Use The 20/10 Method To Organize Your Home

Are you a person who doesn’t like cleaning or postpones cleaning until the weekend? Do you clean on the weekends and sacrifice your holidays for cleaning? It’s time to try the 20/10 method to organize your home.

If you are a person who does not like cleaning or postpones the cleaning day until the weekend, this article is just for you. We tell you all about the new cleaning technology, which has gained great popularity around the world. Would you also like to try the 20/10 method to organize your home more efficiently?

Rachel Hoffman designed this cleaning method for all people who want their homes to look clean and organized. This method is suitable for students, singles, couples as well as families because we all deserve to live in a clean and tidy environment.

This method differs from other, more traditional cleaning methods. In them, one person (traditionally a woman) is usually responsible for maintaining order. Hoffman says such old-fashioned, perfectionist methods don’t take into account the modern world, people with disabilities, physical or mental illnesses, or people who work away from home all day.

Many are unable to clean up because of the circumstances of their own lives. But this cleaning method is very suitable for everyone as it can be applied according to the needs of the individual.

What is the 20/10 method?

Hoffman’s suggestion is simple: get rid of endless cleaning days and replace them with short work periods with breaks in between. He suggests we clean for 20 minutes and rest or take a break for 10 minutes.

To do this, we need to use a timer. This is how we ensure that we stick to working and rest time.

During the 10 minute break we can check emails, social network channels, drink a cup of tea or go out with the dog. These minutes belong to us and we should use them the way we want. When the timer alarm sounds, return to work.

At the same time, the creator of this method of cleaning tells us to focus on the little things and not the general chaos at home. For example, instead of focusing on the whole kitchen mess, just focus on dirty dishes and wash them.

How is the 20/10 method used to organize a home?

Hoffman published a book called “Unf * CK Your Habitat: You Are Better Than Your Mess”. In it, he gives the tips we look at below.

In our minds we can see the mess as overwhelming chaos and it discourages us. We need to focus on the little things to move forward.

1. Take a picture before and after

When you’re done, you can see that the effort has been worth it, and it motivates you to continue with this cleaning method. You can also identify problem areas in your home and find out if you forgot to clean something up.

2. Bed your bed daily

It takes less than a minute, and the benefits are manifold. The overall picture of your room changes completely when you make your bed. It’s much nicer to go back to sleep in a neat bed than in a messy one.

3. Open the windows

Ventilate your house to clean the air of mold, bacteria and odors. Do this especially in the winter, when we are used to not opening windows due to low temperatures.

4. Wash the dishes

When we stop eating, it is normal for laziness to take over and we want to leave the dishes for a later or next day. Error!

Whatever you do, the thought of having to do it at some point haunts your mind. Stubborn dirt on dishes is also harder to wash. In addition, the counters produce unpleasant odors. So, if you want a clean home, wash your dishes right after eating.

5. Clean the refrigerator

Start by throwing away all the spoiled and bad-smelling foods. Go through all the dishes, including the ones hidden in the back that you forgot a long time ago.

Then thoroughly clean the shelves and trays. Finally, put the items back by placing the items you use the most in places that are easily accessible.

6. Start with the largest mode

If you start with the smallest rooms, you may start to feel tired and leave the largest as well as the most used spaces for cleaning later. If you decide to clean the largest rooms first, you will feel the joy of achievement that motivates you to continue.

7. Clean from top to bottom

This rule applies to everything from tall cabinets with shelves to houses with more than one floor. Always start cleaning from the highest places. That is, from the upper shelves of furniture and the top floors of the home.

8. Lift everything off the floor

There should be nothing left on the floor that does not belong there. When you start cleaning, try to keep the items in their place and do not leave them here and there.

9. Complete the laundry

Hoffman highlights a common mistake many of us make. We wash our clothes, put them to dry, and then leave them in the rack instead of wiping them off.

By doing so, clean clothes pile up, forming a mountain that seems impossible to sort. Remember to wash, dry, scoop and put the laundry in place immediately.

10. Clean the floor

Finally, we are ready to clean the floor, either with a damp mop, cloth or vacuum cleaner.

Now everything is ready! Your home will look exactly the way you wanted and you will still have the energy to enjoy everything else that day has to offer.

Using the 20/10 method, the floors are washed last.

Floor cleaning is the last task of the 20/10 method because the home is cleaned from top to bottom.

What are the benefits of the 20/10 method?

There are other ways to organize your home, such as the so-called cleaning marathon. It means starting and continuing the cleaning until everything is clean. It can take all day.

The worst part is that it is usually done on weekends because from Monday to Friday we have other obligations. So we spend our holidays cleaning our home. Then when the new week begins, we are completely exhausted.

The fatigue caused by the cleaning marathon produces negative feelings for the whole task. While we always promise to maintain order from now on, over the days we wake up to the fact that history repeats itself.

The benefits of the 20/10 method include:

We can keep the house clean by doing just a little every day instead of letting dirt and clutter accumulate and then clean them all together.

It is an all-encompassing cleaning system, so it is suitable for people who suffer from physical pain or disability.
By following the 20/10 method, we create good cleaning habits if we do it for a little time every day. Keep in mind that we need 21 days to learn a new way and that it will become part of our routine.

Why try the 20/10 method?

The timed cleaning method sounds very attractive and we think it is worth a try. As you’ve noticed, it’s not that you’re a cleaning expert or that you love cleaning.

With small daily activities, you can keep your home clean and tidy. Then you also have time to enjoy it. Now that you know what the 20/10 method is, take your first photo and start cleaning up!