Easy Weekly Cleaning Routine
Hello there, friends! I hope you are well today! I have been just catching up on some health stuff so I haven’t been writing as much. I’m still around though.
Since my time has been a little more limited lately with some extra appointments and playdates for Barrett, I’ve had to streamline how I do some things around the house to keep up.
My cleaning routine is the main thing to fall apart first as we get busier. So I decided to try and fix that first. I came up with a relatively quick and easy weekly cleaning routine to help speed up the process without cutting corners.
This schedule takes me no more than an hour each day besides the laundry. Because, let’s be real, that never gets done in one day, let alone in an hour. That would be sorcery!
I thought I would share it in case anyone out there finds themselves in a similar extra-busy season and needs a routine shake-up too.
I do have it broken down by floors instead of chores. This is because, If I have to go up and down the stairs while I’m doing a specific chore, i.e. all the windows, it’s probably not gonna get done in a timely manner. If I can just stay in one general area, it also helps me from getting too distracted by other things that I need to get done in other parts of the house.
I’ve included some cleaning tips at the end of the article that I have implemented around the house that have made a huge difference for us.
Table of Contents
Weekly Cleaning Schedule
Monday- Upstairs
- Dust. Everything gets dusted to start. Every surface, wall, and blind. Every nook and cranny.
- Wipe down all surfaces. I wipe all the furniture, window sills, door handles, etc. in the bedrooms and bathrooms with a non-toxic cleaner and a microfiber cloth.
- Clean all windows and mirrors. I use regular old store-brand window cleaner and a microfiber cloth for this.
- Clean bathroom. I mix 1 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup blue dish soap, and a little water in a spray bottle and use that to clean our bathroom fixtures. It’s really great at cutting through the hardware build-up we get here.
- Vacuum and sweep. We have a German Shepard, Miss Boozie, that sheds like crazy. So we are constantly sweeping and vacuuming, even with a robot vacuum going once a day. But I use this time to do a deeper clean. I get all the baseboards, crevices, and cracks.
- Change all sheets. I strip all sheets and pillowcases from all the beds, wash them, and remake them. If I ever remember to do it, I like to vacuum the mattresses before I remake them.
- Change out all towels. I change out all bathroom towels, wash clothes, and household hand towels and wash them.
- All trashcans are dumped. I empty all trashcans in the upstairs area and put fresh bags in them. Another “if I remember” tip is to put a little essential oil on a cotton ball and toss it in there before the new bag goes in. It’ll help it smell nice and a little fresher.
Tuesday- Main Floor
- Dust. Dust it all. Kitchen and living room, top to bottom dusted.
- Clean out the fridge. All the leftovers that I promised to eat finally get to meet their demise. I take this opportunity to organize and wipe the inside of the fridge a little as well.
- All trashcans are dumped. Tuesday is our trash day so I use this time to collect all the trash bags from throughout the house and take them out.
- Kitchen cabinets and counters are wiped down. I just use a non-toxic cleaner and a microfiber cloth for this. I like to get the insides of the cabinets with the vacuum too, if I remember.
- Kitchen appliances are wiped and cleaned out. I wipe down all appliances, clean filters, and wipe the insides down with non-toxic cleaner.
- Clean the 1/2 bathroom. I use the same mix to clean this bathroom, it’s just less work than the big bathroom.
- Clean all windows and mirrors. Our dog is constantly at our windows barking at the neighbors and smudging up these windows. I usually clean them 3 times a week, but this time I just do a much deeper, thoroughly clean around the whole thing, not just the glass.
Wednesday- Laundry and Floors
- Laundry. I like to start a load in the middle of the week so that there is less to do on the weekend. We used to do it all on the same day and it was just too much.
- Sweep and mop all floors. I do a nice deep sweep and vacuum of the floors, getting all the nooks and crannies. Then I use another non-toxic cleaner and mop both upstairs and downstairs.
Thursday
- Finish the laundry. (maybe). Usually, I fluff it at least 3 separate times before I will even think about folding it.
Friday and Saturday- Catch-up
I just use these days to catch up on anything I am behind on around the house (it’s the laundry) or do nothing at all with that time. These are a blessing.
Sunday
We do laundry and food prep usually. Josh is usually helping with any chores we have as well.
This schedule will look a little different for everyone depending on your home and family needs.
Cleaning Tips
- If you have multiple floors, stash cleaning supplies on each floor. This helps me if I have a quick second and can do something, I have the supplies already with me so I don’t have to go and get them.
- Use microfiber cloths to dust and wipe surfaces. Rinse and throw in the washer. It saves a ton on paper towels. Many other alternatives out there are just as cost-effective.
- We wipe the kitchen and dining room after each time they are used.
- Break your tasks down into smaller pieces to make them easier to do. If it’s less daunting to start then you are less likely to procrastinate.
- We use a mix of natural solutions and chemicals in our home, it’s the best of both worlds. Use whatever works for your family.
- Include your kids/family to make the tasks more enjoyable and to share the workload.
- If you are making your own schedule, don’t forget to give yourself some space to breathe on the schedule. I love having those catch-up days to fall back on so I don’t get severely behind. We all know that burnout is real.
Thank You so much, friends! I am sure you found something helpful in this article and I can’t wait to hear how it’s helping you in your home. Jump on over to my Facebook page, here, and share your easy weekly cleaning routine!
This is so helpful. Love how you have a systematic way of going about it.
I am so glad you found this to be helpful!
If I don’t have a set routine for it, I am probably not gonna get it done lol so this is a must for me!
Oh, this is so helpful! Thank you!. You just organized my week 🙂
This is great. I will have to modify slightly, but love the base you’ve provided here, thank you so much!