Cleaning on a Schedule

One of the best feelings is when your home is clean and organized. That feeling can relieve stress and improve your mood. Some people have the luxury of being able to pay someone else to keep their home tidy, but most of us have to do it ourselves. Accomplishing a clean and organized home starts with getting organized and putting together a list of chores.

Create a daily cleaning list.

These tasks should be completed daily. But if you miss a day, it’s no big deal to make it up the next day. All in all, this list of tasks should take no longer than 15 to 30 minutes a day. Here are some examples of what should be on your daily cleaning list: 

Make the beds—Not like you are being graded on hospital corners, but you’ll feel good pulling back the covers to get in bed after a long day.

Load or unload the dishwasher—If you have kids, this is a great task to assign as long as your finest china isn’t a part of your daily routine.

Wipe down the kitchen and bathroom surfaces—If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that germs live everywhere. You should wipe counters, sinks, and any other high-touch areas like the refrigerator handle and toilets.

Check the floors and sweep/vacuum if necessary—Some days, this task may take no effort at all. The key to keeping your grout/tile and carpets/rugs looking great for a long time is staying on top of dirt and messes and not tracking them from one room to the next.

Take out the trash—This is another task that may not have to happen every day, but you should think about it every day. Obviously, if it’s reached its capacity, take it out, or if you have thrown away anything that might start to smell or leak through the liner; cleaning out gross liquids from the bottom of the trash bin is the worst job and is usually preventable.

One load of laundry—This task depends solely on the amount of laundry your home generates and preference one load a day or all in one day on the weekend. 

Create a weekly list.

The weekly cleaning list is a great way to hit every part of your home in a systematic way so that no room gets missed by the cleaning fairy. Pick a day to focus on one room. 

Living Room/Family Room
- Tidy and dust shelves
- Fluff pillows and cushions
- Clean under any easily accessible furniture
- Vacuum or sweep and mop
- Wipe windows and sills

Bathrooms
- Clean toilet and shower/tub
- Clean sink(s), mirror, and counters
- Wash bath rugs and towels
- Vacuum or sweep and mop
- Wipe windows and sills

Bedrooms
- Dust furniture and other surfaces
- Organize and declutter
- Tidy closets and drawers
- Vacuum or sweep and mop
- Wipe windows and sills

Kitchen/Dining Room
- Clean table and chairs
- Clean counters and sink
- Wipe down appliances: fridge, dishwasher, stove/oven/cooktop, and microwave
- Vacuum or sweep and mop
- Wipe windows and sills

Outside
- Sweep and clean porches and patios
- Clean door handles and any windows 

Create a monthly list.

The monthly list consists of tasks that need to be marked-off every month and also some tasks that need to get accomplished quarterly or annually. 

Living Room/Family Room
- Vacuum furniture
- Wash blankets and pillow
- Wipe electronics
- Dust baseboards and moldings
- Dust light fixtures, fans, and blinds

Bathrooms
- Wash shower curtain
- Clean showerhead
- Dust baseboards and moldings
- Tidy cabinets and drawers
- Dust light fixtures, fans, and blinds

Bedrooms
- Wash blankets, pillows, and bedspreads
- Dust baseboards and moldings
- Dust light fixtures, fans, and blinds

Kitchen/Dining Room
- Deep clean fridge and freezer
- Clean coffee pot
- Tidy pantry, cabinets, and drawers
- Wash trash bin
- Dust baseboards and moldings
- Dust light fixtures, fans, and blinds

Outside
- Clean cars

These lists and tasks are a jumping-off point to create a cleaning and organizing schedule that will work in your home. If you live alone, modify it to cover the frequently used spaces. If you live with other people that are capable of helping, enlist them to take on chores in the schedule or chime in with new ideas to keep your home looking its best just in case someone knocks on the door.

Next time, we will cover some whole-home maintenance practices that you can work into your new schedule.

Heather for Ideal Homes