This post is all about the best minimalist cleaning tips to save you time and money.
Here, you will learn about the minimalist cleaning essentials and supplies that you need to have on hand. You will also find out the best minimalist cleaning routine for every situation.

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Are you tried of spending all your time cleaning, yet never having a clean home? The best solution to help you free up your time and give you the aesthetic home you are looking for is a minimalist cleaning routine, complete with all the supplies and essentials you need.
Declutter
If you’ve come across minimalism at all, you’ve already heard the declutter spiel. So I’ll keep it brief. The easiest way to keep your home clean is to keep it free of clutter.
Think of the time that you spend sweeping or vacuuming. How much of that time is cleaning the floors, and how much of that time is just removing or rearranging the things on the floor? If you find that clutter on your floors prevents you from getting a quick clean in, then it is time to remove some of it.
The same thing is true for any flat surface in your home. How much excess does your T.V. stand have on it? How many extra nicknacks do your bookshelves contain? Do you have too many kitchen appliances out that you don’t regularly use? Or maybe your nightstand has a months worth of clutter collecting on it.
Spend some dedicated time to declutter your floors and the flat surfaces of your home, and you’ll be surprised with how much time you save while cleaning.
Minimalist Cleaning routine
A good cleaning routine can save you so much time cleaning in the long run, while also leaving your home constantly fresh and organized. I like to break my cleaning routine up into 3 different parts: daily tasks, weekly tasks, and seasonal tasks.
Daily tasks
For a minimalist daily cleaning routine, consider what MUST be done everyday. For me, this includes: making the bed, doing the dishes and laundry, vacuuming the floors, wiping down the bathroom, and clearing off surfaces.
Although this may sound like a huge list that would take all day to complete, I can finish it in under 30 minutes (or an hour with my toddler helping). The reason I am able to get through this list so quickly is because I have a relatively clean and organized home to begin with, so none of the counterparts take more than 5 minutes.
For you, this list will likely look different. Just as it has for me during different seasons. When I am freshly postpartum and looking after a newborn, I know that it would be unrealistic for me to get all of this done, so I change the expectations for my home’s cleanliness during this time. Instead of including these 5 things in my daily clean, I drop it down to only doing the dishes and sweeping the floors. This is because I have found these two things to be the most impactful for everyday living.
Weekly tasks
On top of my daily cleaning routine, I also have weekly tasks that I like to complete on a rotating basis. For these, I usually set aside about 30 minutes per task and try to get to one a day, but I don’t stress if I miss a day. This is because instead of assigning each task to a specific day of the week, I simply complete all my tasks on a rotating basis, and I’m not afraid to change up the order if I find my home needing it.
For my weekly tasks, I do a deeper clean on rooms of the house or areas that I notice get especially dirty. So on a rotating basis, I deep clean mine and my toddlers bedrooms, the bathroom, the kitchen, and the living room. I will also do a deep clean of the pantry and storage closet when I need to. Again, my weekly tasks are minimal because I’ve downsized my home to a manageable level where I don’t have too much upkeep.
I also don’t do a complete house deep cleaning every week. My weekly tasks are much more relaxed and it takes about 2 weeks to get through them before starting over. I also typically pick a special project within these tasks, such as organizing the closet in the bedroom or cleaning out under the bed. I simply do whatever I notice needs to be done so that I stay on top of everything.
Seasonal minimalist cleaning routine
I have very little seasonal cleaning needs because my daily and weekly routines cover most everything within my home and I don’t have a yard. However, these seasonal activities should be expected to take more time to tackle, and typically include things like gardening and lawn care, winterizing outside toys or tools, and whatever else may come up during different seasons.

