How to Clean the Living Room in 15 Short Minutes

You don’t have to take a huge chunk of time out of your day when you want a clean living room. While thoroughly cleaning the living room will give you better, lasting results, a quick sweep through the room will suffice when you’re pressed for time-or lack the energy it takes to deep clean. You can clean your living room in a 15 short minutes if you follow these tips.

Create a Clutter Container

Living rooms are prone to collecting clutter. Whether it’s magazines or mail or items you’ve tossed on the sofa after work, accumulated clutter makes any living room appear untidy. When you’re looking to clean the space in just 15 minutes, the easiest way to do so is to clear the clutter. You’ll eat up time if you try to put all the items back where they belong. Instead, create a “sorting” bin. It can be something as simple as a Rubbermaid container that you keep in the hall closet. Place anything that’s strewn about in the room in the sorting bin. On a day when you have more time you can go through it and put the items back in their rightful place. In the meantime, hiding them in a bin in the closet will keep the room looking clean.

Wipe Down Surfaces

Living rooms look dingy when you don’t wipe down the surfaces, and dust is very noticeable. Your living room will appear cleaner to guests if you take a few minutes to wipe off your furniture. Try to always keep some dusting wipes on hand. When you’re pressed for time, wipe off the tops of all hard surfaces. In the case of bookshelves, you don’t necessarily have to move all items off of it. Simply wipe down the portions that are visible. The process shouldn’t take you any longer than two or three minutes. Remember to also wipe down the screen of your television. A dusty television screen clearly indicates that a room hasn’t been cleaned.

Arrange Your Belongings

Sometimes sprucing up your living room simply requires making things look orderly. Take the magazines that are laying haphazardly on your coffee table and stack them or fan them out. Adjust the lamp shade that is slightly tilted. Reposition any table top items, like picture frames and candles, that may have been shifted. Fluff the cushions and pillows on your sofa and chairs. Small details make all the difference and will take little time and effort.

Vacuum or Sweep

Don’t worry about lifting up any rugs or getting the dirt from underneath your sofa. Quickly run a vacuum (or broom, depending on your flooring) across the room. Of all the tasks, this will take the most effort, but will make the room feel much cleaner.

Truly, cleaning your living room doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking. With simple methods for making the room look cleaner, there really is no excuse for keeping the space untidy.

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Rachael Weiner: I’m a communications professional for a non-profit, which financially necessitates my status as an apartment dweller. Constantly “on-the-go,” I’ve resided in five different apartments across the United States over the past five years. Roommate issues, budgeting, organizing and handling problem neighbors are my specialty.