Cleaning & Organizing
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
What does your cleaning schedule look like?
I'm really trying to get organized and on top of everything. When I sit down to write it out I can't think of anything!
TIA
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Re: What does your cleaning schedule look like?
I don't have a written schedule it's all in my head. I have things I do weekly such as sweep, vacuum, dust etc. Then things I do less often but usually quarterly like clean out closets, shred documents, clean blinds..
When its in my head I get so completely overwhelmed. It wasn't so bad when I could text my late husband and tell him to do something, but now I feel like I can't sit down until EVERYTHING is done. Working 80 hrs a week and feeling the constant need to clean is take up every once of my energy. I am hoping to come up with a list, so that I can spread it out and when I finish whatever is on that day, I can maybe relax.
I'm sorry to hear about your husband. I am the same exact way when it comes to not being able to relax until the house is clean.
When I need to remind myself of things I email myself as thoughts come in. Would something like that work for you? Or if emailing yourself isn't the best option maybe leaving yourself a message.
Even keeping a notebook or pad of paper with you to write them down as you think of them.
Keeping track as you think of things is probably the best option since they are hard to remember all at once. I think this happens to me with even non-cleaning things as well.
I am in the process of trying to start a cleaning schedule, and I'm beginning to discover that you need to know exactly what your "good enough" is.
For me, the good enough is no dishes in the sink & the kitchen floor swept, the bed made, no clutter on the flat surfaces and all clothes hung up and off the floor, and mail sorted. These are the things I do everyday. Then I add one "chore" that I feel is necessary for the house to be clean every day, such as dusting, cleaning out the refrigerator and meal planning, cleaning the toilets, showers, sinks and mirrors, and moping the kitchen floor and sweeping our bathroom floor. Then I have things that get done once a month. I could go on and on..
but the morale of the story is to find out what your "good enough" is...when are you content with how your house looks.
Hope this helps!
I have the things that get done daily: Wipe down kitchen counters. Dishes. Wipe down bathroom counter. Clean sink (bathroom-DD make mess brushing). General pick up (this is where I remove things that are out of place in the living room and at least bring them to the appropriate room). Laundry (I do at least 1-2 loads a day to keep up. I also do not wash anymore loads if the previous 2 are not folded and put away).
Weekly: In addition to the daily chores each room gets clean a different night of the week. Monday - Living Room, Tuesday - Laundry room, Wed - Kitchen and Dining, Thurs - Bathroom, Fri - baby's room, Sat - DD's room, Sunday - ours. There are things that get done weekly in each room like dusting, vacuuming, mopping, sweeping.
Monthly - Vacuum ceiling/corners, Clean ceiling fan blades, vacuum inside/under couch cushions, steam clean carpet, cycle wash washer, vacuum dryer vent, clean fridge, wash table cloth, wash rugs, clean garbage cans (outside), wipe switchplates and doorknobs.
For you, you can start buy listing each room of your house and list the things that would be done in a real good cleaning. Go through and decide what you would want done daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly. Then go from there with making your schedule.
Ours is typed on the fridge so anyone can see what was done and what still needs to be done. This was SO's idea so he could help out more. Since we added the baby he will either take care of baby or clean but he actually asked for the list. The monthly things do not get done all in one day. Just as we have time and we write when it was done. Also since things get done regularly the weekly stuff takes less time because it was only 7 days since it was last done. Some things I do more often but are not on the daily list because we wanted to keep the list to our minimum expectation.
Daily: load/unload dishwasher, wipe down counters, sweep kitchen floor as needed.
Thursday: clean downstairs 1/2 bath; clean kitchen; mop downstairs 1/2 bath and kitchen, dust and vacuum living room and dining room. wash, fold, and put away laundry. wash dog bed, all throw blankets, all bath and kitchen mats.
Friday: vacuum stairs; dust, vacuum, change bed sheets in master bedroom; clean 2 upstairs baths (scrub everything and mop); dust loft; change kitty litter; dust guest room; vacuum hallway, loft, guest room, and master bedroom.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: clean as needed (vacuum, put away odds and ends, etc.)
Thats just it. Some days good enough is, I just don't care. Other days good enough is perfection.
I would say find a happy medium between not giving a crap and perfection
One thing about a schedule though, even if you do only half of it half the time, the house is still never really dirty, etc because chances are the room was just cleaned last week or something.
Things don't always go as planned in my house but knowing I have a plan makes me feel better mentally and I don't think about it and dwell on it. We try to keep up with it through the week to do fun things on weekend. Some people like a cleaning day. Do what works for you!
Honestly, I only clean when something is smelly or visibly dirty. I don't clean just because I can't remember when it cleaned last.
If you are working 80 hours a week, can you afford to hire someone else to come in and help? If I worked 80 hours a week, I don't think I'd have any energy left to eat and bathe, let alone cook and clean.
This is why I work 80 hrs a week. I can't afford not to. I am exhausted but there is no choice in the matter.
OMG! Do any of you ladies have time for anything but cleaning? I am a professional housecleaner and you should consider hiring a cleaning service. There are lots of really good, professional ones available. If you are concerned about the cost, check around. Concerned about theft, damage, you shouldn't be. The larger companies do a pretty good job of screening their crew members.
If that is not an option for you, then organization is your key to keeping a house clean and neat. There is a difference between clean and neat, too.
A good service can do the major cleaning and then all you have to do is keep things picked up on a daily basis. 15-20 minutes an afternoon or evening of picking up and a cleaning crew cleaning twice a month, you might have time for yourself, more time to spend with the kids, hubby or dog or friends or maybe lunch out with the girls.
I have been cleaning other peoples homes for the past 10-12 years and I have yet to find one person that doesn't just love not having to do these things. It is not just professional people either, some are even stay at home moms that just need some extra help keeping their homes clean.
Ladies, life is too short to spend it working 80 hours a week and then your days off cleaning. You shouldn't feel guilty about having someone help you with your house chores.
I do small things throughout the week- even a load of laundry if it's not going to be too much hassle. Then I take about four-five hours every Sat/Sun and do the bigger stuff.
I love to be clean and organized.
ETA: MAIL! I try to go through mail during the week, but it always piles up.
Lachlan
born March 2012
I have really high standards when it comes to cleaning, and I just don't feel that someone else would do it well enough or the way I want. I know that's my loss, I just can't get over paying someone to do something that wouldn't live up to my expectations. I know once we have a LO, my views will have to change on this a bit. Kids=germs and mess!
Lachlan
born March 2012
Really? My husband just passed away. I work 80 hours to afford to continue living.