Maybe you are a cleaning Diva or maybe cleaning makes you a Debbie downer. Regardless, there is no doubt that a clean home is important. No one likes to hear someone is dropping by and then realize their home looks like a disaster.
Take the stress out of cleaning by breaking it up into manageable moments. There are things you can clean daily, weekly, monthly and yearly so that your home is always fresh, and no chore seems overwhelming.
Completing basic tasks in a timely manner and on a schedule will keep the disaster away, and you’ll always be ready for that surprise guest. Besides, wouldn’t you rather do a little every day instead of spending your whole weekend in your cleaning clothes?
Here are some handy tips and cleaning checklists for your entire house to help keep you on task.
The Kitchen
The kitchen is the heart of the home. Keeping a clean kitchen is sanitary, and let’s face it, you want to cook and eat in a clean space. Keeping up with counters and dishes on a daily basis is the first step to a clean kitchen, but adding a deep clean every month will have you smiling every time you open the oven.
Quick Tip: Weekly cleaning does not mean you have to deep clean each room on the same day. If it’s easier split it up throughout the week, have bathrooms be on Monday and bedrooms on Tuesday. Or dust the whole house one day and vacuum it the next. Some people enjoy getting deep cleaning all done in one day. Pick a schedule that works for you, and try not to do more than an hour of deep cleaning per day. Hopefully then you won’t feel like you’re cleaning your home all the time.
The Living Room
The living room probably gets the most beating, plus it’s where you most likely entertain. Delegate each family member to clear their own clutter. Taking a minute to fluff and fold pillows and throws can make all the difference.
Download the Living Room Cleaning Checklist
Quick Tip: Keep designated baskets on the stairs or tucked in a closet. Corral anything family members leave behind in these baskets, then have them put their belongings away at the end of the day or when the baskets are full.
Bathrooms
Shudder, right? Toothpaste and toilets and tubs…oh my! But, you know what, the longer you ignore the bathroom, the worse it’s going to get. Take a minute after getting ready to wipe down the counters, and teach the kids to do the same.
Most of the time, toilet cleaning can be a weekly chore. However, if you live with some of those folks (and you know who they are), you might want to clean them bi-weekly to avoid a full blown case of the yucks. It seems like a pain when you are down there, but you’ll be happy when you aren’t spending your whole Saturday cleaning toilets.
Download the Bathroom Cleaning Checklist
Quick Tip: Keep your cleaning supplies in a portable tote for weekly cleaning. This tote makes it so much easier to lug cleaning supplies from room to room.
Bedrooms
Isn’t there a statistic somewhere about how successful people make their beds each morning? Fact or not, it is just so much nicer slipping into a made bed at night rather than a tousled mess of covers. Even if you are just pulling a fluffy duvet over wrinkled sheets, it can appear tidier and more streamlined.
Download the Bedroom Cleaning Checklist
Laundry Room/Outdoor/Bonus Rooms
Your porch and front lawn are the first impressions of your home. Keeping them orderly may be a requirement for your neighborhood, but it has to make you proud when you arrive home and your house has some serious curb appeal.
Stretching your laundry routine throughout the week will help lighten the load, find some more laundry routine tips here.
Download the Bonus Rooms Cleaning Checklist
Seasonal Cleaning
When you are changing things around for the season or getting set for all those holidays with family and friends, check a few things off the yearly maintenance list. Not all of these items on the checklist are about keeping a tidy house. They are also about keeping you and your family safe. Check items off this list at the beginning of every new season.
Download the Seasonal Cleaning Checklist
We hope you enjoyed these cleaning checklists and tips. What does your daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning routine look like? Let us know in the comments below!
