Hello ladies! I just wanted to tell you all about a little something I've been doing that not only gives me a quick little workout but helps me keep my house clean too! I actually adapted this off of something I saw on AOL once and, being the mom of three kids and an in-home preschool teacher, thought it would be a wonderful way to stay on top of daily cleaning. However, no where in it did it mention that I'd break a sweat and my heart rate would be elevated just trying to beat the clock! This suggests you do it in the morning. I personally prefer to do it in the afternoon when all the little ones are down for their nap. You could do it after dinner when you get home from work if you want... whatever works best for you! Mine actually takes a little longer than 20 minutes because I have more than one bathroom and I add vacuuming at the end of it all. You might need to adapt it to fit your home like I did.
So, get all your cleaning materials out and in one central area, pull your hair up, set your timer and Ready... Set... Go!

Clean Your House in 20 Minutes
Simply incorporate this 20-minute method into your morning routine and you’ll have a tidy house all day, every day. Best of all, it means you can put your feet up sooner rather than later.

KITCHEN/DINING ROOM: 5 ½ MINUTES
Wipe down the sink after doing the dishes or loading the dishwasher (30 seconds).
Wipe down the stove top (1 minute).
Wipe down the counters (1 minute).
Sweep, Swiffer, or vacuum the floor (2 minutes).
Wipe down the table and chairs (1 minute).

Tip: Always start with the sink. Keep it empty and shining. A sparkling sink becomes your kitchen's benchmark for hygiene and tidiness, inspiring you to load the dishwasher immediately and keep counters, refrigerator doors, and the stove top spick-and-span, too.

LIVING ROOM: 6 MINUTES
Pick up toys and misc. things on floor (1 minute).
Fluff the cushions and fold blankets after use (2 minutes).
Wipe tabletops and spot-clean cabinets when you see fingerprints (1 minute).
Straighten coffee-table books and magazines. Throw out newspapers. Put away CDs and videos (2 minutes).

Tip: Start with the sofa -- as long as it's in disarray, your living room will never look tidy. Once you've fluffed the pillows and folded the throws, you're halfway home. If you pop in a CD while you dust, you should be able cover the whole room by the end of the third track.

BATHROOM: 2 MINUTES
Wipe out the sink (30 seconds).
Wipe the toilet seat and rim (15 seconds).
Swoosh the toilet bowl with a brush (15 seconds).
Wipe the mirror and faucet (30 seconds).
Spray the entire shower and the curtain liner with shower mist after every use (15 seconds).
Sweep the floor (15 seconds).

Tip: Make cleaning the basin as routine as washing your hands. But don't stop there. Get the most out of your premoistened wipe by using it to clean around the edges of the tub and then the toilet before tossing it.

BEDROOM: 6½ MINUTES
Make the bed (2 minutes).
Fold or hang clothing and put away jewelry (4 minutes).
Straighten out the night-table surface and dresser (30 seconds).

Tip: Make your bed right before or after your morning shower. A neat bed will inspire you to deal with other messes immediately. Although smoothing sheets and plumping pillows might not seem like a high priority as you're rushing to work, the payoff comes at the end of the day, when you slip back under the unruffled covers.

For a little extra cardio, run the vacuum through the entire house once you are finished! Good luck and let me know what ya think!

wow, lol, nice schedule! i should copy it and hang it up!!

I love it.. sounds perfect to me!!

its a great list! now if i could just figure out how to use the vacuum we have had over a year now...

That's nice and all, but I just don't see any way of cleaning a bathroom in 2 minutes!

This isn't meant to be the type of cleaning you do on the weekend. This is quick cleaning that keeps your house tidy during the week. If you read it, you'll notice it doesn't say anything about SCRUBBING... just picking up and wiping down... totally different then what one might do on the weekends. Take if for what it is and use it if you want. It works for me and I just thought I'd offer it out to others.

Besides, because of the extra rooms I have and the things I add to my cleaning list, it actually takes me almost 40 minutes to complete this BUT I get in a cardio workout and I have a clean house... I say, if you can kill two birds with one stone, why not? Don't knock it til you try it.

How do we get the hubby and kids in on this ?

Excellent question! If anyone knows the answer, I'm listening.

You're right, wiping and scrubbing are 2 different things... It just seems that whenever I'm cleaning I'm ALWAYS scrubbing, and it takes at least 10-15 minutes for a bathroom. If I clean I cannot stand if there's a stain that does not come out. I stay at it until its out... Am I too much of a perfectionist?

But, personally, I hate cleaning even more then I hate exercise, so it probably would not work for me, how ever it is a nice idea. You do burn calories while cleaning even at regular speed, that's for sure. My husband would love for me to adopt this kind of exercise, tho...
I can already hear him "encouraging" "honey, did you do your CARDIO today?" LOL

Thats awesome its an everyday cardio session for me, I live with my sister and shes a slob....

hey, thanks for posting that..i feel like i clean all the time but still have a messy house! its great to have a routine set up - i've never had one before. i'm going to see if my kids will help, too

I know exactly how you feel! I honestly clean my house everyday and the mess is back the very next day! That's why I like this so much... it's awesome! Thanks for the response.

This is great. It's now posted on my fridge along with our daily chores list. As far as the difference between wiping and scrubbing, if you're doing a daily light cleaning, the weekend scrubbing will be alot easier! The only thing that doesn't work for me on it is the shower misting. I do use the stuff myself but after hubby comes home the shower MUST be scrubbed. Loading and unloading cattle leaves him, shall we say NASTY, at the end of the day. The rest of it is excellent. I can definitely get daughter in on it since there's more than one bedroom and 3 bathrooms and kitchen and dining room are seperate rooms. Can't think of a single way to get hubby involved though! Can't even get him to get his clothes in the hamper instead of on the floor right next to it!