How to Clean Your Room in 20 Minutes With These 13 Tips

13 quick tips for cleaning your room in 20 minutes.

Cleankitzcorner/Shutterstock

Cleaning and straightening up your bedroom doesn’t have to be an all-day affair. Set aside just 20 minutes and follow these 13 tips to clean your room. While you may not get everything done in this short amount of time, do this regularly and you’ll banish clutter and stay organized.

1. Check your nightstand(s) and toss or recycle anything you don’t need, such as old receipts, used tissues and empty water bottles.

2. Gather all dirty clothes and put them in the hamper or down the laundry chute.

3. Hang up any clean clothes or fold them and put them away in drawers.

4. Make your bed.

5. Organize books and magazines. Put read books away and recycle any old magazines.

6. Take used drinking glasses, plates, bowls and utensils to the kitchen.

7. Organize shoes. Keep pairs together neatly in your closet or on a shoe rack.

8. Toss old linens and clothing you no longer wear. If it’s in good shape, consider donating it to a resale or thrift store.

9. Tidy up jewelry. Return pieces to a jewelry box or cabinet for safe keeping.

10. Check under the bed. Is there anything that can be tossed or donated?

11. Give all accessories, such as bags, belts and scarves, a designated place. Hang them in the closet or keep them on a shelf.

12. Dust all surfaces. Be sure to get around electronics, cords and on lamps and shades. If you have time, you can also dust blinds and ceiling fan blades.

13. Vacuum or sweep, even under the bed and behind dressers and tables, if possible. Mop if needed.

Going forward, don’t let dishes, garbage and laundry get the better of you. Deal with them every day and cleaning your room might only take 15 minutes!

Rachel Brougham
Rachel Brougham lived through a major home renovation in 2019, knows the ups and downs of home improvement, and loves sharing tips with readers. A veteran journalist of both print and television, she’s won several awards for her writing and has covered everything from the environment and education to health care, politics and food. She’s written for several publications beyond newspapers including Bob Vila, Taste of Home and Minnesota Parent, and she currently writes a weekly syndicated newspaper column. Her memoir, Widowland, about the sudden loss of her husband, was published in 2022. She specializes in everything from home decor and design to lawn and garden, product reviews and pet care. When she’s not writing, you can usually find her tending to her garden (both vegetables and native plants), playing with her dog, watching sports with her family or getting some exercise. A native of Michigan, she currently lives in Minneapolis. An avid user of Instagram, you can follow her @RachBrougham.