Need a quick fix to create a cleaner home aesthetic fast? Try the basket method for cleaning your home fast by putting all the extras in a basket, you guys!
Quick Cleaning A Home
Ok, I have to be real, you guys, I’m a pretty tidy person by nature.
I can’t fully function if my space is messy, I can’t rest in the evening if the kitchen is a mess, and I’m constantly picking up my surroundings.
For example, I walk around my home multiple times a day just to quickly glance at its current state.
Then, I spend some time returning misplaced items to their proper home.
Such as shoes scattered in the entryway, dog toys in the living room, dishes on the counter, TV remotes or charging cords left out, socks on the floor, blankets left unfolded on the couch, etc.
This is completely natural to me, and it keeps our home in a more put-together state most of the time.
So, needless to say, quickly cleaning a home is kinda easy for me.
That said, I have lived through difficult seasons where I’ve let things go for a period of time.
While I’m not in that place right now, I know many of you might be.
So, I’m here to share a little tip I used to lean on once upon a time.
Using the Basket Method
Wow, I can’t believe I’m even mentioning this method as I haven’t used it in years!
However, when I was writing my list of quick housecleaning tips, I kept finding myself mentioning the basket cleaning method.
So, naturally, I did what I do, and I threw together this in-depth description of how you can use this cleaning method in your home.
That said, I don’t personally use the basket method anymore, and even when I did use it, I didn’t use it often.
What is the basket method? Well, the basket method for cleaning and decluttering is a quick fix to help you create an immediate change in your home aesthetic.
This method is not a long-term decluttering solution, but it can be used over and over again for quick fixes when you need them.
Plus, when done right, this cleaning method can alleviate some of the overwhelm that comes with a messy house.
In my humble opinion, when you don’t know where to start, this is a great one to try!
The Basket Method: 3 Ways
Ok, I feel like when it comes to any cleaning or organizing method, there are many ways to tweak that method to work better for your current situation.
So, first, I’m going to touch on how I’ve personally used the basket method for cleaning my home.
Then, I’m going to touch on other ways it may prove more useful for your situation.
These are just my simple suggestions, and I truly hope they help you in whatever current season you are in!
Stationary Fill Baskets
While this may not be the exact basket method you are thinking of, this was the one I leaned on most during those busy full-house years.
In our old home, our homeschool room and 2 of my kids’ bedrooms were located on the lower level.
My room, my daughter’s room, the kitchen, and the living space were all on the upper level.
This created a huge stuff issue for me.
School supplies, random toys, and stuffies from that lower level would make their way upstairs on a daily basis.
Naturally, my kiddos didn’t want to run up and down the stairs multiple times a day to return these items, which, as a busy homeschool mom, created some major frustration for me!
I had multiple items NOT in their home at any given time.
Plus, the only way to get them back to their proper place was to either constantly nag the kids or take them down myself.
At some point during this battle, I had what you might call a lightbulb moment.
I bought 3 adorable easter baskets to keep in the nook at the top of our stairs, labeled them with my kids’ names, and tossed anything I found throughout the day straight into their baskets.
Then, at the end of the day (or when needed), I instructed the kiddos to take their baskets to their rooms and empty them, returning the empty basket to the stairwell when finished.
Was this system perfect, and did my kids always put stuff exactly where it was supposed to go in their rooms? No.
However, it did keep the clutter down in our living space for the most part, and I practiced this stationary basket method for years, you guys!
All that said, you can totally use this stationary basket method for cleaning up any area of your home!
Have a stuff problem in a specific room? Keep a spare basket in that space to toss the extras whenever needed and go through it periodically.
Living in that season, I once was? If you have many littles at home and getting their stuff back to their space is a constant battle, consider creating multiple stationary baskets to keep in a catch-all area of your home.
Simply label 1 basket per child and store these baskets in your mudroom, dining room, office, or stairwell.
1 Whole House Basket
While my most used basket method was the stationary one I mentioned above, there were a few times during my busy mom life where that simply wasn’t enough.
I can recall one time in particular when my kiddos were tiny and things had just gotten out of hand.
