I've always been a list and schedule type of person. If I don't have a list or a schedule things don't get done. So here you have a simple and EXTREMELY effective household schedule. It works for big and small families, SAHM, WAHM, WAFHM. This schedule can be tailored to anyone and everyone.
First we have the "dailies" - These are chores that you will need to tend to each day.
10-Minute Tidy-up -
Set your timer for 10 minutes three times/day and tidy up. You will be surprised at what you can get done in 10 minutes.
Beds -
It takes less then 5 minutes to make a bed. If your children are old enough, ensure that they make their own beds before school. It’s a great habit for all kids to get into.
Laundry -
Depending on your family size and laundry use, you may need to do anywhere from one to four loads of laundry per day. Start with two loads each day (Monday-Friday) and decide if you need to increase or decrease that number. We are a family of almost 4 and I do 1 load of laundry a day on occasion I do 1 load every other day.
While the machine is filling up, wet a light-colored rag or a towel if you have one in your load and wipe down the washer and dryer if necessary, throw towel in wash.
Set a timer if you need to so you don't forget about your laundry in the wash OR dryer. Whether you use an electric dryer or hang on a line, you should fold laundry as soon as possible to prevent wrinkles.
Once they are folded, put everything away. Piles of laundry littering the couch only takes away from the hard work you have done.
Dishes -
Empty your dishwasher or put your hand-washed dishes away every night or early morning. I tend to run my washer when the little(s) goes to bed and empty first thing in the am. This clears space up for the day’s dishes. Keep on top of dishes that don’t fit into the dishwasher and wash them as soon as each one is emptied. Pots, pans, plastic bowls and juice jugs can clutter a sink, and a cluttered sink takes the charm away from any dining experience. - I still struggle with the dishes, but have gotten better about them. Dishes are NOT my favorite thing to do...
Now ONTO your scheduled cleaning - you may have days that are better for certain tasks or days that are better off days. Tailor the days to what works best for you! I often change the days to suite our schedule (We have a weekly whiteboard and I put it down on there the weeks chores - I use a simple b=bathroom, k=kitchen, br=bedrooms, lr=living room and so on)
Monday - Kitchen
It is the hub of the family, so in addition to your daily kitchen maintenance, deep cleaning once a week is very necessary. I try to make the weekly kitchen cleaning the day before grocery shopping that way you are ready to unload.
Organize your pantry and discard any expired foods. Repackage any items that have torn packages or open boxes, and consider storing them in Tupperware to eliminate the possibility of unwanted kitchen guests/bugs.
Empty and wipe out the refrigerator.
Clean your microwave and toaster/toaster oven - For the microwave take a coffe cup add 1/4 cup of vinegar fill the rest of the cup with water. Place it in the microwave for about three minutes. This should be long enough to steam the inside of the microwave making wiping down/cleaning your microwave a super easy job. For the toaster/toaster oven - clean outside, dump crumb catchers and re-line them (toaster oven). Lining the catchers will keep things from getting stuck on.
Wash your counters and disinfect them.
Have a coffee maker to rinse? Powdered automatic dish detergent is the best for removing coffee stains whether they are in the pot or on your counter. Just a little bit will do. It also works well to clean a stainless steel sink.
Wipe down your appliances and your cupboards.
Empty your garbage before replacing the bag go a head and sanitize/wipe down your can and lid if it has one. Throw about five bags into the bottom of the can before putting your bag in/on this makes changing the garbage every day an even easier task.
Organize your junk drawer(s). Most of it can be organized into 5-6 categories. Grab a handful of large Ziploc bags and slip items of similarity into each:
Pens, pencils, erasers, markers
Scotch tapes, masking tape electrical tape
Candles, birthday candles, matches, lighters
String, twine, shoelaces
Keys, padlocks
Etc.
It's a lot easier to pull out a bag with like items when you need masking tape then to search through a drawer of junk looking for it.
Sweep/Mop Floor.
Once a month clean the inside of your stove.
Tuesday - Grocery-Errands Day.
Plan your meals for a week and make a list of what you will need. Check to ensure that you have an adequate stock of light bulbs, cleaning supplies, toiletries, and such.
If you have collected any coupons during the week, put them in your purse. If you use your own bags be sure to put those with your purse as well so they are not left behind or keep a stock of them in your car.
If you have errands to run, this is a good day to do them as well. It will help to save time and gas by grouping trips together.
Wednesday - Bathroom/bathrooms
Wet a cloth and sprinkle soap/cleanser of choice onto the cloth, wipe down the bathtub, the sink and the counters. Use one scrubber for the toilet (I use a wand with individual one time use pads for the toilet to help prevent any left over germies or cross contamination), and a separate one for the sink, bathtub and floors.
Keep supplies under the sink so you can easily touch up areas during the week if/when need be.
Clean the mirrors.
Wipe down the door handle and light switch(es).
Do you have a fan/vent/etc that needs to be cleaned?
Check your shower liner/curtain. Is it time for a wash/change?
Don't forget to empty the garbage.
Give special attention to the floor. ESPECIALLY the area behind the toilet is a gathering place for dirt and more, especially if you have little boys.
Thursday - Bedrooms
Change/wash bedding
Organize clothes.Take a look in your closet/drawers to see what you can give away. If it doesn’t fit, or you haven’t worn it in over a year, there is no reason to keep it.
Dust off your dressers, end tables, entertainment center, etc.
Clean the windows and mirrors.
Wipe down window sills, and clean inside the tracking of sliding windows.
If you have drapes they should be washed occasionally.
Friday - Living Room/Family Rooms
Vacuum all carpeted areas and clean all other floors.
Pull the couches away from the walls and get behind there.
Every second week, remove the cushions and vacuum the inside of the couch. Wash covers if needed.
Grab a dusting rag and dust any surfaces that you haven’t touched yet this week. Clean any windows and mirrors.
Put away anything that doesn't belong.
Saturday
Tend to anything outside: car, yard, garden, garage, etc.
Sunday
Enjoy your family and your clean home.
No comments:
Post a Comment