Wondering how to clean your house in 15-minutes a day or think it’s just not possible? Well you’re in for a treat. The tips and insight I give you below will open your eyes to what it takes to clean your house in just a few minutes a day.  Even if your home goes by the street name Casa de Catastrophe.

To get started, let’s borrow a quote from the business world that’ll take your mind exactly where it needs to be if you want to clean your house in just 15 minutes a day…

That’s right.  People with the cleanest homes are not slaving away spending all their time cleaning!  As a matter of fact, people with clean homes don’t have to clean nearly as much as people with messy homes.  Yep.  Sometimes the grass is greener on the other side!

So here’s the real golden nugget – if you want to clean your home in 15-minutes a day, it’s not about moving super fast.  You’re more than likely just going to look silly.  I know I look silly when I try to move fast.  Maybe because I’m old.  Who knows.  

What you seriously need to do is make sure that 15-minutes is spent cleaning the just right things so you have something to show for yourself.  

For example, if your entire house is a mess, cleaning out the junk drawer is not going to get you to clean.  Not that you shouldn’t clean it out.  It’s just, there’s a hierarchy of sorts when it comes to what should be cleaned first in your home.  

You don’t want to spend 15 minutes cleaning your house only for no one to notice that you just sacrificed 15 golden minutes of your life cleaning right?  Super deflating.  And yes, it’s happened to me.

Instead of giving you fluff bunnies, I’m going to give you the real deal on what you need to actually clean your house in just a few minutes a day and make sure your hard work it’s totally noticeable by anyone that enters your domain.  What’s wrong with getting noticed?

Disclaimer / I ended up writing way more tips than I expected so the first 7 below will be considered *Part 1* and the rest of the tips will be posted as *Part 2*. You may continue scrolling!

The non-negotiable things you need to do if you really want to clean your house in 15-minutes a day  

Tip 1 /  Cleaning your house in 15-minutes is not about being able to clean fast

How long does it take to clean a 3 bedroom house? How about a 6,000 square foot house? When it comes to being able to clean your home in a few minutes a day, size does matter guys. The bigger the home, the more minutes or time you’ll have to dedicate to cleaning. And the same goes for people. The more humans – and animals – you have living in a house, the more you’ll need for cleaning.

So here’s a simple way to help you think about how much time it really takes to clean your home and keep it clean. One thousand square feet of space should take about an hour to clean. However, when we get to around the 4,000+ square feet, start adding in some extra minutes. Trust me. It’s about an hour and 30 minutes for each additional1,000 sq. ft. of space over 4,000.

And in case my explanation left you confused /

• 1,000 sq. ft. house should take about one-hour
• 3,000 square foot house should take around 3-hours
• 5,000 sq. ft. house should take around 6-7 hours

So with that in mind, cleaning your house in 15 minutes a day really comes down to two simple ideas: 

(a) cleaning the right things at the right time and 

(b) cleaning efficiently or basically not wasting time or energy and getting 100% out of the cleaning sesh.  

I don’t need to write a paragraph on this because a few of the following tips build on this idea.  So prepare for a few instances of she already said that.  (Because it’s that important.)  

Tip 2 /  The 5-Unforgiving Chores are heartless…get to know em’

Ever heard of the 80/20 rule?  Of course you have.  Only 20% of what you do really matters – or something like that.  Google it. 

Before you focus on 15-minute blocks of hardcore cleaning, make sure you’ve mastered the 5 unforgiving tasks – aka the universally agreed up cleaning tasks that if left undone for days or even just hours in some cases, will spawn unspeakable herds of clutter, chaos and mess all throughout your home.   

These small tasks account for 80% of the mess you probably see in your home but if kept under control, will only account for 20% of your time.  Ewww, the truth hurts.

Sidenote / if you clean your house and it still looks messy, you might want to take some notes my friend. 

Here are the 5 (unforgiving) tasks:  

• laundry
• dishes
• tidying up
• trash 
• toilets 

Bottom line /  Don’t bother with real cleaning if the dishes, laundry or other essentials are out of control. Center your daily 15-minute cleaning sessions (more time if you’ve got it) on the 5 unforgiving chores for a few weeks so that you can get these areas under control once & for all.  

Now, if you’re really in the mood to clean random things around the house, head on over to my post, How to clean a flat screen tv so that it’s streak-free. Because the big screen is no place for a smudge to hang out.

Tip 3 / Make a chore list, a cleaning schedule or cleaning plan so you’re not being a total random 

15 minutes isn’t a long time but you can do a lot in those 15 minutes if you plan.  Make sure those minutes are well spent by knowing exactly what you want to clean today.  What you clean today will affect tomorrow.  

You don’t want your cleaning sessions to be cleaning whatever catches your eye.  Go about cleaning that way and you’ll end up realizing the whole house is actually disgusting, and in walks anxiety and overwhelm.  And you don’t have time for that so let’s make a cleaning plan instead.   

When it comes to making a cleaning schedule, keep things simple and use a daily, weekly or bi-weekly cleaning list.  

Sidenote /  a cleaning schedule, cleaning plan, chore list or even a cleaning plan are all kind of the same thing so you may see me use these words interchangeably.  Just didn’t want to confuse ya!

Here’s a super simple sample weekly cleaning schedule / 

Monday – Bathrooms (Full cleaning)

Tuesday – Kitchen (Full cleaning)

Wednesday – Dust

Thursday – Vacuums 

Friday – Mop Floors 

Saturday 

Sunday – Prep & Plan

And just like that, you’ll have focused cleaning sessions that’ll keep you from bouncing around from place to place.  Instead, you’ll clean what needs cleaning and have a very productive 15-minute cleaning session.  Cheers to that. 

Tip 4 / Clean your house in 15 minutes. Or maybe 20?

Goal gettin’ has been a heck of a movement but no matter what anyone tells you, you cannot clean your whole house in 15 minutes. Unless it’s a tiny house.  Maybe.  I need to see one in real life to really know for sure though so err on the side of caution with those as well for now. 

Point is, the last thing you want to do is set a big lofty goal for whatall you can clean in 15-minutes.  Why?  Because if you can’t do everything you thought you could, you’ll probably be bummed out. And bummed-out-you is less inclined to stick with your daily 15-minute cleaning blocks.  And your messy house troubles will ultimately return. 

Tip 5 /  Make big spaces bite-sized

Everyone has their own cleaning speed.  Same way we all have our own walking pace.  Some people walk slow and some people walk fast.  God’s plan right?  But regardless of your speed, some spaces will just be too much to clean in a 15-minute span.  Let’s look at an example.  

Can you clean your bathroom from top to bottom, including vacuuming and mopping in 15 minutes?  Umm, if it’s a half bath – definitely.   But a full-on master bath with yucky super soaker jacuzzi blasters and a tile-and-grout walk-in shower speckled with mold & mildew spots like the 101 dalmations – probably not.   

So how do you handle areas that are a bit too much for a 15-minute cleaning session?  I’m glad you asked.  

You have permission to break big jobs down into smaller bite-sized chunks.  But I know you were already thinking that.  Sometimes it’s just good to have someone validate the genius thoughts you have in your head so your welcome.  

With that being said, it’s ok to break the bathroom down into the smallest bits you can handle and clean the tub – or all the tubs – today.  And the shower tomorrow.    

Here’s a sample schedule for cleaning your bathroom in just 15 minutes a day /

• Monday – sweep, vacuum, spot clean floors and take out trash
• Tuesday – clean the bathroom sink, counter, cabinet doors
• Wednesday – wipe down all the baseboards,  doors and wall fixtures
• Thursday – clean the tub
• Friday – clean the shower

So yeh, it’s one week in the shower but you’re basically doing a little every day, sometimes less than 15 minutes to keep your bathroom super clean. 

And now my moment of truth: I actually clean the bathroom surfaces on one day and then the bathroom floors (vacuuming & mopping) on the day I vacuum and mop the entire house.  There’s no wrong way to do it.  Thank goodness. 

Bottom line / Instead of trying to cram as much as you can into your 15-minute cleaning session (and only getting half of it done), plan to clean less than you think you can.  You’ll be surprised by how good it feels to accomplish an obviously-accomplishable cleaning task. 

But the real magic is that it’ll naturally lead you to say, dang, I can do more!  And that’s the energy you need to stick to cleaning your house in just 15-minutes a day for the long haul.  

Tip 6 / Don’t let clutter punk you…

Since this post is about how to clean your house in 15-minutes a day, we have to talk about clutter.  If you’ve got a lot of it, it’ll definitely slow you down if you don’t know how to handle it. 

For starters, it’s not always immediately obvious how you should handle a cluttery situation.  Whether it’s the floors, bedroom dressers or the bathroom counter, should you:

(a) move everything off,  clean the surface and then put it all back

(b) clean around all the knick knacks or 

(c) pretend you don’t see it and move on to the next area

Interestingly enough, any of those answers could be right.  And yeh, I know that’s not super helpful but what I want to highlight is that you should have a plan for clutter.  Not having a plan for clutter is an invitation for overwhelm.  Trust me.

The second thing I want to mention is more of a rule.  And that is, don’t let clutter hijack your cleaning session.  

Set aside a block of time just for decluttering the bathroom cabinets.  And a time just for scrubbing bubbles. Staying focused on cleaning during your cleaning sessions will give you the result you’re looking for – a house that looks clean.  

Bottom line / There’s a time for clutter and there’s a time for cleaning. (Said in my cowboy voice) Create dedicated time blocks just for tackling clutter and likewise, time just for cleaning your home.  (And by cleaning I mean vacuuming, mopping, dusting and all that good stuff.)

Tip 7 / The 3C-Mafia

To clean your house in just 15-minutes a day, procrastination has got to go! If you let the messes stack up for days without getting checked in the spirit of *I’ll get to it later* well, you can kiss the dream of a 15-minute clean goodbye.  

To make quick & sweatless cleaning sessions a reality, here are three different strategies you can stack to keep your house clean enough so that when it’s really time to clean, you can breeze right though it.  

Introducing the 3C Mafia!  Inspired my favorite rap group when I was a youngling fresh from Germany, these 3 cleaning strategies work together so that you can have hyper-productive 15-minute cleaning sessions: 

• Dedicated cleaning sessions to one particular task a few days out the week (vacuuming, mopping, dusting, etc.)
• Cleaning as you go for example, clean the kitchen & wash dishes while you cook. Or scrub the toilet right after you do the doo…
• And lastly, spot cleaning. Make it a point to wipe up spilled juice and foods now while they take less than 2-minutes to clean up. The longer certain types of messes sit, the sticker and grippier they get to surfaces. And old messes are a quick way to blow a 15-minute cleaning session.

Bottom line / Cleaning your house in just 15-minutes a day sounds wonderful but it’s nothing more than a pipe dream if you aren’t doing other things to make it a possibility.

