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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 like to throw my delicates in a pail with lavender detergent in the morning before I head out and leave them to soak throughout the day. Then, when I come back I give them a quick scrub and cold water rinse, then hang to dry before bed. Breaks up the process, makes it more efficient for me, and the long soak makes the clothes smell fresher and much easier to clean!
My cleaning trick is a small apartment and a husband who is happy to help :)
I always do the dishes immediately after my meal and wipe down the kitchen counters. Light vacuum and laundry on Sundays. I really only do a deep cleaning once a month. Not too strenuous and my place is still pretty clean!
I'm such a lazy cleaner and hate doing it. My tip is that I catch up on fluff tv shows that I have recorded while I clean my living room and dining room. It makes it much more entertaining!
I have a 3 shelf rack next in our laundry room. Each shelf hold 2 laundry baskets. Laundry baskets are labeled with either WHITES, DARKS, LIGHTS, TOWELS, DELICATES, STAIN TREAT. As soon as a basket fills I run the load. There's usually at least one load daily. This helps me stay on top of it =)
Also, going to bed with the kitchen clean and the living room picked up help me wake up ready to go rather than feeling like I have to play catch up. It's a mental game ;)
I try to keep on top of the clutter, that's the biggest issue at our house. Cleaning it only takes 20minutes or so (small house, no kids or pets).
LNK said…
I have a 3 shelf rack next in our laundry room. Each shelf hold 2 laundry baskets. Laundry baskets are labeled with either WHITES, DARKS, LIGHTS, TOWELS, DELICATES, STAIN TREAT. As soon as a basket fills I run the load. There's usually at least one load daily. This helps me stay on top of it =)
Also, going to bed with the kitchen clean and the living room picked up help me wake up ready to go rather than feeling like I have to play catch up. It's a mental game ;)
lizzandlilli@yahoo.com
I love using a basket in each room to catch clutter. I use them in the bedrooms to put books, knitting supplies, magazines, and other items that usually clutter up the night stand leaving very little room for anything else! I also like doing a load of laundry every day to keep the clothes piles to a minimum. I love the chores chart of doing one big type of cleaning a day!
I love simply making sure that my bed is made first thing in the morning after I get up. That alone makes me feel less chaotic as I start the day. I also like Mr. Clean Magic Erasers for getting paint and crayons off the walls if my kids get a little crazy.
I just came across an article the other day that suggested wiping your baseboards with a dryer sheet to make them less static clingy and increase the time between required wipe downs. I haven't tried it yet, but plan to soon. White trim work and a black dog do not play well together, that's for sure. Here's hoping it works!
I'm a college student, so I have decidedly less space to clean than you, but I really focus on decluttering before I go to sleep at night. I think clearer and get more done when my space is tidy (I think I wear cuter outfits, too, when I can actually see my closet floor!).
I pick up every evening and ask my son to do the same. For his toys,I made labels so he knows where to put the toys. I also made some bins that slide under his bed. The bins hold his legos.
Have a schedule of what needs done everyday and get the family involved.
My cleaning idea–focus on your strengths. I am super good about sorting and washing the laundry, but the folding/putting away laundry is a struggle. Luckily, my husband prefers to fold and put the laundry away, so he does those steps almost 100% of the time. Divide and conquer! And thank you to my mother-in-law for making my husband fold piles and piles of laundry growing up in a family of 11!!!
My favorite cleaning technique is living a child-free life. LOL
I am happy if i can keep my toddlers toys up for at least five minutes…thats a biggie these days. My twwo oldest help with the rest on a daily basis!! Otherwise it would totally get out of control!! :0)
I love your idea of never letting the house get very messy. One of my cleaning habits is when I am brushing my teeth with one hand I tidy up the bathroom/ add toilet paper/ check shower supplies. It helps me to always keep the bathroom/ shower organized :)
I am usually awake before my hubby and baby get up for the day, so I will toss in a load of laundry (usually burp cloths & spit up disasters from yesterday) and clean the cat box. My two least favorite chores are done and I can enjoy a cup of coffee while I plan the rest of my day.
