest…who has the time really? Especially when we all work. I will admit I have a maid service who comes to my home and does a deep cleaning once a month. But I keep it clean the rest of the time. I have a routine very similar to this to keep things under control, that way it never gets out of hand so I don’t feel overwhelmed. I work full-time out of the home, and my husband works and sometimes travels, so I begged him to let me have someone help once a month. I still clean a little each day, which keeps things neat and tidy. I do the same thing with laundry, I keep up with it so it doesn’t get out of hand! That Dirt Devil looks really neat, I might look into one of those for quick clean ups! Thanks for the tips, I love a clean house but also love ideas to do it quicker and more efficiently.

  2. Sarah Phillipps says:

    I am so inspired, thank you for sharing all this! Time to teach the kids these principles!!

  3. Great tips here Yvonne….I used to somewhat use this method when I worked full-time. Made cleaning much easier when it came to the weekends…..The Dirt Devil is such a handy thing to have when you are doing the “30 minute” cleaning…so much better than dragging out that large vacuum cleaner!….and love your “cleaning model” !!! Have a great day and always enjoy your tips!!!

    1. Thanks! Jacquie was home for the weekend and we had fun doing this photo shoot. And she looks a whole lot better in an apron than I do!

      1. I am sure you look lovely in an apron too…your own kind of lovely!

  4. Linda Southworth says:

    Thanks Yvonne, I can use your tips for sure as I tend to overthink the task and ultimately get stuck in one cleaning mode not accomplishing what all I set out to do. I am going to give this a try and get my bucket ready!

  5. Yvonne,
    Great tips. You actually make it sound like fun:)

    I tend to get side tracked when cleaning a room so I need to stay focused and keep it simple…remembering this is just surface cleaning not deep cleaning.

    I’m going to check out that Dirt Devil. My new wood floors will be installed in about two weeks…this looks like an effective way to keep them clean.

  6. Silly question. What kind of feather duster do you use that collects the dust and doesn’t just move it around? Do you use some product on the feather duster to make it more effective?

    1. A good ostrich feather duster really picks up the dust. When I am done I take it outside and give it a twirl between my hands and you can’t imagine the dust!!!

  7. Cynthia Felice says:

    So inspiring! Dirt devil might be my answer to crawling behind chairs, under beds, and tables. I’m getting too old for that. Thank you so much for your tips. Love your blog, PS what is a handy? Couldn’t find it in online dictionary 🙂 Blessings, Cindy

  8. Cynthia Felice says:

    Sorry I meant Chandy

    1. Chandy is short for Chandelier. Don’t you love when you learn something new? YOU go girl!!!!

      1. The pivot extension tool makes getting under and on top of things so so easy!!!

    2. I didnt know what a chandy was either lol….. 😉

  9. Linda Ann says:

    Great tips! I should have read this BEFORE I just spent 3 hours cleaning!!!! But now I can keep up without the huge time investment!

  10. I just ordered my dirt devil on Amazon. They had a $10 off coupon so it was less than $100. Score. Thanks for posting. I’ve been looking for something that is light weight and has good suction. I looked up a couple of consumer reviews on YouTube and they all had positive things to say, especially that it had great suction power. I love your blog and style:) Thanks for taking the time to post.

    1. Thanks for the tip! I just ordered one from them as well. I had checked them out on several sites, and by far, Amazon had the best price. It also qualifies for free shipping and will arrive by Friday!

      1. Big Oopsie! It is NOT the same one. Comes without the power wand and carpet attachment. An expensive error for me!

        1. JustNanny – I also ordered mine from Amazon, it came today and mine has the power wand and carpet attachment….do you think yours might have been left out by mistake? Might be worth checking into that.

  11. Thank you for this post, Yvonne! That Dirt Devil 360 is just what I need for cleaning my small upstairs, and I love the 30 minutes a day plan. Will absolutely do this!

  12. Great, logical sequencing tips for housecleaning, Yvonne. Your model sure looks a lot better than I do when I clean, lol. I’ve used the handheld Dirt Devil for years, and have bought it for many newlyweds. They’re great for guys, too – garage & auto cleanup, so I suspect that 360 would be too. Their portability and suction are really awesome.

  13. Great tips! Being a perfectionist, I tend to get too hung up on deep cleaning everything and keeping it perfect (which never happens with my family and then I get frustrated) so I need to change my mindset and try these suggestions. Thanks!

