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!!
My best friend comes over for dinner every Sunday night and that forces me to have the whole house cleaned before she gets there. Best motivation ever! Even if it means I'm scrubbing the toilet 2 minutes before she knocks on the door.
at our house, we share the cleaning tasks… I do all the laundry and clean the bathroom weekly and my husband vacuums the whole house and takes the garbage out weekly. we alternate doing the dishes although i do most of the cooking ;) And try to do a nightly sweep picking up and straightening up.
I use labelled clear plastic shoeboxes to corrall my kids toys (cars, little people, train track, etc). It keeps things organized and my boys are really good at putting things in the appropriate basket.
Oh wow, I think a chart is just what I need! I feel like I'm always behind on cleaning. A while back I read a tip on Oh Happy Day to clean the bathroom while your kids are in the tub. I've started to do that and it feels so productive! (Though of course you have to find a time to clean the tub when the kids aren't in it!)
Anne
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I love using a timer to help keep me on track throughout the day. I usually set it to go off when loads of laundry are finished or ready to be switched out and then once or twice a day for 10 minutes of focused cleaning. It's never enough in my house though, always a constant struggle to stay on top. I'm definitely printing out a chore chart!
That chore chart is brilliant. I'm wondering where she has laundry in the chart?
My trick, that I've done forever, is never leave a room w/o carrying something with you on its way to where it belongs.
Also – the "10 minute tidy" is a beautiful thing. Turn on the timer and make everyone in the house pick up for 10 minutes. My girl is 5, so she still thinks this is more fun than chore.
I'm going to print this out with a few changes. Unfortunately I don't have a dishwasher or a dryer so the laundry/dishes steps always take a bit longer!
There are two places in my house that I try to keep clean and clutter free – my laundry room and my pantry (it's a walk-in pantry). I have separate laundry baskets for darks/whites/delicates and every family member knows where to put their dirty clothes. It's so nice to walk in and not see clothes all over the floor. I also fold and put clothes away as soon as they come out of the dryer, so they're not sitting on the counter for days. As for the pantry, I try to make sure I can see everything so that nothing is hiding. It makes meal time much quicker.
I use flyladys routines which look a lot like yours but still a little different and it helps my house stay clean. Thanks for the chance to win!
We have wood floors throughout our house, and I cannot stand it when they appear dirty. Solution? Roomba's IRobot! It works wonderfully for keeping bits and pieces and hair balls from collecting in corners.
I am so glad you posted this! I was in dire need of a change! My house is always a wreck and 2 toddlers don't help it either! The only thing that really helps me clean (bc I hate cleaning) is turning on loud music :0)
mrsmberry@hotmail.com
i'm trying to declutter my life too, but once stuff gets into baskets i can't see it and it's just going to sit there!
I am definitely going to start using your chore chart! Right now I do a deep clean of every room on Saturdays- this needs to stop ASAP!
This is awesome and could not have come at a better time! It's hard to keep up with any cleaning at my house, with 4 kids ages 4 and under. We are working on teaching the kids to be responsible for their own rooms, bathrooms, etc, but most of the other housework still falls on me. I do a lot of spot vacuuming and could not live without my floor steamer!
My initial response is to fight the chore chart :) but I think I might try it out, I feel like I'm constantly cleaning and then we have the big Sat. Chores that take up the morning. Recently I decided to try to "train" my kids to do more little things to help out after seeing a friend's younger kids automatically put their dishes in the dishwasher (she's three!) among other daily chores they all do.
I have yet to conquer a clean house! And my girls are grown and only one lives at home and is in college. I do try to pick things up as I walk through a room and take them to their rightful place. And give something away when I buy something new for the house to try to keep the clutter down.
Windex (or other glass cleaner) on kitchen and bathroom faucets makes them *sparkle*.
all great tips! i love the basket idea… also, i borrowed from a friend that i take 20 uninteruppted minutes every night to tidy, load dishwasher, fold laundry, etc. and it really makes my next morning much more enjoyable.
thanks!
I like your chore chart. I try to get up early on Saturday to do the errands quickly before everyone else is up and about. Then, I can come home early and take a nap if I want to, instead of sleeping late.
I have been trying to find a cleaning schedule that works for me with two small kids and I love yours! I try to never leave a room empty handed to try to work on the clutter all day long. I also try to get my toddler involved in the cleaning, she loves to wipe down baseboards with a damp cloth.
Cleaning…ahh. I love using vinegar and a dash of Dawn in a spritzer bottle and giving it to my kid to help! Safe ingredients and she can help me out. She is having a blast spraying windows and bathtubs and I am successfully cleaning instead of letting her destroy a playroom or zone out on t.v.
I don't have a great cleaning tip, so I'm going to read all of these comments to learn a few things!
Thank you for this post. I do best with a plan and this is a nice and simple one that just might prove to be life changing!
I don't really know if this is a trick, per se, but at the end of the work day (I work at home), I do a quick sweep of the house and pick up stuff that is out of place and return it to its proper home. That way, if someone pops over for a visit, everything is at least picked up.
