Use the One Hour Method to Develop a More Efficient Cleaning Routine
If cleaning is too much for you, creating a schedule and sticking to it is one of the best ways to get things done slowly and efficiently. But even if you do it this way, just getting started can be difficult. There is no shame in working slowly towards a larger goal. Here’s a way to gradually build up your cleaning schedule.
One-hour cleaning method
For a while now, I have been an advocate of cleaning in small chunks of time. In most cases , 15 minutes a day is all you need to improve the cleanliness of your home over time. However, when there’s a major mess, you may need more time, which is why CleanTok influencer @MommyHasntShowered suggests the “one hour” rule. Here’s what it sounds like: You clean for an hour continuously, focusing only on cleaning, and then stop when the hour is up, rewarding yourself with something you enjoy, like ice cream or your favorite show.
This methodology is similar to many others that I advocate, such as the Pomodoro technique or time blocking . In general, whenever you are performing a task, be it studying, cleaning, answering emails, or anything else that is tedious and resource-intensive, you should set aside a specific period of time, commit to doing the task for that period only, and stop , when the time is up, and then reward yourself. No matter how much time you give yourself to complete a task, having a hard stop and a breather at the end is extremely important for staying motivated.
What I like about the Mommy Didn’t Shower method is that it combines these rigid rules with something more flexible. A cleaning influencer won’t expect you to start with an hour the first day you try it. Instead , she says you can work your way up to that amount starting in five minutes. While the goal of using time bursts is to keep you motivated and focused, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to just throw yourself into work for an hour, especially on a task you don’t enjoy. If cleaning is a really difficult task for you, don’t try to knock an hour out of it right away.
How to bring cleaning to an hour a day
Personally, I prefer to clean in 15-minute blocks every day, but that’s not always realistic. Every now and then an hour is a necessary evil. To get started, first schedule your cleaning about three days in advance. For the first three days, schedule five minutes. After that, check yourself. Was five minutes easy, and are you ready to move on to 10 minutes at a time, or was it difficult? If it’s been a struggle, just admit it to yourself and take five minutes. If it wasn’t too bad, move on to 10. Repeat the three-day process, moving from five to 10, then as you progress to 15, 20, 30 and 45. Eventually you’ll be ready to schedule hour-long blocks of clean cleaning, but you’ll do it’s at your own pace.
Make sure you choose a time to do this when you don’t have anything else going on. I usually suggest choosing a time right after work so you don’t have time to relax or get distracted, but you also don’t have other responsibilities like work calls to deal with. Your goal should be to focus on cleaning and only do it for the amount of time you give yourself. If you don’t get distracted, you’ll be more motivated and focused. Seeing your space gradually improve over time will motivate you even more, as will knowing that when the time is up, you’ll be done and can relax for the day. Gradually, you will learn to clean for longer periods of time, and you will have more time to use other cleaning methods . Each day, choose one area to focus on, ideally something small. Your countertop, nightstand, or medicine cabinet are great examples of small spaces that can be outfitted in a short amount of time.
Don’t be discouraged if you find five or ten minutes daunting. Some people like to clean, but not everyone likes it. I write about this all day, but I hate it too, and on those days when I have no motivation and 10 minutes seems like an eternity, I give myself a little grace about it. It’s better to do a little something than nothing, so you’ll feel more positive after a quick 10-minute cleanup, and that positivity will motivate you for the next day.