  14. Fran Braun says:

    Well! You know my secret! I made myself a promise when I retied. No more rushing out the door at 7:00. I love my coffee and devotions followed by the Today Show and more coffee. I clean on commercials! I can dust my entire living room during a commercial. Next commercial brings out the vacuum! So it goes! Next commercial I tackle the dining room followed by floor. When I am done with the kitchen I turn on the TV in the bedroom and finish the entire upstairs. I make the bed as soon as my husband puts his feet on the floor. By the time the first two hours of the Today show are over I am in the shower and on the go or cleaning up the laundry room otherwise known as the home of the cats! If I could just teach those cats to clean ……… WOW!

    1. Great tips! I have a question. I’ve heard that making your bed as soon as you get up is not a good idea, that you should wait at least the time it takes to have a cup of coffee or get showered and dressed so that your not trapping moisture in. I’ve also heard for productivity you should do it right away as you said. Are both right?

      1. Carmen Ferguson says:

        I’ve also heard both, to do immediately and to wait for a few minutes. I’ve also read that making your bed daily helps you start your day on a positive note and deters depression. Most beds, the linens and pillows make up 80% of our bedroom. So leaving your bedroom neat and tidy, for me, is a great way to start each day. If you’d like to air-out your bed, that sounds like a great idea. As long as you are disciplined enough to go back before starting your day. This blog has great tips.

  15. Great inspiration! And LOVE the apron!

  16. I’ve been looking for a good furniture polish for a year. What do you use that works quickly without lots of buffing?

    1. Hi Pam! I really don’t have any particular brand I like more than another. Sorry!

  17. I mostly hate cleaning, too. I do a pretty good job of keeping the house picked up, but cleaning…not so much. However, I am working on it. In fact, keeping a regular cleaning schedule is one of my home goals for 2015, and you’re 30 minute routine has inspired me.

    That dirt devil sounds so handy. I have wood, carpet and tile in my home, but feel like I shouldn’t use my vacuum on the wood. I’ll have to look into the dirt devil.

  18. I loved this post! You have inspired me. I am going this minute to put my cleaning bucket together. Thanks!

  19. Great tips, Yvonne! I don’t like cleaning but your system breaks it down making it doable. Your daughter is an adorable model!

  20. Cay Collie says:

    Ok, I ordered my Dirt Devil 360!!! You have totally inspired me! I used to clean like this, but working full time as a hospice nurse doing 10 hour shifts – well I was just too tired! But I have gone to half time & am looking forward to getting back in the groove! Thanks so much!!

      1. I received the dirt devil yesterday and gave it a spin. I loved how it cleaned out my window sills. When I put the extension on and tried cleaning my stairs, the nozzle swirled all over the place and I could get a good run unless i bent down and held it in place. Also, when I took my tools off the extension wand to feel the suction, it was hardly pulling anything in. I must have received a lemon. Does you vacuum have good suction with the long extension on it? Thanks.

  21. Thanks for the cleaning tips. ummm I use paper towels also for cleaning the bathroom. 🙂
    Have a great day.

  22. Wonderful tips Yvonne! Tackling cleaning in little increments makes it much less daunting !

  23. I love to clean ~ there’s nothing like the feeling of satisfaction you get when everything is all sparkly and in its place….that being said, my boys do not seem to appreciate my efforts 😉 so I do the best I can to keep things presentable for now. The Dirt Devil 360 seems to be so versatile that it’s a tool I’m definitely going to consider purchasing.

  24. I was following right along…
    Until I saw the tiger table in the bedroom:D LOL! Oh where did you get such a sassy table, Yvonne?
    Thanks for the tips too;)

  25. Love this, Yvonne! I try to do too much at one time. I just may try your 30 minutes cleaning. Sounds great to me.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia 😉

  26. Thanks so much for your great ideas, I never thought about breaking up the daunting task of cleaning into little increments, it is like anything else that is overwhelming take something big and put it in small amounts and then it doesn’t seem so insurmountable…… ?

  27. Hello Yvonne, I was wondering what type of carpet you have on your stairs? I am looking to replace our stairway and hallway carpet, and the picture of carpet on your stairs looks very durable. Can you please let me know?

    Thank you,

    Sally Brooks

    1. Hi Sally, I got the carpet from Ethan Allen and their local carpet guy bound it and installed it for me. I WOULD NOT recommend it for the stairs. I love it but it is hard to clean and is unravelling in some areas. The carpet is really gorgeous, but probably not a good pick for the stairs. I’m hoping it will last for another few years so I can get my money out of it!

