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A Cleaner Home in 2015

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I am always looking for new routines, schedules, and tips and tricks that I can use to have a cleaner home. Since the beginning of the year, I have been implementing this simple routine, which has transformed the way I clean and have a home that stays that way on a consistent basis.

My challenge in regards to intentionally keeping a home this year was in following a routine, and sticking to it no matter what most times. Of course this was challenged right out of the chute as we had the stomach flu invade out home just after the new year and then again just a few weeks later, but once we were able to get back on track with health I got back to it again. The stomach flu is about the only reason I allow myself to not stick to this schedule.

This blueprint assumes I have 30 minutes a day of uninterrupted time to focus on these tasks.  Now before you laugh because you realize this is completely out of reach, you need to take note that I did not say 30 minutes all at one time.  However I need to break it up that day is however I need to break it up.  But the key is that once there is a legitimate interruption, the time stops, and I stop until I can get back to a block of uninterrupted time.

Please note that this schedule is not dealing with laundry, general picking up, or cleaning up the kitchen after a meal or snack, this is just the cleaning tasks to be completed for the day apart from the routine things that are part of everyday life.

This is the best way I found to lay out the cleaning tasks that need to be handled throughout the week.  Also, I find it is necessary to write them down.  They are not truly a task that needs to be completed until the rubber meets the road, or in this case, the ink meets the paper.  The tasks as I have laid them out here take me 30 minutes.  I rarely finish early.

cleaner home

  • Monday:  Upstairs bathroom day, which does not include the shower in the master bath.  Therefore it includes cleaning two toilets, four sinks, two countertops, one tub, four mirrors, and a wipe down on two vanities, six basic wall areas (I have boys, need I say more?), two doors and knobs, two light plates and switches.  These things take me exactly a half hour.
  • Tuesday:  Kitchen day, which includes wiping down the entire backsplash, all countertops, window ledges, bar area from top to bottom, and microwave.  Note: cupboards get wiped down as part of chore day on Saturdays, and appliance cleaning is part of our 4 year old’s regular daily duties.
  • Wednesday:  Office day.  This is the day to sort and file papers, pay bills, and take care of any office type duties, which would include making phone calls.  This works well for me on Wednesdays since I am often in my car for the majority of the day driving kids around.  I can still accomplish many of these things from my car.
  • Thursday:  Cleaning half bath, which includes toilet, sink, and floor, and cleaning the downstairs bath, which includes toilet, sink, countertop, vanity, door and door knob, light plate and light switch, floor, and four walled areas.  This is also the day I clean the master bath shower.  Note: once every few months I do a super deep clean on the shower, which takes 30 minutes on its own, at least.  I just find the time somewhere.
  • Friday:  Wood floor in main living areas and tile floor in basement laundry area.  The kitchen floor gets cleaned again on Saturday, but this is the day that I get in the corners and also clean the kick plate and that kind of thing.  The main walkways in the kitchen do get wiped up usually once a day, too.  The kitchen floor just takes a beating in our home.

Saturday is our general cleaning day since we have much more time without school, and I posted a bit about that in It’s Cleaning Day Part One.

Sunday we try not to tackle much in the cleaning department.  It’s kind of an overflow day for things that may not have gotten done on Saturday if we were gone for a good portion of the day.

I hope this peek into how I have divided up cleaning in the midst of a busy, large family provides a springboard into how these tasks can get completed in the midst of your busy and demanding life.  Feel free to take my schedule as it is or adapt it to make it your own.  The most important part, however, is to write it down!    

Plan on it taking a good month of trying a new way of doing things to decide whether it will or won’t work for you.  Where can you find just 30 minutes a day?

Looking for more on cleaning? You might like 12 Minute Bathroom Cleaning Routine, The One Hour Cleaning Checklist or 10 Ways Smart People Control Clutter.

This is my recipe for my Disinfecting All Purpose Green Cleaner.

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