With the exception of the kitchen table, currently covered in research papers and post-it notes, our apartment is pretty darn clean. And it's just getting cleaner.
I have a very simple resolution for 2008, a resolution that I forced upon my husband as well. We are going to spend 10 minutes a day, every day, cleaning. And not just cleaning--cleaning fast and efficiently, on a timer, no dilly-dallying allowed. 10 minutes, moving fast. That's all. We set the timer for 10, work like mad, and when the timer starts beeping, we're done.
We've done this before and, in the beginning, it seems like the 10-minute plan could never work. But after a few days of quick and efficient 10-minute clean-up, things start to get clean. After a few more days, things start to get shiny. And, pretty soon, you start having to look for things to clean--behind bookcases, under sinks, the top of the fridge.
I know, 10 minutes doesn't seem like very much time. But 10 minutes times 2 people is 20 minutes. And 20 minutes times 7 week days is 140 minutes. And 140 times 52 weeks is a whopping, what? 7,280 minutes, which is almost too much of life spent cleaning.
You can even get a load of laundry in and--if you're fast enough--a load put away. But that takes practice.
I love this idea! I think I'm going to try it too! :)
Posted by: Katie | January 07, 2008 at 09:22 AM
I would try this - but I get distracted WAY too easily. I see something shiny, and BAAM...attention span disabled.
So...I shall live vicariously through you! Good luck :D
Posted by: Lani | January 07, 2008 at 09:31 AM
Is it correct to assume that loading in the laundry and putting it away is on two separate cleaning days? Because if not, I want the washer and dryer that you have.
Posted by: RA | January 07, 2008 at 09:39 AM
What a fantastic idea!!
Posted by: Nicole | January 07, 2008 at 10:38 AM
Ooo! This is genius! I may just try it. I usually try to do all of my cleaning during commercial breaks. (I'm always so surprised that I can empty the dishwasher during 1 commercial break!) But since TV is miserable right now, I think I'll try your idea. Thanks!!
Posted by: Gretchen | January 07, 2008 at 04:32 PM
OH wow! This is genius. I think I'm going to try this. But maybe like.. a load of a laundry a day. Because believe it or not thats more laundry I do ever! Basically I do landry 2 a month.
OH thats terrible! Anyways, good idea!
Posted by: Kenzie | January 07, 2008 at 04:43 PM
this sounds like the flylady way. She has us do things in 15 minute increments.
Malia
Posted by: Malia | January 07, 2008 at 05:50 PM
wow, i really think I need to try this!
Posted by: janet | January 07, 2008 at 06:15 PM
i do that too.
but like 100 times a day.
and still my house isnt even that CLEAN!
grr.
Posted by: kathryn | January 07, 2008 at 08:35 PM
and I LOVE THE NEW BANNER.
LOVE.
Posted by: kathryn | January 07, 2008 at 08:36 PM
Awesome idea! I think I'm going to use it at my house! Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Laurie | January 07, 2008 at 10:12 PM
THIS TOOOOOTALLY worked at our house... for like the two whole weeks I actually enforced the rule... :0)
XOXO
Rachael
Posted by: Rachael | January 07, 2008 at 10:16 PM
I like this plan. =)
Posted by: Amanda | January 08, 2008 at 12:34 AM
Fab idea! I should do this.
Posted by: Marriage-101 | January 08, 2008 at 10:16 AM
That's a great idea. I wish I could get myself to do that every night. Usually on Thursdays before the guys come over for poker we clean the crap out of the apartment...I guess it's better than nothing right?
Oh I think the new banner looks great, I heart pink!
Posted by: Unnaturally Blonde | January 08, 2008 at 04:34 PM
I really like that idea. Although I suspect that 10 minutes would be somewhat short given a toddler and the explosion of toys that happens on a daily basis. Still, awesome idea.
Posted by: Chris Cactus | January 09, 2008 at 08:37 AM
You would think I could afford 10 minutes a day to clean but to me it is much more affordable to hire a cleaning lady.
Love the new masthead!
Posted by: Pamela | January 09, 2008 at 09:53 AM
That is a great plan! I love it!
Posted by: Sarah | January 09, 2008 at 01:36 PM
Okay, this might be the best idea that I've heard in a long time. Good luck with your cleaning plan!
Posted by: Larissa | January 09, 2008 at 04:16 PM
I heart this idea. It sounds like something from Real Simple magazine. Maybe I could apply it to my closet!!
Posted by: Lesli | January 09, 2008 at 08:28 PM
Oh I'm loving the new banner!
Posted by: Lissa | January 11, 2008 at 09:48 AM
Doesn't anyone else see a problem in overcoming household entropy in ten minutes a day? I can't see how it would work. Ten minutes a day can't even keep the dishes clean at my house! Good luck, Mary Poppins.
Posted by: Neo | January 12, 2008 at 02:44 PM
As Mary would say, "well begun is half done."
Posted by: Janet | January 12, 2008 at 03:55 PM
I thought I should add a few notes about how we actually get this done:
Our apartment is generally pretty tidy. When we are done with a dish or glass, we put it right in the dishwasher. We'll generally put away items after we use them and put our dirty clothes straight into the washer when we take them off.
This clean-as-you-go method means that when it comes time for the ten-minute clean up, there is not really any stuff to put away. The ten-minute cleaning is really just for things like dusting, mopping, vacuuming, cleaning mirrors, wiping counters, and the like.
In ten minutes, I can quickly vacuum the house and maybe windex all the mirrors. In that same ten minutes, will can mop the kitchen floor and sanitize kitchen surfaces. The next day, I might dust surfaces for ten minutes while Will wipes down cabinets and scrubs down the bathroom fixtures.
It's actually two of us, of course, so it is technically 20 minutes a day--and our apartment is only 1100 square feet, so we aren't talking a big house with lots of kids and pets and messy projects.
Cleaning on a regular basis helps keep things moderately clean, most of the time. This is not to say that I don't have to spend a little extra time on Saturday throwing the sheets in the washer or cleaning one of those infrequent items--the tops of the ceiling fans, for instance--but for the most part the ten minute timer is working pretty well.
Say you have a family of four and everyone participates (moving quickly) for 15 minutes a day (a bit longer for a larger home). That would be an HOUR of cleaning a day, all wrapped up in a fast 15.
Give it a try!
Posted by: Janet | January 13, 2008 at 08:56 PM