Let’s wrap this up /

Finding a painless way to keep your house clean is a journey.   But it’s the type where you learn so much along the way that it makes you a better version of yourself.  I say that to say, don’t beat yourself up if you’re struggling to keep your house clean.  You’re not alone.   And I promise, as long as you know why you want to keep your house clean and are willing to put yourself first, the rest will fall into place.   Not the advice you were expecting huh? 

Ready to get your home under control once & for all? 

Quickly find your zone of clean so that you can create a home you’re proud of and reveal the blueprint to a home that stays clean, cleaner or cleanish all the time in just 7-days.  Check out the Clean Vibes Kit & Caboodle today! 

Best Selling Items This Week:

• Dye Catchers Cut down how long it takes to do laundry with these! Toss everything into the washing machine and get on to all the other things. Without worrying about those whites turning pink.
• Scotch Brite Non-Scratch Scrubbers If I have to choose between these & my husband, I’m definitely taking the scrubbers. They seriously do allllllll the work when it’s time to clean. Unlike him.
• Window/Glass Cleaning Cloths Ok, if you believe it’s impossible to have streak-free mirrors or glass, prepare to be impressed. You don’t even need window cleaner with these things. Just a little water & shizam. All clear.
• The Roboroc Robot Vacuum It sweeps, mops and is soo smart, it avoids both cat puke & dog terds . If you have pets, you know that’s huge. It’s also $30 off right now.

Good things are meant to be shared! Save this to your Pinterest account so you can actually find it later. And get a little clout by showing others you always find the good stuff:-)

The post Clean your house in 15 minutes a day. Seriously. appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

Discover how to clean a Keurig single-serve coffee maker the right way with the help of another fellow Keurig lover/owner standing by your virtual side.

It wasn’t until I got a Keurig that I became a coffee casualty.  Yes, coffee owns me and I’m not ashamed to admit it.  Which is why I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my keurig running smoothly so that this good thing we’ve got going never ends.  Ever. 

Today, you’ll discover how to clean a single serve Keurig coffee maker, so that you never experience the heartache of nothing but spitter spatter coming from your beloved coffee maker.  *The Worst*

How To Clean Your Keurig Single Serve Coffee Maker *Quickie Weekly Cleaning Routine*

One of the things I love about having a keurig coffee maker is that it’s super low maintenance.  Compare it to an old school coffee pot and the winner is obvious.  When I think of *the office coffee pot* from when I was in the military I still get chills to this day.  

Keep an eye on the mug plate.  Coffee mugs go there to get rained on.  Extra drips of coffee that come out long after you’ve swiped your coffee mug can stack up quick making it the obvious hot spot on your keurig.

What you’ll need 

• One sink full of warm water & soap
• Two towels – one for cleaning and one to buff your Keurig dry so it doesn’t lose it’s shine

What to do

1. Make some soapy water so you can wash everything.  
2. Unplug the Keurig.  Unless you like living life on the edge.
3. Wash the reservoir and then set it to the side.  You’ll want to take the water filter out during this stage.  I don’t know about you but getting dish soap in the water filter sounds like the perfect recipe for *yuck* coffee.  
4. Wash the rest of the removable pieces.  Dry everything. Set them to the side.  The other pieces depending on the type of Keurig you have should be the reservoir lid, mug stand, mug plate, the K-cup holder and the boatlike piece right under the K-cup holder.   
5. Wipe the Keurig surface with your cleaning towel.  Buff it dry.  Don’t forget to wipe the inside where the little coffee specks like to hang out.  
6. Return all the removable parts.  Don’t forget to put the water filter back into the water reservoir.  Add water to it then or whenever you’re ready to brew. 
7. Plug in the machine.

Change The Water Filter In Your Single Cup Keurig Every 2 Months For Chlorine-Free Coffee – Yummy

Coffee that makes the crowd go wild starts with good tasting water.  Think about it.  Water is the main ingredient in coffee.  Bad tasting water equals trash coffee.  No matter how rich and bodied your K-cups are. 

AH-mazing water is simply water that’s not full of whatever creepy things live in unfiltered water.  Keurig water filters specifically remove chlorine from your water.  Not speaking from experience but I’m pretty confident pool water doesn’t make good coffee.  

Keep your coffee extra bold and not full of extra impurities by changing those filters every 2 months.  Or according to the Keurig site, every 60 tank refills.  

What you’ll need 

• Water filter pods

What to do

1. Empty the water reservoir
2. Remove the water filter assembly from the reservoir.  May take gentle phenagaling to remove.  
3. Separate the bottom of the water filter assembly from the handle so you can access the *old* water filter.  On the bottom of the handle, press in the tabs on both sides of the base at the same time and pull down to separate. 
4. Toss the old water filter cartridge.  Bye-bye.
5. Insert the new water filter cartridge into the assembly *after* you’ve soaked it under running water.  The filter will come with instructions so follow them.  Insert the filter cartridge in the bottom of the handle assembly. 
6. Put the bottom back on the assembly and place it back inside the reservoir.  Be sure to push down firmly – all the way down – to make sure everything is nice and secure.  

FYI, Descaling Your Keurig Single Serve Coffee Maker Isn’t Quick

Ok this is the fun part.  But not really.  Descaling your Keurig is something you have to do to keep your coffee flowing smoothing and tasting heavenly.  The descaling process is how you really clean your Keurig.

And to be honest, it’s very easy to do.  But.  I’ll be up front and let you know you need time and a endurance to see the descaling process through.  

Basically, don’t do this on a whim.

Maybe I’m jaded because I was caught off guard with how long everything took.  I decided to descale my keurig 2.0 at 11:30 pm thinking it would be as simple as pushing a button and walking away.  But that’s not quite how it works.   

Descale Your Keurig Single Serve Coffee Maker Every 3-6 Months For a Long, Rich Life & To Fix Issues

Ever heard your Keurig make a choking noise?  Or just stopped putting out all together?  A number of things could be happening inside your machine.  However, buildup is more than likely the issue which means descaling is probably going to be your fix.  

According to the Keurig website, descaling your Keurig coffee maker is a necessary process that removes calcium deposits, or scale, that can build up inside a coffee maker over time. Calcium and scale are non-toxic, but left unattended, they can hinder your brewer’s performance.  

Descaling should take place every 3 to 6 months to preserve long-term health of your brewer.

How To Descale Your Keurig Single Serve Coffee Maker (*How to REALLY* Clean The Inside)

READ THIS – Descaling your Keurig is a 2-part process.  The quickie cleaning routine I outlined above comes first.  Once that’s done, you can slide straight into the descaling process.  If you *really* want to clean your Keurig, THIS is how you do it:-) 

The ONLY thing I’d do differently than the instructions on the Keurig website is leave the water filter out during the descaling process.  I’m not saying you have to.  I just think it’s weird to leave it in.  The thought of the water filtier holding onto traces of whatever I descale my keurig with terrify me. 

You’ll need 

• White vinegar or descaling solution
• Bottled water
• One large coffee
• Time

Start with freshly cleaned, empty Keurig (no water and no pods inside)

OPTION 1:  Descale your keurig with white vinegar:  

1. Unplug the machine.  

2. Add equal parts vinegar and water to your water reservoir.  I didn’t use this method, but from what I’ve read, most people are filling the reservoir half way with water and then the other half with vinegar.  

OPTION 2:  Use the Keurig descaling solution.  I had a bottle on hand so that’s what I used.  When I nervously test-tasted a cup of coffee at the end of the descaling process, it was indeed delicious! 

Here are the rest of the instructions to follow regardless of which option you choose to clean your single cup Keurig: 

1. Plug the Keurig up and press the power button to turn it on
2. Disable the *auto off* setting 
3. Place the large coffee mug on the mug plate
4. Start the brew cycle without inserting a K-cup. 
5. Repeat until the reservoir is empty.  Give your pointer finger a pep talk because it’s about to be tested in the cruelest way. You have to push the *brew button* after each cycle completes in order to run the descaling solution through the system.  This might be anywhere from 10-15 times.
6. When your Keurig warns you that more water needs to be added PAUSE
7. Let your coffee maker sit for 30 minutes.  Don’t empty the reservoir.  The solution simply needs time to continue working its descaling magic. 
8. Empty the reservoir & fill it with fresh water so you can flush the system of the descaling solution.   This step is how you make sure your coffee won’t taste chemically or vinegary so don’t take this 2nd round lightly.  Oh and do switch fingers this time.  Your poor pointer will have already gone through enough.  
9. Start the brew cycle without inserting a K-cup. 
10. Repeat until the reservoir is empty.  

Can I use distilled water in my Keurig coffee maker?

No. Or maybe. It depends.

When cleaning your single-serve Kuerig, we advise against the use of distilled water as it can make the coffee taste flat. Moreover, since distilled water contains no minerals, your coffee maker may not be able to detect water in the reservoir and the “add water” light will remain on.  That’s a straight copy & paste from Keurig.

But according to other blogs, you can use distilled water in classic keurig machines, just not in the Keurig 2.0. So as you do your research, just note that *the official source* and the internet experts are at odds on this one.

Should you actually clean your Keurig 2.0 with vinegar?

Acidity from chemicals like vinegar can actually damage the inside of your coffee maker.  So if you’re going to use vinegar, do so at your own risk.  Again, that’s a copy & paste from Keurig.

Personally, I think it’s ok as long as you don’t use it often.  Keurig really boxed us in when they said the only descaling product they approve is their own but on the flip side, we know it works so I’d definitely recommend swiping the Keurig maintenance kit that has everything you need to maintain your Keurig from top to bottom.

Got foam coming out of your Keurig coffee maker?  

It’s a 100% natural reaction between the cleansing solution and scale (via Keurig). This is more likely if a coffee maker has a lot of build-up, which may prevent the descaling solution from properly filling the brewing system. Continue to clean your Keurig as usual. You’re not damaging it.

Nothing coming out of your single serve Keurig? 

If this happens, turn off your coffee maker. Empty and thoroughly rinse any remaining descaling solution in the tank and then refill it with fresh water. Reconnect your brewing system, turn it on again and repeat.

One More Thought /

Your single serve Keurig is undeniably more important than vitamins so do the right thing and keep her clean.  Use the right products, do your quickie cleanings regularly and your deep cleanings on time to keep your Keurig happy, coffee full of dark magic, and you a productive member of society.

And to clarify, I mean good dark magic – like chocolate and Idris Elba.  Not Voldemart kind of dark magic. 

Now, if you’re really in the mood to clean random things around the house, head on over to my post, How to clean a flat screen tv so that it’s streak-free. Because the big screen is no place for a smudge to hang out.

Good things are meant to be shared! Save this to your Pinterest account so you can actually find it later and so others can see you’ve got all the good stuff!

The post How To *Really* Clean A Single Serve Keurig appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

So how far down is dusting on your list of most-dreaded chores?  If it’s so far down it’s towards the center of the Earth, join the club. Dusting is one of the least favorite chores out there.

