A Worthy Half Day For a Saturday Morning

A half-day tidy-up of a four-bedroom townhouse that isn't very dirty to begin with. The focus is on quick hits that make a big difference.

​Time Allotment: 3-4 hours

​Phase 1: The "15-Minute Dash" (1 hour total)

​The goal here is to reset each room with minimal effort. Set a timer for 15 minutes per floor or a couple of rooms at a time to stay on track.

• ​Gather your supplies: You'll need a laundry basket, a small trash can, and a catch-all bin for stray items.
• ​The Dash: Go through each room, including bathrooms and common areas.
  • ​Pick up all dirty laundry and throw it in the basket. Start a load if the basket is full.
  • ​Gather all trash and put it in the small trash can.
  • ​Grab stray items (mail on the counter, a book on the floor, a remote out of place) and put them in the catch-all bin. Don't worry about putting them away yet—just get them off the surfaces.

​Phase 2: "Surface & Shine" (1.5 - 2 hours)

​Now that the clutter is gone, you can focus on making surfaces look clean and polished. Work from top to bottom, one room at a time.

• ​Kitchen & Living Room (45 minutes):
  • ​Wipe down all kitchen counters, the stovetop, and the outside of the microwave.
  • ​Wipe down the coffee table, end tables, and any visible dusty surfaces in the living room.
  • ​Fluff the couch pillows and fold any blankets.
• ​Bathrooms (30 minutes):
  • ​Give the mirrors a quick wipe with glass cleaner.
  • ​Spray and wipe down the sinks and faucets.
  • ​Do a quick swish-and-scrub of the toilets.
• ​Bedrooms (30 minutes):
  • ​Make all the beds. This is one of the quickest ways to make a bedroom look tidy.
  • ​Do a fast wipe-down of nightstands and dressers to remove dust.

​Phase 3: "The Final Sweep" (30 minutes)

​This last phase ties everything together.

• ​Floors: Do a quick vacuum or sweep of the main traffic areas and any visible messes. You don't need to do every nook and cranny.
• ​Put Away: Go back to your catch-all bin and put away the items you gathered in Phase 1. If there's anything left, put it in a designated "to-do later" spot.
• ​Trash: Empty all the small trash cans from the bathrooms and kitchen into a large bag, and take it outside.

​This plan focuses on high-impact, low-effort tasks that make a home look presentable in a short amount of time. You'll feel a huge sense of accomplishment without spending your entire day on it!