A Cleaning Schedule for People Who Hate to Clean



We all have our strengths and weaknesses when it comes to anything, even homemaking. Mine? Well, I enjoy making a lot of everyday stuff from scratch (from salsa to salad dressing). But housecleaning is not a strong suit of mine.

I do take care of the laundry and dishes and keeping the kitchen countertops and floors swept, but as most of you know, there’s a lot more to a clean house than just that! Everything else? Well, I kind of just don’t even notice it…

Which is why my husband actually ends up doing a lot of the deep cleaning around the house, from cleaning the tub to vacuuming the carpet. I mentioned before that it’s part of that “two are better than one” thing that happens in marriages: He takes it upon himself to take up the vacuum and the cleaning supplies while I handle the clutter around the house. Together, the house ends up looking well kept.

But, since my husband already spends more than forty hours a week slaving away, I really want our home to be a place where he can relax and a refuge for him after a long day’s work. It’s not that he really minds cleaning (I nabbed a good one, I tell ya!), but I just want to be more proactive.

So that’s why I started keeping a housecleaning schedule. But not just any schedule, where every day I have to take up a specific task like Mondays are for mopping or Tuesdays are for toilet scrubbing.



I’ve tried those kinds of schedules but found that after a day or two, I just get bored with them. And then abandon them completely and go back to my natural way of cleaning, which is that when it gets dirty enough to tell, I clean it. (But usually that just means that my husband tackles it before I get around to it!)

No, my schedule is one that takes advantage of my desire to mix things up. The beauty of it, in fact, rests on its flexibility. (Keep on reading if you want to download a printable copy of my schedule!)

Because the way I have it set up, is that I have one list of all the cleaning chores that need to be done around the house that I normally never think of or get around to doing. Then, once a day, I’ll look over that list and decide what items I want to check off, depending on my mood or my ambition.

I have the list framed in a picture frame behind glass so that I can use a dry-erase marker to check off each item as I go, and then every Monday, I wipe the slate clean and begin again.

Here’s a closer look at my list:


(By the way, you can check out some of my favorite cleaning essentials  here.)

You’ll see that my list isn’t completely comprehensive. That’s because I left off the chores that come naturally to me—like laundry and dishes and countertop cleaning. I already do those routinely, so I don’t need to be reminded by a list to stay up on them. You’ll also see that there are some things that are on there multiple times (like sweep the kitchen floors), because I want to make sure they’re swept at least that many times a week and otherwise I’ll go for longer between grabbing my broom.

The goal isn’t to complete everything on the list every week. The air conditioning filter only needs to be cleaned once every three months, after all. But since it’s on the list, then I can’t forget about it and can aim to repeat it every couple of months. So by tackling a couple of those seasonal or once-in-awhile jobs every week or two, they’re all taken care of in turn.

The thing about this list is that it works so well because if I didn’t have “Clean mirrors” staring me in the face, I probably would not have taken up my spray bottle and newspaper and spent thirty minutes going from room to room, wiping down each looking glass. But because of this list, I did.

If you want, you can download a PDF of my list here. It’s tailored specifically for my home and for my cleaning needs, but it can be a good starting point for any small home or just to inspire you to make your own list.



P.S. If you are new to this blog, thank you so much for stopping by! You can feel free to browse all my other posts about my journey toward a lifestyle of simplicity and DIY, as well as some of the ways my husband and I are learning to save money. I also write about my faith, my marriage and everything in between, which you can explore in the archives.

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32 comments:

  1. Great post. I was checking constantly this web blog and I am impressed! Extremely useful information specifically the last section I care for such information much. I was looking for this particular information for a lengthy time. Thanks and best of luck.

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  2. Brilliant. I'm just like you in the fact that Ted's probably the better scrubber than me. We tend to tackle the house together which is nice because it's done so fast. As of late, I spend most of my time at the house so I've been trying to get a routine down. I'm definitely downloading your list. I happen to love lists & I think it's just want I need.

    Thanks.

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    1. No problem! Hope it helps you as much as it has me. And how lucky are we to have nabbed guys who like to clean more than we do?!

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    2. I nabbed a "cleaner" too!! :)

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  3. Thanks so much for sharing! I hate cleaning. And I don't usually do it (we've moved almost yearly for the last decade, so I generally give everything a good scrubbing when we move out and start over - horrible, I know!) ... but perhaps a list like this would inspire me to do the oft-forgotten tasks that would keep my house healthy and presentable! :) God Bless!

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    1. Ha! I totally understand and I am sure I've gone nearly a year before a good cleaning before, too! :)

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  4. This is great! I guess we all have to find things that work for us. I have mixed feelings about cleaning. Sometimes I LOVE to clean, other times I'm like you; I don't clean it until I notice it's dirty O_o

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    1. I wish I could say that I LOVE to clean! Fortunately, I do enjoy a clean house, so that's pretty much what gets me cleaning :) And I know my husband will appreciate it. Let me know if you try this cleaning schedule. It's made such a difference for me!

