How to Clean House in 15 Minutes

Make Your Bed

Making your bed is a great place to start in your 15-minute clean up, and be sure not to worry about perfection! Don't spend too much time folding to make crisp lines and tucks. Instead, just smooth out your comforter or duvet, and playfully arrange your pillows and shams at the top. As long as it doesn't look disheveled, it will work for this speed clean.

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Fill Your Baskets

Image Source: A Beautiful Mess

Baskets are made for the 15-minute clean up because nothing is easier than tossing a mess in a basket! Dirty clothes on the floor? Drop that in the basket. A bunch of knick-knacks laying about on the kitchen counter? Basket. Dog toys everywhere? You guessed it: basket! Decorative and woven baskets just have a sharp look to them, so even if they are filled with clutter, at least it is organized all in one place.

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Fluff Your Pillows

Image Source: A Beautiful Mess

Droopy pillows just look sad and a bit disorderly, causing the rest of your space to lack that 'put together' feeling. Take a minute or two in your quick clean-up to fluff them up and bring them back to life! This will instantly transform your couch or sitting chair into a vibrant new area of your home.

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Fold Your Quilts and Blankets

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Nothing pulls together a room more than a neatly folded quilt or blanket drapped over a chair or on the back of the couch. Taking some time to fold all of your beloved snugglies will give the appearance of a cleaner, more assembled living space.

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Wipe Down Countertops

Image Source: Love Grows Wild

Your guest does not want to see evidence of last night's dinner, so grab your favorite all-purpose cleaning spray and wipe down large area countertops in your home. Taking a special eye to kitchen spaces and the guest sink are especially a priority.

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Clear Out Dirty Dishes

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Dirty dishes scattered around your house is a no-no! If time allows, hand wash these stragglers and put them back in their respective places. Or, if you are really rushing, pop them inside your dishwasher or stack them neatly in the sink where they'll be out of sight. As long as dirty dishes are not on display, you are good to go.

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Dust Only in Highly Visible Areas

Image Source: Brittany Makes

Dusting is a task that we can easily get carried away with, so only focus on highly visible areas of your home for this 15-minute bender! A small, unassuming corner does not hold as high of a priority as the eye-level countertops do. Try to see your home through your guest's eyes. You won't be able to hit every nook and cranny, so make sure the areas you do dust will be worth it.

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Tidy Your Linens

Image Source: Julie Blanner

Unorganized stacks of linens can create the sense of chaos in your bathroom or hallway. Take a few minutes to re-arrange sheets and other linens displayed on your shelf so they at least appear to be stored uniformly. You can also neatly re-fold any hanging bath towels to create a cleaner, more arranged vibe.

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Vacuum!

Image Source: A Beautiful Mess

And last but not least: take your trusty vacuum and run it through areas of your home with carpets or rugs. This will help to pick up any dust bunnies or crumbs that tend to easily show up on these kind of softer surfaces. Of course, you can always do a quick run-through over your hardwood too, but it all depends on how much time you have left!

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