This post is sponsored by the makers of Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes, the quick and easy way to clean and disinfect your home!
I get a lot of emails asking about my cleaning schedule after I wrote about my typical day on Joanna’s blog. I truly do not love cleaning, but I know that I’m so much happier with life when my house is clean. Don’t you feel the same way?
A couple years ago, right after I had Claire and when Gracie was old enough to really start doing some damage, I was feeling like I would never have a clean house again. (I also thought there was a good chance I would never get to sleep through the night again. :) good times) I was picking up the house all week long it felt like, and then I would do all my laundry and deep cleaning on the weekends. That meant my Saturday was completely gone and that the house was totally dirty again by Monday morning. Stresses me out just thinking about it.
Then one time I was visiting a friend’s house who had three rambunctious toddler boys. I walked into her house for the first time and my jaw dropped. Her house was CLEAN. Like, I’m not talking about tidy – tidy is not always possible during the day with kids, but it was clean. She is one of those amazing mothers who is really active with her kids, so I knew she didn’t spend all day neglecting her boys to clean the house. I was surprised and a little jealous of her sparkly floors so I begged her to share her secret. She laughed and said she kept a chore chart, which I thought was hilarious! What grown woman has a chore chart?! Suddenly I had to have one!
I copied her chart and have been using a slightly tweaked version ever since. I can’t say that I’m always following through here, but when I do, my house is practically spotless and best of all, I don’t feel like I am cleaning all the time – which honestly was the hardest part for me of being a stay at home mom in the early years.
It looks like a lot, but I think even on the most intense days I’m only spending 30 or 40 minutes in aggregate cleaning (though we live in a 1500 sq ft apartment, so your home might require a little more time). I’ve listed the chart here below, and here’s a simple printable version.
So the basic idea is this: there are daily chores – easy things you should take care of almost habitually in the morning and in the night, and then there is a single special chore of the day. Most of these chores end up getting done once a week (for example, every Monday I do a deep vacuuming of all our rugs. I took only one interior design class in college and I only remember a handful of things from that class. One of them was a tangential comment my professor made about vacuuming. She said that you should go over the same area on a rug SEVEN times super slowly to get it clean. Isn’t that just nuts? I don’t do that, but I do try to do a slow vacuuming on Mondays.). Friday though is the swing day, where you rotate in chores that need to be done less frequently, like scrubbing the microwave.
I’ll walk you through today’s cleaning schedule. It’s Tuesday. I wake up and make our bed. It won’t get done unless I make it as soon as I get up. The girls are getting good about making their beds too. After I finish getting ready I wipe down the bathroom counters and the sink. While I’m making the kids breakfast I empty out the dishwasher.
Then life happens and the house sort of falls apart during the day.
Then at night the girls help me clear the table and load the dishwasher. Michael does the trashes. Once the kids are in bed I quickly sweep or vacuum the kitchen and dining room and I might pop into the living room too. I keep a wet rag with me and as I go I’ll spot clean the floor. My goal is fast and furious cleaning!
And here’s where my baskets come into play. I keep them everywhere. I really love this basket that I posted about yesterday because it is super sturdy and holds its shape. I zip through my house every night with this basket, throwing in every misplaced item, then going back to each room once and put the things back where they belong. It takes me just a few minutes to pick up a day’s worth of clutter this way. No more running back and forth and back and forth from room to room putting things away. Try the basket method – you’ll never go back!
Plus – another bonus of having your pretty baskets out in every room? If you have a friend coming over right away, you can just corral everything in the basket super fast and no one’s the wiser.
Once the house has been de-cluttered, I do my chore of the day (today was cleaning the mirrors and windows), and then I’m done! It might sound like a lot, but I promise it isn’t. When I’m consistent with this schedule, I never have to do one of those marathon cleaning days to get back to ground zero. The house never has a chance to get really dirty, so the cleaning never feels like a true chore. It feels easy and, dare I say it? Pleasant?
So that’s my approach to cleaning in a nutshell. I know we all have our special tricks, and I’d LOVE to hear yours!
Today’s super-sized give away is $350 to Target AND $150 to the Container Store and all you have to do to enter is leave a comment sharing your favorite cleaning or organization tip. I can’t wait to see what you guys do to keep your spaces sparkling! Any other crazies out there with a chore chart? :)
Contest ends March 22. Winner will be announced on the 23rd. Contest rules can be read in full here. Good luck!!
This is almost identical to my routine – I have a morning routine and an after supper routine and then I try to squeeze in one chore during the day – and two loads of laundry. Whew!
My tip is to not put off doing things that can be done in five minutes – for example, tossing the mail on the counter is messy, but it only takes a couple minutes to go through it, recycle the junk, and file what you need. My counter stays clean and the mail stays organized.
my tip is that I had a laundry basket for each of my children and when I was not using it for laundry I used it when we did a deep decluttering of their room. We put things we were donating in it or things that were going into their "special box".
I try to keep santizing wipes under each sink, so that when I notice dried toothpaste or coffee stains I can easily wipe them right up. It smells good and the house feels fresh!
