How to keep a clean house when you're busy
This is a niche and extremely tactical post, and I am writing it because I have looked for years for someone to write about this topic with more than general advice like “do one load of laundry each day.” A cleaning service absolutely may be your solution to keeping a clean house, and that is wonderful. I tried that for a couple of months, and my husband Dan and I decided that we would rather use the monthly cleaning service funds for regular massages. After a few years of trial and error, I have found a system that works for my household and is clean enough. My baseboards do not look perfect, and I may have a little dust on my light fixtures, but for the most part, my house feels and looks clean and tidy.
If you are interested in reading about the specifics of my routine (like I always am about others’ routines), here is what I do. Particulars change from year to year or semester to semester as my family’s schedule changes, and I make tweaks when I realize chores repeatedly are not getting done. This is incredibly tailored to my own rhythms, but I hope it still gives you a few ideas.
What I do every day:
Wipe down the kitchen surfaces
Run the dishwasher at night and unload it in the morning
Scrub the shower while showering
Do all dishes
Run the robot vacuum
Make the beds (the kids make their own)
Do one load of laundry, start to finish: Each day of the week has its own assigned load of laundry, so we do a particular kind of load on a weekly basis. Sheets one day, towels another day, and each family member has a designated day. If you can swing it, do each person’s load of laundry separately so you can skip the step of sorting. I separate out my workout clothes and run two loads a week for myself. I use the delay start feature often so I can run the washing machine the hour before I get home from work and immediately switch clothes over to the dryer when I get home. On less busy days, I may do two loads and on busy days, I may do zero loads. I strive not to do more than two loads a day because I do not like feeling like I am buried in laundry.
Other chores typically happen on a weekly basis. This is where knowing my schedule becomes very important. Busy days have less time consuming chores. When my kids’ school schedules change, my assigned tasks and days may change too. I identify a set time of day for these chores to happen (ideally the same time every day). Right now, what works is while the kids are eating breakfast. I can keep half an eye on them and attend to the chores. These tasks are fairly small and can be done in fifteen minutes or less.
Currently, here are my weekly cleaning tasks:
Mondays: mirrors
Tuesdays: check and water plants
Wednesdays: toilets
Thursdays: Swiffer and mop
Fridays: bathroom counters and deep vacuuming
Saturdays: change sheets
Sundays: reset family calendar for the upcoming week
For the most part, if I miss a day one week, it is fairly easy to catch up. I strongly prefer breaking chores up this way instead of devoting an entire Saturday morning to cleaning the whole house. What you will notice is not on this list are deeper cleaning chores like dusting and washing windows. I basically do those kinds of chores when I notice that they need to be done and schedule them for an off day. I find that really staying on top of the vacuuming (thank you, Roomba!) helps with the dust accumulation.
A few other things worth noting:
Expectations. My husband Dan is in charge of the yard work, unloading the dishwasher each morning, breaking down cardboard boxes, and putting clean sheets on the bed. We try to eliminate ambiguity over who does which task whenever possible. I believe this helps curtail feelings of resentment since we are not waiting around for the other person to take care of the chore. Our kids have set chores, like making their beds, putting away their laundry, tidying up after themselves, and setting the table, and they know that they will be asked and expected to pitch in with extra chores on weekends.
Audiobooks. When I do feel the need for a big deep clean, I download on audiobook and settle in for a few hours of hard work. The book makes the time infinitely more pleasant. I feel especially productive on those days—often times I will finish an entire book and clean most of the house!
Labels. My love affair with labels has only grown over the years. These fall under the category of “tedious to set up on the front end but so, so worth it.” I label my kids’ dresser drawers, cabinets for art supplies, pantry bins, refrigerator compartments, and pretty much anything that is closed storage. Labels do not simply look pretty but they tell everyone how to maintain the system. There is nothing worse than decluttering and organizing only to have the work undone a week later. People usually happily obey a label’s directive if clear and low-effort. The key is reducing any question of where an item goes or any need for decision making.
Finally, I have found it is easier to keep the house clean if I cut down on the amount of dirt and clutter that enters the house in the first place. We brush the dogs nightly so their fur does not shed quite as much. We are a no shoes household, so the grime from outside does not come inside. We sort through mail and backpacks every afternoon and process papers accordingly. We go digital wherever we can and recycle as quickly as possible.
Whew! So this is where ten plus years of refining systems has led me. I am sure I will continue to make tweaks because that is the nature of the beast. I would love to hear your tips and tricks!