59 Seconds: Change Your Life in Under a Minute
Richard Wiseman
A room-by-room cleaning guide that replaces the dreaded all-day blitz with a quick walk-around, a short to-do list and simple tricks with baking soda, vinegar and a few good products.

54 sec
If cleaning means letting the dust build for weeks and then losing a whole day to catching up, there is a gentler way to run a home. In Hinch Yourself Happy, Sophia Hinchliffe, known to her Instagram followers as Mrs. Hinch, starts with a simple swap. Instead of cleaning by the calendar, walk through your home, write down what needs attention and work through that list one item at a time.
Her case is that housework becomes manageable, even soothing, once you stop trying to do everything at once and pick small jobs that make the place calmer and sweeter smelling. She then goes room by room: a bathroom order that saves effort, a fizzing monthly drain treatment, a mattress refreshed with baking soda and rescues for red wine and lily pollen. Each fix fits into an evening, and together they turn a home back into somewhere to rest.
1 min 44 sec
Vacuuming every Friday sounds organized, yet it may be the very reason housework feels like punishment. A different first step makes each session feel new and shows which jobs truly matter this week.
1 min 57 sec
Mrs. Hinch has a clear view on where a bathroom clean should begin. Her order starts with the bathtub and ends with the toilet, with one warning about a faucet cleaner that can corrode surfaces if left on too long.
1 min 46 sec
One kitchen space hides forgotten food at the back. Another hides something that may be putting you off cleaning altogether, and it is probably the place where you keep your cleaning supplies.
1 min 47 sec
Drains seem perfectly fine until the morning the water stops moving. A monthly routine that feels more like a science lesson than a chore keeps that morning from ever arriving.
1 min 36 sec
People buy new pillows and apps in search of better sleep while overlooking something they lie on every night. A two-hour trick even deals with the smell of cat urine.
1 min 49 sec
The sofa is the most used seat in the house and often the least cleaned. The method that revives it also handles a dirty rug, and an old credit card plays a part.
1 min 36 sec
Before a stained shirt or cushion goes in the bin, there is usually one more thing to try. And the most common way of fighting a bad smell may leave its cause untouched.
1 min 11 sec
What Mrs. Hinch offers, beyond the products, is a change in how housework feels. The fixed weekly schedule and the all-day blitz both treat a home as an enemy to defeat. Her method treats it as a place to look after a little at a time: notice what needs care, write it down and choose a task that fits the time you have. Done this way, cleaning starts to feel closer to self-care, and a shiny sink or a sofa that smells fresh is the visible proof.
The book gives you easy places to start. Take a short walk around your home this evening and write the list that goes with it. Pick one neglected spot, perhaps the cupboard under the sink, and make it pleasant to open. Put the baking soda and vinegar drain treatment on your calendar for once a month. And if motivation is the hard part, she suggests beginning with one small job, such as clearing and decorating the kitchen counter, then taking a photo and sharing it on Instagram, where friends’ delight can keep you going.
None of it asks you to clean the whole house at once. One crossed-off line at a time, the house becomes a place you are glad to come home to.
Many people let the dust pile up for weeks until they can no longer put it off, then feel they have to clean the entire home at once. Mrs. Hinch, who built a huge Instagram following around home life and cleaning, argues that the trouble lies in the approach. Fixed schedules make housework dull, and trying to do everything at once makes it overwhelming. Her alternative starts with a walk through your home and a written list of what really needs attention. From there you pick small tasks that fit the time you have. The book then works room by room. It covers the order for cleaning a bathroom, a full fridge reset, a tidy cupboard for your supplies, a monthly drain treatment with baking soda and vinegar, and a mattress refresh. There is also a deep clean for sofas and rugs, plus quick rescues for red wine, blood, lily pollen and urine. Readers get practical steps and named products, along with a gentler idea of housework. Done a little at a time, cleaning can calm you down and leave a home that feels welcoming and smells good when you walk in.
Busy people who let cleaning pile up and then lose whole weekends catching up.
Anyone who feels overwhelmed by housework and wants small, clear steps instead of a perfect home.
New homeowners, renters and parents looking for practical fixes for drains, stains, sofas and smells.
Sophia Hinchliffe is better known as Mrs. Hinch. After her marriage in 2018 she began an Instagram account devoted to home life and cleaning, and within three months more than one million people were following it. Her posts there were about cleaning and everyday home life. Hinch Yourself Happy was her first book.
Listeners consider the work delightful and value the cleaning suggestions for being both entertaining and inspiring. They are drawn to Mrs. Hinch's cheerful perspective on existence, while one listener points out that she opens up about her difficulties with anxiety. The book is well-regarded for its sincere storytelling, with one listener remarking that the content is beyond full of love.
Finally sat down with Sophie’s book and it’s like a warm hug from a friend. She talks so openly about her struggles with anxiety and how keeping a tidy home helps her find peace. Some might find the cleaning tips basic, but the inspiring tone is what really kept me turning the pages. It is more about the cheerful process than just scrubbing a sink or polishing a countertop. I love how she treats her home with so much respect and care. Truly a sincere story that is overflowing with affection and kindness.
Show moreLooking for a bit of sunshine in your daily routine? Mrs. Hinch delivers exactly that with her debut book. Her approach to life is so joyful and infectious that you can’t help but want to grab a cloth and start tidy-up sessions in your own home. I loved the sections where she talks about her dog, Henry, and her husband. It makes her feel so relatable and grounded despite her massive online success. The book is full of heart and really focuses on the mental health benefits of a tidy space. It’s a delightful read.
