Cleaning can be a difficult thing for me. I go from being overly carefree and relax about it to obsessed and overwhelmed with the feeling that it all needs to be perfect. I tried cleaning every room every day. Like clean it. Not just a spot check. That was just making me delirious by night time every day.
I decided to read The Fly Lady to see if it could help. In the book she talks about not overdoing. She talks about schedules. And she talks a lot about de-cluttering "getting rid of anything that doesn't bring you joy". She also talks about taking care of yourself. You can't be and do it all if you're ignoring yourself. Exercise. Painting your nails. Reading a book.
So I went into a different type of to-do lists. Have I ever shared how much I ADORE planners & to do lists?! Because I do!! So very much.
It's taken some time but I'm finally at a place I'm mostly happy with. Still need to work on cleaning those baseboards. With a dog - oh gross.
Here is my schedule: I make changes when I notice a change needs to be made.
Every day
Morning:
-Unload dishwasher
-Make bed (amazingly this makes my day so much happier)
-Devotions (God time is most important)
Evening:
-Clean the kitchen (this does not include mopping the floor, it's de-cluttering, wiping down all the counter tops, cleaning the sink) -- THIS IS KEY!
-Loading and running the dishwasher (ok this one tends to be a little off at times because it is a miracle day if I only have to run the dishwasher once)
-Picking up the living room. There are usually blankets and toys scattered. I just pick it all up and straighten up.
Listen ladies having a clean kitchen and living room every morning has improved my mood like you wouldn't believe.
The first of every month: Sheets & blankets for the master bedroom. Also running vinegar through our dishwasher.
The 15th of every month: Kids blankets & sheets
The last day of the month: Clean and organize shoe closet (the closet we all throw our shoes in when we come inside), Pantry closet and upstairs closet
Monday
-Kids bedrooms. This is kind of cheating. The kids have to clean their rooms but I go in and make sure it's done "right"
-Windows (switches every other week whether I'm doing the upstairs or downstairs windows)
Tuesday
-Kids bathroom (I have to learn to not let this upset me, because I get so frustrated, because kids are kinda disgusting)
-Powder Room
-Fridge & Microwave
Wednesday
-Living/family room (just a deeper clean)
-Spare room
-Vacuum stairs & stair landing
Thursday
-Kitchen floor & front door area sweep & mop (so I love this day. I love a clean kitchen floor. Yes I should mop more than this and some weeks it happens two or three times, but hey, I'm still a work in progress)
Friday
-Master bedroom & bathroom
Saturday
-Cleaning & Laundry catch up
Sunday
-I try not to clean or do laundry. I do try and do something for me. Like a facial mask or painting my nails.
Every day I do 1-2 loads of laundry, which is so smart, if I do say so myself. I am no longer getting so behind. And with a family of 5 there is a lot of laundry.
When needed I throw in extra chores like cleaning the laundry room, the car, the back yard....whatever needs to be taken care of.
This schedule is not perfect, but will it ever be?!
But I now feel like I have a little more sanity with the house.
Pinned it! I dad a similar schedule is our last house. It made life so smooth.
ReplyDeleteHoly Moly, you make me want to clean better. I love that you have a schedule, it probably makes cleaner so much easier and more fun too.
ReplyDeleteI know that making my bed in the morning does absolutely make my day better right there.
Sounds like your house is WAY cleaner than mine! I suck at sticking to an actual schedule, it is too rigid for me.
ReplyDeleteOh I am sure it is not. I felt like a schedule was too rigid for me too for a long time, but I try and stick to my schedule and anything extra that just needs done, I do it.
DeleteGreat ideas! I might have to steal some of these tips if you don't mind. :)
ReplyDelete