The 2 Minute Basket Hack for a Clean House (Magic Basket Method)

Sometimes called Magic Basket or Basket Method, this quick cleaning hack can help reduce clutter in your home and make each room cleaner almost instantly! What’s more, it’s a way to involve your whole family and take the pressure off yourself! 

It’s 10:10 a.m. on a Saturday… You finished cleaning the living room exactly 10 minutes ago, and it was in pristine condition – floors clear of debris, couches free of clutter, and not a dust bunny in sight. 

But that was five minutes ago, and we all know that most kids look at a clean room and take it as a personal challenge. Suddenly, there’s random clothing flung on the furniture, toys scattered across the floor, and a mysterious spill that no one has claimed responsibility for. 

You could get mad, but by now, you’re a pro. Instead, you smile and hand your kiddos a basket with instructions to find you when everything is picked up. They groan, you sit back with your coffee, and the world is right again. 

What is the Basket Cleaning Method? 

So, what basket am I talking about? Well, it’s been called many things. 

• The PTA basket or “Put This Away” basket 
• The “Catch-all” basket 
• The Magic basket 
• The magic laundry basket

You can call it whatever you’d like – I like to call it the PTA basket. The basic idea is to have a decorative basket (or even a plastic laundry basket) that you can use to quickly walk around your house and throw things into that are out of place. For me, that would be things like my daughter’s random sports bra, which she leaves on the couch after practice, or her cheer shoes that she flings onto the living room floor. 

The size of your basket is determined by how messy your house is on a daily basis. If you’re a parent with several young children, you might need a full-size laundry basket. If it’s just you and your spouse, or you have teenagers, you may be able to get away with a smaller decorative basket. 

Why I love my PTA Basket System

I’ve used the PTA basket method long before it had an official name, and I absolutely love it!  It’s a great way to quickly “corral” things so the house looks instantly cleaner without me having to spend hours tidying up. In fact, “fill the PTA basket” is part of my 5 minute list of things I do every day in my weekly cleaning schedule. 

I also like that anyone in the household can participate in basket cleanup time, not just me! If I’m busy, I can easily delegate this task to one of my kids! Or I can make this part of their daily chores for a specific room in the house. 

How to Use a Catch-All Basket for Cleaning 

Using a PTA basket for cleaning is easy peasy! Just follow these two simple steps: 

Step 1: Pick up the Clutter 

Grab your catch-all basket and go from room to room, grabbing items off the floor, furniture, and dining room table, and anywhere it shouldn’t be. I usually set a timer on my phone for two minutes and speed through the house like a woman on a top-secret mission. Once the timer goes off, I’m done.

You can choose to do one room per day or work your way through the house in one go. It depends on how messy each room is! 

Step 2: Put Away Items in the Basket  

Okay, this step is crucial because if you don’t complete it, you just have a basket full of clutter that sits there for infinity or until you force yourself to deal with it later in the week. The items in the Put Away basket must be, well, put away! This is where your family members come in. Everyone finds their stuff, grabs it, and puts it away. 

The basket cleaning method is an excellent system for teaching younger kids to put their things away. If you have toddlers, this might just mean giving them 1-2 toys out of the basket to avoid overwhelm (or a tantrum), and this helps instill responsibility at a young age. 

Make Your Own Labels for Your Magic Basket

Since I love making DIY labels for storage baskets, I couldn’t resist making some for my magic basket as well. And I even created 6 different label templates that you can use for your own basket cleaning system!

These storage basket labels are super easy to make with a few basic supplies. You can get an in-depth tutorial on how to make storage basket labels here (and grab the printable label templates in the photo collage above). Or just follow these steps:

1. Print and cut out the basket labels.
2. Laminate the labels in a laminating pouch. Then cut out the laminated labels around the border.
3. Poke holes in the two ends of the label using a pair of scissors.
4. Attach the labels to your storage baskets by poking brads through the holes of the label and into the fabric of your basket.

Free Printable Basket Labels for a Magic Basket

I created 6 different “Put This Away” basket labels that you can use to decorate your basket, and to remind your family that items in the basket need to be put back where they belong! Just click the button below to download the free labels!

Basket Options That Work Great 

You don’t need a super extravagant or fancy PTA basket (unless you really want one), but here are a few options to choose from: 

• Large rectangular laundry basket – I’m a big fan of simplicity, and there’s nothing simpler than your standard plastic laundry basket! This works well if you have several kids who create A LOT of clutter throughout the day (been there!) 
• Fabric hamper with handles – If you’re looking for something more decorative while still being multifunctional, a fabric hamper with sturdy handles is perfect! 
• Woven rope storage basket – A decorative rope storage basket perfectly complements any room in your home, and it’s durable enough for little ones to drag around during pickup time! 
• Plastic basket-look storage bins – The one that I used in this post is from Target. A great deal at about $10 for a large basket!

At the end of the day, don’t stress. You just need a receptacle for clutter and toys to get it off your floors and furniture! 

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Looking for more ways to declutter your home and streamline your cleaning process? Check out these other posts:

• Decluttering Papers in 5 Minutes a Day – Paper clutter can add up quickly, especially during the school year. These paper decluttering tips can keep your surfaces clear and reduce stress at the same time! 

• 52 Small Household Jobs to Get Your Home Clean and Organized – Are there always household chores that seem to slip through the cracks and remain undone? These tips will help you check them off your to do list and feel more accomplished than ever! 

• A Realistic Cleaning Schedule for Working Moms (Free Chart) – Being a working mom is one of the most challenging jobs in the whole world, and trying to keep a clean house on top of that is virtually impossible! That’s why I created this free printable chart that helps you realistically tackle cleaning tasks throughout the week while still carving out some time for yourself.