In this post we’ll go over how to create your own cleaning schedule template and make it work for your family — and even how to use a house cleaning schedule app.
I had just moved to California after my first child had turned one. My whole world had been turned upside down, and there was no mommy to help me. I was working full time (brand new to that), as well as supporting a husband in a very busy job. I was constantly feeling the pressure to keep the whole house clean, or that nothing was getting done. I was just about to lose my mind, when I asked myself what my mom would do.
And my self reminded me that my mom had a schedule. Bathrooms on Tuesdays, vacuuming on Thursday, dusting on Fridays.
That day I sat down and divi’d out my chores, and from that day on I haven’t looked back.
And now, with working more and my husband less, we let this cleaning schedule guide us in what we do each day. It works out smashing!
One of your goals could be a weekly house cleaning schedule or a daily house cleaning schedule {and you groan}. I know, cleaning schedules sound like a lot of horrible work. They’re just no fun and who wants that kind of rigidity?
This post was originally written in Dec 2013, and has been updated
House Cleaning Schedule Template
Don’t worry about writing it all down — you can get the printable right here:
Weekly House Cleaning Schedule
I went years without one, but when I started to go back to work part-time (Conner was 1) I felt like the system I had grown up with my mom doing would also work for me.
I was tired of feeling REALLY overwhelmed by thinking all things needed to be clean all the time. I should say that I do think things need to feel “organized” all the time (and that’s just me, and I don’t expect others to live up to it) but I don’t need to have spotless everything all the time. It’s just not realistic with 3 kids. My whole course The Organized Home is based off of a realistic lifestyle of organization.
I thought about what my mom had done when we were growing up and I adjusted it for what would work for ME.
Then we moved, and I adjusted it for that house, and then we moved again and I adjusted it for THIS house.
It gets tweaked a lot.
And now, I have made it available to you — at the bottom of this post!
House cleaning schedule app
I use TickTick. All of my cleaning tasks are scheduled through tick tick — and most of them are shared with Drew, so if I am working and he’s at home, he can look to see what needs to be done instead of me leaving notes. It may well have saved our marriage. Plus, it syncs, so when I do something it ticks off, and if he does something, it ticks off. Here’re screen shots of how it looks on my desktop, and also how it looks on my phone.
Ok, and while we’re at it, I think there is something magical about to-do lists.
It is lovely to just look at your phone, and it TELLS you what you need to get done. I really think that if you are feeling overwhelmed, to-do lists might be just the ticket. All of the tasks are able to be scheduled weekly — so once I cross it off, it just re-schedules itself for the next time it’s due!
There are a lot of great to-do apps out there, I would encourage you to find something that works for you! I don’t just use them in cleaning. I also use them at church, with my PTO jobs at school, and my business. I feel a huge weight when I need to do something, and I just type it and schedule it in the to-do lists. I feel like it will get done.
I am compulsive about getting the things on my to-do list done — and I should probably be more willing to let things fall when they need to — but to-do lists have been my saving grace.
You could also easily use a paper planner (it’s just not as automatic, but it is more intentional –which is why I enjoy it for some things).
On days when I hardly know which way is up, I just look at my phone (and tick tick prioritizes things so that the most important — which you tell them — is on the top) and start “ticking” off the things I need to get done. Sometimes when I am REALLY overwhelmed I will set a timer for an amount of time I think I can handle and just plow (like my 10-minute tidy challenge). It’s amazing how many things you can get off a to-do list when you’re able to focus.
I find that being able to “check” things off helps me to find the motivation to clean.
Unfortunately, my 4-year-old has her own to-do list, much of which involves asking for snacks and whining.
If you look closely, you’ll see that my 4 things are on my list every day (the screen shot from above only has the jobs I share with my husband, so they’re not there). Tick tick just re-schedules them every day for me once I tick them off.
Anyway, think about if a to-do list will work for you?
Will you use it? Because USING it, is the most important part!
My Weekly Cleaning Schedule
I’d just suggest finding the system that WILL work for you. People’s brains are just TOO full anymore. There are too many things to think about. This just helps organize them. You can see my other weekly cleaning posts on that tab up there. Or, here is each day outlined:
Or, you can see them all here!
Yes, I am just this anal. I have found a way to embrace it. 🙂
I also think you can adjust this type of a schedule can really work for you too! I’ve seen thousands of readers pin this post and make changes in their home sucessfully.
In an effort to be extra helpful, I am making it available to you in case you ae wanting to replicate it. You can see my kid’s jobs are on here too. We are all on the schedule, and as soon as my kids get electronic devices, you can bet your bottom dollar I’ll be showing them how to-do lists can help them be more productive and feel more relaxed at the same time.
So, do schedules work for you? Could you adapt this to work in your own life? I think you can! Tell me below! 🙂
Check out all my weekly cleaning posts:
OR here’s ALL my cleaning posts/tips/obsessions:
Storage and Organizing
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Bosch Mixer at Costco ~ 5 Tips to love your Bosch Universal Stand Mixer
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Using Vinegar as Fabric Softener
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Laundry Room Organized
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