This daily cleaning schedule will help you keep your house looking presentable with little effort by creating a simple cleaning routine. Put your daily cleaning schedule printable on the fridge to increase your chances of seeing success with the cleaning routine checklist.
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You didn’t know it was possible to make such a mess in under 3 seconds.
Toothpaste splatters on the mirror. Dishes overflowing the sink. LEGO’s strategically placed like landmines waiting to be stepped on.
As a new mom, one of the biggest struggles was trying to figure out how to get anything done with a newborn while keeping the house from looking like a tornado tore through it.
I needed a practical cleaning solution that could be done quickly and easily with a baby harnessed to my chest.
The [cp_modal id=”cp_id_188f9″]daily cleaning checklist[/cp_modal]will help you find balance between spending time with your kids and having a presentable house. It’s possible to do both!
What is a cleaning schedule?
A cleaning schedule is a simple cleaning routine that you use to stay ahead of the mess. A cleaning schedule only works if it’s realistic and you’re committed to sticking to it.
Starting with a simple cleaning schedule (like [cp_modal id=”cp_id_188f9″]this one[/cp_modal]) will help you keep your home looking nice without deep cleaning everyday.
Benefits of a cleaning schedule
Besides having your house look nice and creating less work for you to do all at once, other benefits of a cleaning schedule are:
- You know what you’re going to clean every day
- You’ll get faster at cleaning
- Less speed cleaning when visitors show up unannounced
- You take care of the mess before it gets out of control
- More time with family and less time cleaning
Doing a little bit of cleaning every day is the best way to minimize the amount of cleaning you have to do later.
How to make a daily cleaning schedule
Creating your daily cleaning schedule depends on how much you will realistically clean each day and how messy your house gets.
Here’s a simple thought process for you to consider when making your daily cleaning schedule.
Determine the areas of high traffic
Consider your highest trafficked areas (like the kitchen and living room) because you’ll want to be proactive about cleaning those rooms before they get too messy.
Be realistic about your time
If you know you don’t have much energy because you’re awake every 2-3 hours with a baby it wouldn’t make sense for you to create an elaborate daily cleaning schedule.
Start with a simple routine and once you’ve mastered it, add to it if you’d like.
Write down your schedule
Don’t try to keep your cleaning schedule in your head with everything else you have to remember.
Write it down and put it somewhere you’ll see it every day so you won’t forget about it.
Related: How To Keep Your House Clean: 3 Easy Ways
Sample daily cleaning schedule
Incorporate these quick steps into your daily routine and you won’t feel like you’re failing at the housekeeping portion of mom life.
Bedroom
The first thing you should do upon waking is make your bed. This simple task will send good productivity vibes to your brain that you’ve already accomplished something and your day has just started.
Next, pick up any clothes or shoes you have lying around on the floor. If your husband is anything like mine, he can’t find the dirty clothes hamper to save his life.
And if you have carpet, a robot vacuum is a lifesaver! Start it and move on with your life.
Bathroom
After you’ve brushed your teeth and taken your shower you might as well straighten up while you’re in there.
Quick cleaning tasks to tackle are to:
- Wipe off the mirror and countertops
- Spray the shower with cleaner
- Put toilet bowl cleaner in the toilet
You can either do this while you’re getting ready or wait until you’re done getting ready and clean all at once.
If your little one is old enough to brush their teeth and do their own morning routine you can also do this for their bathroom (or have them do it depending on their age).
Kitchen
The kitchen is an area of constant use. But you can easily keep it clean by working in increments instead of doing everything at once.
In the morning I put away the clean dishes in the dishwasher and put the dirty breakfast dishes in there. Throughout the day we put dishes in the dishwasher and start it each evening.
Wipe down the countertops after each meal and spot clean the floor when things are spilled.
The easiest way to keep the kitchen tidy is to clean as you cook.
It feels like less of a chore if you’re cleaning while you’re already up and moving rather than waiting until night time when you need clothespins to hold your eyelids open.
Living room
This is another high traffic area that’s hard to keep clean. A few quick tasks will help you keep your living room presentable.
Clean any crumbs and blankets off the couch and straighten up the pillows. Wipe down the tables and organize any magazines or decor.
Don’t worry about any other clutter for now.
Related: 9 time–saving laundry hacks for when you’re overwhelmed
5 tips for a successful cleaning schedule
Now that you have a simple daily cleaning schedule, it only works if you actually use it. Here are a few tips to help you be consistent and see the benefits of this cleaning routine.
Use a timer
Setting a timer for 10-25 minutes will help you work faster because you’re racing against the clock. It also mentally prepares you for the fact that you may not finish cleaning during that time but it’s okay.
Let go of perfection
Trying to do everything perfectly is a way to procrastinate and never finish a task. You think about how you want it to look when you’re done and you know that it’ll take a long time to make that picture in your head a reality so you never start.
Done is better than perfect.
Work with your body
If you have the most energy in the morning it wouldn’t make sense for you to put most of your cleaning in the evening. Leave simple cleaning tasks for the evening that don’t require a lot of time or energy.
Involve your child
When my daughter was a baby she was always strapped to my chest in her Baby K’tan. That’s the only way I was able to get anything done.
Now that she’s 18 months old, she likes to help me put away the dishes and pick up toys. It takes longer but it’s teaching her valuable life skills.
Clean throughout the day
Don’t wait until the house is a disaster and start cleaning out of anger and frustration. Pick up small things throughout the day so you can avoid a big, time-consuming cleaning session.
Quick recap…
You’ll still have to dodge LEGO’s because this daily cleaning routine will make your house look presentable not like the cover of a magazine. And that’s okay.
Just remember:
- You’ll get faster with practice
- Start small
- Put your schedule where you can see it
- Declutter often
- Use these laundry hacks to keep up
It’s okay to have toys lying around. This is a low-stress routine that’s meant to be sustainable.
