If you’re anything like me, you probably can’t do anything productive when you are surrounded by mess and chaos. I totally feel you. I have to neatly organize my desk before I can even open my laptop to start working on anything.
That is why I started using this simple ten minute tidy strategy that helps me quickly declutter and clean my space without taking up too much time, energy, and motivation out of my day.
This tidy strategy isn’t just for your living space. It can be used in your car, you office at work, or even in your classroom. All you need is about ten minutes and a disorganized space and you can use this strategy to maintain order in no time.
The Ten Minute Tidy Strategy
1. Set a timer.
There are two reasons why I personally set a timer for myself. It’s not that I don’t want to clean more than ten minutes.
The first reason is that the competitive nature in me sees the ten minute time limit as a challenge. I try to complete all the tasks that I have in less than ten minutes to beat the clock.
The second reason is that I tend to get off tasks when I don’t have something keeping me in check.
Sometimes I will find an old receipt on the table and I’ll then read over every item I purchased weeks ago for absolutely no reason. Other times I will get distracted trying to arrange my entryway table so perfectly that I will stand there and take note of every different placement of my décor items for the whole ten minutes and get nothing else finished.
The timer keeps me on task and is a constant reminder to me to only do what is absolutely necessary to create a clean space.
I use my Google Assistant routines to automatically set a timer for me so I don’t have to take up any more time than I need.
2. Have a playlist.
Listening to music can make even the most mundane tasks a little bearable. Make a ten minute playlist of your favorite upbeat songs and play it while you clean.
Once you get used to the order of the playlist it will help you stay on task even more because you will know how about how much time you have left to clean based on the song you are listening to.
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3. Remove clutter from “drop zones.”
A “drop zone” is a place where you and your family automatically place things when they enter the home or a room.
For example, I have a couple of drop zones in my apartment. We have a small entryway table where my husband places his wallet, hats, and keys when he enters the house. We also tend to place things on our dining room table when we don’t have room on the entryway table.
For you, it might be your kitchen counter, a credenza, or a desk.
Notice where your drop zones are and declutter them quickly. You might come to find that only a very few items are supposed to be in those drop zones like your keys or purse.
To make your life a little easier when it comes to your quick tidying sessions, communicate with your family and designate just one drop zone. Set up a system that makes it easy to stay organized so that when you do have to do a quick clean up, it won’t take up too much of your time.
4. Have a basket to remove items that go other places in the house.
Make sure to have a basket or box nearby when cleaning up a space. Collect items in this basket that go to different rooms in the house and then put them away at the end of your tidying session.
This system will help you stay focused on cleaning up one space because you won’t have to walk up and down the steps to put items away. It will definitely help you save time and energy.
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5. Grab the big things you notice first.
Cleaning up the big things first will help in two ways. First, it will help you feel as though you have accomplished more at the start of ten minutes because your space will appear cleaner.
Second, it will help you prioritize what needs to be done in order for your space to look clean in a short amount of time.
Sometimes, we tend to be perfectionists and want our space to look perfect when people come to visit. But chances are, your space might look disorganized to you but perfectly neat and tidy to your guest because they don’t notice all of the tiny things that may seem out of place.
6. Keep a list of quick places to clean.
Having a list of places that can be quickly cleaned up will help you start immediately.
When you have a list, you will be able to start cleaning up without taking up too much time deciding what needs to be done or where to start first.
If you have a surprise guest coming over in ten minutes, you probably don’t have to clean your home office or master bathroom. You might just have to clean your living room and guest bathroom.
Keep a list of places and tasks that can be done quickly. You can write this list on your phone. Or you can write out the list and tape it to the inside of a your cleaning closet or cabinet so your family can also be on the same page, too.
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7. Visualize what a tidy space looks like to you.
Know what you want your space to look like and it will help you achieve your goal.
If you need to, take photos of places like your living room, your desk, or your bedroom when they are in their perfect order and do your best to arrange it like that again.
Maybe you liked the way you arranged the throw pillows or how you set up your desk or how you organized your bookshelf. You should aim to straighten your space to match that photo as much as possible so it because almost muscle memory to you to make sure it stays that way more often.
Download your free printable Ten Minute Tidy Checklist here!
