With almost half of all families in South Africa being single-mother households and more than half of all nuclear families having both parents working, trying to keep up with household cleaning while still juggling a career and raising children, means daily life gets very busy. Sometimes it can get even get chaotically busy, to the point of feeling overwhelmed and exhausted!
On days like this, the last thing anyone wants to have to think about is getting the house cleaned! When life feels chaotic, a simple 10 Minute Tidy can completely shift the energy of your home and your mindset. The beauty of this tried and tested technique, is you can use it in each room of your home or to do a quick spruce-up throughout all common areas, depending on how much time and energy you feel you can spare! You can even put on some music to make it more fun and get the kids involved!
Remember, the 10 Minute Tidy isn’t about perfection meaning no deep cleaning or scrubbing. It’s about creating some order and making your environment feel neater, more organised and calmer – it doesn’t take long, but can have a huge impact!
How to use the 10 Minute Tidy Technique
Before you start, make sure you have your basic supplies and tools handy. You will need a small garbage bag, a laundry or large basket and a duster or dusting cloth (or both). You may also want to put on some background music that you love to make the task more fun before starting!
Step 1: Set a Timer
Set a timer – whether it’s a kitchen timer, alarm-clock or the timer on your phone – for 10 minutes. Setting a timer tricks the brain into bypassing “procrastination paralysis” caused by overwhelming to-do lists by providing a clear start and end point, replacing dread with manageable action!
Step 2: Use the ‘One Basket’ Method
Moving in a clockwise direction through your room / space, grab your basket & garbage bag and put anything that is rubbish directly into the bag and any stray items – clothing, mail, toys etc. – which are out of place into the basket. If the item belongs in the room, place it in it’s correct spot as you reach that section – the rest can be sorted out afterwards / later.
Step 3: Do a Quick Wipe-Down / Dusting
Once the clutter is collected, take a moment to quickly dust or wipe areas in your space which are clearly visible and in need of a touch up. This could be running a duster over a shelf and wiping the coffee mug ring from the side table or wiping down the kitchen counters.
Step 4: Reset the Room
Finally, you want to reset the room. This could mean straightening books on a shelf or magazines on a table and fluffing cushions on a couch or packing dishes away from the drying rack and straightening coffee cups etc.
Step 5: Finish Up
Finish your 10 Minute Tidy by throwing away the trash and either placing the remaining items from your basket in their correct spots or storing the basket where you will easily see it for when you do a full home clean again. Remember to put your feet up afterward and reward yourself for a job well-done!
Need a Thorough Deep Clean when Life is Chaotically Busy?
Sometimes even though life is chaotically busy, a 10-Minute Tidy is just not going to cut it…
CLiCK Cleaning has over 12 years experience working in homes, we are very mindful of your time and we only employ full time staff who are all ITC cleared and professionally trained, providing high quality cleans at affordable rates with no hidden costs!
Our services include:
- Carpet Cleaning
- Upholstery Cleaning
- Leather Cleaning & Conditioning
- Tile & Stone Deep Cleaning
- Kitchen Deep Cleaning and Sanitising
- Antibacterial and Antimicrobial Treatments
- On and Off Rail Drape/Blind Cleaning
- Mattress Cleaning & Dust Mite Treatments (Anti-allergen)
- Specialised Rug Cleaning
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