Spring is the perfect time to take a closer look into your cleaning routine and set some cleaning goals. Kick-starting your Spring cleaning can be simple with a little planning. If you want to keep your house clean this year, follow these tips to ensure that, come next Spring, you’re still right on track.
Make a List
A comprehensive to-do list can help you get organized. Spend a few minutes brainstorming the cleaning tasks you would like to accomplish daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually. Once you’ve identified the key tasks, there are smartphone apps, paper planners, and a multitude of other resources to keep your list organized. Be sure to refer back to it throughout the year and make adjustments as necessary.
Daily Jobs
It may work for you to tackle all your weekly cleaning tasks, laundry, and other jobs all on a single day, but many find it easier and more effective to assign each major task its own day of the week. For example, you might follow a schedule similar to this each week:
- Monday: Laundry
- Tuesday: Iron
- Wednesday: Dust
- Thursday: Bathrooms
- Friday: Finish up any leftovers
- Saturday: Major monthly task
- Sunday: Day off
Assign work to each particular day based on your schedule and the needs of your family. Breaking down chores this way is less overwhelming, which means you are more likely to accomplish your cleaning goals that week and less likely to fall too far behind in any one task.
Share the Load
The more people you share your space with, the more helping hands there are! No single family member makes all the mess, and each individual can contribute according to their age and abilities. Taking time to teach children how to properly scrub a toilet or wipe a mirror will pay off in the long run, as they become more capable cleaners and are able to help independently.
Make It Enjoyable
Everyone has cleaning tasks that they prefer over others, and you should aim to enjoy the process as well as the fruit of your labors. Crank up the tunes while you mop, put on your favorite t-shirt for dusting day, or save that episode of your favorite TV show to watch while you fold laundry.
Combining cleaning tasks with something you enjoy and remembering to involve family members are keys to a successful cleaning plan. Schedule your tasks in a way that works for your life and be sure to reevaluate it frequently to ensure that the plan is still helping you meet your goals.