In Week One of the Organized Life Series, your goal is to create calendars and schedules for cleaning & maintenance and to develop a weekly schedule. In order to prepare a cleaning and household maintenance calendar, you need to be prepared. This article is intended to supplement the creation of those calendars.
Make A List of Cleaning Chores
Make a list of cleaning chores for each room based on the frequency of the cleaning. You can’t plan out a cleaning schedule until you know what needs to be done. My original list came from Real Simple back in 2008. I see that the article has since been removed. (I found the link in my email! I love Google Archiving!) It has been altered since then, but I wanted to credit the original source.
I’ve attached a Microsoft Word document containing all of the information below. Feel free to download it and change it to match your needs. If you add or remove items, make sure you adjust the estimated times. You can download the document to avoid reading all of the below.
Regular Household Cleaning
KITCHEN
Every Day
- Load/Empty the dishwasher
- Wipe down the sink after doing the dishes or loading the dishwasher (30 seconds).
- Wipe down the stove top (one minute).
- Wipe down the counters (one minute).
- Sweep, Swiffer, or vacuum the floor (two minutes).
Every Week
- Clear and Clean the counters (five minutes).
- Sweep and Mop the floor (five minutes).
- Disinfect and Rinse the dish rack (four minutes).
- Clean the garbage disposal (three minutes)
- Wipe the cabinets, backsplashes, and appliance surfaces (ten minutes).
- Wipe the switch plates, doorknobs, and doorjambs (one minute).
Every Month
- Clean and deodorize microwave (two minutes).
- Wipe out toaster oven
- Empty crumb tray on toaster oven and toaster
- Wipe canisters, toaster, outside of toaster oven and all counter items
- Polish Stainless Steel (five minutes).
- Wipe off tops and fronts of cabinets (three minutes).
BATHROOMS
Every Day
- Wipe out the sink (30 seconds).
- Wipe the toilet seat and rim (15 seconds).
- Wipe the mirror and faucet (15 seconds).
- Spray the entire shower and the curtain liner with shower mist after every use (15 seconds).
Every Week
- Straighten up (three minutes)
- Sweep and Mop the floor (four minutes).
- Swoosh the toilet bowl with a brush (45 seconds).
- Wipe the switch plates, doorknobs, and doorjambs (one minute).
- Clean Mirror and Chrome (two minutes)
- Empty and wipe out the wastebasket (30 seconds).
Every Month
- Organize counters (three min).
- Straighten under sink (five min).
- Stock toilet paper (one min).
- Scrub the tub/shower/sink includ under bottles
BEDROOMS
Every Day
- Make the bed (two minutes).
- Fold or hang clothing and put away jewelry (four minutes).
- Straighten out the night-table surface (30 seconds).
Every Week
- Change the sheets (five minutes).
- Dust all surfaces — including electronics, books, picture frames, windowsills and ledges, and tops of door frames — and remove all cobwebs (10 minutes).
- Vacuum the carpeting (three minutes).
- Throw out old magazines and straighten books (one minute).
- Empty the wastebasket (30 seconds).
- Wipe the switch plates, doorknobs, and doorjambs (one minute).
Every Month
- Vacuum the heating and air-conditioning vents and the inside of the closet (three minutes).
LIVING AREAS
Every Day
- Brush the cat well (three minutes – one song).
- Feed the dog and check the cat food and water. (two minutes)
- Pick up crumbs and dust bunnies with a handheld vacuum (one minute).
- Fluff the cushions and fold throws after use (two minutes).
- Wipe tabletops or desktops and spot-clean cabinets when you see fingerprints (one minute).
- Straighten books and magazines. Throw out newspapers. Put away CDs and videos. (Two minutes.)
- Go through mail (one minute).
Every Week
Note: some living areas don’t get as much use as others. For example, a spare bedroom, office, exercise room, formal dining room, etc may only need attention every other week.
- Dust all surfaces — including electronics, books, blinds, picture frames, windowsills and ledges, and tops of door frames — and remove all cobwebs (15 minutes).
- Dust-mop the floors with a microfiber cloth or a Swiffer, or vacuum the rugs and carpeting (five minutes).
- Throw out old magazines (one minute).
- Shake out or vacuum the doormat (one minute).
- Wipe the switch plates, doorknobs, and doorjambs (one minute).
Every Month
- Vacuum or Run Pledge Fabric Sweeper over upholstery (five minutes).
- Wash any temporary pet covers
- Vacuum the heating and air-conditioning vents (one minute).
- Organize, file, and scan all office paperwork
- Clean hardwood floors
- Dust washing machine and dryer
- Clean washing liquid tray
- Run cleantab through front-loading washer
- Put away all laundry
Rotational Deep Cleaning – 2 Hours (2 Times Each)
BEDROOMS, CRAFT ROOM (Jan, Jul)
Pass 1
- Wash and clean lampshades or light fixtures
- Lift big pieces of furniture / appliances and vacuum or mop underneath
- Wash walls
- Launder or dryclean comforters and pillows
- Launder the mattress pad and dust ruffle from beds
- Strip the bed and flip the mattress
Pass 2
- Launder or handwash curtains according to the care instructions.
- Thoroughly wash blinds
- Wash the insides of the windows
- Vacuum or wipe upholstery
- Straighten Linen Closet & Laundry Cabs
EXERCISE, SPARE, HALL, LINEN, STAIRS, LAUNDRY (Feb, Aug)
Pass 1
- Wash and clean lampshades or light fixtures
- Lift big pieces of furniture / appliances and vacuum or mop underneath
- Wash walls
- Launder or dryclean comforters and pillows
- Launder the mattress pad and dust ruffle from beds
- Strip the bed and flip the mattress
Pass 2
- Launder or handwash curtains according to the care instructions.
