If you have vowed to get your home in order this year and keep it that way, you’re not alone. Getting your house clean and organized is a popular New Year’s resolution.
But resolving to keep your home clean and actually following through with that goal are two very different things. It may seem like a difficult task to keep your home clean all year long.
But with a little bit of planning, it can be done.
Follow these easy tips and download my free printable checklist to make sure you keep your resolution this year.
How to Keep Your Home Clean
One of the most effective ways of keeping your home clean is to create a cleaning schedule.
This schedule will help you outline all the cleaning tasks that need to be completed throughout your home and when they need to be done.
But a cleaning schedule isn’t just about planning what you’ll clean each day. It’s also a comprehensive plan that helps ensure every inch of your home is clean throughout the year.
To create a cleaning schedule for your home, you’ll need to start by outlining everything that needs to be cleaned in your house.
Then, it’s time to start scheduling.
Some of the items on your list will need to be completed every day, while others can be done once a week, once a month, or even once a year.
Daily Cleaning Tasks
Tackling these daily cleaning tasks each day is the best way to ensure your home stays clean. These daily chores are items around your home that need to be done each day to maintain the cleanliness of your house.
While your list may be slightly different, these are some of the common daily cleaning tasks you’ll need to do to keep your home clean:
- Make the beds
- Wash and put away one load of laundry
- Straighten sofa
- Wipe tables in the living room
- Straighten coffee table
- Spot clean living room floor
- Clean the bathroom sink
- Wipe the toilet seat
- Wash the dishes
- Clean the kitchen sink
- Spot clean the kitchen floor
- Wipe the kitchen counters
- Clear the clutter from every room
Weekly Cleaning Schedule
In addition to your daily chores, you’ll also need to include weekly cleaning tasks into your cleaning schedule.
Each of the items on this list only needs to be completed once per week, allowing you to spread the chores out across the days of the week.
To make sure you’re able to complete all the tasks on the weekly cleaning list, count the number of items that need to be completed each week and divide it by the number of days you plan to clean your house.
The answer to that equation is the number of cleaning tasks you need to do each day in addition to your daily housework.
Wondering which cleaning tasks need to be completed every week?
Here is a breakdown of the most common weekly cleaning tasks to add to your cleaning schedule:
- Vacuum and mop all the floors
- Clean all countertop appliances
- Clean the kitchen cabinet doors
- Clean exterior of the refrigerator
- Clean exterior of stove
- Clean out expired food from the refrigerator
- Wipe microwave
- Clean bathtubs and showers
- Clean sinks and countertops in bathrooms
- Clean mirrors in bathrooms
- Wash bath mats and towels
- Scrub toilets
- Clean light fixtures
- Wipe off light switches and doorknobs
- Dust blinds and windowsills
- Dust furniture
- Change bedding
Monthly To-Dos
While tackling all the daily and weekly cleaning tasks is a great way to keep your home clean throughout the year, there are still a few spots in your home that will need to be cleaned on a monthly basis.
These deep-cleaning tasks should also be added into your daily routine on a rotating basis to make sure each of these chores gets finished by the end of each month.
These cleaning tasks should be completed every month:
- Dust all baseboards
- Dust all doors and trim
- Vacuum window treatments
- Wash all comforters, pillow shams, pillow protectors, and mattress pads
- Clean under all furniture
- Vacuum under the sofa and chair cushions
- Wash trash cans
- Clean dishwasher
- Clean freezer
- Clean bathroom grout
Other Cleaning Tips
While these tasks are a great starting point, it’s also important to remember that messes happen every day that aren’t part of the plan.
These simple cleaning tips will help ensure your home stays clean and organized in spite of unplanned issues:
- Clean it when you see it. If you see a crumb, stain, or misplaced toy in a room, don’t put off cleaning it up. By cleaning a mess when you see it, you’ll prevent messes from building up into one huge cleaning task.
- Don’t leave a room empty-handed. If you dedicate your time to cleaning your house, you don’t want clutter spoiling all your hard work. Make sure your home stays clutter-free by being sure to never leave a room empty-handed. As you leave to move to another room, grab an out-of-place item that doesn’t belong and take it to the room where it goes.
- Add doormats outside. Even if you ask your guests to remove their shoes before entering your house, if you don’t have doormats outside your doors, dirt and debris from outside will make its way in. Doormats will help trap debris on everyone’s shoes before they walk in the door, ensuring your floors stay clean after you’re finished mopping.
- Clean up after dinner. While it’s tempting to relax after spending time cooking a meal, the longer you wait to clean up your kitchen, the more work it will be. Immediately after cooking, place your pans in the sink to soak. And after everyone is finished eating, wash the dishes and clean your sink so you start the morning with a clean and fresh kitchen.
- Clean up after yourself. To prevent messes from piling up, make sure you clean up after every activity you do. If you enjoy a cup of coffee in the living room, take your cup to the kitchen and wash it or put it in the dishwasher when you’re through. And in addition to cleaning up after yourself, make sure you teach your kids to do the same. The sooner they learn to tackle their own messes as they happen, the less work you’ll have to do each day!
- Start the day by making your bed. Each day, right after you wake up, make your bed. On top of helping you straighten your bedroom each morning, making your bed first thing will help you get in the right mindset for tackling the rest of the chores on your to-do list.
How to Organize Cleaning Tasks
After outlining the chores you need to complete every day, week, and month, it’s time to create a schedule.
Keep track of everything you need to finish each day by printing the cleaning checklist.
In addition to listing all the cleaning tasks above in a handy checklist, you can also list additional chores you need to do around your own house.
As you’re cleaning your home, check the item off the list, then move on to the next. Soon, you’ll have your entire house clean!
And by staying organized and keeping track of everything all in one handy place, your home is sure to stay clean throughout the year.
Download Your Free Printable Cleaning Checklist
Go ahead and grab the printable using the download buttons below!
Please feel free to download and print as many as you need for your own family and home. This cleaning schedule checklist is for personal, non-commercial use only.
