Is there a better feeling than walking through your front door into a clean and odor-free environment? The peace and tranquility of a clean home cannot be understated. After a long day of work, the stresses of cleaning your home can feel overwhelming.
Take some weight off yourself by breaking down tasks into 15-30 minute intervals, then do a little each day of the week. Come Sunday, you’ll be amazed by how much less work needs to be done around the house!
MONDAY – BATHROOMS
Get the gross stuff out of the way first. Bathrooms are hot zones for germs, which might make you think this will take a while. Save some time by pouring toilet cleaner in the bowl and then spraying and wiping down surfaces while the toilet bowl cleaner sits.
Spray all surfaces with an all-purpose cleaner – counters, tub, walls in the shower, and mirrors. Once they’re all sprayed down, scrub it up in the toilet, and then make another round. This time, wipe away all of the cleaner you sprayed with a microfiber cloth, leaving a sparkling, germ-free environment. Forget the floors, we’ll handle those another day!
TUESDAY – LINENS
I don’t know about you, but for me, there is something about freshly cleaned sheets that is more comforting than used ones, even if only used for one night. Strip the sheets and pillowcases from your bed and gather up any used towels and rags. Start as early as you can and set timers to change loads so you don’t waste time.
If you’re doing more than one load, fold or hang towels and dress the bed while the next load washes. I sometimes save this chore for the night before a big day at work. It makes me feel better prepared and more rested for what the next day will throw at me.
WEDNESDAY – FLOORS
Today we’re going to vacuum, sweep, and mop our way to victory. Grab the broom and start with any surfaces you can sweep. Here’s a little secret of mine… you don’t even HAVE to get the dustpan if you don’t want to. I don’t know many times in the past I’ve just swept the kitchen floor onto the living room carpet, where I later vacuum everything up. It might be lazy, but cleaning sucks, so the more time saved, the better!
After sweeping and vacuuming, pick up the mop and finish the job. Sweeping might leave residue behind that mopping will take care of. Now your floors look and feel clean!
THURSDAY – KITCHEN
The most effective way to keep a clean kitchen is to do small clean-ups after each time you cook, but let’s be honest, that doesn’t always happen. Do your best to take just 2 minutes to clean up after cooking. Those minutes will add up so that when you show up to do this deeper cleaning, it won’t take as much time or effort.
The first clean might take a bit longer, but once it’s done, you’ll save time in the future. (As long as you keep up with it.) Wipe down all surfaces, including around the burners. Grease build-ups are unhealthy and are fire hazards.
Discard any old items in the freezer and/or fridge, and give the shelves a quick wipe down. As you return items, organize them in a way that will make food preparation easier. Lastly, keep up on the dishes and scrub the sink once a week! Even after the dishes are done, your sink can be a source of foul odor.
FRIDAY – DUSTING
Use a microfiber dust cloth or duster and go room to room, dusting services and knick-knacks. The fewer items you have on shelves and tables, the more time you’ll save. Don’t forget about the hard to reach places high up or down low. Nearly any surface can gather dust, and there are a lot of smaller surfaces that are easy to forget. Your tv, entertainment center, and computer/computer desk are big dust gatherers. Spend a few extra seconds on those.
Don’t forget about the blinds. If you have blinds on your windows, dust them once a week to prevent grime from building up and to brighten up a room.
THE WEEKEND IS FOR FUN AND REST
Now that you’ve completed the majority of chores in less than 30 minutes per day this week, you have Saturday and Sunday to yourself. You’ll probably have a few things to take care of, but overall, you’ll be amazed by how little needs to be done. Many people leave their chores untouched except for one day a week, when they try to do it all. This is not only overwhelming, but it also leads to incomplete chores and less free time.
While they spend their entire Sunday cleaning, you’ll be spending it with friends, family, or doing something you actually enjoy.