      1. Hello Yvonne,

        Thank you so much for your response and for the warning. I guess I won’t be installing that beautiful carpet.

    2. HI!
      Since just before the pandemic, I retired.
      We had been using a reliable cleaning service.
      I will be going back for their help but less often since I am retired.
      My question:
      Do you also use a routine cleaning service
      besides your own cleaning schedule?
      Appreciate your wonderful suggestions always

      1. I do. Blogging is a messy business and I need a little extra help vacuuming and keeping the kitchen tidy.

  28. I love your tips Yvonne!! This is really going to help me and my cleaning routine! The dirt devil is such a fabulous name brand! 🙂

  29. Cathy Gray says:

    Hi Yvonne,

    Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have read tons of articles with to do lists, schedules and more and they just don’t seem to work for me, my life is to busy and scattered! So I tried your suggestion this morning and WOW!!! My house is neat and tidy and I’m so excited. You have encouraged me to do this in the morning. You see, I work at home so I put off cleaning and straightening and with this helpful tip, I’ll start this project in the morning as it is so simple and fast and in 45 minutes (I’ll work on the 30 minutes, promise, tee hee), clean and done! My husband saw me cleaning and did the dishes! Wow, everybody got in on the act. Thanks for the encouragement. Have a great day! God bless!

    Cathy

  30. I use a 4 shelf cart with 4 trays that can come out, and that has wheels to pull from room to room that has all the items on it I may need. I even have a nail and screw case, hammer, electric screwdriver. If I need to get only a few things I pull out the tray I need. I only have a small home and the pantry is the only place to keep it and it’s a small one so the cart fits in there easy. All items you mentioned are on there also. Enjoy your posts.

  31. Barbara Swanstrom says:

    Yvonne,
    I love this cleaning method. I will definitely try it. Unless, I missed it, you talked about vacuuming the floors, but you didn’t mention mopping the floors. I just had new hardwood put in and a travertine tile floor in the kitchen. I just wondered what kind of mop or cleaner you use.
    By the way, I absolutely love your blog.

  32. Again, where did you get the plaid lampshade over your kitchen sink? Thank you

  33. Karen Swan says:

    This is such a GREAT blog! Very informative! Austral Cleaning has the same cleaning process as you what have in this post. Thank you for this kind of blog!

  34. Wow! Great informative Post.Its very helpful these tips save more time. Thanks for all the great tips.Keep posting & Sharing….

  35. Deborah D says:

    Yvonne, great tips as always. I use many of the same tips. Now I’m off to check out feather dusters and the Dirt Devil 360.

  36. Yvonne, thanks so much for your blog, I love it and I love YOU! I set the timer for 30 minutes and also use the tv commercials, as one lady mentioned. What a great combination for me. Thank you for everything you do for us, my friend.

    1. YOu are so welcome! I hope my StoneGable readers have the cleanest houses of anyone!

  37. Marisa Kenney says:

    Thanks for the 30 minute cleaning routine. I have to try since I hate spending my entire day cleaning. I am hoping this will motivate me by vreakingvitvinto small chunks.

  38. Sherry Pelle says:

    This post is one of my favs! The first time I tried it I discovered having a time limit was key. It kept me moving from room to room and I got the job done FAST!

  39. Wow — I am 68 and I love love love all these great & simple cleaning tips! I am going to purchase
    a simple vacuum system and get my cleaning bucket ready! No more dreading end of week cleaning, and our home will be so clean when company drops by!! Thanks!!

  40. Thanks Yvonne for the simple effective cleaning tips! I can spare 30 minutes a day to have a clean house!!!!

    I’ve also heard the debate on whether or not to make your bed right away! However, many years ago my dear Mom said “if you make your bed when it’s still warm, it will be a great day!” I still love those words and make my bed as soon as my hubby is out of it!!!! ?

  41. Found this thru a Pinterest link…even tho I follow your blog. Have to admit, I rolled my eyes at the feather duster. But as I thought about it I decided to give it a shot; after all I do have a cool ostrich duster that I bought in Kenya (from an ostrich ranch).

    Alright – you’ve changed my life! I can’t believe how quickly I get thru dusting now.

