An Easy Weekly House Cleaning Schedule
An Easy Weekly House Cleaning Schedule
The easiest weekly house cleaning schedule I've found. It's free and shows you how to have a clean home in just minutes per day. I love the included laundry schedule. This is totally doable!
Do you feel like you are always cleaning your home? It can be a never ending cycle as there is always something to clean or tidy. One solution to this is to create a weekly cleaning schedule.
By having a schedule you give yourself permission to complete a different task each day. This allows you to give yourself a break and say no to cleaning something that is slated for another day in the week.
I have found that using a schedule like this keeps my head and home cleaner. I can get more done in less time as the tasks are manageable. Instead of creating a long to-do list (where we can often get discouraged and give up), a weekly list is broken down into short cleaning periods.
Doing a little bit each day, keeps your home clean and tidy and gives you time to do other things. And as mothers we know there is ALWAYS something that needs our attention.
It also amazes me how much more productive I am when my house is clean. It’s like the lack of physical clutter gives me the ability to think and create with a clear mind. I am more energized and able to accomplish more. It’s a win-win.
If you don't have time to read this article now (or just need to get to cleaning as quickly as possible), you can download a free weekly house cleaning schedule here:
Get your free schedule here!
Monday: Clean the Bedrooms
Easy weekly house cleaning schedule - bedroom cleaning tips
On Mondays, I start the week by cleaning our bedrooms. I opening the windows to get some fresh air in the rooms. Then, I change our sheets and bedding. Following this, I pick up anything that has been missed in our daily tasks and wipe down the windows.
Weekly cleaning is done for the master bedroom and our daughter’s room. She is 5 years old and I have her working on communal chores and easier tasks like dusting and wiping down the table at night.
Laundry: Sheets
In order to keep up on laundry that piles up week after week, I do one load each day. This ensures that it never gets out of hand and that a full weekend is not spent washing, drying, folding, and putting away our clothes and linens.
Daily Tasks: Bedrooms
On top of the weekly cleaning tasks, there are a few everyday cleaning and tidying tasks for each room. The everyday cleaning tasks for the bedroom are:
Put Clothes Away
We make sure that our clothes are put away every night. Dirty clothes go in the hamper and clothes that we can wear again, are put back in the closet or dresser.
Make The Bed
Yes, it can seem silly to make your bed when you are going to mess up again in just a few hours, but it is so nice to start your day off with an easy win. It’s also very nice to end you
Tidy Up Nightstands
The other item in our bedroom that we try to keep tidy is the nightstand. Glasses of water are put in the dishwasher in the morning and books are stacked neatly. This is part of the weekly cleaning if it is not as clean as I’d like when Monday rolls around.
Tuesday: Clean the Bathrooms
Easy weekly house cleaning schedule - bathoom cleaning tips
Tuesdays are for cleaning the bathrooms. I do not like to clean bathrooms on Mondays because there’s already too much negativity associated with Mondays already.
The cleaning routine for the bathroom is as follows:
Spray the toilet with toilet cleaner and let sit
Spray the shower and tub with cleaner and let sit
Remove anything that sits on the counter (toothbrushes, soap dispenser, etc.)
Spray the sink and counter with cleaning spray. Scrub and wipe down.
Wipe down the mirrors and windows
Empty the garbage
Shake out the rugs
Wipe down the floor
Scrub the toilet
Scrub the shower and then hop in and clean myself up.
Laundry: Towels
Tuesday’s laundry load are the towels. We change towels at least once in the middle of the week. If we did any other activities that required towels (beach, pool, etc.), there may be two loads of laundry needed.
Daily Tasks: Bathrooms
There are everyday tasks we keep up with on a daily basis in the bathroom too. These everyday cleaning tasks for the bathroom are:
Put Clothes in the Hamper
All clothes go in the hamper when they are taken off. This helps keep clothes off the floor and makes it easier to do laundry once it’s time for our clothes.
Hang and Straighten up Towels
Towels are hung on the rack or hook after use. This keeps them fresher longer as they dry more quickly.
