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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 am most definitely using this cleaning chart! As a soon-to-be new wife, I've been overwhelmed just thinking about cleaning more than just my room and bathroom (I have roommates now), but this seems very manageable. One thing that has helped me in my own space is TRAYS. They help me to corral certain items – for example, I keep all my make-up and daily products on a beautiful tray. It's easy to access and things don't get scattered all over my counter.
my kids are grown now but when they were little we did the nightly cleaning blitz. i set the timer for 2 minutes and we turned it into a race. everyone grabbed something out of place laundry, toys, books, etc. and put it where it belonged and then we all raced back to turn on the tv to watch whatever program was on that night. it was fun and helpful to me and taught them that i was not a slave. i kinda miss those days.
We have a daily/weekly/monthly chore chart. With our recent move to a larger house, there was no way I could do it all! The charts definitely help and everyone knows exactly what is expected of them.
I also use baskets everywhere- for shoes, toys, hats. I try and keep a routine, and not let anything pile up; keeping on top of it makes it manageable.
This isn't my trick (although I think I should adopt it), but I once heard that if it takes less then 60 seconds go ahead and do it now. You will have a lot less clutter.
I do the laundry by rooms so I never have to sort it. It makes it that much easier to put away!
The basket idea is genious! And since I have a bit of a basket fetish anyway, will not be hard to institute.
When I'm being really, really good I use the motivated moms app which is similar to your chore chart albeit a bit more complicated. When I'm being good I try to keep up with the kitchen and laundry. When I'm not being good the house falls down around me. Which is precisely where I am at the moment! Thanks for the motivation to try again!
I take the time to declutter and simplify one area of the house every month – whether it's the closets or the medicine cabinet – having less to worry about keeps me more organized and I always know what I have or what I need. And now for something a little random: I swear by baking soda, it cleans everything!
Ugh I wish I had a tip! I am guilty of leaving work early on Fridays and going home to deep clean. Then I eat lunch, then I remember I have a new Gossip Girl on DVR then I realize it is 4 and I have to pick up the kid from school, then I realize the only cleaning I have done is throw away my fast food container :/ I need this!
My favorite cleaning trick is that in the morning I do the dishes and throw a load in the washer. When my boyfriend gets home he unloads the dish washer and throws the clothes in the drier. All in all we each spend about 30 minutes and it keeps the dishes and dirty clothes manageable. We take the dogs for a walk and when we get back the clothes are dry and together we fold them. It works out great because he knows exactly what he needs to do to contribute to a clean house.
I'm always in survival mode so this chart seems like a good start to staying on schedule!
I have to confess that we are marathon cleaning people, but I am feeling convicted to try this chore chart. We do make our bed every morning and just straightening our throw pillows after watching TV at night does a lot to preserve my sanity.
My tip is to get a husband who will help you clean :-)
Love the chore chart! Bins and baskets definitely help me stay organized. I think the kids toys multiply at night while we are sleeping :)
Chore charts, as silly as it feels to have one at 32, really help me keep up with all those tasks, and it allows me not to kill myself with chores all slammed into one day! One thing I do is inventory my kitchen, a serious inventory, to use up the canned stuff and rotate things through. It really helps keep down on food waste!
I love this! My husband and I don't have kids, but we live in a big, old house with a dog, so the dust and dog hair are endless. I love the idea of doing a little each day, so that we don't have to clean for 4 hours on a Saturday to make up for it (our current method…not fun). Thanks for sharing!
Do a little at a time. But it also helps to have someone come in to do the major stuff twice a month! :)
I try to do a couple loads of laundry every day–it's the chore I hate the most! But, I love this cleaning schedule and I'm going to have to incorporate it! Thanks!
We don't even have kids yet and I'm amazed at how dirty our house gets!! Everyday I pretty much do a general cleaning but I like your chore idea. I hate to say it, but I kinda forget to clean around the toilet sometimes! – Boo
I love this post! THank you for the printable. I'm going to try this. I get discouraged sometimes. Currently I am getting the most done between 1 and 3 while my baby is napping and my older two are in 5 and 6 year old are in school. But I am always a little exhausted and lazy at the end of the day to do it again and I rarely wake up to a clean house. I think your clean up basket system would help me most even if I still do my extra thing during the nap.
Your chore chart is so simple compared to mine, I think I'll be doing it your way from now on! I'm absolutely obsessed with the cleaning power of baking soda. Made as a paste with either hydrogen peroxide or water, you can clean nearly anything to a sparkling shine- even the inside of the oven! Sometimes it needs to sit for a little bit on the grungy surface, but most of the time a gentle scrubbing does the trick. Love it. A big thanks to Martha Stewart on that one!
I am a big fan of storage when it comes to cleaning. I like to have hidden spots for cleaning supplies around the house (not just in the kitchen) because if my supplies are readily available I can clean something right on the spot! That way I am never faced with cleaning the whole house on a saturday but I can do a little at a time each day :)
I try to do a little every day so it doesn't become a vast un-doable job. I also keep a basket of the top of the stairs for stuff that needs to get toted down stairs.
I love your chart, it will find its home on the back of my pantry door! A little tip that I use is to clean out the fridge before I go to the grocery store, that way old things don't get stuck in the back (a trick a friend gave me)!