    Sorry about the eye rolls! 😉

  42. Phyllis Piontkowski says:

    Very good article….about cleaning 30 minutes a day……but, I only have two days to clean before Thanksgiving. I will be cleaning all day on Tuesday & part of Wednesday. Then the other part of Wednesday I will work on my menu for Thanksgiving. I get some very good ideas from your site, Yvonne. Thank you & Happy Thanksgiving.

  43. Daphne Billings says:

    Great advice…and I can use all the cleaning advice I can get……Many thanks…

  44. Thank you, Yvonne! I am looking forward to trying this. (Can’t believe I’m looking forward to cleaning, lol.)I had been signed up for your blog for the longest time, changed my email address, and stopped receiving it. I missed your tips and enthusiasm! Blessings!

  45. Sounds very productive. But I do have a question (sorry to be thick). So, you clean for 30 minutes on every floor for the entire week, and you just go until the timer goes off, meaning you might, conceivably clean more than one room in a day and each room more than once per week? Or, perhaps this question will clarify what I am unclear about: you clean in the kitchen and you finish it, but the timer still hasn’t gone off so you proceed to complete the breakfast room, then powder room, or perhaps you just finish 2/3 of the powder room? I hope I am making clear what I am not clear about. lol Thanks, Yvonne

    1. Just keep cleaning room by room until the timer goes off and the next day start where you left off. I can usually clean my downstairs in 30 minutes because I speed along!

      1. Thanks, that’s what I thought, but yet wanted to clarify. Looking forward to this. Sounds very doable!

      2. Thank you for sharing your cleaning method. I use a similar method to clean my home and also tend to use paper towels for the most germ-filled areas. That is why I would not use the same paper towel I’ve used on the sink, on anything else. The bathroom sink has a great deal of bacteria (just think about what it’s used for). Also, since it stays wet most of the time, it’s the perfect breeding ground for more
        bacteria to grow. I use separate paper towels for the sink and toilet. Norwax cloths don’t actually kill viruses and bacteria. I’ve done the research. As a nurse, I’m we’re very aware of the best ways to prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses.

        1. I agree, Rose! I also use Clorox bleach when someone has a cold etc in my house. Those are tough germs!

  46. You don’t mention an office. How do you keep the paper etc. in control.

  47. Catherine Floyd says:

    Just stumbling upon your website! How have I missed it?! Thanks for the great tips. I often get caught up in the little details when I try to do my own “quick” cleaning. Your tips will certainly help! Also, the 4 poster bed in your bedroom picture is fabulous! Could you share where I could find that piece, or one that resembles it?

    I will be trying these tips tomorrow for sure! Thank you!

    1. Margo Arel says:

      Hello,
      Just saw your post about the 4 poster bed. I have the same sitting in my garage since it did not work well when we downsized to a Lakehouse for retirement. I am located in Central Massachusetts just in case you are nearby and interested. Send me an email if you are interested.
      Best,
      Margo

  48. Thank you for the great tips, I’m using them and not dreading or putting off cleaning anymore. Blessings.

  49. There’s no feeling like finishing your home cleaning & sitting back & enjoying the pease!

  50. Elaine Guenther says:

    HI Yvonne, THANKS again for a great post! I’m putting a Dirt Duster 360 on my list and I already have an ostrich feather duster, which by the way, ladies, is THE BEST in the world. I love love love Stone House, very grateful for you, Yvonne……….e

  51. Thanks for the great cleaning tips. I especially love the 30 minute cleaning schedule, will really help me get done quickly!

  52. Just love the 30min cleaning. I can see that working in my home especially as it’s not a storey house.
    I have had surgery on my lower back and can’t go for more than half an hour. This regime will suit me so well. Thank you for sharing.

  53. This sounds odd but I like to do cleaning! I’ve been using your method of cleaning forever! I’ve found that doing my heavier weekend- type cleaning on a Thursday evening (instead of Saturday, when I want to spend time with my husband or family) works better for me. It frees up Saturday and let’s the weekend be a relaxing time instead of one filled with housework.

