Keeping your home clean does not have to take hours. In fact, one of the easiest ways to stay on top of household chores is to follow the 20 minute rule of cleaning. The idea is simple. Set aside just 20 minutes each day to clean one area of your home. This small habit can help prevent dirt and clutter from building up. From our experience in professional home cleaning, people who clean a little every day usually spend less time dealing with big cleaning jobs later.