I once read a meme that said: “Trying to clean while your whole family is home is like trying to brush your teeth while eating Oreos.” Boy do I feel this–especially after a week of spring break.

My house is looking a little rough but between raising a family, running a business, and managing a household, a spring cleaning marathon a la Martha Stewart is just.not.happening. Instead, I plan on getting some key tasks done in shorter sprints — and you can too! Here’s how:

Shift your mindset. Instead of thinking “I have to clean this room because it’s disgusting and driving me crazy” reframe your motivation to focus on the benefit: “Cleaning this space will…boost my energy, improve my mood, help me focus, reduce my stress, etc.

Get specific. Walk through each room and write down three to four specific 15-minute cleaning tasks that will freshen up the space. For example, write “clean off desktop” or “clean medicine cabinet” instead of “clean office” and “clean bathroom.” Clearing flat surfaces will make the biggest impact.

Restock your cleaning kit. Whether they’re homemade or store bought, when you have all your supplies in one place, you won’t lose precious time looking for what you need when you need it.

Go one room at a time. It’s less daunting to go from room to room. Plus, you’ll feel more accomplished when one room is done.

Declutter as you go. Don’t just empty the drawer, vacuum, then put everything back. Weed out what you no longer love or need. Be ruthless. Now is the perfect time to clear some space.

Focus on progress, not perfection. You have a family. And your home is where much of life is still happening.  It will not be spotless but it will be cleaner and tidier than before.

Outsource the tough tasks. Shift some of those Starbucks coffee dollars to hiring someone to tackle the harder, more time consuming tasks like deep cleaning your appliances and/or bathrooms.

Implement a cleaning routine. Make a list of daily (e.g., make beds, unload/load dishwasher, wipe down counters, sweep the floor, and do one load of laundry) and weekly tasks to complete to help maintain your spring cleaning efforts long-term.

Plan a reward. You’ve made it through your list. Go enjoy the sunshine (finally!) And a burger. And fries. By yourself!

Catherine Belzile-Gibel
Homewell Organizers