I'm pretty good at keeping up during the week, but I don't know what I'd do without Saturday mornings. This is when I do all the laundry and deep clean, run errands and grocery shop. The area of the home that is most important to me to keep clean is the kitchen. If the kitchen is clean I am a happy girl.
Antibacterial wipes are the key to my cleaning sanity. They're so easy and just a swipe here or there makes me feel better.
I also make sure to stay on top of dishes and dusting all the time. If your sink is empty and table tops are dusted then everything else can pass for clean!
O.H.I.O! Only Handle It Once. Put things away right the first time. You'll save time and won't end up with lots of mini-messes by just rearranging clutter.
I always try to make my bed. If my bed is neat, I'm more likely to keep everything around it neat too!
I actually keep a container of Clorox wipes under each bathroom counter. That way if I have someone coming over as a surprise I can wipe down the sink, counter, and toilet in about 30 seconds and I'm done. My bathrooms stay much cleaner that way, and they smell good!
Baby #1 is on the way, and I may adopt your chore chart soon!
My best cleaning tip is to unload my dishwasher 1st thing in the morning as I make breakfast for the family. I load it after each meal and have a clean looking kitchen all day.
I get to work from home on Mondays & Fridays – I can get my house spotless in 2 hours every Friday with no one around to interrupt…by Monday, all I have to do is spot clean the kitchen floors and a few more loads of laundry and my weekends are completely free of housework!
love the idea of the chore start, I'm stealing it!
My tip is that I deep clean the bathroom while my kiddies are bathing.
I dont have any kids, but I have to wonderful (and furry) dogs. The key to keeping our house clean and free from the dog hair tumbleweeds, is a good daily sweeping of my brick floors. I work from home and I LOVE to sweep while I am on my morning conference calls. It is quiet and makes all the difference. If you do it routinely, then the dog hair cant get the best of you.
With over 600 comments, it's hard to believe I stand a chance of winning but why not give it a shot b/c I'm a Target & Container Store fanatic! My cleaning tip is to save money on cleaning supplies by using household products for unlikely tasks. Ex: Hairspray to remove lipstick stains from clothing! For this tip and more Real Simple has you covered!
Good luck to everyone.
Cocktailchic[at]live[dot]com
Baskets baskets baskets!
Admittedly, I'm not the neatest person, but I love a clean house. I read somewhere that someone has a rule to never leave a room empty handed. That is, each time you get up, take something that is out and put it away. I'm still working on it, but it helps with the little things. For big cleaning, I leave it until Saturday morning. With my boyfriend and I both cleaning it only takes about an hour to clean the whole place.
My cleaning tip is my iTunes playlist! As long as I have good songs to listen to then I don't mind spending the 30-40 min. Cleaning something.
Wow, so many great tips. I really like hearing how other people clean their homes. I have a 2 and a half year old and a one year old so right now, cleaning is pretty tough! The only cleaning tip I can think of is top to bottom. For example, dust then vacuum.
I really like the basket idea. It's awesome!
katie.muirhead (at) gmail (dot) com
My best tip is just to do the dirty work before you go to bed. As much as I do not want to do the dishes, clear the clutter, or wipe the counters when it's late and I'm tired, it would be even worse to be confronted with that mess in the morning! Making sure everything is tidy is a good way to wrap up the day and if you do it every day your messes won't get too big and overwhelming,
I get my four kids involved! They are responsible for their space, have a small daily chore, and bigger assignments on Saturday.
I can't do it all!, and they learn how to pitch in and carry out basic cleaning tasks.
I'm in the midst of three little kids and no real cleaning solution…so I am super grateful for this post. I know I am happier with a clean home it's just a matter of finding a system that works. Thanks for your ideas and opening up this conversation!
My best tip is just to do the dirty work before you go to bed. As much as I do not want to do the dishes, clear the clutter, or wipe the counters when it's late and I'm tired, it would be even worse to be confronted with that mess in the morning! Making sure everything is tidy is a good way to wrap up the day and if you do it every day your messes won't get too big and overwhelming.
ashaw2114@gmail.com
My cleaning schedule needs an overhaul for sure. The worst culprit? Laundry! I don't mind washing and folding – it's the putting away that tends to pile up. I spend all day Saturday putting stuff away – just to have the baskets full again a few days later. I'm thinking we have too many clothes and getting rid of some would help. If I win I promise not to spend any of the giftcards on clothes!
I used to follow a chore chart and it was great–I've since fallen out of the habit, and this will hopefully inspire me to get back on track! I also try to do one load of laundry per day so that I'm not doing laundry all weekend long.
We keep tons of baskets around to shove things into when company comes over and we do a lot of the cooking on Sundays to make life easier during the week.
I love the cleaning chore chart – I have one too, and it makes all the difference. My best bet at a clean house though is doing a little bit each day!
