PROBLEM SOLVED Clean Your House in 19 Minutes
We’ve got speed cleaning down to a science. Simply incorporate our 19-minute method into your morning routine and you’ll have a tidy house all day, every day. Best of all, it means you can put your feet up sooner rather than later.
I saw this on AOL's main screen yesterday and admit I was intrigued. As I clicked on the link, I wondered, "Could this really be possible?" As I began to read, it instantly became apparent that the person who had written these suggestions could not possibly have children or pets. In fact, I suspect they don't have a husband either. Although I love my husband dearly, he is a packrat and one of the biggest offender's when it comes to clutter. As fast as I can clean off a space on the the counter, he finds something else to put there. Yes, the person who wrote these helpful hints certainly lives alone. How else could they "have a tidy house all day, every day AND put their feet up sooner than later?"
LIVING ROOM: 6 MINUTES
Pick up crumbs and dust bunnies with a handheld vacuum (one minute). My toddler's can make crumbs out of one Cheerio. Imagine what they can do with a cookie? Because our dog is shedding her summer coat, some of the dust bunnies here are so big that I truly fear one might try to walk off with the toddler's. Seriously, it takes me more than one minute to even drag out the vacuum cleaner.
Fluff the cushions and fold throws after use (two minutes). Hey, won't have to do this chore. Surely, having toddler's jumping on your cushions all day counts as fluffing...
Wipe tabletops and spot-clean cabinets when you see fingerprints (one minute). 
Straighten coffee-table books and magazines. Throw out newspapers. Put away CDs and videos (two minutes). Finally one suggestion that I can accomplish. Oh wait! I don't have a coffee-table because the toddler's kept jumping off it, besides there's no room for one with all the toys scattered about. And newspapers? Who has time to read the newspaper?
BEDROOM: 6½ MINUTES
Make the bed (two minutes). Hey, I can do this in one minute. :::Flips the comforter back on in one fell swoop::: There, done in one minute!
Fold or hang clothing and put away jewelry (four minutes). Am I the only one who can't seem to catch up on laundry? I think if I actually caught up with the laundry, it would take me a full week to put it all away.
Straighten out the night-table surface (30 seconds). I have 2 night-tables, so add one minute.
BATHROOM: 2 MINUTES 
Wipe out the sink (30 seconds). Done....
Wipe the toilet seat and rim (15 seconds). :::Laughing VERY hard here::: 15 seconds to wipe down the toilet with two potty training toddlers and a teen with occasional bad aim?
Swoosh the toilet bowl with a brush (15 seconds). Easy, if I could find that darn brush. :::Going to check the toy box now:::
Wipe the mirror and faucet (15 seconds). 15 seconds? I've got one question. What's with all the toothpaste spatters on the mirror? Seriously, is my mirror the only one that looks like it has white polka dots? Why must one stand so close to the mirror while brushing their teeth? It would take me 15 seconds just to get out the Windex. Can't keep it in the bathroom, the toddler's might mistake it for mouthwash.
Squeegee the shower door (30 seconds). Spray the entire shower and the curtain liner with shower mist after every use (15 seconds). Hmmmm, squeegee the shower door and mist shower/curtain OR quickly shave legs? I choose shave legs.
KITCHEN: 4 1/2 MINUTES
Wipe down the sink after doing the dishes or loading the dishwasher (30 seconds). Ok, so it takes 30 seconds to wipe down the sink. But why isn't the time it takes to do dishes for a family of five counted in the minutes?
Wipe down the stove top (one minute). Done...
Wipe down the counters (one minute). Wipe down the counters AFTER I put away the latest clutter my husband found to put there. At least 5 minutes. But the minutes don't stop there. I'll have to wrack my brain for another 5 minutes trying to remember where I put it, when he inevitably asks where it is.
Sweep, Swiffer, or vacuum the floor (two minutes). Ok, so is this two minutes EVERY time I sweep, swiffer & vacuum the floor? This has to be done several times a day, if not, refer back to LIVING ROOM: 6 MINUTES Pick up crumbs and dust bunnies.....
16 comments:
There is no way that article was written by someone with a family. It must have been aimed at single people. With 4 boys in the house there is no way i could get by w/just wiping the seat & rim! lol.
There is no way that article was written by someone with a family. It must have been aimed at single people. With 4 boys in the house there is no way i could get by w/just wiping the seat & rim! lol.
