How ‘Junebugging’ Could Make Your Home Cleaner

We’ve all been there. You walk into a room with the best intentions, only to be completely overwhelmed by the enormity of the task. Laundry on the floor. Toys under the (unmade) bed. Carpet that hasn’t seen a vacuum in weeks. How do you tackle your disaster of a bedroom?

Conventional wisdom says to start with one task and stick with it all the way to the end, but some people struggle staying focused. Others give up when they fail to stay on task.

But have you heard of “junebugging?” It’s a viral cleaning method that reframes your perspective around the “right” way to clean.

Ready to learn more? We talked to Marla Mock, president of Molly Maid, and Brenda Scott, a professional organizer and owner of Tidy My Space, to find out about junebugging so you can decide if it’s right for you.

What Is Junebugging Cleaning?

Junebugging is a cleaning technique that involves picking one specific task and returning to that task until it is done, no matter how many times you get sidetracked.

It’s called that because June bugs (aka June beetles) “consistently return to the same area or location over time, even when faced with distractions,” Mock says. So you’re still focusing on a task, but giving yourself the freedom to float to others as your needs dictate.

The term appears to have originated from a Tumblr post from a few years back about the frustrations of cleaning with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The user noted June bugs are “remarkably persistent, but not very focused,” and decided to put that idea to work by having one specific thing to return to. Thus, junebugging “serves as a metaphor for focusing on one task at a time,” Mock says.

Does This Junebugging Technique Work?

Yes, but it’s not for everyone.

Because you’re allowing yourself to jump from task to task, it’s not the most efficient way to clean. But Mock says junebugging works for some people because it helps them recognize “that cleaning is a gradual process.”

As long as you’re cleaning, you’re making progress. When you realize that, Mock says, “every task accomplished becomes noteworthy, reducing the feeling of being overwhelmed.”

On the other hand, Scott says junebugging is likely to lead to many unfinished tasks. That could be frustrating. But it could work for people who tend toward distraction and work best on short spurts of energy, as well as busy caregivers without a lot of time.

How To Start Junebugging in Your Home

Are you ready to give junebugging a try? It’s not hard, but it takes refocusing and cutting yourself some slack. Here’s what to do:

Select a task

Decide where you’d like to start cleaning. Don’t pick a whole room! Set yourself up for success by picking something manageable, like your bed or TV stand, Mock says.

Once you’ve designated your starting point, imagine that you’re tethered to this spot.

Start cleaning

As you pick things up and move to put them away, remind yourself to come back to the starting point (let’s say the TV stand). If you take a drinking glass to the sink, set it down and return. If you end up doing the dishes while you’re there, that’s fine. But once you’re done, go back to the TV stand.

If you’re worried you’ll forget to go back to the original task, set a timer for 10 minutes. “When the timer goes off, you have to go back to the starting task,” Scott says.

Return to the task

When the timer goes off, get back to the original plan. The good news: You’ve partially cleared off the TV stand, and maybe taken care of the dishes, too!

Continue with the TV stand. Clear off the top, wipe down the glass and wood. If you drift off again, drift back to this singular task. Set a timer if needed. Organize the remotes and coasters, and you’re done.

Move to the next area

If you’re still in the bedroom, this could be your bed, or a corner of the room with the overflowing hamper but not both. To “junebug” is to find a center, a place to return to. Choose a small section and focus on that.

If you decide to make the bed, but end up organizing your kids’ toys because they were on the bed, come back to the unmade bed before finding a new center.

Repeat the process

When your current “center” is clean, move on to a new area only if you feel ready to tackle the next thing. You can decide when you’re ready to stop.

Avoid looking at the entire house as your end goal. When you do that, you’ll feel defeated if you don’t get to everything. Junebugging is more of a process.

How Can Junebugging Make Your Home Cleaner?

Junebugging breaks the tedium of house cleaning into manageable chunks, and that’s bound to make your house cleaner than doing nothing.

It may not be as efficient as, say, a pro cleaner who plows through multiple homes a day. But hey you’re not a pro, and you just want to get some stuff done! Junebugging is for anyone who wants to clean their home without stressing about the timing of the outcome.

The best part of junebugging? You can start with anything the kitchen sink, one drawer, one stretch of countertop. Over time, the process of tackling small things one after the other leaves you with less stress, Mock says.

Once you finish your target zone, Mock says, “You experience a sense of accomplishment and heightened productivity, motivating you to proceed to the next area.” That’s good for your home and mental health.

About the experts

• Marla Mockis the president of Molly Maid, a Neighborly company that provides full-service commercial and residential cleaning services via 450 franchises throughout the U.S.
• Brenda Scott is a professional organizer and owner of Tidy My Space. Scott specializes in adaptive home modification (aka aging in place), whole home and office organizing. She’s a member of the Professional Organizers in Canada.