What Is The 1% Rule For Cleaning, And Does It Actually Work?

These days it seems like everyone on the internet has a time-saving tip or trick for cleaning your home (which is evidenced by the 4,546 posts that show up on TikTok under #cleaninghacksthatwork). So why don't we all live in immaculately clean and organized homes? Probably because we're human and life is full of things we're responsible for – work, relationships, kids, our health, paying bills, grocery shopping — the list is endless. It can feel impossible to find the time or energy to clean the house while also keeping up with everything else. That's where the 1% rule for cleaning comes in. With this rule, you don't have to stress about cleaning the entire house at once, simply do one small thing to make your space 1% better (or in this case, cleaner).

The 1% rule for cleaning was popularized by social media influencer Holly Blakey, who goes by @breathing.room.home on Instagram. Like most of us, she knows it's easy to get overwhelmed when trying to check everything off the list at once. Taking a small action that feels doable is a simple mindset that will help you maintain a clutter-free home. It can be as easy as wiping down the bathroom counters or straightening the hand towels. 

Why the 1% rule for cleaning works

When you're overwhelmed with a big task, like keeping your house clean, it's more effective to break it down into smaller steps and tackle one little thing at a time, rather than trying to accomplish it all at once. If you are working incrementally toward a goal, doing things that move the needle just 1% make a difference over time. And that's why the 1% rule for cleaning works. You can ditch the overwhelming thoughts of how and when you're going to get it all done, and just focus on the one little task in front of you. That makes it especially effective for people who are busy or have low energy levels.

Another perspective on the 1% rule of cleaning is to dedicate 1% of your day to cleaning. That ends up being about 15 minutes a day to tidy up a cluttered area, clean the kitchen, or whatever else needs to get done. To be more productive, you can decide ahead of time which areas of your home need the most attention and then set a timer for 15 minutes each day to tackle those areas. While you may keep putting off large cleaning tasks because you lack the time, you are more likely to jump in if you only need to spare a few minutes. With just a tiny bit of effort and a short amount of time, this simple cleaning hack will help you maintain a tidy home.

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