As busy as life can be, schedules for cleaning house are often begun only to be forgotten within a month or two. How can you create a schedule that works for you?
Why a Schedule?
A few generations ago women had a predictable schedule. Since their primary focus was home and family they focused on certain things every day. While life for Grandmother was hard it was not complex. Each day of the week had an assigned chore associated with it and so she was able to flow through the week knowing that everything would get done regularly. This is not true anymore. Full time jobs, single parent households, and extracurricular activities may mean that today's woman is not home much and when she is, may feel overwhelmed and exhausted. A schedule may feel like one more hoop that she must jump through.
The fact is that a well planned schedule can actually create margins in your life. Rather than rushing around in an unorganized way doing what seems the most pressing you flow through your day doing what is on your list. You have a concrete plan and when the scheduled activity is done you move onto the next activity. Everything gets done in time.
Types of Schedules for Cleaning House
There are several ways to schedule housecleaning chores. Some people prefer a weekly checklist while others prefer a daily plan. There are even monthly and yearly schedules that you can follow.One of the best scheduling methods for housekeeping is found in the book, Sidetracked Home Executives, by Peggy Young and Pam Jones. This book has a plan for putting each chore on a 3x5 card and scheduling chores daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly. It is a great plan for the woman that is looking for a cohesive way to get everything done but has difficulty staying on track.
Another way to stay on track is to use a day planner. You can spend a few moments at the beginning of the week listing the priorities for the week ahead. A planner is easy to take with you in a purse or bag so you can check your schedule anytime.
The best schedules for cleaning house are those that work for you. No matter what type you use adapt it to fit the needs of your family.
Scheduling Specific Chores
While everyone is different there are certain chores that need to be done on a regular basis. Some things, like dishes, will need to be done more than once a day while others may only need to be done twice a year. The following list is a suggested timetable only. Adjust it to meet your individual needs.
Daily
- Pick up clutter
- Take out trash
- Load dishwasher and run
- Wipe of kitchen counters and sink
- Wipe off bathroom counters and sinks
- Make bed
If you have a large family it may be easiest to do a load or two of laundry every day rather than waiting for one day to do it all.
Weekly
- General
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- Vacuum
- Sweep
- Mop
- Dust mop
- Dust
- Change sheets
- Wipe off light plates
- Sweep porch(es)
- Laundry
-
- Wash clothes
- Iron
- Mend
- Wipe off machines
- Bathroom
-
- Toilets
- Bathtubs
- Shower
- Mirrors
- Kitchen
Monthly
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Wipe off appliances
- Pour baking soda in garbage disposal
- Windows
- Cobwebs
- Dust baseboards and around doors
- Straighten cabinets and drawers
- Wash knickknacks
- Oven
- Move furniture and vacuum underneath
- Garage
- Spot clean walls
- Clean light diffuser bowls on ceiling lights
- Dust ceiling fans
- Wash throw rugs
- Clean and organize closets
Yearly
- Turn mattresses
- Wash walls and determine if they need paint
- Wash out cabinets and drawers
- Move refrigerator out and clean behind
- Have vacuum serviced
- Have carpets shampooed
Delegating Authority
When you have schedule you can more easily enlist the help of your family. Sit down with your family and explain that it takes everyone working together to make your home a comfortable place for everyone. When you schedule chores for your children keep their ages and abilities in mind. Be prepared to work with them for the first few times and show them how to clean a room.
With a little patience and persistence you can maintain schedules for cleaning house that will work for your whole family.
