I used to believe a clean house was for people with way more time and energy than I had.
Honestly, for a long time my apartment was a reflection of my life: cluttered and chaotic. I was stuck in a cycle of bad habits, from overeating to wasting hours on things that didn't matter. The thought of cleaning a whole room felt as overwhelming as the thought of losing 110 pounds. It all seemed impossible.
But when I started my journey toward a healthier life, I discovered a powerful truth. Big changes don’t happen overnight. They happen through small, consistent actions that build on each other. The same principles that helped me build a productive routine and reclaim my health are the exact same ones I now use to keep my home in order without wasting my entire weekend.
It’s not about finding more time. It’s about being smarter with the time you have. Here are 20 simple tricks I’ve learned to make cleaning faster, easier, and a lot less miserable.
20 Simple Tricks for a Faster Clean
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Race the Clock. Set a timer for 15 or 20 minutes and just start. Don’t think about the whole house. Just focus on one area, like the kitchen counters or the bathroom. It’s incredible how much you can accomplish in a short burst of focused effort. It turns a chore into a challenge.
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Follow the One-Touch Rule. This is a game-changer. When you pick something up, put it where it belongs immediately. Don’t put mail on the counter to sort later. Don’t leave clothes on a chair to hang up later. Touch it once, and put it away.
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Carry a Cleaning Caddy. Get a small bucket or basket and load it with all your essential supplies: an all-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, microfiber cloths, and a scrub brush. This becomes your mobile cleaning station. No more walking back and forth to the cabinet under the sink a dozen times.
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Clean Top to Bottom. This is the golden rule of cleaning. Dust falls down. Always start with the highest surfaces in a room (dusting ceiling fans, wiping shelves) and work your way down to the floor. You’ll avoid having to clean surfaces twice.
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Let Your Sprays Do the Work. Don’t just spray and wipe. For tough jobs like soap scum in the shower or greasy stovetops, spray the surface and let the cleaner sit for 5–10 minutes. It will break down the grime, so you can wipe it away with minimal scrubbing.
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Use a Shower Squeegee. Keep a squeegee in your shower. After every use, take 30 seconds to wipe down the glass and tiles. It prevents hard water spots and soap scum from ever building up, saving you from a major scrubbing session later.
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Steam Clean Your Microwave. This feels like a magic trick. Put a bowl of water with a few lemon slices inside your microwave and run it for 2–3 minutes until it’s steamy. The steam loosens all the dried-on food. Just let it sit for another few minutes, then open the door and wipe it clean effortlessly.
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Clean the Kitchen as You Cook. This is the ultimate multitasking habit. While water is boiling or something is in the oven, wash the prep bowls and cutting boards you’re done with. Wipe down the counter after you spill. By the time dinner is ready, most of the cleanup is already done.
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Line Your Shelves and Bins. Use press-and-seal wrap or shelf liners in your refrigerator drawers and pantry shelves. When a spill happens, you just peel up the liner and replace it. This is a perfect example of working smarter, not harder.
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Dust with a Lint Roller. For fabric lampshades, throw pillows, and even some furniture, a sticky lint roller is much faster and more effective at picking up dust and pet hair than a traditional duster.
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Focus on High-Impact Zones. If you’re short on time, don’t try to do everything. Focus on the areas that make the biggest difference. A clear kitchen counter, a wiped-down bathroom sink, and a tidy coffee table can make the entire house feel cleaner.
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Make Your Bed Every Morning. It’s a two-minute task that provides an instant win. It immediately makes your entire bedroom look more put-together and sets a productive tone for the rest of your day.
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Use the Two-Bin Declutter Method. When you’re tidying a room, grab two bags or boxes. One is for trash, and the other is for items that belong in another room. Quickly go through the room, sorting clutter. Take out the trash, then do a quick lap to put away everything in the second box.
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Keep Wipes Under Sinks. Store a container of disinfecting or cleaning wipes under your kitchen and bathroom sinks. This makes it incredibly easy to do a quick 60-second wipe-down of the counters, faucet, and sink each day.
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Put on Music or a Podcast. Cleaning is more enjoyable when you’re not just listening to the sound of a vacuum. Put on your favorite upbeat music, an interesting podcast, or an audiobook. The time will pass much more quickly.
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Divide and Conquer. If you live with family or roommates, cleaning shouldn’t be a solo job. Divide up tasks. One person can tackle the bathrooms while another does the kitchen. Shared work is finished work.
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Tackle One Small Area Daily. Instead of a massive weekend cleaning marathon, break it down. Clean the bathroom mirrors on Monday, wipe down kitchen appliances on Tuesday, dust the living room on Wednesday. These 10-minute tasks prevent overwhelming buildup.
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Invest in Good Microfiber Cloths. They aren’t just hype. Good quality microfiber cloths trap dust and dirt instead of just pushing it around like old rags or paper towels. You’ll clean more effectively in less time.
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Vacuum in Straight Lines. When vacuuming carpets, work your way from the farthest corner of the room toward the door in straight, overlapping lines. It’s more efficient than random patterns and leaves those satisfying professional-looking lines.
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Reward Yourself. This is the most important step. Just like I learned to celebrate small wins on my weight loss journey, I do the same with cleaning. When the kitchen is sparkling, I make myself a nice cup of coffee and enjoy it. When the house is in order, I feel a sense of peace. Acknowledging the accomplishment makes it feel less like a chore and more like an act of self-care and stewardship of the space God has blessed me with.
An orderly home creates a peaceful refuge from the noise of the world. It gives you a clear space to think, pray, and just be. It’s not about perfection; it’s about creating a foundation for a good existence, one small, simple step at a time.
So, what’s one 15-minute cleaning task you can do today? Just pick one, set a timer, and get it done. You might be surprised at how good it feels.