How do I know? Because it’s the 2nd most requested task clients ask for when booking cleaning services from my company. (Can you guess what the #1 request we get is? Floors. Young, old, single, grande sized families and everyone in between hates cleaning the floors.)

So the real question is how long can you really put off dusting without crossing the ewww-your-house-is-kinda-nasty line?

To sum up dust in one-word, it’s gross.

Since dust is primarily composed of human skin cells, pet dander, fabric fibers, pollen, and dust and debris from outside, you probably want to dust more often than you currently are (sad fact: about 80 percent of the particles you see floating in a sunbeam are dead skin cells).

According to one study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the composition of most household dust is significantly grosser than you might imagine, combining dead skin, fungi, and bacteria ranging from the benign to the potentially-harmful, including Staphylococcus aureus.

If you live in a dusty zip code… 

A few factors contribute to the amount of dust collecting in your room, including where you live (clearly, the Arizona desert is dustier than a rainy Oregon forest), how often you open your windows, the season of the year, and how many pets you share your home with.   To name a few.

If you live in a dusty-ish terrain, you should aim to dust weekly.

If your house is hairy, you should dust (and vacuum) every day-ish

And then there’s hair…long hair, pet hair, human hair, fake hair, remy, curly, silky, straight – it doesn’t matter. I know hair isn’t dust, but if you’ve got a lot of thick-haired carbon-based beings that shed in your home, you’ll need to dust your home more often than others.

Now this seems like a tall order, but you really only need to stay on top of high traffic areas. And then bathroom floors. Why? Because dry hair is a lot easier to clean up than wet hair. Trust me.

All you need is a vacuum cleaner to quickly suck up hair – especially in corners and along baseboards – to keep your home looking exceptionally hairless.

Hardly ever dusting your house will make your house look dirtier than it is

Whatever you do, don’t skip dusting altogether.  But I get it. Dusting your entire house can seem a bit daunting but it’s a lot easier to manage when you break the task down room by room. Dusting just one room a day is doable on even the tightest schedule.

  Here are some quick & dirty reasons why you should dust more often: 

• a layer of dust can easily make your place look much dirtier than it is. 
• dust can also cause damage to household surfaces, especially electronics (so pay extra special attention to those!).
• dust can lead to allergy and breathing problems for many people — so don’t forget to get rid of that dust on the ceiling fan, since it’s circulating the air around.

You should dust your house every week – if you’re a neat freak.

And that’s ok.  But you’re on your own. Justin Timberlake leaving N-Sync style.  Unless you live in an apartment, dusting every week is something most of us really just don’t have time for. But there is one little exception…

Common spaces & high traffic areas should be dusted weekly.  But when I say dust, I’m not talking feather dusters.  You need to wipe down furniture surfaces with a damp towel & cleaner so that they are actually clean & dust-free.

Greasy fingerprints, water rings, and all that grimy stuff dulls your shine majorly. And will give your mother-in-law fuel for eons especially if she’s of the nice nasty variety.

• coffee tables 
• sofas just a quick wipe off
• lamps
• dining tables (aka a desk depending on who you ask) & chairs

If you have a life, dusting your house every 2-weeks or monthly is totally ok – and normal

I’m giving you this answer based on my experience as a cleaning service owner & how often most people want their house cleaned. The absolute most popular frequency for our clients is drumroll please – every 2 weeks.

So if you’re looking to create a solid cleaning schedule, want to know how long you can go without dusting – and still be considered a decent human being – or seriously just forget to dust, you can totally get away with dusting anywhere from every 2-weeks to once a month.  

Things in your house you should dust every 2-weeks or monthly-ish:

• common rooms
• bedrooms 
• guest rooms 
• unused spaces
• furniture surfaces you can’t see or reach without a ladder
• ceiling fans
• baseboards (especially in bathrooms or places where pets sleep)
• doors
• televisions
• blinds (you really want to stay on top of blinds because they can be a pain to clean when they get to the point of no return
• wall decor & fixtures

Dust the unreachables & unnoticeables at least every 3-6 months

Out-of-the-way spots like ceilings, corners, high shelves, and door frames only need to be dusted dust every three to six months. But what about those things that you don’t even think about dusting that are absolutely covered in dust? Looked at your outlets lately?

Introducing, the unnoticeables. The items you see & use all the time will never make it onto your cleaning list except by some type of divine intervention. Like you reading this post lol

Thankfully, you don’t have to give these items much of your attention or time which gives you plenty of wiggle room to plan when you’ll dust them. But heed my warning youngling, go any longer than that, and getting rid of dust on those high ledges might require a lot of elbow grease.

Just remember the factors I mentioned earlier that affect how often you should dust. The more factors you have in play, the more often you should dust.

Things you should dust in your house every 3-6 months:

• crown molding
• tops of furniture that you can’t see or reach without a ladder
• outlets
• light switches
• vanity lights
• plants
• curtains (lint roll them)
• mattresses (use the vacuum cleaner hose)
• vacuum cleaner (empty the canister & wipe it out)

Clingy dust needs a little extra push

You ever tried to clean dust that seemed to be a little umm, clingy?  The type that you can’t just dust off.  (When was the last time you got just a little too clingy? Lol )   If it’s like this every time you dust, you should be dusting your house more often for sure.

When dust settles, it begins to take on moisture from the air around it, and if it isn’t removed, it then begins to stick to the surface it settled on initially.  You need to clean – with a damp towel & an all-purpose cleaner – to remove this type of dust.  

Are you making things dustier when you dust

What you dust your house with matters more than you think. Those fluffy feather dusters, while great at getting into small places – and being used as photo props for cheesy pics to post on social media – only scatter dust back into the air. Total fail. 

I have to admit that I use high-dusters with heads just as bad or worse than those duck feathers but hear me out.  I use them to dust all those out the way things like ceilings, super unreachable lights and sometimes even blinds.  All I do is knock the dust off, then wait about 15-20 minutes for the dust to settle on lower surfaces.  Once the cost is clear, I go through dusting as usual with no issues. 

What you’ll need to dust your house if it’s super dusty – or to keep it up

If we have a home to clean that’s super dusty, there will be a lot of vacuuming going on.  So we may do a round of vacuuming surfaces, then a round of dusting with a microfiber, followed by another round of vacuuming to get it all out the room. 

Ahhh, finally, a reason to use those vacuum attachments that have become that special kind of clutter you just don’t want to throw away.  

Dusting tools – that are actually good for dusting:

•  microfiber cloths (it’s what I use at home and in my cleaning service all day everyday)
• high dusting kit for those unreachable things that get super dusty
• good ol fashioned Swiffer dusters – I actually avoided them for a long time thinking they were gimmicky but presently, I totally use them to clean blinds. 
• a vacuum cleaner with a Hepa filter to get the dusty edges of the room and along those baseboards

Once you have some good tools in hand, all you have to do is grab your headphones, clear the clutter & dust away! 

Plan how often you want to dust your house

If you’re like most people, you often don’t realize it’s time to dust until you randomly swipe the blinds, turn your palm over & reveal fingers covered in a layer of thick ick…

If you’re only dusting your house when you see something that kinda grosses you out instead of cleaning regularly, you’ll always stumble upon areas that have been neglected & send you into panic mode. Hello 7-hour long marathon cleaning session. Or maybe you’ll ignore it because you just can’t deal. Hey that’s life.

If you want a simple way to stay on top of what needs to be dusted – and when – along with all your other dreaded housekeeping chores so you feel like you’ve got your house under control & clean is always within reach, you should check out my Clean Vibes Planner Kit.

In addition to a ton of mess eliminating templates & resources, it includes a Master Cleaning Guide + template for you to use to create the perfect cleaning schedule & easily maintain your home. No matter how crazy your schedule is.

And of course, if you loved this post, do a me a mini-sized favor & repin this. It’s like giving me a virtual high-five which will kinda make my day! See ya in the next post…

The post How often should you dust your house *for real* appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

So you’ve finally got the motivation to clean but there’s just one little problem – you don’t know how to clean a messy house! Well, you’re in the right spot because below are 7 fail-proof tips you can use right now to turn your house around for good!

Whether you need to clean your messy house fast or don’t know where to start cleaning, with the just-right strategies and a little time, your messy house will be a thing of the past in no time!     

Change Your Messy Habits To Keep Your House Clean

Aha, this time the best tip is being served first!

If you’re overwhelmed by your messy house & not quite sure where you want to start, pause!   Take your focus off the fact that the entire house is a mess. Instead, focus only on your actions moving forward.  

When you wake up, are you making your bed?  Are you putting your dirty clothes directly into the hamper?  Did you wash that mug you just used? Or did you add it to the stack of dirty dishes in the sink? 

What you *do* – your habits – are the key to *keeping* your house clean. If you’re like a lot of people, sure, cleaning the house may be difficult but doable. You’ve gotten the house clean before. The red phone situation is keeping it clean!  

These are the things I talk about in The Clean Vibes Kit & Caboodle – it’s everything you need to know about home management – but in a totally not boring way.

So if *keeping your house clean* is something you want to figure out once and for all, I highly recommend you check it out. But only if you’re ready to do things differently. Because obviously, and I’m not being a prick when I say this, what you’ve been doing hasn’t been working:-/.

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ //  Find Motivation To Clean Your House With 9 Creative Strategies if you are feeling overwhelmed or depressed and just can’t seem to find the spark you need to clean your messy house.

How To Start Cleaning A Messy House In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

1 // Use A Very Simple Step-By-Step Cleaning Plan

It doesn’t really matter where you start cleaning.  However, a plan is a must! To get started cleaning your house, simply list out each area you want to clean, then add the cleaning tasks you want to do in each area. 

If you want to clean your messy house step-by-step, here’s a very simple plan you can follow:

As you work, declutter surfaces & clean each area but save the floors for last…

• Grab a trash bag or basket &  look for trash or out-of-place items throughout the house – limit to 30 minutes 
• Clean the kitchen – 1 hour
• Clean the bathrooms – 40 minutes per bathroom
• Clean/dust the living room 30 minutes
• Clean/dust common areas 30 minutes
• Clean/dust the bedrooms 20 minutes per bedroom
• Sweep and vacuum the entire house at once including the bathroom & kitchen. 
• Mop all your hard floors and you’re all done! 

YOU SHOULD READ // How To Clean Your House Super Fast for a more detailed step-by-step plan to clean your house!  You’ll also find more strategies and techniques you can use to get the job done faster!

2 // Make time for your house  

Everyone’s definition of clean is a little different but it’s up to you to decide just how clean you want your house to be.  Do you simply want to do some light tidying up or do you want to turn your house upside down and shake all the crap out of it?  

The cleaner you want it, the more time you should plan to spend cleaning.  You need to be realistic about how much time it’ll take you to clean your house. And more importantly, when you’re going to clean your messy house.   

