Sing a Happy Little Working Song

When I was a little kid, my nanny called me "the mess maker." I was like a little tornado that went through the house and left a disaster in my wake. Then at the end of the night when it was time to clean up my messes, I'd look around and get overwhelmed by the enormity of all the Barbies that needed to be put away. I still get overwhelmed by my own messes. I wish I lived in a Disney movie where little critters were at my beck and call to help with chores. Alas, in reality, cats make messes, they don't clean them.

In college, I was forced to be tidy and organized by the cramped quarters of my sorority. If I didn't put things away, we wouldn't be able to find the door. Through the years, I've developed, slowly and necessarily, into a more organized person.

Pinterest has several cleaning schedules floating around, so I thought I would share the one I developed recently (I used some from Real Simple as inspiration, but changed them to suit my own habits and needs). Now I don't have to tackle a sink-full of dishes or do gobs of laundry in one sitting, because nothing piles up. By nothing I mean, occasionally things pile up, but much less often than they used to! I just bust out my gear and turn up the tunes when Will goes down for his naps and try to get as much done as I can. Anyway, if you are like me and get stressed out by housework, I hope this helps you =) 

I've broken things down into daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal tasks and certain tasks are devoted to certain days. I love this because checklists are kind of a weird obsession for me!

Weekly Cleaning Checklist

Monday
~ Daily Cleaning
~ De-crumb Toaster
~ Scrub stove top inserts
~ Sweep/Mop
~ Wipe Down  Appliances
~ Clean Out Fridge
~ Menu Plan




Tuesday
~ Daily Cleaning
~ Grocery Store
~ Comet Kitchen Sink
~ Change Linens
~Spot Clean Walls



Wednesday
~ Daily Cleaning
~ Clean Bathroom
~ Monthly Cleaning
~ Dust





Thursday
~ Daily Cleaning
~ Windex
~ Vacuum



Friday
~ Daily Cleaning
~ Mint Entries
~ Crafts/Projects



Saturday
~ Daily Cleaning
~ Sabbath



Sunday
~ Daily Cleaning
~ Seasonal Cleaning

Daily Cleaning Checklist

Kitchen

• Clear out the sink of dishes
•  Wipe down counter and stove
• Wipe any spills on the floor
• Fold and hang dish towels

 Bathroom

• Wipe out the sink
• Clean splatters of the mirrors
• Wipe the toilet seat and rim
• Scrub the bowl
• Spray the shower and curtain liner with a shower mist

Other

• Scoop the catbox/ take out full trashes
• File any paperwork lying out
• Clear a clutter spot
• Do a load of laundry

  

Monthly Cleaning Checklist

First Week of Month

• Dust Ceiling cobwebs
• Clean Light Fixtures
• Dust Air Vents

Second Week of Month

• Wash Car
• Wash Drapes
• Dust Intensively
• Clean Outside of Windows

Third Week of Month

• Vacuum Inside Furniture
• Spot Treat Carpet and Upholstery

Fourth Week of Month

• Deep Clean Oven and Fridge

Seasonal Cleaning Checklist

First Month (Jan, Apr, Jul, Oct)

• Flip the Mattress
• Sort through Closets – Organize, Toss, Donate

Second Month (Feb, May, Aug, Nov)

•  Sort through Pantry staples (toss expired items and add low items to shopping list)

Third Month (Mar, Jun, Sep, Dec)

•  Polish Pans 
• Clean outside Windows

Xoxo E