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An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world \u2014 having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire<\/a>, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we\u2019ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.<\/em><\/p>\n No one likes a dirty house. When your living space is cluttered, it makes it harder to focus and get things done. Plus, studies have shown<\/a> that a messy home can lead to higher levels of stress. But there\u2019s a problem: cleaning your abode is rather dull and can seem to require an overwhelmingly long time commitment. <\/p>\n While there are times when you do want to dedicate the better part of the day to cleaning every nook and cranny of your house, and occasionally do a thorough decluttering<\/a> as well, getting your house in reasonably good shape on the regular, or when you have guests coming over, is something you can accomplish in surprisingly short order. <\/p>\n Cleaning often takes up a lot of time because people don\u2019t create a plan of attack. They wander from room to room, cleaning a little bit here and there, getting distracted, forgetting tools, retracing their steps, and mostly just wasting time. With a bit of organization, you can clean your house much, much faster. Sure, if you\u2019ve got a huge home, it\u2019s going to take a bit more time, but for the average house or apartment, you should be able to complete a basic clean in just thirty minutes. Here\u2019s how. <\/p>\n For more tips on effectively and efficiently keeping your home clean and organized, listen to our podcast with professional butler Charles MacPherson<\/a>:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n