I try my best to never put clean laundry or baskets full of clean laundry on the floor. It goes on my bed immediately so if I don't have the time or energy to fold and put away right then, I HAVE to do it before I can get in bed. Keeps me from having piles to deal with. Much more manageable.
saw99a at yahoo dot com
I have a chore chart too and it looks pretty similar to yours, except I have made sure to have monthly tasks too, where I take a weekend morning and do things like clean the oven or wash my couch cushions or oil my cutting board
Leaving a trash can by the door to catch all junk mail has helped me at least keep my entry way clean. Somehow just walking into the next room to throw away a stack of useless coupons seems arduous, and the only way to keep the mail clutter in control is to keep a bin right there so I have no excuse to let it pile up!
Great ideas! I am a chore chart kind of person myself. My cleaning tip is for tile grout. If you need to bleach grout an easy way is to soak some toilet paper with bleach and then mold it into strips that you can place in the grout joints and let it sit there for a good long while. When you come back and peel away the strips you have nice bright grout again!
Also in a Manhattan apartment, I find staying clean is being extremely organized in a small space, and making sure the bed is always made and sofa is always fluffed and neat.
That's about 50% of the space in the whole apartment, so as long as those two look good things are ok!
This cleaning chart is the best!!! I'm totally going to use it. My one cleaning tip, is using 1:1 of water and white vinegar for cleaning kitchens, bathrooms, and other tough to clean areas, it's not a new tip, but it's a much cheaper cleaning solution then you'll find anywhere else!
I love this giveaway! I always wipe down my fridge and throw away the old leftovers before I go to the store…so when I come home I can just throw the new groceries in. I hate coming home tired from the store and having to face a dirty fridge.
My tip is to clear out the fridge every time you grocery shop (for me, once a week). When I'm putting groceries away, I throw away old take out or expired condiments and give a quick wipe down. My fridge is never dirty and never has old food that looks like a science experiment. I also love FlyLady.net! She has great tips.
VINEGAR! It's amazing… if there's anything I think can't get clean (the water tray in my refrigerator door, for example), I use vinegar. I love it!
We're also in a relatively small apartment, so keeping things neat boils down to being very organized and making sure the bed and sofa are always in order.
Those two pieces of furniture are about 50% of our square footage, so as long as those look good and things are put away correctly we're pretty ok!
I do one load of laundry every day and it has helped A TON!!! I love the cleaning list, thank you for sharing it. Also, THANK YOU for this giveaway!!! My basement needs it SO terribly bad.
I'm all about the quick nightly pick-up and wiping down of surfaces. As a full-time working mom of 2 with a daily 2 hour commute, I think I will have to try your chore chart midified for my family!!! Like you, my weekends are getting tied up with all-out cleaning and it's a drain! :( Also…I think I'll implement the basket idea as well since usually our stairs become the catch-all place for misplaced items. Great ideas!
On Sunday, I cook for the entire week. It takes me a few hours, but the kitchen only gets dirty once and I have meals all week long!
Canvas bins are my favorite. They help to keep my home organized so I know exactly where everything is, from the kids toys down to ribbons for present wrapping.
Also I think establishing a routine when it comes to cleaning the house is a huge help to me. I'll do a quick 30 minutes in the morning after dropping off my daughter at school and my motivation or reward for getting those 30 minutes in is a trip to the mall or Target to relax. :)
I just printed out the chore chart. I clean once a week, usually on Sundays. A trick I have is that I use old newspapers with windex to clean the mirrors. They work so much better than paper towels and are better for the environment!
I'd love to win!!
What I do, is use old dryer sheets as dusters, instead of buying expensive swifters or whatever. They really hold dust, and leave things smelling nice!
darlin054 at gmail
While my cleaning process is not as in depth, I do have tasks that need to be performed: daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonally. When I was in college and grad school, my roommates and I would do cocktail cleaning. Every weekend, we would make a batch of cocktails or open a bottle of wine and we would each get assigned a common room(kitchen, dining room, living room, bathroom). You would think that cleaning under the influence wouldn't be a great idea…you are right…it was a BRILLIANT idea!
baskets! they help to contain the clutter.
clean and straighten up a little each day…and once a month cleaning crew to tackle big stuf…
It's all about the chore chart! I can't remember a time when I didn't have one. My favorite trick is to delegate chores to my husband and kiddos :) Thanks for the chance to win!
The chore chart seems like a great idea. I make my own counter spray with a recipe I got from the Young House Love blog. I use it in every room of the house. It saves me a lot of money, and I know exactly what is in it–nothing toxic for us or the environment. I also organized everything in our medicine/toiletries closet. I have it all in plastic boxes that are labeled (vitamins/herbs, cold and head medicine, etc.). That makes it a lot easier to find things and to put them away in the right spot.
I love baskets. I love that they are an attractive way to organize things!
thewrightlens@gmail.com
Here is a tip I recently learned to save yourself from having to scrub the microwave. Take about 2T of baking soda and then add hot water in a small bowl. Microwave for about 20 minutes. Wipe off reside w/ a damp cloth/sponge/paper towel. No scrubbing required as everything just wipes away. Easy peasy and saves lots of time, not to mention avoids harsh chemical cleaners.
I don't have a great tip to share…I like yours! I've dedicated today to cleaning house, and here I am reading blogs :) Better get started!