I recently saw this on Pinterest. Your dishwasher needs a good clean every once in a while. Place a dishwasher-safe cup filled with plain white vinegar on the top rack of the dishwasher. Using the hottest water available, run the dishwasher through a cycle. The vinegar will help to wash away the loose, greasy grime, sanitizes, and helps remove the musty odor. Next, sprinkle a cupful of baking soda around the bottom of the tub and run it through a short cycle. The baking soda will help freshen and removing stains. Voila! Clean dishwasher :)
The 15 minute clean-up attack is my best method! Everyday I do a 15 minute cleanup/organization of whatever area I choose. Its amazing how much you can get done and how quick the time goes by.
I love using baskets for things like the dog toys. They can get them out if they want to and it is super easy to just toss them back in… only when they aren't looking though… otherwise it turns into a game!
I talked about my favorite cleaning tip on my blog — I use Google calendar to schedule those only need to be done occasionally tasks so I don't have to wonder when was the last time I washed the shower curtain or changed the filter on the Brita pitcher or whatever. I have a household tasks calendar with all my tasks repeating at intervals, so I get an email reminder when it's time to do them again.
My best, and probably only, cleaning tip is to put on some good music and go for it! I also give myself a little reward (usually sitting down with a cup of coffee)when I'm alllll done or as a little halfway break, keeps me motivated : )
The only helpful tip I have in terms of cleaning is when vacuuming a room, start in the farthest corner of the room and vacuum your way out. I used to start from the doorway and this way is much quicker!
I love this cleaning schedule. It's very practical and not as overwhelming as many others that are out there… as for my favorite cleaning tip: SIMPLIFY. I have found that most surfaces can be cleaned with a clean cloth and hot water/vinegar/baking soda/lemon juice.. it makes the house seems smaller when I only have to lug around a few things! not to mention it's much easier on our budget.
I love mrs. meyers cleaning products because its smells so good its rewarding to clean – the stores here are starting not to carry the products so i also like method counter spray at target with scents like lavendar, pink grapefruit and lemon verbana!
When I was growing up, we had a "deep cleaning" day, my mom would list out the items that needed to be cleaned, and then depending on how complex each one was, you had to do 10 items, or 8 chores, etc. We were motivated to work because the easier chores got taken first and once you crossed off the items on the list, then you got to go out and play!
Stellar post and awesome giveaway -thanks Jenny! I too am a horrible housekeeper desperate for reform. I have made some small victories in controlling the clutter, but love reading everyone's tips for more helpful ideas. I think having a routine might be the most critical component and with my first baby due any day, you know I printed the chore chart. Thank you!
i love the 'basket method', and i too try to do few things each day to stay on top of things. i also feel that if i've organized a space, i'm more motivated to keep things 'pretty'!
I am definitely a fan of having less STUFF, so keeping things neat and tidy is easier. So far in my life, I have been a tackle-it-all-in-one-day cleaner, but you have inspired me to start spreading it out and doing a little bit each day. We will see how it goes!
I totally believe in chore charts. I made one about 6 months ago with a different card for each day, and the daily tasks for that specific day, but I like yours so much better. It's all in one place/page! I'm pretty organized and I think that the best way to keep your house looking nice without feeling overwhelmed is daily maintenance.
Swiffer and Clorox wipes are life savers!! We have a dog and have to swiffer daily to keep the hair in check. I need a chore chart big time! I usually have to pull marathon cleaning days :(
My tip is to spend some time cleaning right after work, rather than taking off my shoes and sitting down. That way I am still in "work mode" and just spend 20-30 minutes cleaning every day. It helps keep chores from building up and me having to spend a whole weekend day cleaning.
I love Bigso Boxes of Sweden. They keep me decluttered of kids projects that can easily take over your house. I do keep a bit of a schedule and each morning I run the sweeper just to rid us of any lingering crumbs Also, a friend just gave me the best organizing tips when it comes to kids projects. She take s a photo of each item with her I phone and files them. That is going to be my next move!
My cleaning tip is to recruit the children!
my cleaning tip is to not take it all on yourself (if possible!). It is so much less stressful when my husband does the jobs I hate, and I do the jobs he hates! Win win!
I tend to marathon clean and it leaves me exhausted and frustrated. I'm going to try an adapted version of your system. Thanks for the great post!
I usually do one room at a time. I have a little internal race with myself on how fast I can get that one room into shape. Once that is done and I can see how great it feels to be done, the motivation is there and all the other rooms get done quickly.
Love your chore chart! I p designate Saturday morning to deep cleaning the house since it's pretty picked up all week then Sunday is my free day. Love baskets in the living room and stepson's room for a quick pick up of toys.
My favorite cleaning tip is to use the scrubbing bubbles continuous spray cleaner that comes in the green spray bottle and a magic eraser to clean my tub back to shining!! works wonders!!!
The tip I've gotten that I like the most is spending at least 5 minutes every day cleaning. It seems like nothing but you'd be surprised what you can do in that time!
A little everyday goes a long way. That's my fave tip!
Love your schedule. My favorite cleaning tip is using baby oil to polish faucets and sinks. :)
I love your chore chart! I don't have chores I do on specific days, but I do have a list of things that I clean daily and weekly. If I don't stay on top of cleaning I start to go crazy :)