- Thoroughly wash blinds
- Wash the insides of the windows
- Vacuum or wipe upholstery
- Straighten Linen Closet & Laundry Cabs
BATHROOMS, HALF BA, STAIRS CLOSET (Mar, Sep)
Pass 1
- Wash and clean lampshades or light fixtures
- Lift big pieces of furniture and vacuum or mop underneath
- Perform “Shiny Sink 101” on the tub and sink
- Completely reorganize under-stairs closet
- Empty, weed, and clean the medicine boxes
- Wash walls
Pass 2
- Take down the shower curtain and launder it according to the care instructions.
- Launder or handwash curtains according to the care instructions.
- Thoroughly wash blinds
- Wash the insides of the windows
- Perform “Shiny Sink 101” on the tub and sink
- Straighten under-stairs closet
- Empty, weed, and clean the medicine boxes
KITCHEN (Apr, Oct)
Pass 1
- Empty and scrub down the inside of the refrigerator
- Organize Freezers, including garage
- Empty and clean cabinets and pantry. Organize food and dispose of old items.
- Empty and clean the insides of the utensil drawers
- Scrub down the cupboard exteriors
- Wash tops of cabinets
- Wash and clean lampshades or light fixtures
- Perform “Shiny Sink 101”
- Wash walls
Pass 2
- Empty and scrub down the inside of the refrigerator
- Organize Freezers, including garage
- Clean the oven
- Wash and dry the stove hood filter
- Vacuum or dust the Condenser coil on the refrigerator
- Clean and deodorize microwave
- Launder or handwash curtains according to the care instructions.
- Thoroughly wash blinds
- Wash the insides of the windows
- Perform “Shiny Sink 101”
ENTRY, OFFICE, DINING RM (May, Nov)
Pass 1
- Wash and clean lampshades or light fixtures
- Lift big pieces of furniture and vacuum or mop underneath
- Wash walls
- Clean the computer
Pass 2
- Launder or handwash curtains according to the care instructions.
- Thoroughly wash blinds
- Wash the insides of the windows
- Vacuum upholstery
- Completely purge papers.
GREAT ROOM (Jun, Dec)
Pass 1
- Vacuum or wipe upholstery
- Launder or dryclean pillows
- Wash and clean lampshades or light fixtures
- Lift big pieces of furniture and vacuum or mop underneath
- Wash walls
Pass 2
- Launder or handwash curtains according to the care instructions.
- Thoroughly wash blinds
- Wash the insides of the windows
- Vacuum or wipe upholstery
Super Cleaning (every year or so)
LIVING AREAS
Professionally clean rugs.
Have upholstery professionally cleaned (every 2 years)
Professionally clean carpets.
Wood floors – touch up polyurethane as needed.
WHOLE HOUSE
Wash the outsides of the windows.
Cleaning Techniques
WASHING WINDOWS
- Save this job for a cloudy day (the sun’s rays cause streaking) and start indoors. Just spray the panes with water and wipe clean with one of the versatile new microfiber cloths, which work by trapping dirt between the fibers. When the cloth looks dirty, rinse it in warm water. (If your water is hard, substitute distilled water.)
- Finish up outside with a blast of Windex Outdoor, which attaches to your hose, spares you the experience of falling off a tippy ladder, and is harmless to plants. Windex Outdoor works even through screens and dries without streaking. (If you have hard water, you’ll need a ladder, a friend to hold it, and a squeegee on an extension pole to finish the job properly.)
CLEANING THE COMPUTER
- First, shut the computer down and unplug it. With a standard mouse, unscrew the bottom and remove the ball; blow dust from the casing and wipe the ball and interior with cotton swabs dipped in rubbing alcohol. Let dry, replace the ball, and close.
- Now turn over the keyboard and gently shake it; clean between the keys with a special computer vacuum or a few blasts of compressed air, then wipe with a microfiber cloth moistened with all-purpose cleanser.
- Give the same wipe-down to the computer exterior, and finish by wiping the screen with a cloth moistened with plain water.
CLEANING BLINDS AND DRAPES
- If your blinds and drapes have reached the “don’t want to touch” stage, turn them over to a professional (check the Yellow Pages under “Drapery Cleaners” and “Window Treatments”).
- If they’re only moderately dirty, begin by dusting the valance and frame, then vacuum top to bottom, using the upholstery attachment for drapes, the brush attachment for blinds (close them first).
- If the blinds are more dirty than dusty, try the Mini Blind Vac Attachment by Ideaworks ($8, www.jobar.com), with blinds in the open position. Or, with the blinds shut, wipe with a damp microfiber mitt.
DUSTING
If you let dust build up, it becomes grime. Most dusting can be done quickly with a microfiber cloth and a vacuum. Dust high to low. Dry to wet.
You can access the ready-made calendar and get more scheduling information on the Calendars: #1 in the Organized Life Series page.
Update:
Dealing with Household Smells
I ran across a great article on Lifehacker titled The Best Ways to De-Stink Your Stuff. You have to love their subtlety.
Even in the cleanest of homes smells can occur. Take sports equipment. We work hard, we play hard, and that means sweat and stink! One good suggestions is to put some baking soda in a coffee filter inside shoes (like soccer cleats!) and gym bags. For other great suggestions including using bowls of vinegar around the house, check out the article.
