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!!
I have a three person family, and a three drawer dresser in my front room. Everyone gets a "junk drawer". I don't judge till they get full, then it is time to clean them out. It works for us.
i pretty much use cleaning wipes on everything – they have transformed my cleaning routine!
Hi Jenny! Thanks for sharing your tips. Here's mine: I bought a mini vacuum a few months ago and it's changed the cleaning routine in our house dramatically. I felt pretty silly when we bought it since we already have a full size vacuum, but it's been completely worth it. We have hardwood flooring throughout, so dust and hair collect in the corners of rooms and behind doors. Having the mini vacuum to quickly grab from its charging station is a life savor. I can run it along the baseboards in the kitchen to collect crumbs and doesn't leave me exhausted like after lugging out our heavy full size vacuum.
My tilp is to 'blitzes' during the day where we tidy up for one song on the iPod. It keeps the clutter from overwhelming me.
Great tips! I have a 3 year old and a toddler and I always felt like I was doing marathon cleaning on the weekends. I finally hired someone to come every other week to do the really nitty gritty stuff and during the week I pull out the broom, spot clean and try to stay organized. I think the key to staying organized is to keep only the things you use around and donate or store the rest. My kids don't have a ton of toys, but they're happy as pie to play with the same things over and over (not buying lots of toys and extra stuff helps pay for the cleaning!)
I always wondered why my mom did laundry on Mondays, and stubbornly so, and then, as an adult, re-read the Laura Ingalls Wilder Long Winter book. It's in a Mother Goose song! (OK, maybe EVERYONE knew this but I love those origin-y old things that somehow have formulate why we do what we do, and when).
Wash on Monday,
Iron on Tuesday,
Bake on Wednesday,
Brew on Thursday,
Churn on Friday,
Mend on Saturday,
Go to meeting on Sunday.
My other secret, in addition to rhymes: microfiber cloths. A lot of them, especially in the bath. A good rub down with one of those and things definitely sparkle up. I also love the "leave a basket everywhere" tactic: that definitely works with Legos.
what a fabulous giveaway- thanks so much! my 'tip' is to never go anywhere empty handed. chances are god there is something downstairs that needs to go up with me if i'm going, so i take 10 seconds to look around & see what i should take with me. helps keep stuff from piling in the wrong place!
thanks- have a great tuesday!
I've never thought of my daily routine as a chore chart, but it sounds a lot like your routine! With 2 kids, I've realized it is easier to do things immediately (like make the beds or fold the clothes in the dryer) than to let it pile up. My favorite cleaning trick is to put pine-sol in the toilets. It makes them smell really fresh!
Great schedule! I've added shoe pocket organizers to the inside of the doors in my kid's rooms. All the little things can quickly be put away and it keeps their floors much cleaner when it's time to vacuum.
I take about 15 minutes every day to do a fast pick up and return things to their original home. Helps keep the clutter to a minimum.
I take 15 minutes a day and return things to their original home. Helps keep the clutter to a minimum.
fashionable40.blogspot.com
Every week find 5 things that can be thrown or given away. Sometimes it's something little but more often than not I find something new that we've never used or needed (donate) or outgrown toys, chipped plates or stained clothes (toss).
I love your chore chart, especially the "Swing Day" for those things that don't need to be done every week. The biggest tip I have is having lots of storage for kids toys, all of those little pieces can easily get out of control! I don't like to see overflowing baskets so all of our storage has covers or the bins that slide into a cubby shelf.
This post went right to my heart. I love cleaning and organizing. It makes me feel like I've really accomplished something. I likely don't do anything that different than anyone else… but I do have a cat and that litter is a nightmare. It has a habit of trailing everywhere. To try to capture it we converted a Pier One wicker trunk by cutting off a side panel and putting the litter in there with a layer of carpet. It hides most of the mess and looks adorable.
My most recent cleaning tip is to throw some money at it and hire a cleaning service. Even once a month will make a difference (if you maintenance clean in the meantime).
My routine consists of kissing my hubby good bye, and hours later having a sparkly clean house. Sadly, my husband was laid off earlier this year, and he is now a house husband and takes care of the household duties while I go to work. I don't know what he does and/or how he does it, but he is doing a fabulous job, so no complaining from me. ;o)
I love to go around with a Magic Eraser and get rid of all of the scuff marks, hand prints, etc – 3 boys!!! – especially on the stairwells. It makes such a huge difference – looks like a new paint job on the walls. I only do it once a month but it makes me feel better every time I do it.
Thanks for the awesome giveaway and cleaning schedule!!!
Wow – Just spent the weekend cleaning everything and feeling overwhelmed again that I can't stay on top of things. Thanks so much for the chore chart. I plan to start using today! I use the basket trick as well. Helps especially with a 2 story house. Thanks for the great advice!!! – Allison
My best stay clean/organized tip is to get rid of a much junk as possible. I am definitely the type to save everything and shop sales so I end up with a lot of things I don't really need, which ends up being a whole bunch of clutter. I try and go through and purge as often as possible.
I keep small recycling containers in the kitchen. After I get the mail, the junk stuff goes in there right away. And I try to unsubscribe myself from as many catalogs as possible to minimize that junk.
I have recently organized my pantry and it makes my life so much easier. All cereals, oatmeal, rice, pasta in glass jars is pretty and functional.
Love your chore chart! My favorite cleaning tip is the one touch rule. I use the basket thing, too. But the one touch rule says that once you are in the room where things go – put them in their proper place. Don't stage them on the bed, dresser, closet floor, etc. It only takes a few more seconds to put things where they actually belong.
