Five Minute Fixes for a Clean House

“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.” ~ Proverbs 6:6-8

The days of spring cleaning are here, and yet I have NO time! I don’t have time to beat all the rugs, wash all the curtains, move out every appliance and clean under it. I want to. Believe me, I long for the tranquility that comes with the ultimately clean house. However, my life is in “full steam ahead” mode, and I just cannot work in a full, house-cleaning restoration right now.

That being said, here’s something I have learned: even when I don’t have time to stop and clean everything all at once, I do have time to make a few changes. “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Successful time managers know that spare time can be utilized well to yield impressive results. Let me explain. If you have 3o minutes, you can do a minimum of six 5-minute jobs. The combination of completed small jobs really adds up. To put it into a simple formula, small job + small job = big results.

With that in mind, this is a brainstorming post for the busy ladies (and men) out there who need just a little bit of inspiration in their spring cleaning efforts.

Five Minute Fixes for the Kitchen

1. load/unload dishwasher
2. clean the microwave
3. sanitize counter tops
4. empty trash can and carry to curb
5. wipe down your cabinet fronts
6. declutter one cabinet or pantry area

Five Minute Fixes for the Bathroom

1. clean the mirrors
2. scrub the bathroom sink
3. straighten the linen closet
4. sanitize surfaces (light switches, door knobs, shelves)
5. gather your towels and start the load in the washer
6. clean your shower fixtures

Five Minute Fixes for the Bedroom

1. change sheets/make bed
2. clear night stands
3. sort laundry/start load
4. clear the clutter that doesn’t belong in the room
5. dust furniture
6. hang up any clothes piled up

Five Minute Fixes for the Family Room

1. put away movies/video games
2. straighten the couches/fluff pillows
3. run the vacuum
4. clear the clutter that doesn’t belong in the room
5. clean the window frames
6. dust the tv/entertainment center

Random Five Minute Fixes

1. pay a bill
2. sort mail
3. sew on a button
4. order an online birthday present
5. sweep front porch/sidewalks
6. send an email

So, this is in no way a comprehensive list of what you can accomplish in just five minutes, but it is certainly enough to get you started. Make the most of the time that you have and remember that small changes equal big results.

What’s your favorite five minute fix? What do you do to stay on top of the mess?