If you love having a clean home but you hate cleaning, then this post is for you. I have implemented a simple cleaning routine that I follow to keep my home in tip-top shape. More importantly, using a daily cleaning schedule means I can clean my home in record time and have more time to do things I want to do!
You see, I love the feeling a clean home brings, but I hate the cleaning part. I have had a housekeeper before, and this was a luxury that I cherished. With new circumstances, I needed to cut my budget, so I begrudgingly became the housekeeper.
While cleaning is not something I really enjoy, having a cleaning routine has definitely helped me adjust to cleaning my own home. I am now much more efficient with my time, and I have also chosen products that make the process a lot easier.
Implementing a Simple Cleaning Routine
When I was going through everything in my home that needed to to be cleaned, I realized that a quick and easy cleaning routine would keep me motivated. Constantly cleaning was not something that was inspiring to me. Yet I found myself running around in circles to clean my home. Once I created a plan, I found I could tackle my cleaning routine in about an hour a day. Then, I was able to move on and do things I actually like doing.
In this post, I will be covering:
- Why cleaning is not decluttering – these are two separate beasts
- Where to start – even if your entire home is a mess
- What supplies you should have before you begin your cleaning schedule – my top picks
- A printable cleaning schedule – the one that I use to make my home “clean enough” every single day
Cleaning is Very Different Than Decluttering
Sometimes it may be tempting to clean and declutter at the same time. This is something I do if I am in the mood for a challenge. However, if I am overwhelmed (which is most of the time), I need to separate these two tasks. Otherwise, I may not begin either!
Obviously, it is easier to declutter before you clean because you will have less items to move around and put away. This is an ideal situation in an ideal world. Many times though, I only have time for one of these chores, and decluttering does take more thoughtful time. You have to decide what you need to tackle first, and what would make you and your family the happiest.
If you are interested in decluttering first, here is an article that can help: 6 Ways To Declutter Now
Also, if you are up for a challenge, you can try this: 30 Day Decluttering Challenge
Where Do I Start With My Cleaning Routine?
As I stated above, I recommend if you are overwhelmed, start with cleaning. A cleaning schedule is very straightforward, and there are far fewer emotions involved in executing a simple cleaning routine.
At the start, you may be wondering where you should begin cleaning. I always suggest starting in the room you use the most. Some will recommend the exact opposite. However, the downside of starting in an area you don’t use often is that you will not get to enjoy the fruits of your labor easily.
I begin in rooms I use more frequently because this motivates me to keep going! You may feel too overwhelmed to start in one of your most used rooms, and this is ok too. There are many different ways to make a cleaning routine work. The absolute MOST IMPORTANT THING is that it has to work FOR YOU!
Working from high to low in any room that you clean makes the most sense as well because dust travels down. So, keep this in mind when you are implementing a cleaning schedule.
Once you have decided where you will start, it is time to make sure you have all the supplies you need to conquer your routine.
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links which means if you click and decide to purchase, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. My promise to you is that I will never endorse any product that I do not wholeheartedly believe in! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you!
A Simple Cleaning Routine Needs Amazing Cleaning Supplies
Like I said before, I don’t love cleaning, but I love the results! I have streamlined my cleaning supplies to make sure they get the job done the first time around.
First and foremost, I make sure all of my cleaning products are easy to access, organized and easy to use. I keep a cleaning caddy on both the first floor and the second floor of my home. That way, I am not constantly moving the products all over my house. I can even sneak in a quick wipe down of something if I see it needs attention. This cleaning caddy is great because it fits a lot and it also fits a variety of different containers:
What to Stock In Your Cleaning Caddy
Here is my list of absolute must-haves for my cleaning caddy:
- Multi-Purpose Cleaner (I am in love with Mr. Clean Clean Freak)
- Method Wood Furniture Cleaner/Polish
- Therapy Stainless Steel Cleaner
- Bar Keepers Friend (liquid)
- Sprayway Glass Spray Cleaner
- Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner
- Buff Cleaning Cloths
- Norwex Cleaning Cloth
- Scrub Brush and Toothbrush
- Swiffer Duster
- Paper Towels
- Magic Erasers
- Dryer Sheets
The absolute best cloths I have found that don’t leave dust particles or streaks you can find here:
I swear by these cloths!
