Cleaning Tips

Life can get a bit hectic as a mother of three, but I know I’m so much more relaxed and happy when my house is clean.  Do you ever feel the same way!?  Over the past few years, there have been quite a number of sleepless nights thinking to myself, “Why I am laying here in bed while my kitchen floors are dirty, and that basket of clean laundry is still piled up getting wrinkled, and the kitchen sink still has a few dirty dishes in it!?”  We’ve all been there right?  If you’re anything like me, you’re on the go all day long picking up toys, doing dishes, laundry, mopping up spills - and by the end of the day, you’re exhausted and your house looks like a wreck all over again!   Unneeded stress is all that is.  I learned to let go… just a little bit at a time.

I figured, “I’m going to be cleaning, cooking, and scrubbing for the rest of my life…why not take it easy??”  I came up with a chore chart with the basic daily chores.  It may look like a lot, but these chores only take anywhere from 5-25 minutes each to do!  I have had so much more free time to spend at the park with the kids, work on craft projects, or just sit back and relax.  When I first started doing this, I thought for sure it was never going to work considering my house was a complete wreck.  When I'm consistent with this schedule, I never have to do one of those marathon cleaning days to get back to ground zero. The house never has a chance to get really dirty, so the cleaning never feels like a true chore.  You can print your own copy in this printable version.

My morning routine: I wake up, make the bed, and wash my face/brush teeth/get ready.  After doing all that, I already have to wipe down the sink area of water splashes so that’s TWO chores done within 20 minutes!  I keep Clorox wipes under my bathroom sinks just for this reason – they’re genius!  I also do a quick wipe down on the toilet seat/handle & doorknobs. While I’m making breakfast I empty the dishwasher.  Within 45 minutes to an hour, I’ve already completed all my morning tasks J

My noon routine: I absolutely despise having a “laundry day” when ALL laundry throughout the week is devoted to ONE day.  Ugh…no fun!  I do one load per day and it really helps so much.  On my “laundry day” (Saturday) I wash all sheets, blankets, towels, etc. that haven’t already been washed that week.  My sink is full of dishes again after lunch.  So while the laundry is washing, I load the dishwasher…easy task that takes maybe 20 minutes for both. 

My night routine:  Going from room to room putting things where they belong has taken up so much time.  I use the basket method.  Genius!  I have them everywhere in my house.  It takes me just a few minutes to pick up an entire days worth of mess.  Doing the most chores at night has been the best time for me as there are no kids running around.  It’s almost (do I dare say it!?)…pleasant!  Waking up to a house that is picked up and clean makes for a much less stressful day ahead of me.