Clear Off the Counters
We try to keep our counters free of most items like hair brushes, makeup, lotions etc. Of course if we forget, these items are cleaned up an put away on cleaning day.
Wednesday: Clean the Living Room & Den
Easy weekly house cleaning schedule - living room cleaning tips
By mid week, things get a little bit easier and on Wednesday I clean the living room. We only have a small living room at the moment and so it takes less time to clean. I start by making sure everything is in it’s “home” - that place where it belongs. I fold our throw blankets, fluff the pillows, and straighten up the desk in the room. This room is easy, however, only because we keep it tidy each day. I do make sure to clean the windows in this room too.
Laundry: Whites
On Wednesday I switch to our clothes laundry. I do the white load of clothes like socks and t-shirts.
Daily Tasks: Living Room & Den
The everyday tasks for the living room and den are:
Put Remotes, Games, Books, and Toys Away
The living room gets a lot of use in the afternoons and evenings in our home as this is the place we spend the most time as a family. Before we head to bed at the end of the day, we make sure to put away toys and games that we got out to play.
Put All Dishes in the Dishwasher
Am I the only one that finds glasses and dishes in the living room? Okay good. These go into the dishwasher at the end of the day.
Put All Food Away
Any snacks (crackers, chips, popcorn, etc) that we still have out is put away before bed.
Thursday: Clean the Dining Room & Hallway
Easy weekly house cleaning schedule - dining room cleaning tips
Thursday is another easy cleaning day for me. I like having these easier days in the middle of the week because it allows for some flexibility on weeks when we might be traveling, have friends over, or it’s just an unusually busy week.
In both the dining room and hallway, it’s about straightening up what didn’t get done throughout the week. This involves cleaning off the dining table (as I use it as my desk too), wiping down the dining chairs, and cleaning the windows.
In the hallway, I put away shoes that are out (we keep our everyday shoes in our entryway for easier mornings) and generally tidy up. We also have a large mirror here so I give that a good wipe down.
Laundry: Brights
On Thursdays I do a second load of our clothes laundry. This load is our colors and generally has mostly my daughter’s clothes.
The everyday tasks for the dining room & hallway are:
Clear all dishes
Dishes are cleaned up and put in the dishwasher after every meal.
Shake Out Placemats
We shake our placemats out and generally only replace them mid-week if they get really soiled. Otherwise I wash these weekly and change them out when we have guests.
Wipe Down the Table (after meals)
This is another thing we do after all meals. It’s a task my daughter does at school so we started incorporating it into her jobs at home.
Put All Items Where They Belong
This is more for the hallway than the dining room, but we make sure to put things away when they come in each day.
Friday: Dust and Vacuum
Easy weekly house cleaning schedule - floor cleaning tips
This is actually one of my least favorite days. Everyone has the chores they hate the most and dusting is one of mine. However, I do like to vacuum so I paired them together so it’s not all bad in one day.
I make sure to start with the dusting. Since we’ve decluttered this has become a much easier task. We just do not have as much stuff anymore. My dusting routine consists of taking a microfiber cloth around the home and wiping down all surfaces where dust has collected. This includes nightstands, lamps, dressers, headboards, windowsills, wood detailing, the entry table, the coffee table, the desk, and all of our electronics.
Sure, I could do each of the rooms as I go throughout the week, but I like batching dusting with vacuuming. This helps save time during the week as I do not have to get out the vacuum cleaner everyday. And, I only have to do one of my least favorite chores once a week - which is doable for me.
I follow up dusting with vacuuming so as to collect all of the dust particles that have fallen to the floor. To be honest, even though we have mostly hard surface floors throughout our home, I mostly just vacuum. We simply spot clean as necessary. Since we never wear shoes in our home, the floors do not get very dirty - just dusty.
Laundry: Darks
I finish up our laundry for the week with a load of dark clothes.