And the absolute best glass and mirror cleaner I have honestly ever purchased is here:
This may be more information than you need to know, but I am slightly OCD. I can’t stand streaks! I was working for what seemed like forever to figure out the best way to leave my windows and mirror without streaks. This combination works like magic and is a huge time saver!
Here are some more of my cleaning essentials:
I also make sure I have:
- My Dyson Vacuum
- Bona Mop and Bona Cleaner
- Swiffer Wet Jet Mop
I splurged on my vacuum because I hate dirty floors almost as much as I hate streaks. This vacuum picks up things I can’t even see with the naked eye. Vacuuming my couch with this turbo charged machine left me speechless, in both a good and bad way! How did that much stuff just come off of my couch? Anyways, if you have the funds, I highly recommend it:
And the Bona floor mop and cleaner NEVER leaves streaks or haze, and it always makes my wood floors look brand new!
More Motivation Before You Begin Your Cleaning Routine
The last thing that I do before I start is to make sure I am either playing fun music or I am listening to some good TV background noise. This may not be possible if you are cleaning with a few children hanging off of your legs, but at least do something that makes you happy when you are implementing your cleaning routine.
You could take a before and after photo for inspiration. If you can muster it, light a candle, put on some great music or TV, and you are ready to tackle this! Having something to look forward to makes it more likely that you will stick to your cleaning schedule!
I also suggest if you are overwhelmed, start small and work up to the full cleaning schedule. Rome was not built in a day! Just don’t give up!
A Simple Cleaning Routine For Your Home
An easy house cleaning schedule is one that you will make part of your routine. If it is too difficult or piecemeal, it just won’t stick. I have broken down my home into rooms, and I tackle one room each day. Cleaning my home with a simple cleaning routine has really transformed my life. I finally feel like my home is consistently clean. This always puts me in a good mood.
You can receive a free copy of my custom Cleaning and Decluttering Pack! It will be sent directly to your inbox and ready for you to download and print out! Here is the link Cleaning and Decluttering Printables
I do have an Etsy shop where I offer a wide variety of printable designs. You can see it here: One Detailed Mama on Etsy
Daily Routine –
There are a few things I do every day for general upkeep. Doing these things makes my home feel pulled together in addition to clean. Here is what I do every day:
- Run the dishwasher
- Do 1-2 loads of laundry (usually one dark and one light)
- Wipe down the kitchen counters
- Take out the trash
- Do a 15-30 minute pick-up (put things back in the place or the room they belong)
Every Other Day –
Every other day, I do these chores:
- Vacuum/mop
- Update grocery lists
- Stock drinks in the fridge
The above are based on the needs of my family. You may choose to add or delete items based on your own family’s needs. Again, what is important is for these tasks to be easy and not very time consuming. They also need to make an impact in your home’s overall appearance. I find that doing the above either daily or every other day really makes a difference in my home.
Monday – Clean Family Rooms
On Monday, I like to start in a room that our family uses a lot over the weekend. The family room is that spot for me, and it doesn’t take very long to complete.
Since this is the start of my week, I also like to make this day my day to do errands and do my grocery store run. I meal plan on Sundays, so this makes my trip a lot quicker. This is also why I do not tackle the kitchen on Monday.
For my family room, I dust all the furniture quickly with Method Wood Cleaner and my Buff cloths. Then, I vacuum the couch (weekly as I have 5 dogs and 5 kids:). I wash any blankets or throws and make sure to run the vacuum.
This step in my cleaning routine only takes me about an hour tops, and I love starting the week with a clean family room.