A good rule of thumb to follow is that 1,000 square feet in a messy house , could take around 1.5 to 2 hours to clean. If you have a 3,000 square foot messy house, set aside 4.5 to 6 hours to get your house sparkling clean.

Whether you want to clean your house in 2 hours or prefer to use the weekends to get the job done, remember that regularly scheduled cleaning time helps keep your house clean. 

If you have a family be prepared to clean your house during off-hours. You may need to wake up an hour before everyone to clean or clean after everyone goes to bed. Take advantage of nap times and playdates as much as possible as well.

READ THIS EPIC YET SIMPLE // Daily Cleaning Routine + Weekly Cleaning Schedule You can use this post to help you find the time to clean you didn’t think you had!

3 // Clean Your Messy House Task-By-Task To Get It Done Fast

Any big task can be overwhelming and a messy house is no exception.  When you have a large project to complete, breaking it up into smaller tasks can not only make the project easier to manage, it gives you a better chance of pulling off a win! 

The one thing you don’t want to do is clean a little over here and then a little over there without focus.  Randomly cleaning throughout the house is not going to help you get your messy house cleaned.

So let’s break this messy house down into smaller tasks like these:

Task 1:  Declutter surfaces only in every room of the house – no closets or drawers. 

Task 2:  Clean out closets in all bedrooms – one room every weekend for the next 2 months. 

Task 3:  Wash the blinds and baseboards throughout the house on Saturday. 

4 // No Matter What, Always Start With Clutter 

No matter what you’re cleaning, you have to declutter first – it’s the law.  Get rid of trash, clear off surfaces, put clothes away – you get the idea right? Once you knock that out, you can actually get to the cleaning part.

If you have a lot of clutter and really just don’t know where it should go, no worries!  Grab a box or a basket to temporarily store all the clutter in. Just get it off the surfaces for now so that you can make progress & actually get to cleaning!

Bonus Tip:  Focus on surface clutter when you first start cleaning your messy house.  This is all the crap on top of counters & surfaces. Don’t worry about cleaning out junk drawers or decluttering closets right now – hidden clutter – save that for another day.  

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // Try The Pragmatic Declutter Method For Practical People to easily banish your clutter issues!  And grab an epic room-by-room declutter guide.

5 // Get Your House Flowing | Start With Trash + Dishes + Laundry EVERYTIME

A lot of times, a messy house is a result of life kicking your butt.  Aside from your house not being cleaned, trash, dishes, and laundry usually pile up as well.  If this is you, you’ve got to get these areas flowing before you worry about the rest of the house.  

There are chores you need to do to keep your house running smoothly, and then there are things you need to actually keep it clean. 

A sink full of dirty dishes and mountains of dirty clothes are signs that you need to take a step back & regroup.  The Clean Vibes Kit & Caboodle will guide you through this process so you can get control of your house once & for all!

No matter how messy your house is, get these two areas flowing.  Dishes need to be washed and put away every single day. One load of laundry a day is what works for me but if doing 5 or 6 loads on the weekend works for you, do it.  Just get caught up.

Here’s a pro-sized tip to *keep* those dishes under control /

Keep your dishwasher running so that you actually have help with the dishes. This means rinse the dishes in the sink. DO NOT put your dishes in the dishwasher with food on them – despite what the commercials say. The dishwasher is not a backup garbage disposal. All that food just sits in the bottom, causing major *stink*.

Extra Bonus Tip // Save The Worst For Last

Tackling the easy areas first helps you get momentum and a system going so that by the time you get to the messiest areas of your house, you’ll practically be a pro!  

The more progress you make throughout the house, the more motivated you’ll be to keep going.  But remember to be honest with yourself. If an area is just too overwhelming, skip it and go on to the next.  Just come back to it later.  

On the flip, if you wake up and you have the zeal to actually go straight to the messy room that’s been your worst nightmare for a while, do it!   Remember, these are all just suggestions – use these tips & strategies in any way you see fit to help you clean your messy house.

Good things are meant to be shared! Save this to your Pinterest account so you can actually find it later and so others can see you’ve got all the good stuff!

The post How To Clean A Messy House When You’re Beyond Clueless appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

Whether you’re a working mom, a sahm or work from home – the best of both worlds if you ask me – laundry is a beast that does not discriminate!  So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the laundry, know that you are not alone. Below are 7 game-changing tips you can use to get your laundry done faster & keep laundry under control. For the most part.

Before I had a family, laundry could be done with the snap of a finger.  Present-day, it takes an ARMY!  Ok, let me clarify – it used to!  So what was the hack or secret I used to get my laundry under control?  Well for starters, there is no secret. I actually did a lot of things to make laundry less overwhelming. But they were very small tweaks. Nothing ginormous.

And the one biggest thing I changed was I had to do laundry my way – sorry Konmari but no to the laser precision folding.  But I will admit, I tried – a few times over the years actually. And I realized the cost of folding like this – my time – just wasn’t worth the bragging rights of having (temporarily) pristine Instagram-worthy drawers.  

Instead, I’ve settled for laundry that is practically almost always done.  Even when my schedule gets hectic.  And clothes that are always put away.  Priceless. 

7 time-boosting laundry hacks to make laundry less overwhelming and more doable //

1 //  Two during the week & save the rest for later

One of the best hacks for keeping laundry under control is the no-brainer tip you already know – do laundry regularly.   You’ve got to keep the flow of laundry moving point-blank. To prevent loads of dirty laundry or countless baskets of clean clothes from sitting around, try one of these laundry routines:

Wash + Fold + Dry One Load A Day – Start a load before work.  When you get back home, put the load in the dryer.  After dinner – or after the kids go to bed – fold that load and put it away.  Small loads are bite-size – literally. And super easy to handle! (This is my routine)

Wash + Dry + Fold All The Laundry On One Day – For stay-at-home moms and work-from-home moms, you can choose any day of the week to do this. Working moms, your day will probably be Saturday. A good idea is to set a firm number of loads you’ll do for example, six. Once you wash the six loads, you’re done!

Wash + Dry + Fold + Two Loads During The Week & The Rest On The Weekend – If you have a mix of busy and slow days throughout the week, wash one load on your slow days respectively and then finish off the rest on the weekend.

Active Wear & Stinky Stuff Go First – If you work out and your kids play sports, chances are, you’ve got some stinky laundry. Prioritize those items & wash them daily.

GRAB THIS EPIC YET SIMPLE // DAILY CLEANING ROUTINE + WEEKLY SCHEDULE PRINTABLE This routine has a built-in laundry routine that is perfect for busy moms!

2 // Keep A Separate Basket For Towels

If you feel overwhelmed by laundry every time you look in the wash room, take note, it could be your eyes playing tricks on you. Towels and other bulky items give your mountain of laundry scary vibes!  Keep those items separate from your regular laundry so that you can get a much better idea of how much laundry your really have to do. Not to mention, folding big blankets is rich.  Think about it – you can fold and put away towels any time in just a few minutes – even on your worst day. So for a quick win, wash some towels!

You may want a two or three bin laundry sorter or just a separate basket to keep those items in.  

Shop This Solution To Keep Laundry Sorted // 3 Bin Laundry Hamper + 4 Bin Laundry Hamper

3 //  Get Rid Of Clothing You Shouldn’t Be Washing

Say what1?  This is huge if you have kids!  Declutter while folding – or before you even get to the washing machine . You know those pants that look like high waters on your kid?  Yeh, stuff like that. This is an easy way to keep closets decluttered and prevent your laundry baskets from being flooded with clothing that no one should be wearing anymore – yourself included.  

Bottom line – get rid of clothing that is too small, in bad condition or just won’t be worn again.  When it’s time to fold your clothing, make an extra pile for clothing that should be donated. But please, throw away clothing in bad condition – don’t donate it. 

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // 15+ Smart Mom Hacks To Keep Your House Clean With Young Kids if you want to take a realistic, practical approach to keep your house clean!

4 //  Don’t Get Too Crazy Sorting  

If you’re sorting your laundry so precisely that you can challenge a rainbow, I say more power to you – but that’s not really necessary.  I do make exceptions for brand new items just because they typically bleed the first few washes but other than that, mixed loads are okay.   

When washing mixed loads of laundry, use cold water and use dye catcher sheets as a backup if you’re a little nervous.  They work phenomenally and will save you a ton of time on the front end! 

Shop This Solution To Protect Mixed Loads // Dye Catching Sheets 

5 // Slash Your Drying Time With Some Balls

Wool balls will do the trick!  Shave your drying time and money from your energy bill by tossing these bad boys into the dryer with your wet clothes.  They also do double duty on wrinkles so you can kinda consider them as a chemical-free alternative to fabric softener.    This is my favorite laundry hack to be honest!

If you don’t have any wool balls, you can also use tennis balls – although I will warn you the noise level may be a bit ridiculous!  Or you can even throw a dry towel in with your wet clothing to expedite drying.  

Shop This Solution To Decrease Laundry Drying Time // Wool Dryer Balls

YOU SHOULD READ // How To Clean Your House Super Fast if it takes you all day and night to get your house cleaned!  You’ll learn the strategies and techniques you need to get the job done faster!

6 // Use Mesh Bags To Keep Socks Together When Doing Laundry 

I think we can all agree that socks are the dark side of doing laundry.   I don’t know if it’s the part where you have to match them together or the part where you realize you’re mixing one, or two or five socks that kills souls the most!

So let’s take the guesswork out of this with these laundry hacks: 

Buy multiple packs of the same type of sock.  If all the socks are the same, that makes pairing super fast and easy! 

Keep a basket full of all the single socks.  Don’t put them into your drawers without a mate.  After a month, if the sock mates don’t turn up, toss em’. 

Shop This Solution To Keep Socks Together // Mesh Bag Set 

7 // If You Really Hate Folding – Don’t

Despite all the hype around Marie Kondo’s origami folding and whatnot, real people just don’t have time for all that!  Not that I wouldn’t love to see that type of precision in my underwear drawer – I’m just not the person to make it happen.  So what do people like us that are really just trying to get the laundry washed and done do?  

Hang up clothes until you can’t hang anymore!   This is the ultimate laundry folding hack!

That’s right, start off by hanging clothes.  And once you’ve run through all your hangers, then start folding.  

Do you have small kids or babies?  I rarely fold their clothes to be honest.  I hang most of their clothing and then the pieces that don’t get hung are placed in a cloth storage box – loosely folded.  Ok, not folded at all lol Pajamas, playtime clothing, etc. – nothing important so it totally works for me – and might work for you too!

Shop These Solutions To Decrease Folding Laundry  // Hangers For Adults + Hangers For Kids + Hangers For Babies + Cloth Storage Cube + Folding Board

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // The Smart Girl’s Guide To A Clean & Organized House – 5 Drool-Worthy, Must-Have Things You Need To Get Now!  Who should read this?  Anyone that wants to learn smart ways to set up their home so that it stays clean. 

