This kind of cleaning is just what it claims - a quick clean; not a perfect clean, not a whole house clean, just a quick one.
This routine is great for those times when someone is arriving in 20 minutes and you need to clean up an area to use during their visit. It’s meant to be used for one localized area at a time, not the entire house. Think “Living Room, Dining Room, and Kitchen” or “Basement, Bar, and Pool Area”. And, disclaimer, this won’t work as well on a space that has gotten out of control. But it will work wonders on a space that has reached the maintenance stage.
To start, grab three empty baskets of any kind: one for laundry, one for toys/tools/crafts, and one for the miscellaneous everything that gets scattered around our homes.
Then, fill them up >>>
1) Get all the laundry out of the space you’ll be using. Clean and dirty, get it back to the laundry room or a room that won’t be in use while your guests are there.
2) Get all the extra toys into a basket and return them to the toy room or basement or kids’ rooms. Of course, if these toys or play rooms are going to be used, then don’t bother cleaning them up. It will just be a waste of time and energy.
This “toy basket” could also be a “craft basket”, a “gaming equipment basket”, or a tote or tray to put the tools and pieces of a project on where they won’t be disturbed by your guests. We all know it can be frustrating to be in the middle of a project and seeing someone’s carelessness or a simple accident send our progress backwards. So, get it out of the way and into another room.
3) Pick up all the miscellaneous stuff that has crept into the space you’re planning to use and put the basket in a place you’ll see it later – a reasonable later, not a month from now. You can carry the basket around then and put it all away.
After the overall space is cleared take a trash bag with you, and put any random junk into the bag while you gather up the dishes left around. The trash obviously goes into the bin and the dishes into the sink. That’s good enough; but if you have time to load the dishwasher or take the trash outside, good for you – you’re quick!
Finally, grab a damp cloth and wipe down the surfaces you’re going to be using or sitting on.
If you have extra time to run a quick vacuum or broom around a floor, that’s great. But most people don’t expect floors to be pristine. A quick spot clean with your cloth after you finish wiping down the surfaces is usually more than good enough.
At the end of the quick clean-up, remember: Your visitor is probably coming to spend time with you. A clean space comes in a distant second; so, relax and enjoy.
LIFE IS CRAZY...HANG ON TIGHT AND SCREAM WHEN NECESSARY
BUT ENJOY THE RIDE !!
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