Tuesday – Clean Kitchen
Tuesdays I like to focus on another well-used room, the kitchen. During this cleaning, I am fast and to the point. I do not worry about the gunk on my stove hood etc. That type of chore is for my 4 times a year deep clean, and that is for another post. My time is spent (rather quickly) wiping down and cleaning the microwave, stove top, fridge and freezer.
On this day, since I went to the grocery store yesterday, I do some food prep and cooking also. I know this doesn’t fit into the cleaning category, but if I am in this room, I multi-task and clean as I go.
After any food prep or cooking, I wipe down the counters and clean the sink with Bar Keepers Friend.
Stainless steel happens to be my arch nemesis. However, I have found the kryptonite! When I polish my stainless steel with Therapy cleaner and a Norwex cloth, I am left with like new appliances that are streak free!
Vacuuming and moping the floors is the last step, and Tuesday is done!
Wednesday – Clean Bedrooms
Wednesday I move upstairs and tackle the bedrooms. Again, this is fairly quick. I change the sheets on this day (and wash them). I dust the furniture, straighten the closets and straighten the drawers that have gotten a bit messy. Vacuuming is the final step and I am done.
Thursday – Clean Bathrooms
If I am going to be honest, Thursday’s are my least favorite day. I hate cleaning the bathrooms! That being said, it still needs to get done, and I love the results when I am finished.
I start out with the shower/tub. One amazing hack that I have found is using a wet dryer sheet and Bar Keepers Friend to remove any and all soap scum from my glass shower doors. I can actually feel the soap scum come off! Then I squeegee the glass and it sparkles like a diamond. Oh, and it is streak free I might add!
I use the Sprayway cleaner with a Buff cloth to clean any mirrors (streak free, dust free and amazing). I then clean the toilets with Lysol Toilet cleaner and a scrub brush.
When it comes to the floors, I vacuum them first, then finish with the Swiffer Wet Jet. I wash all the towels and any bath mats and Thursday is in the books.
Friday – Clean Living and Dining Rooms
Friday is another easy day. I focus on the least used rooms, the living and dining rooms. Here I just do a quick dusting, vacuum and call it a day.
I like Friday to be light because I like to do any final errands and grocery store trips on this day. Sticking to this cleaning routine on Friday allows me to get to the store and have my home fully stocked and ready for the weekend!
Saturday – Clean Outside
Being outside on the weekends is my happy place, so if I have any chores to do outside, I do them on this day. I do a quick toy pick-up and hose down any furniture that has gotten grimy. I do a quick sweep, and if my car needs tending to, I usually spend a few minutes cleaning out any trash or gear that has accumulated.
A Simple Cleaning Routine For Your Life
That is my cleaning routine in a nutshell. What I love is that I am not trying to complete the entire house in one day. I have broken it down into cleaning zones if you will, and that means a little bit of cleaning every day.
This cleaning routine has really worked for me and my family, especially since I am now doing the work myself.
Real Simple has some more great suggestions for quick cleaning: Daily Cleaning Checklist
Ask for Help With Your Cleaning Schedule
As some of my kids are older, they do clean their own individual rooms. This helps a lot, and teaches them responsibility for sure. They are far less likely to create huge messes when they are the ones who have to clean it up!
So, try to get the whole family involved if you can. My partner loves to clean outside, so oftentimes he has already done my Saturday chores before I get to them. He also helps out wherever he can.
I used to insist everything had to be done my way, but that lead to a lot of exhaustion! So, I have settled for “good enough”.
The end result of implementing a simple cleaning routine is that I have a lot more quality time to spend with the ones I love, and isn’t this what we are all striving for?!?
I hope this schedule helps you minimize your cleaning time and maximizing your relaxing time! Happy cleaning!
A Simple Cleaning Routine to Simplify Your Life
Click here: Cleaning and Decluttering Printables