Saturday: Outside Chores & Errands
Easy weekly house cleaning schedule - home exterior cleaning tips
Saturday is filled with outdoor chores and errands. Homeowners will need to do yard work and home maintenance tasks. Car owners can use this day to clean out their cars and get it washed. This is also a good day to wrap up errands like a run to Costco (unless you are lucky enough to be able and go mid-week to avoid the crowds).
I said it earlier, but we are taking a year to travel and are currently in Munich, Germany. This means I also get to take a break from these outside chores. Right now, we are living in an apartment (without a private yard to maintain) and do not have a car (so there is nothing to clean). We are using this extra day to explore the city, teach our daughter to ski, and get together with new friends. We do often have to make a grocery run on Saturdays though (it’s our small refrigerator - see below). :)
Sunday: Take the Day Off!
Easy weekly house cleaning schedule - Take a day off!
You deserve a day of rest, relaxation, and fun. Enjoy the day with your family and go out and explore your city. I have found that having one day “off” really helps me recharge my batteries and gives me the energy necessary to have another successful week.
So you may have noticed a glaring hole in my cleaning schedule. Where is the kitchen?!?!
I didn’t forget it. But, this is one room that I actually clean daily. I do not want to give you false hope that you only need to clean your kitchen once a week. Maybe that worked in our 20’s when we went out with our friends more or chose to eat cereal for dinner (no judgement here), but I spend so much time in my kitchen that it needs the most attention.
Daily Tasks and Rooms to Clean
The Kitchen:
Easy weekly house cleaning schedule - kitchen cleaning tips
I cook dinner almost every night in our kitchen so this is a space that needs cleaning EVERYDAY. Here are the tasks I do each day:
Load/Unload the Dishwasher
We have a rule that we try to never put dishes on the counter or in the sink. If they are dirty, immediately put dishes in the dishwasher. If the dishes are clean - unload the dishwasher. It only takes a few minutes and makes a big difference.
Wipe Down the Counters
This is done after every meal prep as I am not the neatest cook.
Wash Pots and Pans
My husband will usually wash the dishes after dinner, but I do try to wash as I go so that things do not get out of control. This is not always possible, but it is so nice when I am able to put dinner on the table with a clean kitchen to boot.
Clean Out the Refrigerator
As we are currently in Germany, the refrigerator is smaller than US standards. This means that I stay on top of what is taking up our valuable cold real estate and clean it out after every trip to the grocery store. This works so well for us that I will continue to do this when we move back to the States and have a giant fridge again.
Clean Out the Pantry
Similarly to the refrigerator, cabinet space is at a premium here. As such, I go through our pantry items at least once a week to make sure we are using everything up.
The Entry
The other area of the home that we work on everyday is our entry zone. I talk about this zone in my 7-day Decluttering Challenge. It has been a lifesaver for us and cut down on so much morning stress. If you want to sign up for the decluttering challenge, you can do so here.
This area is our dumping ground when we get home from school, but we make sure things get put in the right place, backpacks are emptied and shoes are ready to go for the next morning.
Knowing where everything is helps us get out the door quickly each day.
Putting everything where it goes, keeps the entry tidy.
To make this easier for you to remember, I have created a handy weekly cleaning cheat sheet. If you would like to download a free copy you can do so here.
Get your free schedule here!
As you can see, doing a little bit of work each day keeps your home clean and tidy. I will never claim our home will win any cleanliness awards, but it is clean enough on any given day for impromptu guests or an unplanned playdate.
Our tidy home allows me to clean in less time and keep my mind clear, which gives me the energy to be more creative everyday. And for me, that is the only level of cleanliness I need to be happy.
If you found this article helpful, I’d love if you’d share it on Pinterest to help others keep their homes clean too.
The easiest weekly house cleaning schedule I've found. It's free and shows you how to have a clean home in just minutes per day. I love the included laundry schedule. This is totally doable!
The SECRET weekly house cleaning schedule you need to keep your home tidy in just minutes a day. I love the simple laundry schedule too!
I am sharing this post at the following Link Parties:
Cheers!
Learn how to create an awesome life for the awesome mama you are at LittleGreenBow.com