I think my biggest "tip" is that I set deadlines for things. I don't have a dishwasher, so the sink has to be empty of dishes by 4 pm so I can start preparing dinner soon after that. I try not to do housework (other than emptying trash baskets and making beds) on weekends, so Friday noon is my self-imposed deadline for having the house clean and the laundry baskets emptied. Having deadlines, arbitrary as they are, keeps things under control.
Dusting is my biggest issue, I hate to do it. I use a duster to spot clean one or two rooms at a time, so I don't have to do it all at once. This is also a good chore to have the children help with.
I love a good chore chart. We keep a loose schedule, with most cleaning happening Sunday night. My tip is turn on some tunes. I find that the energy of some fun dance music helps me to power through chores that my rebellious inner brat doesn't want to do.
The chore chart is genius.
My favorite cleaning tip is something that just happened on its own. While I'm helping my daughter get ready for bed, my husband cleans up the kitchen. That way we can enjoy story time & tuck in together and then relax on the couch after our daughter is asleep.
My favorite cleaning tip is delegating!!! I have four kids and each one of them has several cleaning assignments a week. I even took a piece out of my swiffer mop that makes it the perfect size for a 7 year old!
Don't get me wrong, I still do my fair share!
i hate to vacuum or sweep, do the boytoy does that. i hate doing dishes but the boytoy takes FOREVER when he does them, so i take on that chore. he always does the trash, bathroom and laundry. i cook, make the bed and do the general pick up. it seems to work out ok.
I love the chart. A little each day!
Doing at least one load of laundry everyday keeps me on top of this chore and not feeling overwhelmed come the weekend!
I love Mrs Meyer's All Day Clean concentrate. It really multitasks. Dilute it to do windows, floors, and mirrors. Full strength for bathrooms. The scents are devine and they leave your home clean and smelling clean. Also, I use microfiber towels. After cleaning, dusting, and working my way through my house, I just throw them in the washer. I love the convenience.
Baking soda removes odors from rugs and carpet. Just sprinkle some on and let it set for a while, then you just vacuum the smells away.
I love this post and your chore chart. I've been resisting one, but really do better with a list in front of me. My best tip?.. Multitask. I try to make little chores a game throughout the day. Or if I want to watch a tv show, I'll make myself get up and get something done during the commercials. But more structure would be helpful!
Never leave a room without bringing something that doesn't belong. Even if it mean picking up one stray piece of paper from the coffee table and dropping it in the trash in the kitchen.
I'm printing out your chore chart!! I have a tiny one bedroom apartment, but I still feel like I clean all of the time.
I love swiffer dry dusters to quickly run over tabletops and the tv a few times a week. Dust makes everything look grimy!
My mom taught me "a place for everything and everything in its place" when I was growing up. Living in a small apartment, this has become my mantra! The second things start to pile up, I know we need to make a Goodwill trip, otherwise a dirty disorganized apartment follows.
Our biggest clutter challenge was baby toys (which were quickly turning into dog chew toys). The solution was easy storage in the form on an ottoman that has a lid. Baby toys get tossed in and the dog can't get in!
The best thing is consistency. There is no magic bullet out there, you just have to clean a little bit every day, then do a deep clean every couple months. Also, I think the other critical component to a clean home (for a family) is equal distribution of household work for Mom and Dad and trying to get the little ones in the habit of pitching in as well.
My favorite 'trick' is to stop complaining to myself how much I have to and instead, to actually do the chore. I put off doing dishes so often, but in reality, it never takes me more than a half hour, tops, to get everything done. It seems like the anticipation is the hardest part!
I have two tips actually….1. Always clean top to bottom in a room then vacuum last. 2. Never EVER go upstairs or downstairs empty handed! (Husbands and children have a very hard time with #2!)
This is SO great! Thank you! I wipe up and clean the bathroom while my kids are in the tub, I am in the room with them and still accomplishing some cleaning!
I must say my favorite is yours too. Baskets can be a life saver!
I do a 15 minute clean every evening after my son goes to bed, and then an hour cleaning on the weekend. I too keep baskets everywhere for organization and hiding the TOYS!
One trick is not too many toys! I have four children and decreasing toys, greatly decreases clutter! I also do 2 loads of laundry every day except the weekend. It's the only way I can keep up, and then I feel like I have time off if I don't do it on the weekend!
Thanks for the chance to win!!
Bleach pens and Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are my saving grace. Every morning when I finish my shower I wipe down the tile with the Magic Erasers and do a one square-foot area of grout with the bleach pen. It makes keeping the mold/mildew away so much easier in this humid climate!
I'm the person who NEEDS cleaning tips, not the one who has them. I'm terrible at picking up after myself. Also, whenever I do laundry, my clothes seem to have multiplied. There are never enough drawers.
We typically make a big cleaning push on the weekends, but I'd rather do a little each day like you suggest. Makes the cleaning seem much more manageable. No one wants to spend an entire Saturday cleaning the house.
I rotate chores throughout the week, too (it's too much to do it all in one day!). I also use phone calls as a time to dust. By the time I'm finished catching up with my sister, I've dusted the house. And while my daughter is playing in the bathtub (refusing to get out), I wipe down the sink and clean the toilet.
I live with two roommates and we keep a chore chart, too! We divided the apartment into 3 main cleaning zones, and every month we rotate duties. We posted what needs to get cleaned in every area in the kitchen- that way, everyone knows what they are responsible for and there is no confusion! Since we live in NYC and our space is so small, keeping things neat are a must! And our favorite trick? In our hall closet we have a back of the door shoe organizer that we use to store hairbrushes, toothpaste, etc.