"Surface Sweep” Is the Smartest Cleaning Habit I've Ever Adopted
Apartment Therapy’s January Cure is a free 20-day program that’ll help you refresh your home for the year ahead. Sign up here and get all assignments delivered to your inbox.
Introducing big changes to your home starts with one small shift at a time. It’s the little efforts and habits you do regularly that’ll make an impact unlike any other — whether it’s cleaning as you go so no mess can actually accumulate, or shutting down the kitchen every night so the place is left spick-and-span.
I have one more practice you can add to your routine that’ll give your home a cleaning boost instantly — or, rather, in three minutes.
Day 3: Do a three-minute surface sweep.
Let’s do the surface sweep challenge together! Grab a box or bag, set a timer for three minutes, and then spend that time clearing surfaces. You can stay in one room that has a lot of surfaces to get through, or move around your whole home. Gather anything that doesn’t belong and put it in the bag or box you are carrying with you (think: trash, drinking glasses, charging cords, etc.) and work quickly.
Once the timer is up, you’re going to go through your bag or box, return the items to their rightful place, and discard any trash. That’s it!
PRO TIP: This small habit can easily work into a daily or weekly routine. You can even add more time to build momentum (like three more minutes or make it an even 10!) and get all those surfaces clear, or tack on a final task of wiping things down to also get those surfaces clean.
What simple habits have made a big difference in your life? Share it with us in the community forum.
More ways to participate in the January Cure:
Sign up for email updates.
Visit the 2025 January Cure page and catch up on assignments.
Download the January Cure calendar.
Join the conversation by checking out the Cure board in our community forum.
Check off that you’ve completed this task and track your overall January Cure progress here!
The Cure Program is a tradition here at Apartment Therapy — it happens every January, April, and September. Click here to learn more about the year-round program and when to sign up.
Further Reading
I Tried the 90/90 Rule and My Closet Is Now Fully Decluttered
We Tested (and Rated!) Every Sofa at West Elm — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Pottery Barn — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