Show moreYou can really feel her genuine soul through these pages! Not gonna lie, I didn't expect a literary masterpiece, but I did get a lot of comfort from these chapters. Sophie’s voice is so genuine and kind that it feels like you're just chatting over a cup of tea. She is very open about her journey and how she uses cleaning as a tool to manage her mental health struggles. That level of transparency is rare for such a huge social media star. It’s a motivational read that encourages you to find happiness in the small things.
Show moreAfter hearing so much about the Hinch phenomenon, I decided to buy this and see what the fuss was about. Truth is, it’s one of the most positive books I’ve read in a long time! It turns mundane chores into a form of self-care and helps you appreciate your surroundings more. The writing is simple, yes, but it’s honest and comes from a place of pure kindness. I’ve already started using the cleaning schedule and my house has never looked better. Well done Sophie on a brilliant, heart-filled success!
Show moreEver wonder why a cleaning book is topping the charts? After finishing this, I finally understand the appeal. It isn't just about bleach and cloths; it is about finding a sense of control in a world that feels quite overwhelming. Sophie's transparency about her life before fame is refreshing, and she never pretends to be something she isn't. The advice is entertaining and easy to implement, making the chores feel less like a burden. My only real gripe is the writing style, which is a bit repetitive and simple for an adult reader.
Show moreAs someone who struggles with a hectic schedule, I found the checklists at the back incredibly useful for staying organized. The book provides a great framework for breaking down housework into manageable chunks so you don't feel overwhelmed by the mess. I appreciate how Sophie links cleaning to mindfulness, explaining how certain scents can help calm a racing mind during stressful weeks. While the grammar and excessive exclamation points were a bit distracting, the overall message is very positive. It’s a practical guide that focuses more on the emotional rewards of a clean home.
Show moreThe chapter on her backstory was actually quite interesting, but I found the rest a bit repetitive. I’ve followed her on Instagram for a while, so most of the hacks were things I had already seen her do a dozen times. To be fair, she admits she isn't reinventing the wheel, but I hoped for more depth. The inclusion of her Spotify playlists and mini-bios of her friends felt like filler to reach a certain page count. It’s an easy read for a rainy afternoon, but don’t expect any revolutionary secrets. It’s just okay.
Show moreGotta say, Sophie is clearly a lovely person, but the writing style is very basic and heavy on the exclamation marks. It’s a cute book, and I can see why her fans adore it, but it lacks any real substance for a seasoned homeowner. The tips are fine, though many are just common sense or involve buying a lot of unnecessary plastic products. I did enjoy the parts where she talks about her anxiety, as it adds a layer of depth to her brand. It’s an inoffensive read that serves its purpose for dedicated followers.
Show moreWhile I appreciate Mrs. Hinch’s bubbly personality on Instagram, this book was a struggle for me. It felt more like an advertisement for harsh chemical products and non-eco-friendly plastics than a helpful guide. I was particularly bothered by the focus on single-use items and the sheer volume of gear she encourages people to buy. Naming her mops and cloths is a bit too much for my taste, frankly. If you are looking for sustainable advice, you definitely won't find it within these pages. It’s an environmental nightmare packaged in a pink cover.
Show moreThis was a complete waste of money for anyone who cares about the planet. I was shocked by the amount of microplastics and toxic substances being recommended throughout the book. We are in the middle of a climate crisis, yet this influencer is teaching thousands of people to hoard cleaning products in non-recyclable plastic bottles. There is almost nothing in here that you can't find for free on her social media feed anyway. It feels like a shallow cash grab filled with fluff about her favorite songs and social circle.
Show moreMrs. Hinch argues that cleaning feels like a chore mostly because of how we approach it. Rigid schedules make it dull, and trying to do everything at once makes it overwhelming. She suggests walking through your home, listing what really needs attention and doing one task at a time, taking your time and not chasing perfection. Done that way, housework can become calming and leave you with a fresh, welcoming home.
Each month, she tips a small cup of baking soda into the drain, then leaves it to dissolve for two or three minutes. Then comes a cup of white vinegar, which fizzes on contact. After about ten minutes she adds a cup of scented disinfectant such as Zoflora to kill germs, and finishes with a full kettle of boiling water to rinse everything through.
For red wine and blood, act fast: blot with a paper towel, cover the mark with salt to soak up the rest, then apply a stain remover such as Vanish before washing. For lily pollen caught early, lift it off with clear sticky tape. If it has set, pre-treat with undiluted detergent gel and wash the item on a cold setting.
It suits people who put cleaning off until the job feels enormous, and anyone who wants a gentler, more enjoyable way to keep a home. The tips are concrete and room by room, from bathtubs and fridges to mattresses, sofas, rugs and lanterns. It also helps parents and pet owners dealing with hair, urine and stubborn smells.
Start with a list made during a quick walk around your home, so you know where to begin and can enjoy crossing items off. Choose tasks that fit the time you have, and play music with a good beat for physical jobs like rugs. She also suggests finishing one small task, such as the kitchen counter, photographing it and sharing it on Instagram for encouragement.
Richard Wiseman
William B. Irvine
Andrew D. Thompson
Deepak Chopra
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Get the key ideas from Hinch Yourself Happy by Mrs. Hinch, plus 5,000+ more nonfiction titles.
