One of the busiest spots in your house, the bathroom is also the place almost every guest visits. So if you start sweating whenever someone asks, “Do you mind if I freshen up/use the toilet/secretly judge your cleaning skills?” just relax. These tricks will get the room looking freshly scrubbed in 15 minutes or less.

1. Grab a bag.

To start, hang a plastic grocery bag on the doorknob as a quick way to gather trash — the easiest way to instantly tidy any room.

2. First, flush.

Next, grab some bleach. Pour a cup into the bowl, and brush around the sides and under the rim. Let sit for five minutes, as you move on to the next task.

3. Shine up.

Fill a spray bottle with equal parts water and white vinegar. Spritz the solution onto paper towels or a microfiber cloth, and wipe away soap drips and toothpaste spatters on faucets, mirrors, countertops, and in the sink. If you really care what your visitors think, give spotty shower doors the same spray treatment.

4. Collect dirt.

Flip over one of the same vinegar wipes and run it across the back of your dusty toilet tank, then over, under, and around the seat. Flush the bleach that’s been sitting in the bowl, toss the wipe into your doorknob bag, and move on.

5. Try this towel trick.

Don’t worry if you’re drying used bath towels — just put out fresh hand towels. They’re the only ones short-term guests use anyway. Leave the others on the bar; just straighten them.

6. Make an exit.

Now it’s time for the floor. Shake out your rug or bath mat to fluff it up so it looks recently vacuumed. Next, with a dampened paper towel, wipe the corners of the room, where most of the hair and dust collects. And don’t forget to take the plastic bag with you when you leave!

1. Declutter and pick-up

Take things that don’t belong in the bedroom out. Throw dirty clothes laundry into hampers and rehang up any outfits that you may have tried on and left out. Clear off your surfaces as much as you can of things that don’t normally go on them.

2. Take an old pillowcase and dust your fan blades

(if you have a fan) or clean out any ceiling light fixtures. (Important to keep your dirty sheets on your bed to catch any falling dust and spider webs.) → How to Clean Your Ceiling Fan The Easy Way and → How To Clean Ceiling Light Fixtures.

3. De-spider web

Take a broom to the corners of your ceiling to dust away any spider webs.

4. Start the laundry

Strip your bed and take all your dirty laundry from the hamper and start a load in the washer.

5. Dust all surfaces

Pay special attention to the nightstand and dresser tops. Don’t just dry dust…use a moist cloth to really swipe up dust and lock it away from resettling. Don’t forget about the tops of mirrors, art and any accessories in the room.

6. Wipe the windows and the mirrors with window cleaner

7. Wipe/dust the blinds and vacuum the curtains

Use a hand attachment to your vacuum to get to the hard-to-get spots. → Saturday Assignment: Clean Your Blinds!

8. Vacuum the floor

Spend extra time behind/under the bed and behind furniture. If you’re feeling particularly bold, consider vacuuming the mattress. → How To Clean Your Mattress

9. Remake the bed

Take the time to try something new out so it feels like your room is clean and fresh. → 5 Quick Ways to Make Your Bed Look New By Bedtime (No Power Tools Required)

10. Set up your nightstand like a pro

Focus on the function as well as aesthetics.

Dealing With What Comes Through The Door. 

Set up a small area by the front door to act as a “landing strip” for incoming items to your home.

Do Your Dishes After Every Meal

This will help you stay on top of your kitchen instead of having it turn into a monster! No one really wants to do them. But waiting for another meal or until you have enough to fill the dishwasher just makes things feel overwhelming and easier to put off. The same goes for taking out the trash as well. If you need to take the trash out, place it by the front door to go out in the morning or dispose of it that night so it’s over and done with.

Laundry

If you have a washer and dryer at home, do a little bit each day. Spread things out so you don’t feel bogged down by 200 towels and stinky socks. If you take things to a laundromat, sort clothes as you go so things are easier to load into machines when you get there. Fold them before you come home so you aren’t dumping baskets out on your sofa or bed and they can go straight into drawers and closets.

Whistle While You Work

No one really enjoys cleaning, but singing, humming, whistling or turning up the stereo are all great options to keep the beat in your feet and have fun while working.

Set a Timer

Most items on the list below should take no more than 20 minutes total. It’s easy to rationalise 20 minutes, but it’s also easy to get distracted by phone calls, emails, children and other projects that call your name as you tackle each chore. Set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes and that way when it sounds you know exactly how much time you have left. If you find yourself off task it’s easy to get back on track.

30 Day List

1. Surface clean living room and kitchen (pick up stray items, dust, sweep, vacuum)

2. Clean bathrooms (toilets, showers, floors, walls, mirrors)

3. Surface clean bedrooms (put away toys, clothes, dust)

4. Surface clean “extra” rooms (basement, office, playroom)

5. Surface clean living room and kitchen

6. Clean bathrooms

7. Clean all interior windows (white vinegar and newspaper works great and is cheap!)

8. Sweep and vacuum all floors in the house (don’t forget stairs)

9. Surface clean bedrooms

10. Deep clean living room (mirrors, baseboards, dust artwork)

11. Clean bathrooms

12. Clean out closets (hang up clothes, mittens, jackets, hats)

13. Surface clean “extra” rooms

14. Deep clean bedrooms (organise drawers, check under bed, tidy closet, dust artwork, fans, lights, mop)

15. Surface clean living room and kitchen

16. Deep clean bathrooms (clean inside drawers, inside of trash cans, tops of mirrors, tile, mop)

17. Clean all doorknobs, phones, entertainment equipment (remote controls), switch plates, bannisters and other things that are repeatedly touched.

18. Clean out the refrigerator, take stock of food, organize pantry

19. Clean entryway, sweep porch (if you have one), clean out car (because they’re often our home away from home)

20. Surface clean living room and kitchen

21. Surface clean bathrooms

22. Surface clean bedrooms

23. Sweep and vacuum all floors in the house

24. Clean linen closet, straighten towels, sheets or regular closet if not applicable

25. Surface clean living room and kitchen

26. Deep clean kitchen (scrub appliances, wash trash cans, baseboards, wipe down and straighten cabinets)

27. Surface clean bathrooms

28. Surfaces clean bedrooms

29. Clean one item you’ve been meaning to get to and haven’t (deep clean your stove, wipe down all light fixtures, tackle a particularly unruly area)

30. Sweep and vacuum all floors in the house