I love this chart, I have a similar one…Two tips from me, My kids are older 10, 8 and 6. They each have a tub/basket and the last thing we do in the evening is they take their tub around the house in about 10 minutes and pickup everything of theirs and put it away. It really reduces our mess. My other Huge Tip is I grocery shop once a week with a menu, when I return before any food gets put away, I clean out my fridge. This way it neves gets too full and I check expiration dates as well. After the fridge items are put away, I then tidy the cabinets while putting food away. It is amazing when you stick to it, how much easier it becomes…a habit!
Hi,
I am not the one for chore chart but keep organizing stuff whenever the need be. I believe that taking care of things on daily basis (doesn't take much time) saves ur weekends for fun.
Best,
Amu
Before I clean the kitchen floor I walk around with a spray bottle with water and spray the caked on crap (I have four little kids). Then I let it set a minute while I load the dishwasher. That way when I spot clean or mop I don't have to stop and scrub!
Before I clean the kitchen floor I walk around with a spray bottle with water and spray the caked on crap (I have four little kids). Then I let it set a minute while I load the dishwasher. That way when I spot clean or mop I don't have to stop and scrub!
Sock drawer organizers for organizing jewelry and little toys for the kiddos!
My favorite tip for keeping things tidy is to never leave a room without looking around for something out of place that needs to be moved to the room you are headed to. I started doing this and it really helps tame the clutter!
My big rule is that the kitchen must be cleaned every night before going to bed. I make sure all of the dishes are done, the counters wiped down, and the crumbs swept. And I always keep lemons on hand to help with those nasty waste disposal smells…chop a lemon up in the waste disposal (seeds, skin, and all) and voila…no more nasty smells.
Also, I do my grocery shopping once per week. Every time I put the groceries away, I clean out my pantry, freezer, and refrigerator. No surprises in a few weeks when you're looking in your refrigerator and find leftovers that have been pushed to the back!
I'm always looking for chore charts to keep me on track. I find following a list to make my chores a bit more fun. Thanks for posting and thanks for the chance to win the giveaway!
I love your chore chart!!!
My family of three (and a pup) live in a very small home so staying on top of our mess is vital to keep our home from being nominated for Hoarders.
To help with this, every night before we head off to bed we do a quick "reset" of the house.
The dishes are done (or at least rinsed off well), counters are wiped down, throw pillows are put in the right spots, trash is put in the can and everything that needs to go upstairs goes with us when we head up for bed. It's always so nice wake up to an orderly home in the morning.
I have to have a chore chart- with 6 family members, it's hard to keep it all straight!
Thanks so much for the cleaning calendar! I found it on Pintrest! GENIOUS
We have a 7.5 month old and I feel like my house is supurbly clean once minute – after a solid day of cleaning – and the next its disastrous again.
We have a dog – which does not help – and my vaccum is supposed to be meant for pet hait, but my carpets look filthy, ALWAYS.
I love your posts about the dyson & Miele.
I don't really have a tip for cleaning – I used to be great at it and love doing it when I was younger & lived with my parents, but maybe having my own house has ruined the love – but I really wanted to thank you so much for the calendar, a little bit each day goes a long way, and having a schedule for what little bit should be done each day is a blessing.
cheers to floors you can eat off of :)
I'm not great at keeping things tidy, but one thing that has helped is to make sure we don't own more than we can comfortably store. I'm much more motivated to put the clothes away now that they all fit in the dresser nicely!
You can't organize clutter, so I think the best tip is to really think about new things you're buying and regularly purge.
I have a cordless Electrolux vacuum that I purchased from Target that helps me keep the floors cleaned daily. With 2 kids, it has been a lifesaver! Also, I try to wash at least a load of laundry a day in order to have my weekends free from mulitple loads of laundry.
Unfortunetly I am still working on how to organize all my kids crafts…I am way to sentimental to throw away their cute art projects away!!!
Totally love the basket idea! Not sure how things grow legs and end up in other rooms! Also, I like the chore chart and am always searching for what works!!! Thanks for the post!!!
