I 'employed myself' to spring clean this year and my house has never been cleaner

I have a love-hate relationship with cleaning – love a clean house, hate the actual task of cleaning. Despite living alone in a relatively small home, the cleaning, tidying and putting away feels endless. For years I've asked myself why I don't just outsource it completely, but it's never felt like an expense I could quite justify.

So, this month I decided to do something different and follow the latest trend of 'employing yourself to spring clean', paying myself the going hourly rate in my area (£10.50) for every hour I spent cleaning the house. This has been a game-changer for me, and what I like most about this particular cleaning hack is that it recognises maintaining a clean home for what it is: a full-time job.

The cash incentive and race against the clock made me much more efficient, and I was rewarded with a squeaky clean bathroom and living room worthy of lighting the good candles (as well as some guilt-free lunches and lattes bought out). 

Below, I've shared more details on how I planned out my spring cleaning checklist and some thoughts after trying out the new 'employing yourself' cleaning craze.

I 'employed myself' to spring clean

I wanted to do my spring cleaning little and often, cleaning more regularly and thoroughly over a few weeks rather than trying to do it all in one weekend. For my first cleaning session, I read up online about the best order to spring clean small spaces, gathered my cleaning supplies, and made a list:

• Spray all the bathroom surfaces: Spritz tiles, bathtub, shower, glass shower screen, sink, window, radiator and toilet with cleaning products
• Leave the cleaning spray to get to work while taking all the bins out and dusting all rooms, getting rid of dust and cobwebs around light fittings.
• Then, return to the bathroom and wipe everything down until everything is sparkling clean. (I used microfibre cloths, at Amazon, and an old washing-up sponge for any soap stains that needed some scrubbing.)

By this point I had about 20 minutes left, so I put the dishes away in the kitchen, cleaned the kitchen sink, tidied the living room, took clothes off the drying rack and folded them, washed and dried my soap and toothbrush holder, returned them to the bathroom and put all the used microfiber cloths and tea towels in the laundry basket.

I did two more paid hours over the next couple of weeks, tackling different areas each time – cleaning the kitchen cabinets, cleaning the living room, and thoroughly vacuuming every corner of the flat. I also cleaned the windows and windowsills and removed mould where small patches had started to appear over winter. 

When clutter got in the way, I just made piles to deal with later, and the consistent cleaning meant it got much easier each time. I also felt more motivated to declutter and keep things clean in between the cleaning sessions, entering a positive feedback loop. 

My verdict

I was surprised at just how much I was able to get done in an hour and tended to carry on a little while afterwards. I used cleaning as a chance to listen to music and podcasts – my running playlist made the cleaning sessions a lot more enjoyable. 

I also found it was a nice opportunity to have some time away from my phone – I could hear notifications coming in but was always in the zone and didn't want to waste my valuable (paid) cleaning time.

Paying myself to clean also made me realise that I usually blend cleaning, tidying and decluttering in my head, when they are all quite different tasks. I was trying to do it all at once, which was a little overwhelming.

When cleaning the bathroom, I removed all the towels, toilet paper, houseplants, the bath mat, shampoo bottles reed diffuser etc., and just focused on giving it a thorough clean, imagining it was an Airbnb that needed to be rated "sparkling clean". I found cleaning was a lot more manageable with a clear space, and it's so much easier when you just focus on one task (cleaning, tidying or decluttering) at a time.

The clean space made me determined to practice daily habits to keep my home clean and tidy.

I have tried several expert cleaning and professional decluttering methods over the years to try and make it less overwhelming, from 5-minute tidying bursts to deep cleaning one room each week. Recently, I have also been following decluttering expert Helen Sanderson's home organising mantra, "complete, complete, complete" while tidying, cleaning, and doing laundry, and couldn't recommend it more. 

It's incredibly simple but has made a big difference, stopping me from leaving jobs half-finished. Whether quickly cleaning my bedroom or cleaning the kitchen in the evening, I'm more likely to do the job properly with the "complete, complete, complete" mantra ringing in my head.

Helen Sanderson

Helen Sanderson MSc, is the author of The Secret Life of Clutter. A psychotherapist, interior designer and one of the UK’s most well-respected clutter experts, she provides the ultimate holistic decluttering service. Helen helps people create beautifully organised, clutter-free homes and live more mindful and meaningful lives. She works with her clients holistically, both to uncover what their homes reveal whilst supporting them to let go and move on.

Overall, 'employing yourself to spring clean' was a real success, and a cleaning hack I'll turn to when my home feels messy again (hopefully never). I think it's most helpful if, like me, you're not naturally tidy, but enjoy a tidy space. 

It's also made me feel much better about my home in general – an unexpected guest doesn't make me panic-tidy, and the whole flat feels much calmer, sparkly and more supportive.

You can't do everything in an hour, a common spring cleaning mistake is to underestimate how long the process takes, but I found little and often went a seriously long way. Plus the cash incentive made it so much easier to get motivated.

Top tip: For efficient cleaning, professional cleaners share their spring cleaning tips by recommending going from top to bottom and working your way around the room in one direction. So you might like to begin by dusting ceiling lights, coving and the tops of door frames, mirrors, and frames. Then, move onto things at eye level, such as windows, mirrors and cabinetry, and work down to the flooring.