  54. LOVE this article. Thank you for sharing with us!! When you shake out your throw rugs onto the floor, where do you place them until you sweep the floor and put them back in place?
    And, if the timer goes off before you sweep up what you’ve shaken onto the floor, please say you don’t leave the floor dirty! Lol

    1. Debbie, I would never just leave the floor dirty. LOL! Yes I do finish the job. When I shake out rugs I leave them on the floor in the room next to the one I’m cleaning

      1. Carol Daily says:

        Yvonne,
        Thank you for the great ideas.I am planning to use them.I am wondering how you clean the tub after every use. Also, I love the wall and trim paint choices in your rooms. Would you be able to share the paint colors you used. Thank you so much, Carol

        1. I spray my tub or shower with Thieves by Young Living Oils. I also add some to my toilet and work on other parts of my bathroom. Then at the end of the cleaning I just wipe everything down.

          I do clean my shower or tub every time I use it and wipe my sink each day. Hope this helps.

  55. A lot of your routine sounds very familiar,I clean in much the same way.I like keeping on top of things and cleaning in small increments keeps it from becoming an overwhelming chore.

  56. Cheryl Winkler says:

    It should be easy but getting distracted sometimes (a lot of times) messes up my cleaning plans. I like the idea of the timer.

  57. What is a Chandy ,please ?

  58. You have a very pretty and informative site. You must have been a Flybaby at some point and adapted your routine to make it more personal for you. From the feather duster to “Swish and Swipe” (coined by Flylady, Marla Cilley) to using your timer and establishing routines. All tried and true FlyLady routines. You’re working it well! Your home is beautiful. Love your style!

    1. I was and am a Flybaby! But I’ve always used a timer to get work done! Thanks for making sure Marla gets the right credit!

  59. Connie Thomas says:

    What brand/model of stick vacuum do you use?

  60. Mary Anne says:

    I have always cleaned my own house! One trick is that I have paper towel and Windex in every bathroom. I find it very to just do what I call my Hotel Housekeeping every day!!

  61. Use Norwex cleaning cloth for easy cleaning ! No harmful cleaning products just water and Norwex cloth!!!

  62. I have several physical limitations and am unable to work in this capacity more than 30 minutes. However, quick is not in my vocabulary … so, when the last of my kids left home, I worked out a schedule for myself, cleaning one room a day. My routine is much the same as yours, but in slower motion. It works for me! Thank you for posting such informative articles. I love your blog!

  63. Kay Awtry says:

    I love your home and your organization. Thanks so much for sharing.

    1. Hi Kay,
      Yes, I love a clean home I just don’t love all the time it can take!

  64. I remember reading your post about this a while ago, and I believe I made a comment at that time. I learned something from my husband’s aunt a long time ago. She said that every day she does one out of the ordinary thing around the house. My out of the ordinary thing yesterday – I took out my entire glass supply from my cupboard. I ran the glasses through the dishwasher and washed out the cupboard – along the way I found that one missing martini glass that I couldn’t find! By doing this I never really have to do a really heavy spring cleaning . The house is always pretty clean and organized. Today’s project is going to be a straightening out of my pantry – and I’ll take an inventory at that time as well. Thanks for all the good hints!

    1. Wow, the more you do things like this the more organized and clean your house is! Good for you!

  65. oh my gosh there are so many ostrich feather dusters. How does one know when you see a price that works? The prices are all over the place.

    1. I’ve had expensive and cheap dusters and I don’t see much difference. I think the more expensive ones hold up better and don’t lose as many feathers.

  66. I really enjoy your posts!

  67. Jenny McDowell says:

    Thanks for this! I needed fresh motivation and this is so doable! Will be gathering my supplies ASAP. : )

  68. HI!
    When cleaning your home, do yo ever use bleach or just products such as theiving or normax

    1. I use bleach around my toilet areas. And when there is someone in my home who is sick I wipe down the bathrooms with a product with bleach in it. Hospitals use bleach products for a reason!

  69. As I am (psychologically) allergique to cleaning I thought maybe using your method might help me overcome this problem Is there some cleaning download I could print?
    I have printed your decluttering technique and would like a cleaning technique I could print

  70. Hi!
    Love this very helpful post. Have read it before.
    Before retiring I used a very efficient cleaning service. Since retirement decided to try your method.
    I do like this method very much.
    Do you also use a scheduled cleaning service?
    And how often? Thank you and HAPPY AND
    HEALTHY NEW YEAR!

    1. Now I have someone come to clean once a week. What a blessing. But I still clean every day. That was Katie can do more deep cleaning.

  71. It was a really great and accurate program for quick house cleaning

  72. Could you make your 30 minute cleaning routine into a printable handout? I would love to use it for a reference

  73. Please give us print buttons to print these articles.. thank you