Try this 2-minute cleaning hack and forget your weekly clean

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

I must admit to being a neat freak. But while I enjoy a tidy home, I don’t enjoy cleaning and am always looking for a new hack to make my life easier. So, rather than doing a regular weekly cleaning blitz that feels like a drudge, I discovered a better way to keep up with the chores throughout the week.

When jobs pile up, it can become overwhelming to clear through the clutter, or to know where to start. It’s also easy to stick to old habits and follow the same cleaning routine you’ve followed for years. And while there are decluttering methods such as the Swedish death cleaning trend and the ‘ski slope’ organization method, not forgetting when we invited Marie Kondo and her KonMari method into our homes, you have to find a cleaning method that’s right for you, without getting bamboozled with trying out every technique.

But don’t get disheartened before you try this two-minute, timesaving cleaning hack. I spotted it on Instagram, and it’s changed my mindset on how I approach cleaning. I hope it will do the same for you.

The 2-minute rule

To keep an easy-to-manage home, Hegeus suggests using the 2-minute rule for decluttering. “It’s so easy to do, it feels like cheating,” she writes.

She explains how the quick hack works, “Whenever we see something that needs to get done, and it takes less than 2 minutes, let’s do it right then and there.”

Hegeus certainly isn’t one to procrastinate and sees the advantage of seizing the moment.

“It might be taking mugs back to the kitchen. It might be replying to that birthday invite,” she suggests, or, she adds, “It might be making your bed.”

I know for sure that plenty of tasks only take 2 minutes, which will save me from jobs mounting up and causing chore overwhelm.

“The more we do these little things throughout the day, the less heavy our metal workload and things won’t pile up,” explains Hegeus.

If, like me, you try to follow the 2-minute rule, you’ll soon find that your home becomes more manageable, and you’ll feel a sense of achievement that you have a tidy home without much effort.

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Quick tasks to complete in 2 minutes

Woman wiping kitchen countertop with cloth — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

There's plenty of cleaning and decluttering tasks around the home that can be completed in 120 seconds, but to help you get started, here's a list to give you some inspiration.

Tidy your cushions and neaten up your throw
Fold up your dried laundry ready for ironing
Water a few of your houseplants
Clean some dirty dishes
Wipe down your kitchen countertop
Put away the shoes cluttering your entryway
Clean the glass shower door with a squeegee
Put your dishcloths into soak
Give your stairway a vacuum
Scrub the toilet
Tidy up left-out toys
Fill up your birdbath with fresh water
Put out the trash

More from Tom's Guide

Discover 3 things you should declutter right now, according to experts
And 7 ways to declutter your kitchen like a minimalist
Plus how I reorganized my kitchen in a morning — discover my 9 quick and easy tips

Camilla Sharman has worked in publishing and marketing for over 30 years and has covered a wide range of sectors within the business and consumer industries both as a feature, content, and freelance writer.

As a business journalist, Camilla has researched articles for many different sectors from the jewellery industry to finance and tech, charities, and the arts. Whatever she’s covered, she enjoys delving deep and learning the ins and out of different topics, then conveying her research within engaging content that informs the reader. In her spare time, when she’s not in her kitchen experimenting with a new recipe, you’ll find her keeping fit at the gym. In the pool, stretching at a yoga class, or on a spin bike, exercise is her escape time. She also loves the great outdoors and if she’s not pottering about in her garden, she’ll be jumping on her bike for a gentle cycle ride.