Good things are meant to be shared! Save this to your Pinterest account so you can actually find it later and so others can see you’ve got all the good stuff!

The post Overwhelmed by laundry? 7 no-fluff tips to lighten the load. appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

A nighttime cleaning routine designed to help you keep your house remarkably clean yet still give you plenty of time for some well-deserved beauty sleep!

You come back to a messy home after work feeling drained, stressed and overwhelmed.  With a long list of to-dos, children tugging at you, a messy house and zero energy, you get the feeling that this whole week will be a bust. And it’s only Monday.  

So how do you get out of this cycle of misery?  A smart nighttime cleaning routine!

Whether you work a full-time job, are a stay-at-home mom or even work from home, you know better than anyone that nighttime is the bonafide best time to get anything done.

Wait a second, let me walk that back.

I think all moms know that nighttime is the ONLY time to get anything done! Raise your hand if you’ve ever heard your house let out a sigh of relief when you finally put your kids to bed! lol

But like you, I want to do more than just clean my house clean at night.

I know you want to work out, get lost on Pinterest, binge-watch See on Apple+ TV, or just sit down without feeling guilty about it. That’s why I’m so excited to share the framework of my nighttime cleaning routine with you!

It’s the other half on my daily cleaning routine. Yep, there’s a quick morning cleaning routine to go along with this if you really want to keep your house under control!

So how do I know this night cleaning schedule will work for you? Because no matter how crazy your life gets, this cleaning routines makes sure you’re doing the most impactful cleaning tasks at the right time.

That means that even if you can’t get everything done, as long as you do the most important tasks, you will still reap the rewards of a clean house without sacrificing your entire life – or weekends!

YOU MAY WANT TO READ // The Super Simple Morning Cleaning Routine For Moms if you’d love an easy-to-follow plan that will help even the busiest mom keep a house spic and span! It’s the other half of this daily cleaning routine you’ll find here.

Why A Nighttime Cleaning Routine Is The Key To Keeping Your House Clean //

The close of each day is just as important as the start.  If not more! 

By following evening & nighttime cleaning routines or just routines in general, you can prep for the next morning, create a clean home that really feels like your sanctuary and have a much better chance of getting things done throughout the day that are important to you.

In her book, The Chaos Cure, Marla Cilley says //

Waking up to a messy home isn’t the most motivating way to start your day. Without regular sessions cleaning up and putting things away, you’ll find your place quickly in disarray.

Thankfully, spending just a few minutes a night tidying up will help reduce stress in the mornings and help you avoid marathon cleaning sessions on the weekends. If there’s only one thing you can do every evening, clean and shine your sink. Like making your bed in the morning, this one task will give you a sense of accomplishment.

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // The Ultimate Fail-Proof Cleaning Schedule For Working Moms.  Why?  Because if you follow it right, your house will stay clean most of the time –  even if you don’t have time to clean! Use the schedule along with this routine to create a home that always stays clean with minimal effort!

My Evening & Nighttime Cleaning Routine Detailed //

Task 1 // 6pm | Drink 8oz of water to rehydrate | 20 seconds 

Note // Because I am also trying to drink more water, I use that as a trigger event to jump-start my pre-nighttime cleaning tasks.

Task 2 // Put the clothes into the dryer | 2-3 minutes 

Note // I put the clothes into the washing machine in the morning, so I’m putting them in the dryer now. Once this is done, I do all sorts of things from chasing my kids to chatting with my husband.

Task 3 // Clean the kitchen while cooking dinner | 30 minutes

Note // I don’t have a hard time for dinner but it’s typically between 6 and 7pm. No matter what, while I’m in the kitchen cooking, I’m cleaning it so that once dinner is done, so is the kitchen – for the most part.

Task 4 // 9pm | Fold the clothes & put them away | 15 minutes 

Note // At this point, my kids are bathed and in the bed. The house is quiet and I can really start cleaning without interruption. I always start with the laundry – so I can finally sit down for a sec!

Task 5 // Run the dishwasher | 3 seconds

Note // I have to add this task specifically to my routine because it is super important to do and I forget to do it all the time!

Task 6 // Pick One | choose a weekly or spring cleaning task | clean bathrooms, catch up on a missed chore, etc.

Note // You can do something different every day of the week. There’s no right or wrong chore you can do. Use a master checklist so you can keep up with what needs to be cleaned. Set a timer for 20-40 minutes.

Task 7 // Scrub your to-do list

Note // The power of knowing what’s ahead & planning for it is huge – all you need is 5 minutes!

Task 8 // Stage items for tomorrow

Note // Find your keys, purse, bookbags, diaper bag, papers and anything else you’re gonna need in the morning. You’ll start your day off feeling like a rock star!

Task 9 // 10:15-10:30pm | Go to bed 

Note // Bedtimes aren’t just good for kids. Get rid of those bags under your eyes and get some sleep. You’ll thank yourself when you look in the morning!

Keep your routine simple! I only have three hard times in my evening routine // 6pm + 9pm + 10:30pm. There are a few things I need to do at 6pm so that once my kids go to bed, I can easily jump into my full cleaning routine at 9pm. From there, I have from 9 until my bedtime to clean & prep for the next day.

Note 1 | This nighttime cleaning routine is meant to work with a morning cleaning routine. 

You’ll notice that some of the tasks on here are half the task.  That’s because my daily cleaning routine has two parts: a morning and nightly routine. Like the laundry for instance – I start the load in the morning and finish it at night.  But seriously, do whatever works for you! Tailor it to fit your life. 

Note 2 |  You need to build out a full evening routine – which is easy!  

Add times and other specific activities that you need to complete each evening.  For instance, if you go to the gym in the evenings, you’ll need to write that in. 

But with that being said, every task doesn’t need a hard time. Just the important ones that will help keep you on track throughout the evening.

THE PERFECT TOTAL HOUSE CLEANING CHECKLIST // You should check out my  Room-By-Room House Cleaning Schedule For Year Long Clean Vibes!  Realistic weekly cleaning, deep cleaning & spring cleaning checklists make it easy to keep your house clean. Just pick tasks from the checklist to plug into your daily cleaning routine!

Supercharge Your Nighttime Cleaning Routine With These Tips //

Tip 1 // You Must Learn The Art Of Cleaning As You Go!  

That will eliminate having to add things to your to-do list.  The most impactful place to practice this is in the kitchen. You’re already in the kitchen cooking so while pots are on the stove, wipe down the cabinets, counters and appliances. Put food into tupperware once it’s finished cooking and wash the pots right then. You can have the kitchen almost completely clean before you even sit down to eat!  

Tip 2 // Your Family Should Either Be Helping Or Out Of Your Way.

This is important because to be honest, it’s really hard to clean with people in the way – and impossible with young kids!.  So even if they aren’t sleepy, they just need to be out of your way. This will allow you to get the items on your to-do list done quickly and without interruption.  What a luxury!  

And if you have older kids or people in the house, everyone can join forces for just 10-15 minutes to knock out designated tasks!   Everyone is busy so don’t let anyone off the hook because of that excuse. It’s just 10 minutes.

Tip 3 // If You Can Only Clean One Thing Every Night…

This one was tough for me but I’m actually going to second Flylady’s opinion that the kitchen or more specifically, the kitchen sink should be the one thing you clean if you can’t clean anything else. 

You can read more about it in her book Sink Reflections if you’re interested.  

Personally, I believe this is a great idea for one reason.  In order to complete the task of cleaning the sink, you have to do something else first – clean the dishes or at least load them up in the dishwasher.  

But on another note, the most important thing to do is run the dishwasher every night!

YOU SHOULD READ // How To Clean Your House Super Fast if it takes you all day and night to get your house cleaned!  You’ll learn the strategies and techniques you need to get the job done faster!

Bonus Tip 1 // What About Tidying Up?

Tidying up is crucial!  Just 5 minutes of picking up the house can make a huge difference. The only reason I don’t have it on my routine is because when I start my main cleaning task at 9pm, decluttering or tidying up is always the first part of it.

Bonus Tip 2 // The True Key To Keeping Your House Clean Is Time Management!

Use a physical planner, binder or posted signs to keep up with your routines.  Make sure you keep them out in the open so that they are always visible. And I mean always!  You don’t have to be all cute and conventional about things either. Personally, I LOVE sticky notes on everything.  

I also set reminders on my phone to help me stay on track.  I most definitely went through a phase where I kept forgetting to turn the dishwasher on in the evening and had to set a reminder for it…there’s no shame in that! 

Bonus Tip 3 // Things Will Be A Little Weird At First

Your routine will feel unnatural for a while. You’ll probably take longer to do things than you want and may feel like your routine just isn’t working.   This is totally normal and lets you know you’re on the right track.    

But once you learn the routine, you’ll be moving on autopilot. Try to stick with your routine for at least 1-2 months to give it a chance to really sink in.

Of course, you should make tweaks as needed to make your routine fit with your life and goals.  Your life will constantly be changing so be flexible and flow with the changes.

You may also want to read this super interesting book called Habit Stacking to really dig deeper into how to effortlessly form new habits like a habit-forming-goddess! It truly helped me get a handle on my new mom duties and life.

Good things are meant to be shared! Save this to your Pinterest account so you can actually find it later and so others can see you’ve got all the good stuff!

The post A Simple Nighttime Cleaning Routine For An Ultra Clean House appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

I am beyond thrilled to share my simple morning cleaning routine with you! It’s the bare minimum you need to do to tame your crazy mornings! Get up earlier, clean your house and do whatever else you want to do to start your day on a high note!   

And I promise it can be done no matter how chaotic your mornings are or how much of a not-morning person you are! 

To be honest, it is my heart’s desire to be a morning person.  But I just believe God had other plans in mind for me! *lol* Seriously, I am a total night owl and that worked without issue for most of my life – because I was single and childless.  

But once I started my family, I realized quickly that not having a simple, thoughtful and impactful morning routine was an absolute death sentence! 

So that’s why I am also happy to let you know that while I still hate mornings, making sure that I start my day off with some sense has made a world of difference!  And I am 100% sure you will see a big transformation in not just your house, but your entire day with these super simple morning cleaning routines!  

The Super Simple Morning Cleaning Routine For Moms

Morning routines are meant to simplify your life. Mornings are already hard enough after all. Following complex, unrealistic routines doom you before you even start. This routine is ridiculously simple. You will have your mornings running on autopilot in absolutely no time because while simple, it is powerful!

Each of the tasks listed below are there for a reason – they are the most important things you can do to keep your house running smoothly. Consider them the VIPs of cleaning tasks!

Get up at least 30 minutes before your kids get up to start your morning cleaning routine. And when I say get up, you need to be out of the bed – like all the way out. I’m watching you young lady!

THE 20-MINUTE MORNING CLEANING ROUTINE //

STEP 1 // Drink 8oz of water to energize your body | less than 1 min.

