I think we all know how to clean. The real question is where to start and how to keep motivated? What do you do when you’re deep cleaning the house? Don’t worry! With a bit of planning and effort, you can deep clean a messy house in just one day.
Keep reading for easy tips to help you clean without feeling overwhelmed.
Declutter as Much as You Can
Start with getting rid of as much stuff as you can.
Start with a trash bag and walk the house picking up the trash and maybe start a recycle box too if you have recycled in your area. Go room to room and once you collected everything. Take it outside to the bins or cans.
How to Clean a Messy House: Start Small
Start small by making your bed every day, pick a small area to declutter.
Then pick a room to work on, for example the kitchen. Put all the dirty dishes in the sink and put anything on the counters away, wash all the dishes or load the dish washer, wipe down the counters, stove and anything else that needs a general wipe down, sweep the floors etc.
Start picking places for things to belong. Chipping away at it slowly will get you further than tackling whole rooms and exhausting yourself.
As someone who gets overwhelmed very easily, I pick one thing or area and start there. Like, I’m going to clean and organize a drawer. And maybe next is the next drawer, eventually I have a whole desk done!
How to Clean a Messy House in One Day: A Step by Step Guide
To clean the whole house in a systematic way, start at the top of each room and work your way down. Begin with the ceiling and lights, using a duster that grabs dust well. This allows any dust that falls to land on surfaces you haven’t cleaned yet.
Next, dust shelves, tables, and other furniture, moving downward. Finally, clean the floors by sweeping, vacuuming, or mopping. This method ensures that all the dust and dirt from higher surfaces end up on the floor, making your cleaning more efficient and thorough.
The way you clean your home can change based on its layout. This general plan can help you stay organized. You can adjust it however you want. For example, if your downstairs is where your bathroom is, you might choose to clean it later when you’re cleaning from the top floor down.
Step 1: Gather Your Supplies
Before you start, gather all the cleaning supplies you’ll need:
- Trash bags
- Mop
- Rubbing alcohol
- Vacuum
- Baking soda
- Countertop cleaner
- Broom
- Soft bristle brush
- Grout cleaner
- Laundry detergent
- Bucket
- Microfiber cloths
- Glass cleaner
- All-purpose cleaner
- Rubber gloves
- Water
- Vinegar
- Appliance specific cleaners
Step 2: Tackle the Clutter
As we mentioned in the beginning, begin by getting rid of any clutter. Go room by room with a trash bag and a laundry basket.
Trash Bag: Throw away any garbage, such as old papers, empty bottles, or broken items.
Laundry Basket: Collect any items that don’t belong in that room. You can put them away later.
Step 3: Start with the Kitchen
The kitchen is often the messiest, so start here.
- Dishes: Wash any dirty dishes or load them into the dishwasher.
- Counters: Wipe down all the countertops with an allpurpose cleaner.
- Floors: Sweep and mop the kitchen floor.
Step 4: Move to the Living Room
Next, move to the living room.
- Pick Up: Remove any clutter, using your laundry basket if needed.
- Dust: Dust all surfaces, including shelves, tables, and electronics.
- Vacuum: Vacuum the carpet or sweep and mop the floor if you have hardwood or tile.
Step 5: Clean the Bathrooms
Bathrooms can get dirty quickly, so give them a good clean.
- Toilet: Scrub the toilet with toilet cleaner.
- Sink and Counter: Clean the sink, faucet, and countertop with an all-purpose cleaner.
- Mirror: Wipe the mirror with glass cleaner.
- Shower/Tub: Clean the shower or tub with bathroom cleaner.
- Floors: Sweep and mop the bathroom floor.
Step 6: Tidy Up Bedrooms
Make the bedrooms cozy and neat.
- Beds: Make the beds.
- Clothes: Put dirty clothes in the laundry basket and put away any clean clothes.
- Dust: Dust surfaces like dressers and nightstands.
- Floors: Vacuum the carpets or sweep and mop the floors.
Step 7: Finish with the Floors
Make sure all the surfaces are clear. pick up clothes, toys, and any other items scattered around.
Do a final sweep (or vacuum) and mop of all remaining floors in the house. Make sure you get into corners and under furniture.
Step 8: Put Away Clutter
Finally, take the laundry basket with all the out-of-place items and put everything back where it belongs. This is your final touch to make the house look organized and neat.
Also, proper storage is super important for keeping your home neat and organized. When everything has its own place, it’s easier to find stuff when you need it and keeps your rooms from getting all cluttered up. Plus, it makes your place look nicer and more welcoming. Storing things properly also helps protect them from getting damaged or worn out too quickly. So, putting everything back where it belongs not only finishes the job of tidying up but also makes your home more comfy and stress-free to live in.
Step 9: Freshen Up
Open some windows for fresh air or light a scented candle to give your house a pleasant smell.
If possible, open windows on opposite sides of your home to create cross ventilation. This will help to quickly replace stale air with fresh outdoor air.
How Do You Stay Motivated to Clean?
I put on my ear buds and listen to my favorite music or funny podcast. Keeps that part of my brain busy and keeps me smiling.
Also, if it seems overwhelming, decide to work for an hour, or some other manageable length of time. At the end of the hour, you can always keep going.
I find having the right tools helps. A decent broom, a dust pan that is flat so the dust doesn’t go under it. I also sometimes get “pretty” sponges in colors I like, brooms with patterned handles, that sort of thing. I’d rather clean with something I like to look at.
I also noticed that by cleaning the things I wanted to clean first keeps me interested and going.
Stick to a Cleaning Routine
Routine is the only sustainable way out of this mess. Otherwise it will be the vicious cycle of doing too much and then not wanting to do anything.
The key is to make a cleaning schedule that fits your life and home. You might choose to clean every week or every month, depending on how much time you have.
By following these steps, you can clean your entire house in one day. Take it one room at a time, and you’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish! Happy cleaning!
Good luck!
