Need help organizing my cleaning routine...

[JacqNS]

I'm in need of some ideas for keeping up with household cleaning. Part of my problem is motivation (I work 50 hours/week and the last thing I feel like going when I walk in the door at 5:30 is cleaning!) and the other part is that I can't seem to find a routine that works for me. I've tried the whole room per day of the week thing, but didn't have much luck. Here are the rooms I need to clean:

-4 bedrooms

-3 bathrooms

-kitchen/laundry room

-dining room

-family room/den

-living room

-entryway/stairs/hallway

-office

We have dark, hardwood floors throughout, with the exception of white tile in the kitchen and entryway. Clutter isn't a problem, but there is no shortage of dust and dog hair by the end of the week!

Any ideas for keeping on top of this?

[IsaFrench]

I don' t work outside home so might not be the best person to suggest a routine for you .... still ... what about having just 3 or 4 daily tasks (maily the most needy water points ; sink, toilets, shower or bath) that could be tackled in about 15 minutes total, either morning or night or a little bit of each depending on ability and commitments ?

and then make a list of tasks to be tackled at the week end

that would be separated in 3 or 4 groups

of about 15 minutes duration each

not necessarily the same tasks every week end, could be a rotation

or 1 or 2 groups of weekly tasks

and 1 or 2 groups of monthly or quarterly or yearly tasks

[JacqNS]

Great idea! Thanks! Breaking the tasks down into 15 blocks might be more effective for me. I tend to get overwhelmed at the thoughts of cleaning for hours on end.

[lkvosu]

I don't work outside the home, but I think this could be adapted to work for anyone. My house is smaller than yours too, but you could easily make this work. It would just take a bit longer. I pick one day a week to do light cleaning. It's the same day every week so my schedule always works around it. Everyone who knows me well knows that I clean my house on Monday morning! My "light" cleaning routine is quick decluttering, dusting hard surfaces in the living & dining room, sweeping my floors with a dustmop (I also have hardwoods throughtout), vacuuming the two rugs I have, and wiping down the bathroom sink/toilet. Honestly, I've gotten so good at the routine that all of it only takes about 30 minutes.  Also, I tend to clean my kitchen everyday because I cook everyday, but that only takes about 5 minutes or so. I just wipe of the counters and wipe down the stove & sink. I also have a once per month cleaning day that I schedule on the calendar every month, usually a Sunday that I know dh will be around to help with ds. On that day I do all the heavy cleaning - mopping throughout the house, scrubbing the tub & shower, dusting the bedrooms, and a few other things. That takes about 1 -2 hours, depending on what needs to be done that month.

Is my house immaculate? No. But it is clean enough. This routine saves me from being a perfectionist and it also lifts the stress of housework off my back. I don't have to look at something and wonder when I'll have to time to clean it because I know I'll get to it on my cleaning day. I've been doing it this way since the new year and it really works for us.

[skreader]

Do you live alone, or with other people?  If you live alone, it looks rather intimidating. If you live with other able-bodied people, I think they need to work on it too. We have our kids (13 & 15) every day when they come home from school:

- take down the laundry

-put away the breakfast dishes

-vacuum the living rooms and halls

-help prep dinner (soak rice & wash vegetables)

On the weekends everyone cleans there own rooms & the kids clean the bathrooms (we have two).

We switch off w/ dinner dishes & taking out the recycling (kids twice a week each, me 3 times a week; DH does the breakfast dishes 5 days a week).

*****************************

4 bedrooms

 - Make your own bed every morning before you go to work. If you live alone, strip the other beds and keep only a sheet on the mattresses.   If you live with other people, can they make their own beds?

Vacuum and dust your own bedroom on Saturday or Sunday. Change the linens once every 2 weeks on a Saturday or Sunday. If you live with other people and the bedrooms are occupied, have the people who use the bedrooms vacuum and dust once a week. If not (if the rooms are unoccupied) maybe drape dust sheets over the unused furniture and go in and clean once every 4 to 6 months?

-3 bathrooms

 Wash toilets  that you use once a week. If you live alone & don't use some of the other toilets, maybe wash once a month?

Wipe down the sink in your own bathroom twice a week (just w/ water) and do a thorough clean once a week?

If you live with other people, have them do the same routine once a week that I outlined for your own bathroom.

-kitchen/laundry room

Kitchen -

Before breakfast, put away last night's dishes. Wash breakfast dishes before you go to work.  After dinner, wash dishes, wipe down counters & sweep floor. Wash the  floor once a week.

If you have a partner of kids over the age of 10, have them take turns doing the above.

-dining room

Do you eat there? If so, wipe table and sweep or vacuum after each meal.  If not, vacuum once a week.

If you have a partner or kids over the age of 10, have them take turns doing the above.

-family room/den

Vacuum & dust  at least once a week.

If you have a partner or kids over the age of 10, have them take turns doing the vacuuming and dusting twice a week.

-living room

If you have a partner or kids over the age of 10, have them take turns doing the vacuuming and dusting once a week.

-entryway/stairs/hallway

Vacuum & dust  at least once a week

If you have a partner or kids over the age of 10, have them take turns doing the vacuuming and dusting twice a week.

-office

Vacuum & dust at least once a week

[lucifugous]

Yea my thoughts are, if you're working fifty hours a week, how could a four bedroom home be only yours to clean?! Enlist some help!! I love the ideas above, and I think once you get a routine going and there's less of the dust/pet hair/ other random buildup, you will really be motivated to stick with it!