LOL this is hilarious!!! I have a 2 yr old, a teenager, two dogs, an ex-husband, & a elderly father....all under the same roof....19 minutes...hahahahaaaha! I can relate to how you feel, especially when it comes to the toddler. ; ) Thankyou for stopping by my journal & leaving the nice comment. ~Ann : )
what a great entry to a great journal! :-)
~jerseygirl
http://journals.aol.com/cneinhorn/WonderGirl
Hi Michelle, thanks for your kind visit to my journal! I too saw this article, and after raising two kids really had to laugh at the whole thing. I LOVED your running commentary on the article.
Now that my life has changed so much, my "hyper" sense of organization has calmed down and I am enjoying living like a bachelor. I guarantee, if it is a choice between an going on an adventure, and vacuuming....... the adventure will win every time. Isn't it funny how life changes.
You are delightful, I am so glad to meet you.
Blessings,
judi
One thing I've found helpful in keeping the new house clean [and yes, it really works, but no, I don't expect it to last... LOL] is to try and contain all messes in their appropriate room. We ONLY eat or drink in the kitchen. That way, all those messes are contained in the kitchen and everything I need to clean them up are nearby. I don't allow toys or blankets or pillows in the living room - if you want to play, go to your room; if you want to lay down, do it in you bed - that's why we bought you a tv for your room! Sheesh! LOL
I make a sweep of the house once a day, picking up dirty clothes from the bathrooms and putting those things away, I do the dishes each morning and clean up any kitchen messes, the kids aren't allowed to bed until their room is clean each night - rather than letting it pile up and up and up over the course of a week. I make my bed in the morning because I'm less likely to leave other messes in that room when my bed looks nice. LOL I don't think I could get away with 19 minutes, but a good 30 minutes each day and lots of little reminders to everyone else in the house throughout the day does wonders.
Of course, it doesn't hurt that this is a BRAND new house and we just moved in either. LOL
Some of these time estimates are a joke!! Who can do ANYTHING in 15 seconds?? LOL This reminds me of when we were kids and my mom used to make a game out of cleaning - we did speed cleaning. But it's a good thing she didn't make us clean toilets!! Too funny!!
Your articles always brightens my day!! I really enjoyed this one about cleaning your house in 19 minutes. Thank you for making me laugh!!
This person definately does NOT have children, animals OR a husband! You were right about that! And, how hard is it really to keep a house clean when it's only one person! There are a bunch of cleanaholics in J-land and I think they would even have something to say about this "clean your house in 19 minutes" thingie! Actually, my husband could probably do it in 5 minutes since he feels that if the dishes are done and the counters are cleaned off, his work is done. Sigh!
Hugs and love, Lisa
I had seen this article a long time ago. I agree with you, who ever wrote it..lives alone!
~Heather
LOL!!! This is priceless! I saw that on the welcome screen the other day too, and said, "Yeah, right!"
=D Oh, Michelle, my side is hurting from laughing so hard at this entry!
Mia
LOL! I LOVE it! I soooo sympathize and I extatically agree that the person that came up with that has NO children or pets (god help them if they end up with some lol their poor house)
GL
~Stef~
Wow, the proposed time allocations seem a bit ambitious to me... Takes me 10 min. just to find our dustbuster after the boys have used it -- or lately, Chuck -- who leaves things in the spot where he last had th vacuum! Shana
Thank you for the wonderful commentary on that article! I am the mother of a "grown" 21 yr. old daughter and a 12 yr. old daughter with a 2 yr. old granddaughter who is with me most weekends and a five-month old husky pup --I laughed and then tried to make this article work for me...not...usually mornings around here are so full of trying to get out and to work on time that even if 19 minutes would do the "trick" it would be more time than I can spend if I want to go to work showered and dressed! I envy those who can maintain a clean house, but it takes 20 minutes just to pick up the major clutter each night.
As I was adding in the major cleaning (floors, scrubbing, laundry, walls, dishes, windows, etc.) I wonder how much time we really would need to spend cleaning to keep the house "sparkling?" I was estimating at least 15 hours a week, or all of Saturday and an hour or so every day...I now know why the house isn't in that new home condition, I simply choose to spend my time on other things, like talking to the kids, walking the dog, or reading to the baby....and maybe that will help me feel better as I ready to get the house in some shape for the upcoming week:) Thanks for tackling that article, great job.
Chris
with children and a husband that leave everything for you it can be very stressfulll- Beth
Hi I only have 2 minutes to read this journal so I could not finish it :) but it gave me a good laugh ..you have a good sense of humour ! Thanks...I will come back later and read it ...
I was howling at the image of you searching the toy box for the toilet bowl brush. lemme guess... do they also stick the plunger on their butts to look like tails so they can be a dog? LOL!!
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