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  5. I totally need this list! I love having a clean house but I HATE doing the actual cleaning, ha ha!

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    1. No problem. It's made SUCH a difference in my motivation to clean. I just love checking off the little boxes :)

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  6. Thanks for this! I've tried so many different ways of keeping on top of all that it takes to run a household, and I'm thankful to hear that I'm not the only one who needs to go with the whims and motivations of the day, knowing that each day is different. This system will work well with my dislike of cleaning, personality, and need for motivation. Thank you!

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    1. You know, it was kind of revolutionary for me when I realized I could get my house clean without it having to be as regimented as other cleaning schedules/plans I'd seen out there. It's been so freeing for me! Enjoy :)

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  7. I'm definitely printing this one!! I know that I don't notice things until they're dirty. I didn't grow up having to clean so I've had to make myself become more disciplined in this...maybe I should say that I'm trying (with God's help) to make myself mmore disciplined! ;)
    This should definitely help me. Thanks!!

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    1. You sound like such a kindred spirit, Tara. It's the same exact way for me, too. That's why this list has been such a help around here. Let me know if you find it helpful, too!

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  8. Thank you soooooooooooooo much!!

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  9. Thanks for sharing your list! I've been making a similar list for the last couple of months but I've been doing it daily and letting my children each pick something to work on. I think this will help me not let things get so out of control.

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    1. Oh, fun! I love the idea of letting your kids get involved. Not only helpful for you, but also teaching them lifelong skills. When we have kids, I definitely plan on involving them in the daily routines of the house!

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  10. I found this link on MoneySavingMom - I was definitely lured in by the words "HATE TO CLEAN"!!! We'll see if this method helps me at all. I also love SchneiderPeeps's idea of having kids pick items on the list to do and check off. My 4 year old is getting big enough to help with cleaning chores, so I'm definitely interested in delegating!

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  11. Very good points you wrote here..Great stuff...I think you've made some truly interesting points.Keep up the good work.

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  12. i am the same way about cleaning! my husband usually does all of the "deep" cleaning as well. and like yours, he works really hard and i have been feeling guilty lately that i don't clean enough for him. i feel like we are very similar based on your posts! glad i found your blog! you have great ideas!!! :)

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  13. Thank you for this... I am great at tidying and arranging/decor but terrible at CLEANING. I love the idea of a flexible to-do list. :)

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  14. Thanks for sharing such a good information about cleaning.I will use these tips for best cleaning.


    Nepean home cleaning

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  15. Two is better than one, indeed! It makes me happy seeing couples cleaning their house together. I don’t mean to be sexist here, but I’ve just observed that cleaning is usually done by the ladies. So, it’s great that your husband also participates and doesn’t let you do the cleaning alone. If you are doing general cleaning, this list is very helpful and it will help you avoid missing out important spots in your home. Thanks for sharing! - German Zollinger

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  17. I, too, keep a checklist, although I don’t always follow through it. Basically, it includes one chore per area. Like for this day: clean the splatters and stains in the kitchen’s countertops, wipe out the sink in the bathroom, make my bed, and toss the old newspapers and magazines in the coffee table. =)

    Skylar Cox

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  18. Time for the cleaning project. I love it when it happens.
    website

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  19. My problem is different. It's not that I don't know what to do or don't do it I do but I am 27 yrs old and my disabilities make scrubbing a painful task physically I become exhausted while scribbing anf minds wide awake what a pardoxal feeling and even when I do scrub stuff I do not have effincent strength to properly scrub the frodge and microwave I try I really try but I find a few times a yr I get scolded by my roomate/landlord I know she dosen't get it that I do try all she see's is what she see's as a mess. I really do my best to keep up with house but my scrubbing ability is that of maybe a 5 yr olds. Heck I think some 5 yr olds could probably scrub better then I cause I just lack the strength to physically scrub. And now I have to admit to self this isn't working I will have to do what I would rather not need to but seriously I need to hire someone help it's no use I can't do it good enough. I am just hoping it won't cost to much. I just am not strong enough.

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  20. Going to give his a try! Like Amanda, I have health issues that make it impossible to follow a regimented 'have to do' list. With yours, I can tackle whatever I feel up to! And maybe with a list staring him in the face, hubs will get in the act, too...

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  21. Going to give his a try! Like Amanda, I have health issues that make it impossible to follow a regimented 'have to do' list. With yours, I can tackle whatever I feel up to! And maybe with a list staring him in the face, hubs will get in the act, too...

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  22. Wow! This is a great idea! This will definitely help out all our friends out there who absolutely just hate cleaning out their kitchen. Of course cleaning is always hard work, but it will surely pay off once we see the end result.
    Dwight Franklin

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