How to Organize Housecleaning

Houses are in constant need of cleaning. But, the available time we have to devote to cleaning is decreasing while our stuff and home sizes are increasing. It is often a good idea to organize which types of cleaning should occur over discrete time periods. Some types of cleaning, like washing the outside of windows, may only take place once or twice a year. Other types of cleaning, like dishes, need to be managed daily. Creating a structure to manage your time and what your house needs is a good first step to reducing the stress of always feeling like you are behind in your cleaning.

Instructions

1

List in your notebook your big 12 cleaning projects for the year. Examples might include: exterior window washing, gutter cleaning, drapery cleaning, resealing stone floors, removing stains on the fireplace, cleaning under appliances, cleaning furnace and all ducts, sending rugs out for cleaning, cleaning all light fixtures, carpet cleaning, etc. Your list will probably vary from this depending on your home and needs.

2

Count your rooms. Most homes have from seven to 12 or more rooms. List your rooms. Include larger porch areas. In your notebook jot down a month next to each space keeping in mind that you want to avoid December and any holiday months in which you will be gone. You can double up small rooms on one month to leave some months empty.

3

List in your notebook cleaning projects that you want to accomplish two or more times a year. This might include wiping down trim work and doors or cleaning your stove or any number of projects. On your list you might want to flip all of your mattresses or check all your sheets for holes or scrub out your garbage cans. This is called a seasonal list. Try to place these tasks every three to four months or even at six months. Be sure to add three to four donation days to your list.

4

List in your notebook weekly cleaning such as vacuuming, dusting, laundry, plants, removal of outdated materials and accumulation. This list should be the same from week to week regardless of holidays and events.

5

List your daily cleaning such as dishes, countertops, bathrooms, putting out garbage or collecting laundry and sweeping high-traffic areas.

6

Sit your housemates or family down as you begin to compose your schedule. Ask each person for additions that you may have forgotten. Ask each person what he or she would like to see as a weekly or yearly outcome of organizing. Take notes. Assign a colored marker to each person for cleaning he or she will be responsible for. Finalize your lists.

7

Transfer your list to your calendar. Nine to 10 of your months should have a major cleaning project as well as a project room. A project room might be a bedroom in which on one assigned day the entire household assists in a complete cleaning of the room, including sorting of old or broken toys, sorting old or ruined clothing or broken furniture. Everything that is in bad repair should be disposed of. Outgrown clothing should go in a donation bin. The room should be put back in order with everything clean. Your two monthly projects should be done two weeks apart if possible.

8

Rotate your weekly and daily cleaning lists so that every week each capable person has a different cleaning task for the week. Generally, it works well for one person to do dishes for a whole week and then the next week he or she does the garbage. Use your color markers to indicate different tasks. Seasonal cleaning may be offered on incentive to encourage enthusiastic participation. Try to encourage open weekends at least twice a month and daily/weekly cleaning done during weekdays. This allows for play and relaxation time, too. Hang your calendar and use your schedule, you will be surprised how much extra time you create.