My three kids still need bathtime assistance. I clean the bathroom while they bathe and shower. This way I'm not bored/impatient while they're splashing about and the bathroom sparkles just like they do when we're all through!
Flylady .net has been a lifesaver.
I love to save changing all of the sheets on our beds for Sunday afternoon. It doesn't take that long, and it gives me a little mental boost for Monday to sleep in a super clean bed.
I love the idea of cleaning little by little–this will really help me with bathrooms, which I avoid. And I love to use baskets for easy pick up. I have a few that are getting worn out. Might be time for some new ones!
Great tips! I've found that keeping cleaning supplies like windex, comet, and clorox under every sink makes the process smoother. That way, I never have to go to the hall closet or track down the windex when I feel like wiping off a mirror or counter. I can't make excuses when all the supplies are right there!
Great tips! I've found that keeping cleaning supplies like windex, comet, and clorox under every sink makes the process smoother. That way, I never have to go to the hall closet or track down the windex when I feel like wiping off a mirror or counter. I can't make excuses when all the supplies are right there!
Love the chart idea. I guess I have my own chart in my brain that I follow each day but I alwats love a checklist! I also love a cleaning bucket so you can just carry your supplies around from room to room as you clean.
I wish I had a cleaning tip! My work day is a very long one and I'm generally away from the house from 7:45-8:30. There's generally not much energy let but mostly I just get ready for the next day, go through the mail, visit with family before bed. I need more hours at home. Any suggestions?
I need to go back to a chore chart like this! One of my recent time savings discoveries is to wash my twin teen girls' clothes separately, not together, so long periods of time aren't spent deciding whose underwear and cami's are whose…sounds crazy, but it saves time AND my nerves. :)
We rent at the moment don't have a lot of storage. I have a long, canvas shoe organizer hanging on the door that leads to the basement that I use for all of our cleaning supplies. It's amazing how much stuff can fit in there! I also use the oxo clear air tight containers for all of my baking supplies. These containers just make everything look tidy and neat. Love them!
I love cleaning as I go. The kitchen and bathrooms get cleaned almost daily simply bc they are small and I have a toddler who makes a mess everywhere! Love your tips Jenny!
Flylady.net says keep your kitchen sink shiny.
This website will break it down for you. No need to reinvent the wheel.
karlight52@yahoo.com
We kept 3 baskets at the foot of the stairs – each basket belonging to one child in the family. Anything found downstairs that belonged upstairs went in the basket. At the end of the day, the kids were responsible for emptying their baskets and taking their items back upstairs.
What fantastic ideas from all the commenters. Your chore chart codifies my weekly chores – thank you for sharing!
I Swiffer daily, and have a small tray or basket for loose ends in every room. I also just bought a Roomba, and it's changed my life!
Love the cleaning calendar! I work from home and don't have kids yet, so staying on top of cleaning isn't too hard – but I always try to take 15 minutes between my work day and starting dinner to tidy up (clear desk top, put mail and dishes away, straighten throw pillows and blankets). Honestly it usually takes even less time, and then I feel like I have a relaxing and tidy place to spend the evening!
Love the chore chart! I also use baskets to pick up after my three kids. It seems like they travel room to room with their toys!!
The key for me is keeping cleaning supplies and equipment near "point of use" — bathroom cleaners in every bathroom, an upstairs and downstairs vacuum, etc. Lugging this stuff from room to room and up and down two flights of stairs just adds too much to chores!
Love the chore chart! I also use baskets to pick up after my three kids. It seems like they travel room to room with their toys!!
I have a small 4-tiered basket system in the family room for toys. If the toys don't fit, they go to the playroom. I switch out the toys every month to keep it fresh and toss/donate the toys the kids aren't interested in and pack away the toys they've outgrown.
I've tried a chore chart (multiple times!), but am just not disciplined enough to stick with it.
My best cleaning tip is to take 5 minutes here & there to make it happen. If I think about cleaning the whole house, I tend to panic & quit before I start. If I take 5 minutes to put away dishes and then 5 minutes later to declutter a room, cleaning doesn't seem like such a horrible chore.
Thanks for the chance!
I live with roommates and one of us vacuums at least everyday. I also really like built in storage that can slide in and out of cabinets for cleaning supplies. Easy access helps speed up the process and keeps things organized.
I use a bleach pen on our grout. I've tried chore charts, maybe this one will stick.
I do the weekly "chore chart" too! I actually run an in home daycare and moms morning out program so in addition to my two I daily have 4 to 10 extra children aged 4 and under in my home. If you came to my house you wouldn't know it. I also do one load of laundry a day bc I hate if piling up for the weekend. On Saturday I do laundry but it's only the bedding/towels.
We try to never put dishes in the sink… Straight to the dishwasher! I hate when they pile up!
great tips! I've started using those washable microfiber cloths to clean with that you posted about awhile back and love them!
I am totally using this chore chart! Thank you so much for sharing. My morning and evening routines are similar but I like the idea of the daily additional chore. I've started having my 2 1/2 year old do little things to help me (like pick up his toys, take things to certain rooms, and help me unload the silverware from the dishwasher). Its fun for us to work together and is a good learning activity for him!
I keep a similar system where I clean something everyday and have found that I heavily rely on Green Works all purpose spray and their wipes. I really like their products and their clean smell.
I'm also a strong advocate for bins to keep everything in place. Especially for the kitchen. Container Store and Target are favorites of mine.