Thank you, thank you! I needed this. I've been overwhelmed by life recently and my house really shows it. I am printing this list now and I can't wait to get caught up and use this. My tip is to have a place for everything! You always know where things go, and where things are. :)
I found your cleaning process post via pinterest and LOVED it (and now your blog!) I love having charts and am hoping the simplicity of yours will keep me motivated to keep things moving each day. With four kids ages 2, 4, 6, and 8, and running a farm, there just never seems to be enough time – but your chart has me inspired! Thanks!
Thanks for an excellent article! I appreciate your insights and agree with what you wrote. greg herlean
I love using old newspapers or coffee filters to clean my windows – they shine like no other! I also have a full length chalkboard wall in my kitchen to which, after a trip to the grocery store, I list out the fruits and veggies in my fridge so that I know the daily inventory of items. After I use up a fruit or veggie, I cross it off the list. Then, at the end of the week, very little gets rotten since I've kept such close track.
I have a bookshelf in my bedroom. It has three shelves and on those shelves are baskets. I have my darks, reds and whites separated already so that all I have to do is throw them in the wash. I don't wash them until that basket is full. I also have a base from an old entertainment center that I have converted into clothing storage. During the summer all our winter clothes go in there, and during the winter the summer clothes go in there. In a home with very few and small closets and a tiny laundry room, that keeps me organized and sane.
I LOVE your chore chart! Can't wait to try it out… after baby #2 I feel like I can't get the house organized at all. I keep cleaning and cleaning and I can't keep up with just the dailies sometimes.
My biggest secret is I went to the dollar store and bought 10 smallish clothes baskets for my 4 year old's toys. He is capable of picking up toys and throwing them in the baskets and carrying them to his room. They fit nicely on top of and underneath a 18 inch wire shelf at the bottom of his closet. Most of the time they're not that organized, but at least they are put away. :)
Your schedule looks great! I keep essentials – rags, hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle, cleaning solution, etc. under each sink, so that I don't have to cart those things around, and I can wash as needed!
I love using baskets and giving the kids chores they can help with! Love your schedule and think it will help keep us on track!
Spend 15 minutes in the morning and 15 at night. I really like your chore chart, though.
Spend 15 minutes in the morning and 15 at night. I really like your chore chart, though.
I've tried a million times to stick to a schedule with no success. So I just motivate myself by committing to one task, which usually leads to several once I'm on a roll. That plus a load of laundry every day keeps things from descending to Cat-in-the-Hat house.
We started doing a load of laundry a day instead of doing it all on one day. It makes it much less daunting!
I'm not as organized as you, but I do clean a little every day, especially in the kitchen. I also break up tasks like laundry to a few time a week and it makes our laundry loads more manageable!
xoxo,
Chic 'n Cheap Living
I clear out all of my daughter's school work into one box. Then at the end of the year she gets to pick out items that are special and we keep. I once got caught trashing some math sheets and she started crying telling me how hard she worked on it. I'll never make that mistake again!
I love the idea of the baskets. I really need to do that. I also go by a schedule. I used to leave laundry for Saturdays, but we are always so busy on Saturdays that it never got done! I now do one load a day. I love your schedule. Thank you!! :)
A good friend and I have a craft night once a week– one week at her place the next at mine. So at least every other Thursday my house is company ready– she wouldn't care if it wasn't but it is a great motivator. When we first started it resulted in hours of work every Thursday but over the last few months I have found ways to incorporate the cleaning into each day.
I have a standing craft night with a friend and every other week it is at my house. At the very least, my house is company ready on those days and as it has become part of my routine I have started to spread the tasks over the days. It really is great to have a motivator though because if it were just for me and my husband I would be more likely to let it slide in favor of catching up on Netflix!
with 6 kids in the house I have to do a load everyday in order to just keep the laundry basket from spilling onto the floor. It usually ends up being one load of darks that I can get to in a day, everything else gets done on Sunday. Each child has their own basket in the laundry room and are responsible for checking it each night before they go to bed and putting it all away. I also have certain days that I do certain chores. Did I mention that I also work full time? It's a constant battle but the important thing is to make each child responsible for their own things/messes. Everyone that visits is always amazed that my house is so clean and tidy. But it's not just me, it's a team effort with myself and all the kids. Now, if I could only get my husband on board!! lol!