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Most days, cleaning the house sounds exhausting and time-consuming. But it doesn’t have to be! The trick is to be consistent and not skip days unless you have to.
There are two sections to this post I want to focus on. One, daily tasks that are quick and easy. And two, weekly tasks for a more thorough clean that take next to no time at all. This schedule will make cleaning way easier and make sure you still have a clean house!
Stick around to download my free printable!
Daily Cleaning
Each day, try to get all of these easy tasks done. The goal for these tasks is to minimize the time deep cleaning later. This list takes me maybe a total of ten minutes on a day with lots of dishes or toys out. That’s it.
- Wipe down kitchen counters and table
- Put all dishes either in the dishwasher or wash and put them in the drying rack
- Tidy up main areas and kid rooms
Really, those are the only things you should do once a day. Doesn’t that sound so easy and nice!? These three simple tasks will save you time and energy and still allow time to focus on one area of the house each day of the week.
Weekly Cleaning
These tasks don’t need to be done every single day. Just once a week. This schedule gives you the chance to spend a few extra minutes focusing on one area of the house. I chose to put each day in the order below, but you can choose which day would make the most sense for you. (ex: switching Tuesday’s meal planning focus with Friday’s kitchen focus)
Monday
Focus on the bathrooms. I like doing them on Monday and starting the week out with a clean bathroom. Plus, if we had company over for the weekend, I can make sure that the bathroom is germ-free once they leave. I have a specific order I follow when cleaning the bathroom, but you don’t have to follow this exactly. It’s just the fastest and easiest way I’ve found for me!
- Move all items on the counter and in the shower to the floor
- Windex the mirror and counter
- Wipe down the counter and sink(s) with a cleaning wipe
- Put items back on the counter
- Use toilet bowl cleaner, but don’t rinse yet
- Wipe down the toilet bowl with a cleaning wipe (top, handle, rim, and top and bottom of the lid and seat)
- Flush toilet and rinse away the TB cleaner
- Use scrubbing bubbles for the handle, drains, and head in the shower/tub
- Wipe down the shower and tub walls with a cleaning wipe
- Put items back in the shower
- Take out the trash
Average Time to Complete: 15 minutes
Today’s Tip: Use a microfiber cloth when cleaning with windex or the scrubbing bubbles.
Products Used: Windex, Disinfecting Wipes, Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Scrubbing Bubbles, Microfiber Cloths
Tuesday
Today is my day to do meal planning and grocery shopping. I’ve noticed that Tuesday is one of the least busy days at the grocery store where I’m from. But this can be flexible! Choose a day where you have time and (ideally) the store isn’t busy!
I do the cooking for my family, and right now only Chase and I eat. Kaladin is still nursing. I try to plan for about 4 meals per week, where two of those meals make enough for 2 nights each. So I plan on making two meals for two people, and then two meals for four people. I leave one night of the week open to go out to dinner if we want.
I also order my grocery list by area. I’ve been to the store so many times that I have a general path I follow.
A typical week of meals can look something like this (remember I go to the store on Tues, so my meal week starts on Tues):
Tues – Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
Wed – leftovers
Thurs – Ham and Cheese Sliders
Fri – Lentils with Veggies and Goat Cheese
Sat – eat out!
Sun – Wild Rice Soup
Mon – leftovers
Average Time to Complete: 15 minutes to meal plan, 1 hour for grocery shopping
Today’s Tip: Make meals that have some overlapping ingredients to save money and not waste food. If you need half a package of ham for the sliders, then choose to make a meal that uses the other half. (I put my other half in the soup!)
Wednesday
Wednesday is when I clean all bedrooms and tidy my office area.
For the bedrooms, I wash the sheets on the beds that have been slept in, along with all of the towels in the house (dish, hand, and body). I clean up all surfaces that might have gotten messy and wipe down mirrors and windows with Windex. I also usually have random things on my side table that need to be put away. For my son’s room, I make sure his clothes still fit and cycle out any that are too small, or that he will soon grow into. I also restock his diaper caddy and wash any blankets he used that week.
In my office space, I go through papers and receipts I accumulated throughout the week. I wipe down the desk with a cleaning wipe if it’s dirty, and tidy up if I need to.
Average Time to Complete: 10-15 minutes, not including the time to run the washer and dryer
Today’s Tip: There are some weeks where I need to wash someone’s sheets on a different day (diaper blowout, guests, spilled milk). I don’t like washing those sheets twice in one week, so I skip that part for the already-clean set.
Products Used: Windex, Microfiber Cloths, Duster, Disinfecting Wipes
Thursday
At this point in the week, I’m just waiting for the weekend. And I’m tired. My motivation is probably the lowest on Thursdays. So I made this what I feel is my easiest day! I dust everywhere and then clean the floors.
I vacuum all areas of the house, even the areas with tile or wood. As a side note, the vacuum I linked is my absolute favorite!! We have had it for over 2 years and it has not failed us once. I highly reccomend the Shark brand!
Then I go over the tile/wood areas with a wet push-mop. In the solution bottle, I used to just put water. And that would obviously do nothing. However, you also don’t have to buy a fancy floor cleaner solution if you don’t want to. Now, I mix water with some distilled vinegar and a few drops of dish soap. It doesn’t smell amazing, so you could add some essential oils if desired. BUT, it works great!
Average Time to Complete: 15-30 minutes, depending on the size of the house
Today’s Tip: Make your own floor cleaning solution and buy a push-mop with a washable cover to save money (my favorite one is linked below!).
Products Used: Duster, Swiffer Mop, Vacuum
Friday
Is it weird that this is my favorite cleaning section? Something about having a clean kitchen just makes this woman HAPPY! I also clean out the fridge and get rid of any old leftovers or food from the past week.
This is probably my most thorough cleaning day, right after the bathrooms. I really love having a clean kitchen. Have I mentioned that?
- Clear off the counters
- Windex the counters and any windows
- Wipe down the counters with a cleaning wipe
- Replace counter items
- Use a cleaning wipe to clean the sink and faucet
- Wipe down the front of the fridge and freezer
- Wipe drawer and cupboard handles with a cleaning wipe
Average Time to Complete: 10-15 minutes
Today’s Tip: One of the dirtiest places in my kitchen is around the drain ring in the kitchen sink. So gross. Wipe around it AND down. Trust me.
Products Used: Disinfecting Wipes, Windex, Microfiber Cloths
On Saturdays and Sundays, I don’t have a set cleaning schedule so that I can focus on spending time with my family. Enjoy a break every now and again!
Thats it! My quick and simple cleaning schedule for a full week. You get a clean house while not spending forever trying to clean it!
What do you do each week to keep your house clean?