STEP 2 // Make your bed (if occupied, save for last) | 3 minutes

STEP 3 // Start one load of laundry | 2-3 minutes 

STEP 4 // Unload the dishwasher | 5 minutes

STEP 5 // ONE specific cleaning task or room | dust all the common areas, clean your bathroom mirror & counters, catch up on a missed chore from yesterday, etc. | 10 minutes

Got more than 20-minutes to spare in the morning? If you have an extra 10 minutes, do it! 20 minutes of impactful cleaning is fantastic, but 30 minutes is even better!

Let’s Talk For A Second // Notice I said make your bed. Why? For starters, it’s right there…like literally it’s in front of you and super easy to do! A fresh-made bed is chicken noodle soup for the soul – and your room! So consider it like a form of self-care and make your bed!

I don’t suggest going from room to room making beds first thing in the morning for many reasons. It’s a time killer. Kids will be in the way – blah, blah, blah. You want these 20 minutes of cleaning to be spent on impactful things that will make the house flow smoother.

NEED A SIMPLE BUT COMPLETE CLEANING CHECKLIST FOR THE ENTIRE HOUSE? // You should check out my  Room-By-Room House Cleaning Checklist For Year Long Clean Vibes!  Realistic weekly cleaning, deep cleaning & spring cleaning checklists for every space makes it even easier to keep a clean house!

YOU SHOULD READ // A Simple Nighttime Cleaning Routine For An Ultra Clean House if you want to keep your house clean, mornings stress-free and actually sit down for once without feeling guilty!  Use this post as a guide or inspo when creating your daily cleaning routine.  

YOU MAY WANT TO GRAB // The Ultimate Fail-Proof Cleaning Schedule For Working Moms! Why?  Because if you follow it right, your house will stay clean most of the time –  even if you don’t have time to clean!

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // The Smart Girls Guide To A Clean And Organized House | 10 Actionable Tips for more ideas on how to create and keep your house clean and organized! 

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // 15+ Smart Mom Hacks To Keep Your House Clean With Young Kids if you want to take a realistic, practical approach to keep your house clean!

The Tips You Need To Rock Your Morning Cleaning Routine!

Tip 1 // You can’t have a morning routine without a night cleaning routine! 

If you simply invest 20 minutes every evening into doing impactful things, it’ll literally make you unstoppable!  Things you should do in the evening include having a quick night-time cleaning routine, going over your to-do list for tomorrow or simply staging everything your kids need in the morning by the door.  These simple quick tasks will make your days run soo much smoother!  

Tip 2 // Your kids need to have a bedtime.  

The point is simply to get them out of the way so that you can clean – or more importantly take a breather!  Oh, and you need to go to bed on time as well!  This will help keep you in a good mental space and able to handle the house, work and kids from a place of rest!  And everyone knows if mommy is feeling good, life seems so much better!

Tip 3  // Meal planning will save you a ridiculous amount of time in the kitchen if you have a hectic schedule!  

Personally, I love using meal prep dishes to keep everything organized but do whatever works for you!  Try grab-and-go items for breakfast & skip using dishes whenever possible. For instance, opt for disposable products to make clean-up after breakfast a breeze since you’re probably short on time – or just have other more pressing matters to get to!

Tip 4 // If you can only do ONE thing in the morning -unload the dishwasher.  

Unload the dishwasher.  Unload the dishwasher.  That’s how important it is – I had to say it three times!  Now with that being said, you absolutely have to run the dishwasher at night in order for this to work!

Tip 5 //  Make time for your cleaning routine!  

When do you really need to get up to make this work?  You still have to tend to everything else like getting dressed for instance. Simply examine your life, determine what the magical time is that you should get up and then work towards that time each week.

But don’t panic!  No one is expecting you to start happily waking up an hour earlier overnight!  A great starting place is getting up just 10 minutes earlier every week until you reach your magical wake-up time. But remember, half the battle is going to bed on time!  

I think Lauren at Simple Well Balanced has more great tips for making a cleaning routine work you if you’re a working mom!

Good things are meant to be shared! Save this to your Pinterest account so you can actually find it later and so others can see you’ve got all the good stuff!

The post The Super Simple 20-Minute Morning Cleaning Routine For Moms appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

This is a house cleaning checklist sprinkled with a weekly, monthly and seasonal schedule that will leave your house with epic levels of clean vibes all year long! Follow this total house cleaning checklist as is or use it to make your own so that it’s a perfect fit for you and your home.

Before you dive into the list, I want to talk about something you may or may not already have a handle on and that’s being able to keep your home clean without spending all your time cleaning or energy stressing over when you *might* clean. If you don’t know when to clean your house or don’t have any routines in place, here are 2 places to go for more help:

1. Read about the fail-proof cleaning routine for working moms (but seriously, it’s for all humans). This will give you an idea as to exactly what chores you should be prioritizing, and what a totally doable cleaning routine actually looks like. Not to mention, you can grab the free cleaning routine template with this one.
2. Check out The Clean Cure Kit & Caboodle where I show you a garden variety of cleaning plan styles so you can clean your home in a way that works with your personality and schedule. But I’ll help you with wayyy more than that. You’ll also get the weekly step-by-step plan you need to follow to feel more organized, energized and finally get your home life under control for good in just 7-days. If you’re ready to end the drama with your house, check it out today.

Your House Cleaning Checklist Decoded

I added one clever little thing to make keeping your house clean even easier! While your clening checklist is broken down room-by-room, I added hints to help you know what type of cleaning each task needs! You know like whether something just needs just a quick wipe-off versus items that really need some elbow grease – big difference!

The Typical Spring Cleaning Tasks

Before we jump into the full house cleaning checklist, the cleaning tasks in this section are what you can consider typical spring cleaning tasks. You’ll need to do them in every room from the kitchen to the bedroom at some point.

But there’s a catch! You should spring clean your house in a way that makes sense to you! Some people want to spring clean their house in one day while others want to do a little each month so that they don’t have to do an epic cleaning. However you approach it, the tasks are the same and here they are…

Spring Cleaning Tasks For Every Room // 

• Change air filters 
• Air vents DST 
• Above windows + doors DST
• Along the ceiling + corners DST 
• Remove scuff marks | walls + baseboards 
• Baseboards WET
• Blinds WET
• Ceiling fan base + blades + lights DST 
• Doors + door knobs + frames WET
• Hanging lights + light bulbs DST 
• Light switches WET
• Under + behind furniture
• Room edges | clean the floor along baseboards
• Steam clean carpets + rugs
• Steam clean curtains
• Steam clean upholstered furniture + soft decor
• Windows | inside + outside WET
• Declutter surfaces + spaces
• Organize as needed
• Fix broken or loose items around the house

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ //  How To Clean Your House In 2 Hours (Or Just Super Fast!)  Perfect for people that ironically, never have time to clean! 

Entire House Cleaning Checklist Broken Down Room-By-Room

The Entryway | clean, dust, organize & declutter the following // 

Daily + Weekly Cleaning Tasks | Level Of Clean = Pretty Clean!

• Doormat | indoor + outdoor
• Furniture DST
• Lamps, lights  + other decor DST
• Organize shoes + other items 
• Vacuum + sweep + mop floors

Deep Cleaning Tasks Every 2-4 Weeks | Level Of Clean = Super Clean!

• Door + door frame + storm door WET
• Windows | inside 
• Room edges | clean the floor along baseboards
• Behind + under furniture

Spring Cleaning Tasks Every 2-12 Months| Level Of Clean = Slap Yo’ Mama Ultra Epic Clean Vibes!

• Change air filters 
• Air vents DST 
• Along the ceiling + corners DST 
• Baseboards WET
• Blinds WET
• Ceiling fan base + blades + lights DST
• Doors + door knobs + frames WET
• Lights DST 
• Light switches WET
• Steam clean carpets + rugs
• Steam clean curtains
• Windows | inside + outside WET
• Declutter Surfaces

The Bathrooms | clean, organize & declutter the following // 

Daily + Weekly Cleaning Tasks | Level Of Clean = Pretty Clean!

• Sink WET
• Countertops + other surfaces WET
• Mirror WET
• Cabinets | outside WET
• Tub WET
• Shower + shower door WET
• Toilet | inside + out WET
• Remove trash
• Rugs | shaken out or vacuumed 
• Floor | vacuum + mop

Deep Cleaning Tasks Every 2-4 Weeks | Level Of Clean = Super Clean!

• Grout ICE
• Caulk ICE 
• Toilet | seat hinges + base ICE
• Wash anti-slip bath mats
• Wash bathroom rugs
• Wash shower curtains
• Clean wall fixtures | towel racks + toilet paper holders DST
• Blinds DST + WET
• Baseboards DST + WET
• Floor corners ICE
• Get rid of old, expired personal hygiene + beauty products

Spring Cleaning Tasks Every 2-12 Months | Level Of Clean = Slap Yo’ Mama Ultra Epic Clean Vibes!

• Whiten or replace caulk
• Seal grout 
• Light bulbs DST
• Light globes WET
• Items on the counter + toothbrush holders + soap dishes WET
• Items in shower | shower caddy + other items WET
• Shower door frame ICE
• Showerhead ICE
• Nozzles on jetted tubs ICE
• Wash or replace shower curtain liner
• Walls | esp around toilet and sink ICE
• Vents DST
• Reorganize closet + declutter

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // How To Clean Your Dirty Bathroom Super Fast – And Keep It Clean for my advice on cleaning thoroughly in the fastest, smartest way possible.  It also comes with an ultra-deep cleaning routine + checklist that will transform your bathroom!

The Kitchen | clean, organize & declutter the following // 

Daily + Weekly Cleaning Tasks | Level Of Clean = Pretty Clean!

• Countertops WET
• Scour sink ICE
• Stovetop WET
• Declutter counters
• Microwave | inside + outside WET
• Dishwasher door WET
• Refridgerator door WET
• Wipe spills inside the fridge
• Pantry door WET
• Cabinet doors WET
• Wipe off trash can WET
• Rugs | shake off or vacuum + mop or wash
• Floor | edges + corners + along baseboards | vacuum + mop

Deep Cleaning Tasks Every 2-4 Weeks | Level Of Clean = Super Clean!

• Countertops | clean and polish stone ICE
• Appliances on counters | toaster oven + coffee maker ICE 
• Stovetop | remove burn rings  ICE
• Sink drain ICE
• Cabinets + knobs + handles ICE
• Backsplash WET
• Fridge | Remove old food  + clean shelves + top of fridge
• Stainless steel appliances | polish 
• Oven | inside
• Window | inside
• Blinds DST + WET
• Baseboards DST + WET
• Light switches WET
• Doors + door knobs + frames WET

Spring Cleaning Tasks Every 2-12 Months | Level Of Clean = Slap Yo’ Mama Ultra Epic Clean Vibes!

