--- title: How to Make Your Apartment Look Clean in 5 Minutes description: Focus on tidying the stuff at eye level canonical: https://time.com/3676865/apartment-cleaning-5-minutes/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-01-25T20:00:20.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:42:42.447Z og:title: How to Make Your Apartment Look Clean in 5 Minutes og:description: Focus on tidying the stuff at eye level og:url: https://time.com/3676865/apartment-cleaning-5-minutes/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt712bd0e2233bf081/69877b10e20a871177a84a16/76185673-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3344 og:image:height: 1881 og:image:alt: 76185673 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How to Make Your Apartment Look Clean in 5 Minutes twitter:description: Focus on tidying the stuff at eye level twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt712bd0e2233bf081/69877b10e20a871177a84a16/76185673-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # How to Make Your Apartment Look Clean in 5 Minutes > Sponsored content. 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There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=69099b08-5515-4d0c-b023-5f3bc0395e40&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) by [Refinery29](https://time.com/author/refinery29/) ## Refinery29 Jan 25, 2015 8:00 PM UTC  A bucket of soapy water and a mop A bucket of soapy water and a mop Getty Images by [Refinery29](https://time.com/author/refinery29/) ## Refinery29 Jan 25, 2015 8:00 PM UTC Whether you want to be prepared for a visit from a neighbor or you just need some peace of mind before you walk out of the door, you want your place looking presentable — fast. Here are 10 ways to eliminate mess, in under five minutes. **Snap A Pic** Before you dive in, take a quick photo of the space. “It’s so easy to get used to clutter that has been in one spot for a while,” points out Emma Chapman, the lifestyle blogger behind [A Beautiful Mess](http://www.abeautifulmess.com/). “Glancing at the photo and trying to spot anything that looks out of place helps me to notice little things that I may not have spotted before.” You can then quickly move those little things to a proper, or at least less noticeable, place. **Stash Clutter** In a pinch, toss out-of-place odds and ends into a laundry basket (like [this woven one](http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40252637/)) or a bin that you can stow out of eye’s view for sorting later. **Repurpose Empty Spaces** An empty napkin holder can serve as a de facto mail sorter so bills don’t get lost in the shuffle. Corral rogue office supplies in a pretty mug or glass. Take the impromptu cleanup a step further by throwing a [patterned tray](http://www.refinery29.com/cocktail-trays#slide) underneath for a subtle organizational vibe. **MORE** [Where Would You Sleep In This 86-Square-Foot Paris Apartment?](http://www.refinery29.com/kitoko-studio-paris-apartment?utm%5Fsource=time&utm%5Fmedium=syndication&utm%5Fcampaign=related) **Sweep Up** Your mission: Eliminate little crumbs or dust bunnies that will stick to people’s socks. “It just makes your guests feel dirty,” says Kadi Dulude, owner of NYC cleaning service [Wizard of Homes](http://www.wizardofhomesnyc.com/). **Tackle The Bathroom** Wipe any gobs of toothpaste from the sink, and rinse crusted soap from the dish. Make sure the TP roll is plump, and swish a little bleach in the toilet bowl. Forget scrubbing any mildew-y grout — just pull the shower curtain closed. **Rub Down Surfaces** Don’t worry if your cleaning supplies aren’t well stocked: You don’t need anything fancy to give your shelves or tables a once-over. “Go ahead and use water for everyday cleaning. Just wet a microfiber cloth,” says Dulude. (Remember: This won’t disinfect any surfaces.) **MORE** [The Real Cost Of TV Apartments — And Who Could _Actually_ Afford Them](http://www.refinery29.com/tv-apartments-cost?utm%5Fsource=time&utm%5Fmedium=syndication&utm%5Fcampaign=related#slide) **Fluff The Living Room** Flip stained couch cushions to the clean(er) side, fluff your pillows, and fold your throw blanket. Light a [scented candle](http://www.paddywax.com/Shop/Glass%5FCandles/Chamomile%5FFig%5FApothecary) for instant coziness. **Skip