Lynsey Crombie shows how to declutter your home in 15 minutes
The Queen of Clean shares her clutter-banishing plan.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.After all these months cooped up inside, clutter can take over. But Queen of Clean Lynsey Crombie reveals a quick decluttering blitz is easily achievable when you plan it out.
“Lockdown has likely created many clutter zones; everyone has been at home and these zones start to pile up,” says the 41-year-old author and presenter. “My new cleaning concept is all about keeping your home clutter-free and clean in just 15 minutes a day, using a timer method and rotating the rooms as you go.”
Sounds doable… “But before you start,” she notes, “it is vital that you plan and set aside some time.”
Crombie recommends breaking your home up into manageable sections, and doing just one section a day in the time you have allowed – no more than 15 minutes.
“In the kitchen, you might have a drawer filled with old pens that don’t work, the bedroom could have wardrobes full of clothes you don’t like or no longer fit into, and the bathroom might have surfaces covered in nearly empty toiletries and candles that have burnt down to nothing,” she says. Make your room choice, break the jobs down even further if necessary, then set your timer and go.
She also suggests using smaller amounts of time to give your home a spruce. “When you’re boiling the kettle or cooking something in the microwave – this is valuable time you can use to clean and tidy,” says Crombie. “When you’re running the bath, this is a good time to go through products and declutter, or tidy up that bathroom cabinet. These simple everyday changes can make a huge difference to the amount of time you spend cleaning and organising in your home.”
And don’t be sentimental when decluttering, she says. “Ask yourself: ‘Have I used it in the last year? Do I like it? Do I need it? Does it add value to me?’ If you answer ‘no’ to all of these, the item needs to go.”
It’s not just your home that needs decluttering, either, she adds: “Focus on decluttering your life, too. Delete apps you don’t need or use, delete old contacts from your phone, purge your social media accounts and organise your home entertainment.
“Decluttering your house and your life may not be the answer to all of our problems, but it will certainly help. As we start getting outside and back to normality, now is the time to get these good habits in place, so decluttering may never be a chore ever again.”
The 15-Minute Clean: The Quickest Way To A Sparkling Home by Lynsey Crombie is published by Welbeck, priced £14.99. Available at amazon.co.uk now.