• Tighten cabinet knobs
• Dishwasher | inside including door + rinse filter WET
• Fridge | door seals + bins + shelves ICE
• Freezer | purge of all old food + clean WET
• Pantry + cabinets | get rid of old food 
• Stone countertops | seal stone 
• Oven hood ICE 
• Clean + organize under the sink
• Hanging lights + globes DST
• Windows | inside + outside 
• Trash can | inside + outside ICE

The Dining Area | clean, organize & declutter the following // 

Daily + Weekly Cleaning Tasks | Level Of Clean = Pretty Clean!

• Table + chairs | WET
• Furniture DST
• Rugs | shake off or vacuum 
• Floor | vacuum + mop

Deep Cleaning Tasks Every 2-4 Weeks | Level Of Clean = Super Clean!

• Dining table + base or legs  | ICE 
• Chairs + upholstery + legs | ICE 
• Furniture DST
• Photos | glass + frame | WET
• Windows | inside
• Baseboards DST
• Blinds DST
• Doors + door knobs WET
• Floor | edges + corners + along baseboards ICE
• Wash linens + placemats

Spring Cleaning Tasks Every 2-12 Months | Level Of Clean = Slap Yo’ Mama Ultra Epic Clean Vibes!

• Doors + door knobs + frames WET
• Hanging lights + ceiling fan DST 
• Light switches WET
• Behind + under furniture
• Steam clean carpets + rugs
• Steam clean curtains
• Windows | inside + outside WET
• Blinds WET
• Baseboards WET
• Declutter surfaces

The Laundry Room | clean, organize & declutter the following // 

Daily + Weekly Cleaning Tasks | Level Of Clean = Pretty Clean!

• Wipe off appliances
• Clean dryer vent
• Remove trash
• Floor | vacuum + mop

Deep Cleaning Tasks Every 2-4 Weeks | Level Of Clean = Super Clean!

• Get rid of clutter
• Organize supplies
• Clean appliances WET
• Baseboards DST
• Blinds DST

Spring Cleaning Tasks Every 2-12 Months | Level Of Clean = Slap Yo’ Mama Ultra Epic Clean Vibes!

• Washing Machine | inside + outside  ICE
• Dryer | inside + outside ICE 
• Vents DST 
• Along the ceiling + corners DST 
• Baseboards WET
• Blinds WET
• Doors + door knobs + frames WET
• Lights DST 
• Light switches WET
• Floor | behind + around appliances
• Windows | inside + outside WET
• Declutter

The Bedrooms | clean, organize & declutter the following // 

Daily + Weekly Cleaning Tasks | Level Of Clean = Pretty Clean!

• Make bed
• Furniture DST
• Lightly declutter surfaces
• Keep clothes hung up or folded
• Remove trash
• Floor | vacuum + mop

Deep Cleaning Tasks Every 2-4 Weeks | Level Of Clean = Super Clean!

• Wash sheets 
• Above windows + doors DST
• Along the ceiling + corners DST 
• Baseboards DST
• Blinds DST
• Ceiling fans DST
• Lights DST 
• Doors + door knobs + frames WET
• Furniture + decor DST + WET
• Photos | glass + frame DST + WET
• Lampshades + light bulbs DST
• Windows | inside 
• Declutter room | broken items + old clothing + surfaces

Spring Cleaning Tasks Every 2-12 Months | Level Of Clean = Slap Yo’ Mama Ultra Epic Clean Vibes!

• Change air filters 
• Air vents DST 
• Baseboards WET
• Blinds WET
• Ceiling fan base + blades DST +  WET
• Light globes WET 
• Light switches WET
• Mattress | treat stains + odors + flip or rotate
• Under + behind furniture
• Room edges | clean the floor along baseboards
• Steam clean carpets + rugs
• Steam clean curtains
• Wash all bedding | sheets + pillows + duvets 
• Windows | inside + outside WET
• Organize | closet

The Living Room | clean, organize & declutter the following // 

Daily + Weekly Cleaning Tasks | Level Of Clean = Pretty Clean!

• Furniture DST
• Sofa | wipe off
• Fluff pillows + throws
• Pictures | glass + photos DST
• Decor | misc. objects + figurines DST
• Electronics + remotes | DST
• Floors + carpets + rugs | vacuum + mop
• Declutter | misc. items + papers + toys etc.

Deep Cleaning Tasks Every 2-4 Weeks | Level Of Clean = Super Clean!

• Furniture WET
• Wash blankets + slipcovers
• Vacuum under sofa cushions
• Blinds WET
• Baseboards WET
• Curtain rods DST
• Windows | inside 
• Ceiling fans DST
• Decor | misc. objects + figurines WET
• Lampshades + light bulbs DST
• Pictures | glass + photos WET
• Electronics + remotes | disinfect 
• Floors + carpets + rugs | vacuum + mop

Spring Cleaning Tasks Every 2-12 Months | Level Of Clean = Slap Yo’ Mama Ultra Epic Clean Vibes!

• Change air filters 
• Air vents DST 
• Above windows + doors DST
• Along the ceiling + corners DST 
• Ceiling fan base + blades + lights DST 
• Doors + door knobs + frames WET
• Hanging lights DST 
• Light switches WET
• Under + behind sofas +  furniture
• Room edges | clean the floor along baseboards
• Steam clean carpets + rugs
• Steam clean curtains
• Steam clean sofas + pillows
• Windows | inside + outside WET
• Declutter | unwanted decor + movies + books + devices

The Office  | clean, organize & declutter the following // 

Daily + Weekly + Monthly + Yearly Cleaning Tasks | Level Of Clean = Productivity Boosting Cleanliness

• Computer screen + printer DST
• Keyboard + mouse | sanitize WET 
• Pictures | glass + photos DST
• Electronics DST
• Clean up folders + files on computer home screen
• Unsubscribe from annoying emails
• Declutter work surfaces
• Get rid of junk inside of desk drawers
• Organize supplies
• Declutter papers

Kid Stuff | clean, organize & declutter the following // 

Daily + Weekly + Monthly + Yearly Cleaning Tasks | Level Of Clean = Ultra Kid-Friendly Clean Vibes!

• Sanitize plastic toys with soap + water
• Wash stuffed animals + soft toys
• Wash blankets + bedding + soft decor
• Donate unused toys
• Get rid of annoying, cheap toys
• Get rid of broken toys 
• Declutter clothing + shoes monthly
• Organize toys + play areas
• Discard dishes + utensils they’ve outgrown

Outside The House | clean, organize & declutter the following // 

Weekly + Monthly + Yearly Cleaning Tasks | Level Of Clean = Sparkling Outdoorsy Vibes

• Pressure wash siding
• Fix broken lights + decor + gutters
• Garage + shed + storage area | declutter tools, sporting equipment + toys
• Get rid of old items that are broken + unused + eyesores 
• Sweep walkway
• Clear away cobwebs in the garage + the entryway

Good things are meant to be shared! Save this to your Pinterest account so you can actually find it later and so others can see you’ve got all the good stuff!

The post Genius House Cleaning Checklist | Clean Vibes All Year appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

If you’re a mom, you need a cleaning routine of some sort. You already know how much better life flows when you’re on your A-game so skim through this post, but then get serious. Take 15-20 minutes to sit down and actually make a weekly schedule. I’ve got a cleaning schedule for working moms below that’s actually doable on any schedule. But I highly encourage you to sit down, tweak the routine to fit your life & personality, then enjoy all the wins that start to flow in.

THE ULTIMATE CLEANING SCHEDULE FOR WORKING MOMS

Before you dive into this article, let’s be honest for a second. I’ve seen so many moms google “cleaning schedule for working moms” and get stuck downloading one cleaning schedule after another in search of the one that will finally help them turn their house around. 

This can go on for months. And as a working mom myself, I know that you don’t have time to waste! 

To be honest, that doesn’t have to be you.  Here’s the deal. I am going to give you a ridiculously solid cleaning schedule guide to use. But first, I am going to give you something powerful — something no one else is sharing…  

Below are seven simple keys that are game-changers! Instead of just having a clean house  — you’ll learn the secrets you need to keep your house clean all the time! And yes, it can be done even with kids or a full-time job.

PART 01 | Keys To Making A Cleaning Schedule For Working Moms Work

01 | Declutter a little every day

What is clutter

Clutter is a random pile of mess — look around.  Do you see any? If you see lots of clutter around your house, that’s the first thing you’re going to want to tackle before actually starting a cleaning schedule.  

Decluttering your house does not have to be considered some big ceremonious event.  You simply need to add decluttering to your everyday routine and consider it a way of life from here forward.  

Getting started 

Whether you start with the bedrooms first or common areas, the most important thing is just to make sure you spend a few minutes each day tidying up or picking up the stuff that makes your house look messy.

On days when you aren’t so busy, pick a room and spend 15-30 minutes a day decluttering it. Once done, move on to the next room.  Start in an easy room first so that you can get some momentum & motivation to keep going. 

Power Tip | Don’t collect bags and bags of clutter that need to be tossed and let them sit around for weeks at a time.  Keep the ball rolling by collecting clutter & tossing it either the same day or within 24 hours.

Keep this in mind

Decluttering is something that you should plan to do regularly for the rest of your life.  It’s one of the secrets to a clean house for life. Plus a decluttered house looks clean even when it’s not!  That’s a huge win for any working mom! 

02 | Prevent avoidable messes

Why you should do this

Time is precious so why spend it cleaning messes that could have been prevented in the first place?  Simple house rules & boundaries can help keep your house clean as a whistle! 

Examples of avoidable messes

If you’re cleaning crayons off the walls in your house every week — you can totally let your kids be free or creative yet have boundaries.  Crayons are for paper not walls — unless you have those cute chalk walls of course!

Dishes left in the sink overnight — prevent this by unloading the dishwasher each morning so that all the dishes throughout the day can be placed in the dishwasher.     

Ask yourself which messes can be avoided in your home

Where are the worst messes made in your home?  What annoys you the most to have to clean? What do you spend most of your time cleaning? 

Once you have answers to those questions, think about what can be done to prevent those messes from happening.  Kicking everyone out, while tempting, is not an answer! 

READ | How To Have A Clean House For Life.  It’s a huge list of simple ideas & habits you can start using literally today to help you have a house that virtually stays clean forever!

03 | Make cleaning easier + enjoyable

Why is this important

Think about your job — your real job.  A crappy computer can be frustrating to work with — it can decrease your attitude, efficiency & overall productivity. 

But a new computer can turn that bad attitude around instantly & solidify your spot as employee of the month! That is exactly what good cleaning products can do for your attitude towards cleaning!

Don’t make cleaning harder than it has to be 

Invest in cleaning products & tools that you will actually enjoy using — and ones that can get the job done. Stop penny-pinching on vacuum cleaners  — buy the one that really sucks (in a good way) and excites you at the thought of taking it for a spin!   