The Underneath** Focus on tidying the stuff at eye level. Don’t bother cleaning under furniture or dusting ceiling fans — people won’t be looking there, Dulude says. **Eliminate Pet Hair** Lint rollers are a must-have tool when it comes to tackling pet hairs. Even more effective than the sticky barrel? Throw on some rubber dish gloves and run your hands over your chairs or futon, balling up hair as you go. **MORE** [See New York’s First $100 Million Apartment](http://www.refinery29.com/2015/01/80971/100-million-dollar-apartment-nyc?utm%5Fsource=time&utm%5Fmedium=syndication&utm%5Fcampaign=related#slide) **Attend To Allergies** We’re already sneezing and coughing a ton this time of year. Put visitors at ease by paying special attention to windowsills and radiators, which accumulate dust that can trigger serious sniffles, suggests Dulude. _This_ [_article_](http://www.refinery29.com/quick-cleaning-tips?utm%5Fsource=time&utm%5Fmedium=syndication&utm%5Fcampaign=main#slide) _originally appeared on_ [_Refinery29.com_](http://www.refinery29.com/)_._ ### 5 Horrible Habits You Need to Stop Right Now  Do Not Email First Thing in the Morning or Last Thing at Night “The former scrambles your priorities and all your plans for the day and the latter just gives you insomnia,” says Ferriss, who insists “email can wait until 10am” or after you check off at least one substantive to-do list item. Chris Pecoraro—Getty Images  Do Not Agree to Meetings or Calls With No Clear Agenda or End Time “If the desired outcome is defined clearly… and there’s an agenda listing topics–questions to cover–no meeting or call should last more than 30 minutes,” claims Ferriss, so “request them in advance so you can ‘best prepare and make good use of our time together.'” Sam Edwards—Getty Images/Caiaimage  Do Not Check Email Constantly Batch it and check it only periodically at set times (Ferriss goes for twice a day). Your inbox is analogous to a cocaine pellet dispenser, says Ferriss. Don’t be an addict. Tools like strategic use of the auto responder and Boomerang can help. Jetta Productions—Getty Images  Do Not Carry a Digital Leash 24/7 At least one day a week leave you smartphone somewhere where you can’t get easy access to it. If you’re gasping, you’re probably the type of person that most needs to do kick this particular habit. by nacoki ( MEDIA ARC )—Getty Images/Flickr RF  Do Not Let People Ramble Sounds harsh, but it’s necessary, Ferriss believes. “Small talk takes up big time,” he says, so when people start to tell you about their weekends, cut them off politely with something like “I’m in the middle of something, but what’s up?” But be aware, not everyone agrees with this one (and certainly not in every situation), and you may want to pay particularly close attention to norms around chit chat when traveling internationally. Reza Estakhrian—Getty Images _Read next:_ [_Here’s What to Do When Your Computer Runs Out of Space_](http://time.com/3680964/computer-out-space/?xid=time%5Freadnext) [_Listen to the most important stories of the day._](http://time.com/newsletter/the-brief/?sl%5Fautoplay=true&xid=spl-fullbrief-article) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3676865/apartment-cleaning-5-minutes/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3676865/apartment-cleaning-5-minutes/"},"headline":"How to Make Your Apartment Look Clean in 5 Minutes","datePublished":"2015-01-25T20:00:20.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:42:42.447Z","description":"Focus on tidying the stuff at eye level","url":"https://time.com/3676865/apartment-cleaning-5-minutes/","keywords":["Living","advice","Cleaning"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt712bd0e2233bf081/69877b10e20a871177a84a16/76185673-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Refinery29","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/refinery29/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt712bd0e2233bf081/69877b10e20a871177a84a16/76185673-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"76185673","caption":"soap-water-mop","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-living/","name":"Living"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3676865/apartment-cleaning-5-minutes/","name":"How to Make Your Apartment Look Clean in 5 Minutes"}}]}] ```