Creating a cleaning schedule that works for you takes time, but the benefits are worth it. Start with daily tasks, such as making your bed and wiping down surfaces.
Some cleaning tasks need to be done weekly or monthly, such as washing towels and vacuuming floors. By scheduling these larger tasks, you can avoid them piling up.
Make a List
Whether you’re a minimalist or not, creating a cleaning schedule is the best way to stay on top of housework. But, figuring out how to make it work is all up to you. Trying to conform to someone else’s idea of a perfect cleaning schedule is likely to lead to failure, so create one that works for your home and lifestyle.
Start by taking a realistic inventory of what needs to be cleaned in each room. This will give you a starting point for a cleaning checklist, which can be modified to suit your space and lifestyle. It’s also a good idea to include “evergreen” tasks like washing the sheets and sweeping the floors in your cleaning schedule. Here are some good tips for having an eco-friendly cleaning company.
Once you’ve made a list of your daily, weekly and monthly cleaning tasks, organize them into a system that makes sense for you. This can be as simple as a spreadsheet, dedicated calendar or even a set of cleaning printables. You want to be able to track all your cleaning chores in one place so you’ll never miss a day.
Create a schedule that allows you to complete the majority of your daily cleaning tasks in 30 minutes or less. This is a great way to get the job done without feeling overwhelmed and it gives you time for everything else that’s on your plate. You can also create a schedule that focuses on one room a day, which will help you tackle the most difficult areas in your home first.
Aim for a clean and tidy house before you go to sleep each night. By taking 10-15 minutes to do a power cleanup each night, you’ll be able to rest easy knowing your home is in good shape. It’s better than waking up to a messy room and being overwhelmed.
Keep clutter to a minimum by using counters and tables for things like mail, purses and dirty dishes. Stock your pantry and bathrooms with dispensers of all-purpose cleaning wipes to quickly tackle spills and messes. Make it a habit to put items away when you’re finished with them, and don’t leave clothes or other items lying around the house.
Set a Timer
You may think that setting a timer while you clean is an unnecessary step, but it can help you stick to a routine and save you some stress in the long run. Whether you choose to use the Pomodoro technique (25 minutes of focus, 5-minute break) or just set a timer for 10 minutes, having a clear idea of how long you will work can help you stay motivated and prevent you from spending more than you intended.
Getting rid of clutter and making sure you have a place for everything is one of the most important things you can do to keep your home tidy. If something doesn’t have a home, it’s much more likely to end up on your counters, tables, or floors, where it can easily get lost or be stepped on. It’s also important to regularly go through items and remove those that you no longer need.
If you’re having trouble getting rid of old items, try setting up a donation station in your home where family members can toss items that they no longer need. Then, when you’re ready to do a big purge, you can easily sort through these items without overwhelming yourself.
Cleaning your home on a regular basis can make all the difference in keeping it tidy. If you have the time, it’s best to do a room-by-room cleanup each week, but you can also do a thorough monthly cleaning that tackles areas that are often overlooked. This includes things like wiping down surfaces, spraying plastic shower curtains with a cleaner that’s child and pet safe, and checking toiletries for mold and stains.
The main thing to remember is that it’s not just about the time you spend on each task, but how you prioritize your tasks and what your cleaning personality is. If you try to follow a cleaning schedule that’s not right for your personality, it will only cause you stress and won’t actually help you keep your home tidy. Instead, take the time to figure out a cleaning strategy that works for you and your lifestyle.
Get Organized
Having a cleaning routine is a must for keeping a tidy home. But to be effective, your cleaning routine should be realistic and include daily chores as well as deep-cleaning tasks. Start by creating a cleaning schedule that lists precisely what needs to happen in each room of your house. This will allow you to take a more manageable approach to your cleaning tasks and keep you from getting behind at work, losing valuable time with family or having your weekend swallowed up by built-up clutter.
To make your schedule easier to follow, set aside a couple focused periods of time during the day for your non-negotiable daily cleaning tasks. This could be right after your kids go to bed or even just after you come home from work each day. Setting a specific time and using a timer will help ensure that these tasks get done!
Once you’ve got your daily routine in place, start to tackle the deep-cleaning tasks on a weekly basis. Once again, set a specific time for each weekday and use a timer to ensure that these tasks don’t get overlooked or put off. You can also add in extra weekly cleaning tasks such as spraying plastic shower curtains with disinfectant, taking your bathmats outside to give them a shake or checking your toiletries to see what you’re running low on.
When it comes to organizing your home, the old saying of “a place for everything and everything in its place” is a great one to live by. When items are stored where they’re used, it’s much more likely that they’ll be put away. Also, regularly decluttering your home can prevent clutter from building up over time – for example, if you have more supplies than you need of a certain item, donate or sell them and then store only what you really use.
Whether you’re looking for help with your own personal clutter problem or simply want to make your home more functional, a professional organizer can be your best friend.
Get Rid of Clutter
Keeping a tidy home involves getting rid of clutter. This can be a daunting task, especially if you have a lot of stuff. However, you can make it easier by decluttering room-by-room or focusing on specific areas of your home like the laundry room, junk drawer, and toy storage. In addition, you can encourage family members to participate by turning cleaning into a game, such as setting timers and seeing who can complete tasks the fastest or by rewarding kids with a special privilege after completing their tasks.
Make sure to keep a decluttering box handy for items that you don’t use, need, or want any longer. This way, you can donate them to a local charity when the box gets full. Also, try to be ruthless when deciding what you should keep in your home and be careful not to hold on to things just because you may need them in the future.
In addition to establishing a daily and weekly cleaning routine, you should also create a monthly maintenance schedule to tackle more in-depth tasks that aren’t as necessary on a day-to-day basis, such as disinfecting mattresses and lint lines, dusting appliances, and wiping down food preparation surfaces. This will help ensure that your home stays looking its best throughout the month and that you don’t skip these important tasks altogether.
Once you’ve established a consistent routine, it’s important to stick with it. If you have a hard time motivating yourself to clean, consider creating a playlist of upbeat and energizing music that will boost your energy and help you stay on task. Alternatively, consider breaking up your cleaning sessions with short breaks to engage in leisure activities you enjoy. This can include a hot cup of coffee at a favorite café, a few chapters of your current book, or even watching an episode of your favorite TV show.
If you live in a household with multiple family members, assign tasks based on each individual’s preferences and abilities. Then, rotate the tasks on a regular basis to ensure everyone is sharing the responsibility and each person’s cleaning schedule is being honored.