Spring cleaning comes once a year, but we want to commit to having a clean house year-round. That’s right, we’re raising the bar and proving that a clean house can be possible even with our busy, chaotic lives.
A tidy
home in
1 week
We tend to dread cleaning because we try to do it all at once. Instead of tackling certain areas, we strive to make the entire place spic ‘n’ span in one long Saturday. If you’re like us, last-minute plans come up, our favorite TV show comes on or we just don’t feel like cleaning come Saturday morning, and it never gets done. Instead, break it up. Start tackling one chore at a time instead of all of them at once. Before you know it, you’ll have a super-clean house within one week, plus the ability to maintain it.
Sunday: Get organized
We like to start our week off on Sundays — the day you grocery shop, meal plan and get organized for the week to come. This is the day to make sure all the laundry and dishes are done, you’re stocked on household essentials, the meals are planned and the kids are prepared for the upcoming week. Cleaning-wise, just make sure the house is picked up — toys are back in the kids’ rooms, shoes are put away and miscellaneous items are put in their appropriate spots. Don’t worry — we’re not going to suggest deep cleaning the bathroom on this day, as it’s already pretty packed.
Monday: Dust
It’s Monday, and we’re just getting back into “work mode” for the week. Dust all large surfaces throughout your home. This includes televisions, bookshelves, dressers, desks, nightstands and on top of the fridge. If you’re feeling extra energetic, dust the blinds, lamps and fans.
Tuesday: The bathrooms
As much as we hate dedicating an evening to cleaning bathrooms, it has to be done. If you do it weekly, it shouldn’t take longer than 10 to 15 minutes per bathroom. Spray the shower with bleach and give it a quick scrub, clean the sinks and countertops, put lotions and perfumes back in cabinets and give the toilet a deep-clean.
Spring cleaning: Bathroom edition
Wednesday: The kitchen
Kitchens are typically one of the highest-traffic areas of the house, so they can get pretty filthy. Wednesday is the day to get that mess in order. Give the fridge a wipe-down, throw out old leftovers and any food that’s expired, put back any spices you might have used during the week and wipe down the countertops. Just like with bathrooms, if you do this weekly (especially throwing out old food), the kitchen will never get out of hand and will always be easy to clean.
Spring cleaning: Kitchen edition >>
Thursday: The floors
This will probably be the most time-consuming of days, but it’s the best day to clean floors for a few reasons. First, the week’s winding down, so you do have that cocktail to look forward to tomorrow. Second, you want to clean the floors at night after the kids have gone to sleep. Third, if you steam clean your carpets you’ll want to give them plenty of time to dry and not be walked on (Thursday night and all day Friday). So sweep, mop, vacuum and steam clean all the main room floors in the house (don’t worry about kids’ rooms if they’re sleeping). Time-consuming? Yes, but nothing says “clean” like a sparkling floor. It’s a great way to start your weekend.
Friday: Rest
Yes, you read that right. On Friday, simply rest. Don’t worry about cleaning, as it’s probably been a long week. If you have children, it’s their time to take over. Have them clean their rooms as thoroughly as possible. Afterwards, serve their favorite meal for dinner and watch a movie of their choice. It will encourage them to get their rooms cleaned.
Check out this recipe for blood orange mojitos here and start relaxing >>
Saturday: Wash bedding and linens
Because Saturday provides a little more time for cleaning, it’s the perfect day to wash all the bedding and linens in the house. Luckily, it won’t be too time-consuming because the washer and dryer will be doing most of the work. In between cycles, get the closets organized (simply) by hanging up any out-of-place items or folding them and placing them back in the dresser.
A few tips…
- Even though Sunday is deemed “dishes and laundry day,” don’t let either of these items pile up. We recommend spending 10 minutes each evening loading the dishwasher and five minutes throwing in a load of laundry.
- Keep the house picked up and organized by never leaving a room empty-handed. Doing small things constantly takes no time at all and makes such a difference in the overall cleanliness of your house.
- Don’t feel you have to tackle all of the cleaning by yourself. Give the kids a chore list and have your husband help with the trash and some of the cooking. Families are teams — remember that.
More on cleaning
How to get your kids to help with the housework
How to speed clean your home like a pro
Reasons to spring clean year-round
Leave a Comment