Organization tips ~ Let’s Talk About Cleaning

Earlier this week, I showed you my storage organization system. Today, I want to show you one other way I have worked on getting organized. Cleaning.

If you are like me, you probably want to stop reading now. I really dislike cleaning. I just think it is a huge waste of time. I’d rather do about a hundred other things. However, I like my house tidy and I really do like it when it is clean. Add my dislike of cleaning to a busy life and what you end up with is a messy, gross, dirty house. I’m not OK with that.  So, what’s a girl to do? I’ve got organization tips for you today if you need help getting the cleaning done as well. 

Over the years, I’ve tried any number of things to make sure my house stays clean. They usually work for a short while, then I get sick of them and move on to the next thing. The latest things I’ve tried are The FlyLady and Clean Mama. Both of their programs are great. I have no issue with them. They just felt like too much and overkill for me after a while. I don’t feel that it is necessary to sweep, clean the counters and bathrooms every day…nor do I have time to do it every day.

However, I need something that not only I can keep up with, but that Mr. T (when he is actually in town) knows exactly what needs to happen that day and can help out. He is a very visual person (as am I), so we needed some kind of visual reminder and a bit more simple of a plan than those we had tried in the past.

One organization tip I have for you in creating your own plan…look at your usually weekly plan or routine and make your cleaning plan around that.

I pulled out my calendar and decided that since we have lots of activities on Tuesday and Thursday, those are my lite days for cleaning. I pretty much modified a little of The Fly Lady and Clean Mama into what works for me and my family. Then I set to work making a cute printable with fun colors…these things help me actually complete tasks…yep I’ll admit it. Cute sells in my house!

For us, that means we sweep the floors three days per week (which is 100% better than when it was only happening 1x per week), we wipe down the counters in the bathrooms and kitchen 3xs per week, cat box gets cleaned out daily, one load of laundry happens daily and the bigger things like the bathrooms happen once on the weekend. I picked our less busy days to tackle the vacuuming, mopping and dusting. I also made sure to add meal planning somewhere on the schedule so that happens each week.

I still use the command center I showed you a few years ago. I used my adult command center and some cute washi tape. I laminated my schedule and put it there. Since I took over my dry erase board, which was my spot to write reminders or notes for myself, I added a spot to the bottom of my printable for things to do this week and notes. I can use a dry erase pen to mark off what has been completed or make notes.

My cleaning schedule doesn’t happen every day. There are days things get busy and I just let it go. What this new checklist does is makes sure it is happening on a more consistent basis…maybe not enough, but at least I know we all know what is supposed to happen and we are more likely to get it done. I also tried to break things down and make them manageable based on our schedule. I highly recommend you do the same if you are struggling with cleaning around your house.

We have been using my cute printable for about 4 months now. We have managed to keep up with it….most of the time. Though honestly, the last month or month and half life has thrown us a number of curve balls and not much has happened. Life can be like that sometimes and sometimes you just have to let go and go with what is. I’m looking forward to things getting back to ‘normal’ and getting back to my cute checklist. My house will appreciate it!

Get yours in my shop. It is a newer version than what is pictured.

There is a blank version so you can come up with your own schedule/routine and my version, if you want to try it.

I highly recommend that you use the blank version and create something that works for your schedule.

For either version, I recommend you print it on cardstock and laminate it. It is not designed to be used as a full 8.5 x 11 sheet. It is sized to be smaller (about 6.5 x 9.25). I wanted it to fit into my dry erase board space and figure smaller is better for posting somewhere in your house as well.

If you use the blank version, I would suggest that you print it on cardstock, fill in your schedule, then laminate it.

I hope if you give this printable a try, it works like magic for you and your family.

Do you have a cleaning routine/schedule? What works for you?

More organizing ideas: