SAHM Guide to House Cleaning – Part 2

Hmmm.  If last week’s post didn’t send my hubby into convulsions of laughter, this week’s will.  I’m sitting here writing Part 2, as promised, while my house sits here in a complete mess.  The floors need to be mopped, bathrooms cleaned, whole house needs dusted.  The list could go on and on.  How did your last week go?  Were you able to come up with some Daily Quick Cleanups from our Part 1 discussion?

What’s a busy mom to do?  I had groceries to shop for and photos to take (before all the leaves fell off the trees).  I had kids to get from Point A to Point B and then Point C.  I’ve been battling this sore throat thing (I’m NOT sick!!).  Excuses, excuses, I know.

Let’s get down to business.  Now that the daily quick cleans are listed out, this week we’re focusing on things that need to be completed weekly.  I suggest writing them all down.  For me, it was easier to make my list by room.  After you’re done crying in desperation wondering how it’s possible to actually get this done – come back…. I’ll wait…  Don’t wait too long because the mess just gets bigger.  Trust me, I know.

Here’s my list:

Weekly To Do’s

Bedrooms & Family Room

• Dust w/ Wand (cobwebs, door frames, lamps, moldings)
• Dust w/ Cloth and Spray
• Clean Mirrors
• Sweep & Vacuum

Bathrooms (incl. Landing)

• Clean Sink & Counter
• Clean Shower Walls
• Clean Tub
• Clean Toilet (inside, outside, behind)
• Clean Mirror
• Clean Cabinet Top
• Sweep & Mop

Kitchen

• Wipe Cabinets
• Clean/Wipe Toe Kicks
• Clean Microwave
• Clean Refridg. Vent
• Clean Counters (move everything out of the way)
• Clean Sinks
• Dust w/ Wand (cobwebs)
• Sweep & Mop

Okay, now that you have your list handy and are comparing it to mine, you might be saying, “But Manda, there’s more than that!  Are you leaving half your house dirty?”  Don’t worry, we’ll cover Monthly and Annual Cleaning later.  This post is ONLY things that need to be cleaned weekly.  Our opinions can differ or you can adjust your list later, whatever works best for you.  I live in a 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath, 1300 square foot house, you may have more or less to clean depending on your family/home’s requirements.

If your kids are away at school most of the day, it might be best if you just block out time on one day to get it all done.  Then, you won’t have to worry about it for another week.  For the rest of us, determine the best days of the week where you can block out some time to get “some” of your list completed and plot it out.  Keep in mind that we’re going to be fitting in our Monthly and Annual list somewhere.  Here’s my weekly schedule:

Weekly Schedule

Yes, there are some open days on my schedule.  I’m going to need to fit in those pesky Monthly and Annual cleaning items later.  I also need to block time out for dealing with the household finances.  I am primarily responsible for paying bills, balancing the bank accounts, and watching our budget and those things can take time too.  I also need to fit in time for grocery shopping.

As you plot out your weekly cleaning and begin to try it out, keep in mind that you need to be flexible.  Sometimes your kids or you may be ill and just need to rest.  Sometimes enjoying play time with your little one is priority.  And sometimes, kids just refuse to nap.  Life happens and your mess will be there later when you’re ready to get back to it (like I need to do).

See you next week for Part 3 where we’ll discuss Monthly Cleaning.