So, when I couldn’t take it anymore but didn’t know how to get my house back in order, I grabbed an empty laundry basket and made my rounds, you guys!
I filled that basket to the brim, set it on my desk in the office, and closed the door.
This gave me a quick minute to breathe, look around at my home’s current state, and figure out what I needed to do next.
Then, of course, I returned to that basket once my home was more in order and quickly put all of those items away.
I struggle to let anything sit undone for too long, so while this quick-fix was something I needed in the moment, it truly allowed me to focus on the longer-term solution of getting my home back in order without the overwhelming extras in the way.
So, if your home is cluttered, but not terribly overwhelming, leaning on 1 basket is an easy go-to.
Simply grab a larger basket, tub, laundry basket, or whatever you can find, and do a quick walkthrough of your home.
Gather all the items that are not in their place, toss them in your basket, and set them aside for later.
That said, don’t put the putting-away part off for too long!
Take a day or 2 if needed to get your home in order, then focus on putting everything in your basket back in its place.
Honestly, the sooner you put it away, the better.
This basket method is best for doing a quick clean before guests arrive or for those hard weeks when you simply get a little behind.
If you are in need of something a bit more extreme because your entire house is completely overwhelming and you don’t know where to start, utilizing the final method might prove to be a better option, guys!
Multiple Baskets
Ok, confession. I have never done this one before.
While keeping stationary baskets and running around with a laundry basket to grab extras for a quick-fix, have both been on my radar before, this is something totally different, you guys!
I can’t truly tell you how well this will work for your current situation, simply because I haven’t been there before.
However, I did grow up in an overstuffed house with a mom and a grandma who had some serious stuff problems.
Eventually, their stuff problems became my problem, and I spent most of my teenage years cleaning out my grandma’s house time and time again.
So, needless to say, I’ve utilized multiple different methods, and I’m using some of that background to create what I like to call the extreme basket method for cleaning your home quickly.
If you are stuck, not sure where to begin, and have lots of excess stuff out of place, this one is for you!
First, pick a basket or tote (make sure the size matches your need) for each cluttered room of your home.
Second, fill em’ up. Grab everything that’s not in its place, skipping things like dirty dishes, laundry, and trash because those need to go directly to their place (i.e., hampers, sink, trash cans).
Third, clean out that semi-emptied space. Get rid of unused or outdated items, wipe down surfaces, and prepare that space for a return of items!
Finally, go through your basket or tubs one at a time, purging as you go by getting rid of things you no longer need or don’t have the space for. Then, put those items in their proper place and enjoy the new look of your space!
While this can create a clean home aesthetic pretty quickly, and may take away some of that initial overwhelm you were feeling in your space, you will likely have 10-12 baskets to unload, and that part can become daunting.
Since I’m the type of person who would need that immediate change, this would be my preferred method.
However, I do understand this process may prove to be a bit overwhelming for some, so you might need to take a slightly different approach.
If things are really bad, and you feel like loading up all your rooms at once might make you feel stuck again, not wanting to unload those tubs or baskets, try focusing on 1 room at a time instead.
For example, you could focus on 1 room every other day. Loading your basket up on day one, cleaning that room out the same day (wiping things down, purging, etc), and emptying your basket by putting EVERYTHING away in its proper place the following day.
Doing this over and over again until your entire home is clean and decluttered.
While this method might take a bit longer to create a whole home refresh, it can still get the job done, you guys!
Again, I have never personally been stuck in that place where I needed to use an extreme basket cleaning method.
So, don’t just take my word for it; instead, take some time to figure out how to use the basket method best for your current situation and just give it a try, you guys!
Just remember, the basket method is only meant to be a quick fix, not a long-term solution.
More Home Organization Solutions
I’ve been on a huge spring-cleaning kick, you guys, and I’m so excited to share some new methods and ideas with you all!
From my minimalist organization ideas for maximalists to the half-empty home organization I’m currently working towards!
Check out our entire home organization and cleaning page here on Life + Homeschool, or sign up for our newsletter to get updates on new blog posts + hear from me on a regular basis!
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Happy organizing, you guys!
