I tried the surprisingly fun 'Städdag' Swedish cleaning method to supercharge my chores – it's perfect for families and busy households

I hate cleaning by myself, as I often get bored and distracted. That’s why I was excited to try the ‘Städdag' Swedish cleaning method, which is all about rallying the household to reset the home together.

I gave it a try at home with my boyfriend, who I live with, and we found it to be highly effective. I also asked pro organizers what they thought of it, delving into where it works best for, who it is particularly effective for for.

If you’re looking for cleaning methods that the whole family can get involved with, this Scandi technique puts the fun into fundamental cleaning.

What is the Städdag Swedish cleaning method?

The Städdag cleaning method is about rallying the troops to get your whole household to reset the home together, rather than tackling things alone. It involves cleaning for a dedicated amount of time, on a set day, and completing the agreed-upon tasks as a team.

For instance, you might agree as a household to dust, vacuum and tidy up on a Sunday, and get this done as family, couple or as roommates in the time allocated.

Jennifer Q. Williams, founder of Saint Louis Closet Co, says, ‘This Swedish concept of cleaning day is a simple, yet highly effective way to maintain a tidy and peaceful home. Everyone in the home pitches in on cleaning with the focus of re-setting the space as a whole, instead of cleaning rooms day by day.

She adds that it’s a brilliant regular habit in the home for the family to do together. You can also set a calendar reminder or write it down on a whiteboard (such as the Viz-Pro magnetic whiteboard from Amazon), so no one forgets or makes plans around it.

What areas of the home is the Städdag Swedish cleaning method good for?

This cleaning tips works well in all the spaces where the family gathers the most, as it’s easy for dirt and clutter to build up in these zones with busy day-to-day life.

Jennifer continues, ‘These spaces could be common areas, like the living room, kitchen, and bathrooms.’

It also works particularly well in larger households where cleaning checklists can be shared among family members or roommates.

Scott Schrader, cleaning expert at CottageCare, adds, ‘It is effective for feeling that there is cleanliness maintained all around, and minimizing clutter long term since all one day of cleaning was distributed.’

Even if you live in a smaller home, dedicating a few hours to cleaning will ensure everything gets done at once, so your home is fresh and fabulous for the week ahead.

What areas of the home is the Städdag Swedish cleaning method not good for?

While it’s important to take care of living room cleaning, bathroom cleaning, and kitchen cleaning weekly, there are some areas of the house that you don’t need to worry about as often and may not be a regular Städdag task.

Jennifer says, ‘It is less common to be done in places that aren’t seen as often, like the garage, basement, or storage areas.’

These areas have clutter contained and don’t have as much dirt track through them – but it’s definitely worth adding one of these rooms to your Städdag cleaning day once a month, just to keep on top of them.

Who is the Städdag Swedish cleaning method good for?

This Swedish cleaning and tidying method works for anyone who is craving a sense of structure in their cleaning routines.

Jennifer explains, ‘It works for families, busy professionals, or even those who stay at home all day.’ For those who struggle to juggle different schedules, aligning them for the Städdag will certainly come in useful.

I don’t have children, but I think it would be a great way for families with children to introduce chores to them.

Punteha van Terheyden, Head of Solved and mom-of-one, adds, 'If I ask my daughter to declutter her toys, she'll never do it. But if I start doing it, she'll happily join in. I can very much see how effective a dedicated day for collective tackling of chores as explained in the Städdag method would be effective, and fun actually.

'In my experience, children are not all too bothered what the family is doing, as long as they're doing it together.'

If you live alone

If you live by yourself, it’s still a good idea to dedicate time to cleaning, but you don’t need to have anyone help you. That is, unless, of course, you have generous family members and friends, or need extra help in terms of strength and mobility.

You can use adaptive pacing for cleaning to avoid injury, pain or fatigue, do an expiration sweep or do a top-to-bottom clean on one room.

You can also use body doubling during the chores to unlock Städdag-style group motivation, or use the one-tool cleaning method to do a quick and transformative solo clean across your home.

How to do the Städdag Swedish cleaning method

Want to give it a go? Home organizing pro Jennifer has revealed a range of easy Städdag tips to follow for optimal results:

• Create a cleaning checklist for each space: Write down tasks such as cleaning upholstery, changing bed sheets, and scrubbing, then keep the checklist in the assigned room. You can use a handy to-do notepad from Amazon for ease, or use a magnetic whiteboard, also from Amazon, to make a plan or keep track.
• Assign tasks based on strengths: For example, if someone is better at cleaning than decluttering, give them the job of wiping down surfaces and going around with your best vacuum. 
• Assign tasks based on usage: In the interest of fairness, you could alternatively assign tasks based on who uses the space most, for example, a home gym, craft corner, or reading nook.
• Add a little fun to the routine: Play music or set an egg timer (the Nuoswek mushroom timer from Amazon is very cute) for 30 minutes. Then, when done, you can all head out for a fun family or household outing.
• Make it a weekly job: Either set a calendar reminder on your phone or write it down on a home calendar that everybody can see. The Skylight calendar from Walmart can even sync up to your phone.

I tried the Städdag Swedish cleaning method

I live in a two-bedroom house with my boyfriend, which includes an open-plan living room and dining space, a kitchen, a bathroom, a home office, and a bedroom. When we sat down to divide the tasks, we assigned them based on fairness and abilities.

I use the home office the most, as I work from home, and he doesn’t. I took Jennifer’s advice and assigned myself this room, decluttering papers and empty packets and taking coffee mugs downstairs. I also wiped down the surfaces. This reset of the space made me feel motivated to go in and get started the following week.

You can easily make your own DIY cleaning solutions, or invest in a handy all-in-one cleaning system from Joseph Joseph to avoid needing lots of different tools.

While I was doing this, my boyfriend sorted the bathroom, which had fewer items to declutter and just needed the surfaces wiping and the floor mopping. For hard surfaces like this, we always use the Swiffer Power Mop (available at Walmart) for speed and efficiency.

We then worked together to clean the kitchen and living room. While I tidied the living room clutter (mostly my shopping bags and papers), my boyfriend put away items in the kitchen and cleaned my office mugs and other leftover glasses that we’d found on our travels.

By splitting the workload and collaborating, we were able to sort through each room quickly. It took us around two hours to do this initially, but now we have a routine set up, so this will take less time in the future as we get quicker.

After we were done, we headed out and rewarded ourselves with a couple of drinks.

I give the Städdag Swedish cleaning method a firm 9/10. It takes the stress out of cleaning, makes it fair for everyone in the household, and leaves the whole space feeling shiny and new. It also makes cleaning – dare I say – fun to do.

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Meet the experts

Jennifer Q. Williams

Jennifer is the founder of Saint Louis Closet Co., and has been a leader in the custom closet and home organization industry for over 34 years. She has a passion for smart storage solutions and decluttering methods.

Scott Schrader

Scott is the chief marketing officer at CottageCare, which is a leading home cleaning company with over 41 locations nationwide. He is a fan of finding different cleaning methods that will inspire clients to stay on top of household chores.

This breezy Swedish method is ideal for families and busy households. ‘Those families who clean together can enjoy the clutter-free zones of the home and focus more on quality time together,’ Jennifer finishes by saying.

If you’re looking for more deep-cleaning methods everyone can get involved with, the ‘Five Senses’ cleaning method and the ‘Wheel of Chores’ cleaning method are also worth checking out.