MY FAIL-PROOF CLEANING CADDY // all-purpose cleaner + apron + bucket + caddy + disposable gloves + extension cord + floor cleaner +  furniture polish + glass towel + high duster + microfiber towels + mold & mildew remover + mop + pumice stone + scour sponges + small trash bags + soft scrub + stainless steel polish + stone cleaner + tile & grout brush + vacuum

You may want to read my post How To Clean Your House Like A Pro if you don’t know where to start cleaning your house or if you’re unorganized and need a little direction.

04 | Be smarter with your time

Why you should do this

As a working mom, the one thing you must do is use your time wisely.   Again, time is always limited for you. If you want to follow a cleaning schedule & feel accomplished, you’re going to have to adjust other areas of your life so that you actually have time to clean.  

Get more time by creating a balance between home, work & life

Let’s say you want to spend one-hour a day cleaning.  How can you get that hour? Here are some areas you of your life you should review: 

• You may need to get up a little earlier or go to bed a bit later in order to make time to clean.  We’re just talking 30 minutes to an hour. However, still ensuring you get 7-8 hours of sleep is a must!  

• Cooking every day takes up so much time.  Meal prep for the week whenever possible.  

• Are you and your family heavily involved in extracurricular activities?  If you had to let one go, which one would it be?

• If you truly cannot make time, perhaps you should look at hiring a cleaning service to assist you.

Need A Simple Morning Cleaning Routine? // The Super Simple 20-Minute Morning Cleaning Routine is the answer! Swipe it or use it to help you create a routine you can do before the kids wake up.

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // The Smart Girls Guide To A Clean And Organized Houe | 10 Actionable Tips for more ideas on how to create and keep your house clean and organized!

05 | Clean as you go

Why this is important

Cleaning schedules, no matter how thorough, still leave a lot unsaid.  To get the results you’re looking for — a spectacularly clean house without spending all of your time cleaning — you will have to fill in the blanks with good cleaning habits that are built into your everyday life.  

How to clean as you go

When you use the bathroom, the secondary action that — hopefully — allows follows is you wipe yourself.  You don’t put off wiping yourself to some more convenient time. You do it right then and there.  

That is cleaning as you go at it’s best!  Basically, whatever you touch, you must follow through by cleaning it, putting it away or throwing it away right then and there.  The immediate follow-through is the key.  

Easiest ways to put this into practice

Here are a few more examples of how to practice cleaning as you go: 

• While cooking — once you’re done prepping & everything is on the stove, start wiping counters and surfaces.  Empty the dishwasher. As food finishes, transfer items to tupperware and wash the pots. 

• When you undress, place your clothing in a hamper or wherever they actually belong.  Not on the floor, the bed or the chair…

• After you brush your teeth, spray and wipe out the sink.  It takes 30 seconds.   

• When you get out of the bed you need to (fill in the blank)!  You guessed it — make the bed right then & there! Now I understand this may be a source of conflict between you & whomever you may share the bed with:-)

If you train yourself to clean as you go, eventually, it will become a way of life.  It’s one of the easiest, yet most powerful things you can do to always have a house you’re proud to say is yours! 

06 | A little goes a long way

Why this matters

Let’s be honest  — you’re not always going to have time to follow your cleaning schedule.  As a working mom, it’s to be expected. When your cleaning schedule gets interrupted, just do what you can until you can catch up.   Some days you can do a little, others you can do a lot — it all adds up to a win!

How to put this into practice

If you can’t get to the bathrooms on bathroom day — just ask yourself, is there anything you can do instead?  Start one load of laundry, shred some old papers, or donate some clothing — all good ideas.

So what you didn’t get everything done.  Today got real crazy real fast so the one thing you did get done is a win! 

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // 15+ Smart Mom Hacks To Keep Your House Clean With Young Kids if you want a realistic, practical approach to keeping your house clean!

07 | Work with or around your family

Why this is huge

This is so important because when you have a family, it can really seem like the only person that cares about having a clean home is you.  That can make you want to quit trying all together but don’t. You deserve a clean home and you will get it. One way or another.  

How to work with your family

Have a conversation about the state of the house and how you’d like to fix this.  Let everyone know that they can easily do their part by doing easy things like their chores or simply cleaning up after themselves.  

Set clear expectations and let them know you need them to follow the program so that you can have more time to do things for them when they need you.  Major key alert. Provide gentle, loving reminders at first. We don’t want to start off in crazy mode — we’ll save that for later! 

How to work around your family

So you’ve had the conversation and you’re not seeing anyone even attempt to try after a week or two.  That’s fine. Stick to your schedule but now is the time to let them feel the burn!  

You know your family best but here are a few ideas to help you along:

• Personal items left around the house for you to pick up are now yours.  Hold them for a day or two the first time. Release the items and let them know next time there won’t be such a quick release.

• You would if you could but you’re just too tired from cleaning after everyone — this is your new response when your family requires your time and attention for the leisurely things they want to do that require your time. 

• Dig deep for patience.  Things won’t turn around magically overnight but if you continue to press on, the reward of a clean house you can actually live in and enjoy is totally worth the fight.  

If you have small children, now is the time to teach them to clean up after themselves.  My two-year-old daughter and 3-year-old twin boys know where their toys can and cannot go. It’s never too early!

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // The Smart Girl’s Guide To A Clean & Organized House – 5 Drool-Worthy, Must-Have Things You Need To Get Now!  Who should read this?  Anyone that wants to learn smart ways to set up their home so that it stays clean. 

PART 2 |  A Cleaning Schedule For Working Moms

This is a cleaning schedule for working moms because juggling a career, family and home means you’re always short on time! To keep your house clean under those circumstances, the right chores have to be done at the right time.

A clever daily cleaning routine and a weekly cleaning schedule is what you need to stay on track no matter how crazy your life gets. After you read this, you should check out Incremental Mama’s Cleaning Schedule For Working Moms – it’ll give you another way to approach creating your schedule.

You know your house & time constraints better than anyone so use the cleaning schedule below as a foundation or inspo for the one you create.  Be prepared to change your schedule as life changes.

01 | Daily cleaning tasks

Your daily cleaning routine is the key to everything! You literally cannot create a weekly cleaning schedule without creating the daily routine first.

The specific daily tasks below are the ones that help you keep your house maintained.  Never wake up to a sink full of dirty dishes and keep the laundry flowing. There are only a few vital chores in my opinion and these are it.

• Make your bed |  It transforms your room and makes it seem put together even if it’s not.  It’s an underappreciated yet powerful way to start the day. [AM task]

• Unload the dishwasher |  Do it while the coffee is being brewed…it only takes 7 minutes tops.  Now there is no reason to leave dishes in the sink after breakfast. [AM task]

• Run the dishwasher |  Every evening before you go to bed, turn it on so that you can unload it first thing in the morning.  [PM task]

• Complete one load of laundry |  Either wash, dry & fold in the same day or wash & dry one load but save the folding for the next day.  This is THE best way to keep laundry under control. [PM task]

• Clean kitchen counters |  It is used everywhere by everyone so keep your kitchen tight by wiping off surfaces & the sink before things have a chance to dry & become harder to clean.  [PM task]

• Sweep & vacuum hard floors |  Focus on high traffic areas like the kitchen and entryways into the house.  [PM task]

• Declutter high traffic areas | Spend 10 minutes picking up items that are out of place.  If you don’t know where to put something, store it in a box for “lost” items.  Deal with it later. [PM task]

Swipe or create super simple morning cleaning routine // The 20-Minute Cleaning Routine is an excellent – and quick – daily (cleaning) routine that can be done before the kids wake up!

02 | Weekly cleaning tasks

What kind of cleaning schedule for moms would this be if we didn’t break down what needs to be cleaned weekly? These are the chores that actually give your house those clean vibes you’ve been searching for.

Life will get in the way so don’t expect to always be able to complete your weekly task on the right day. With that being said, always make it a point to get caught up the first opportunity you get!

• Bathrooms | A high traffic area that should be a priority.  Clean all surfaces, fold hanging towels & don’t forget the baseboards. 

• Kitchen | Wipe down cabinet faces & knobs, pantry doors & remove old food from the fridge & freezer.  Spot clean the inside of the oven and fridge.

• Vacuum, Sweep & Mop Floors | Breeze through this task by vacuuming/sweeping all the floors at once and then mopping all the floors directly after.  

• Dust |  Wipe, clean or polish furniture and decor.  Use this time to quickly wipe clean doors as well.  

Above are the four major tasks you need to complete over four days.  Again, feel free to break down any of those tasks & complete over two days if that makes it more manageable. 

Remember, getting everyone to chip in or get out of your way all together are the best ways to get the cleanings done faster. 

03 | Monthly cleaning tasks

Once per month or every 4-weeks, these tasks need to be completed!  They’re easy to forget but are the things that make your house look like you have a maid cleaning.  

How to easily add-in your monthly cleaning tasks

Every week, add in a different one of these monthly cleaning tasks to complete.  Or just choose one weekend a month to knock it all out!

• High corners & along the ceiling for cobwebs
• Light fixtures
• Baseboards 
• Doors and door trims 
• Blinds & windowsills
• Shelves & drawers inside the fridge & freezer
• The oven (self-clean is a great option, but be prepared to wipe out the ash)
• Bath mats & rugs
• Vacuum under the sofa cushions
• Clean dust from vents

If you want to learn the secrets to cleaning your entire house fast, you should check out my post: how to clean your entire house in 2 hours! It’s a game changer!

04 | Increase your chances of making your cleaning schedule work

A few more tips to you boost your chances for success

• Add your cleaning tasks to your phone’s calendar & set a reminder. For example every Monday, there should be a reminder to clean “blank”.  

• Print out multiple copies of your cleaning schedule.  Post a copy on your bathroom mirror, the main door you use to go in and out of your home and of course, somewhere in the kitchen.  You gotta keep this thing in your face!

• Decide on something you can do to reward yourself each week for knocking out all of your cleaning tasks.  

• Get outside help when needed.  You can hire a great cleaning service to come in monthly to handle all your monthly tasks or get a family member or friend to watch your children.  

• Headphones. Listening to music or a book is a fantastic way to make your time spent cleaning a little more enjoyable!

NEED A SIMPLE BUT COMPLETE CLEANING CHECKLIST FOR THE ENTIRE HOUSE? // You should check out my  Room-By-Room House Cleaning Checklist For Year Long Clean Vibes!  Realistic weekly cleaning, deep cleaning & spring cleaning checklists for every space makes it even easier to keep a clean house!

Quick Recap /

There is no one size fit all routine when it comes to creating a cleaning schedule for working moms. Remember that your cleaning schedule is just a tool to help you organize your time and home.  However, if you commit to using it as intended, it can be the most powerful tool in your belt. 

You May Want To Read /

• A Simple Nighttime Cleaning Routine For Busy Humans
• The 20-Minute Morning Routine That’ll Keep Your House Under Control
• 5 Things You Need NOW To Keep Your House Clean

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