15-Minute Quick Clean-Up Strategy

Does visual noise bother you as much as it bothers me? I can’t focus on anything else when there’s clutter everywhere. It is as difficult for me to handle as when I’m touched out after a long day with the kids. If this sounds like something you struggle with, then my 15-minute quick clean-up strategy will help you keep your sanity!

This Post is for You If:

• Visual noise is difficult for you to handle.
• You want a tidy home without added stress.
• You hate how long it takes to shut down your home at the end of the night.
• You want to encourage your kids to care for their home without any tears.

Keep reading to learn how to implement this simple, yet effective quick 15-minute clean-up Strategy!

If I had it my way, I would clean my house from top to bottom every single day and it would stay clean for longer than 10 minutes! I have learned very quickly that this is an unrealistic expectation with so many kids in our home. Not to mention I would never get anything else done. I’ve had to learn over the years that it’s okay to let some things go. If someone is judging me for a pile of mail on my counter, or dirty shoes left out by the front door, I probably shouldn’t be worrying about their opinion anyway. If my kids are safe, the visual noise is manageable, and I’m not hosting a family dinner, it’s okay for the house to be a little untidy.

Letting go of others’ expectations of me has been a difficult yet freeing adventure for me. I have struggled with people pleasing for as long as I can remember, but when Luke was diagnosed with cancer and we were worried about far bigger problems, everything else just seemed so trivial in comparison. Give yourself permission to let go of others’ expectations of you.

The Quick 15-Minute Clean-Up Strategy

When things get a little overwhelming though, I like to stop and do a quick 15-minute clean-up after every meal with the kids. We did this when we were younger, and my mom would make a game out of it. She’d set the timer, assign a room to each kid, and tell us to straighten up as quickly as possible. It was a fun way to motivate us to work together without making our attention span suffer.

We’ve kept this going with our children and It’s been so helpful with us being home all the time. They all pitch in and work together, and it’s no more than 15 minutes of work. I’ve found that picking up throughout the day that it makes evening shut down so much faster, plus I don’t get so overwhelmed by all the visual noise going on. I think my kids also appreciate that I pull out the black trash bags far less often now, too! I don’t handle clutter well, which has saved many excess toys, clothes, and random crud from being tossed out in rage. Less stuff, less cleaning, right?

It’s Okay to Lower Your Expectations

As I mentioned before, letting go of others’ expectations of me was a real struggle in my life. It took a lot of time to learn that it’s okay to say no and that doing so much for others was causing me to feel so burnt out that my family was suffering, too. I had to learn to lower my own expectations at the same time. It is completely unrealistic for me to expect my home to be immaculate at all times. Or that my kids will want their rooms to be as clean as I want them to be. Or that the laundry basket will always be empty. (Hello, 6 kids! That’s not happening.)

This is why I love the quick 15-minute clean-up strategy. Whatever isn’t finished after 15 minutes can wait. I’m not expecting perfection. I’m not expecting Better Homes and Gardens worthy. I just need fewer distractions. Less stress. And until we decide to become minimalists and toss everything we own; this tip saves my sanity. My kids deserve to grow up in an environment that allows them to play, make messes, and learn to be responsible for helping to care for the home they live in. 

Keeping a Cleaning Schedule

If you struggle to keep up with house tasks and need help creating a schedule, check out my downloadable checklists here! I would love it if my house was spotless every day, but as I mentioned before, it’s just unrealistic. Using this checklist has helped me so much with creating a sustainable cleaning schedule. Along with my 15-minute clean-up strategy, I don’t have to stress about keeping our home clean and organized. I check my daily and weekly tasks, and I get those done throughout the day. If I have time to do more I will, but if not, I let it go. It’s been so freeing for my entire family. I will be the first to admit that I have been far too strict about how clean our home is, and it’s okay to let those expectations go.

Conclusion

I hope that this 15-minute clean-up strategy helps free you from some of the stress around keeping your house clean. If you give it a try and find that it makes a difference for you, please share it with me! I’d love to hear about the changes you’ve made in your life and your home. As always, if my posts are helpful to you, please comment, share, and pin them to your favorite boards on Pinterest. Thank you for being here!

-M