minimalist cleaning checklist
In order to make the most out of your cleaning time, consider creating a minimalist cleaning checklist to guide you. Doing so will ensure that you don’t miss any area in your home and you’ll always know what is coming up and needs to be done. Here are some things you may want to include in your checklist:
- Laundry
- Dishes
- Make bed
- Floors (Sweep, Vacuum, Mop)
- Clear Surfaces
- Bathrooms
- Clean windows
- Dust (Blinds, baseboards)
- Deep clean rooms
- Clean out cars
Minimalist cleaning essentials
Although you do not need any extra tools or storage bins, they can help you organize to save time while cleaning. Here are a few popular minimalist cleaning essentials to consider.
Cleaning organization
Having a cleaning caddy can be very beneficial for storing all of your cleaning products in one place. Before running out and purchasing one, consider what cleaning products you currently have and use, and find a caddy that works for those products.
There are two main styles of caddy’s to choose from. You can either get a traveling caddy that you can take with you throughout the house. Or, if you have a small home or only use products in one room, a cupboard door caddy may be perfect for you.
Storage organization ideas
If the idea of cleaning your floors daily seems daunging to you because there is always too much to pick up, consider getting some storage solutions to help keep your home tidy.
Big floor baskets are lifesavers for quickly tossing in throw blankets when not in use. And storage ottomans work wonders for kids toys, games, or electronics.
Minimalist Cleaning supplies (Minimalist cleaning products)
When it comes to finding the perfect cleaning products, the options are endless. If you are new to the minimalism journey, I would encourage you to use up the products that you already have before adding any new ones to your collection. As you use up products and are in need of new ones that can have multiple functions and are low toxin, here are a few of my favorite options.
Dishwasher pods
Molly’s Suds is my go-to brand for dishwasher pods. They work well no matter if you are dealing with hard or soft water and they are free of many of the common toxins. I love the simplicity of plopping in a pod at night and waking up to clean dishes.
Dish soap
Mrs. Meyers dish soap comes in many great scents and is free of common toxins, while still working as good as dawn dish soap. I personally love the fresh scent of the lemon, but there is also lavender, compassion flower, mint, and others to choose from.
Laundry soap
Molly’s suds also has a laundry detergent, but I opt for ECOS because of the price. With only seven easy to understand ingredients, this was the perfect detergent for my newborn with sensitive skin and I’ve continued to use it ever since.
Instead of a fabric softener with harsh chemicals and toxic scents, I’ve opted to use inexpensive vinegar. This keeps my clothes in beautiful condition, even while having to use less-than-optimal coin operated machines.
For the dryer, I use wool laundry balls with a few drops of essential oil. This keeps the static away from my clothes while giving them a light and fresh scent. Once again, this has been a great option for my sensitive newborn and toddler.
Multipurpose cleaner
I love using branch basics for my multipurpose cleaner because I can just use their concentrate to fill three different glass bottles – a streak-free mirror cleaner, an all-purpose cleaner, and a bathroom cleaner. You simply fill the bottles with water to the line and then add the concentrate. This system allows me to only need three cleaning bottles and the concentrate which I only replace about every 9 months.

Cleaning tools
There are very few cleaning tools that you’ll need in a minimalist approach. This is partly because you’ll be keeping your house cleaner on a regular basis, so you won’t have a grime buildup in need of special tools. Another reason you won’t find yourself reaching for various tools is that you’ll be able to find what you need in your home already.
Most people have an abundance of washcloths in their home, so instead of buying a specific type for cleaning, I’d recommend using up what you have.
Old toothbrushes work great if you want something small the reach into cracks, or consider using your old dish scrubber for cleaning the grout in your tiles.
When it comes to the heavy duty cleaning tools, I have found that I only need three – a broom, vacuum, and mop. And honestly, depending on your home, you could easily get away with only having a mop and vacuum or broom.
For a mop, I use the swifter wet-jet and simply reuse the container. I also use these re-usable mop pads which save a ton of money and are a great environmentally friendly option.
One last Minimalist cleaning method and tip: Assign a home to everything
One of the best minimalist cleaning tips is to assign a home for every object. Think about how you have a specific spot for putting your plates and bowls. Anytime you unload the dishwasher, you simply put the plates and bowls away without thinking about it because they have a home. It is a quick and efficient process that doesn’t leave you feeling drained.
Now think about the random assortment of things currently sitting on your entry table or entertainment center. These things most likely don’t have an assigned home and that is why they’ve ended up left out for good.
In order to keep a clean and tidy home, assign a place for everything you own. Chances are, if you are having trouble finding a home for something, it means you need to declutter some more.
This post was all about minimalist cleaning tips and tricks, including minimalist cleaning routines and essential supplies.
Where will you begin your minimalist cleaning journey today?