My Easy Cleaning Schedule

Daily / Weekly / Monthly / Bi-annually checklist

My cleaning schedule has definitely fluctuated over the years, ever since I started living on my own. 

I used to live alone for a long time, and I hated cleaning, especially the daunting and time consuming tasks, like deep cleaning my appliances or moping every week. 

That’s why sometimes I would hire someone to help clean the house once a month, just to do a thorough once-over. 

I didn’t have the time or the patience to do it. I was working my ass off, going out almost every other night, and to be honest, one person doesn’t really make such a mess in a home, compared to 2, or 2 and baby, for example. 

Once I met my boyfriend and we moved in together, the mess was gathering at a faster pace, and so was the dust and the dirt on the floors. So I had to start doing some of the chores myself. Well, actually, mostly myself, but he does help with some things (“yes, please, vacuum and take out the trash”). 

The daily tasks are mainly mine (although he does the dishes from time to time). The every other day tasks are split: I do laundry and pick up things, while he takes out the trash. On the weekends, for our weekly cleaning, he vacuums and mops the floors, and helps me change the sheets, while I do the rest. 

Now that I look at it, 75% of the cleaning is on me. Hmm….gotta have a talk with him 😉 

Anyway, I just wanted to share my cleaning schedule with you guys. It’s easy to do, takes care of most things, although I probably missed some tasks, especially when it comes to the monthly and bi-annually one. I hope it helps you organize your cleaning routine. Definitely feel free to save the picture and print it out. 

My Cleaning Schedule

Daily Tasks

• Make the bed. Easy and is one of the first things I do in the morning. After washing my face and teeth, of course. It also helps that I don’t have decorative pillows or other blankets…..I just move the comforter over the pillows and I’m done. 

• Do the dishes. Manually or at the dishwasher. I don’t have one, so I wash them by hand. This is a pet peeve of mine. I have to have my dishes clean at the end of day, or even better, after I eat. But unfortunately I have an icky reason for it: kitchen bugs. I can’t seem to get rid of them. Having everything clean definitely helps, so I do the dishes every day. 

• Wipe down the countertops & tables. This, for me, ties in with the previous task of the cleaning schedule, as it helps to keep the kitchen clean and free of bugs and mess. Especially important to do after I cook or prepare dinner. Also, if you leave everything on the table, by the end of the week you will dread it and you will have more to do. Make your life easier and just clean up the tables every day.

Every other day

• Take out trash. Don’t stuff it down until the lid doesn’t close. Just take it when it reaches the top, and especially if it contains a lot of food scraps that could go moldy or could start smelling bad after a couple of hours. That’s my reasoning. (Pro Tip: You might think this is weird, but to avoid taking the trash too often, I store my food scraps or leftovers in a special bin that stays in the fridge until we are ready to take out the trash. Or, if you can, composte the leftovers)

• Do Laundry. I feel like this is a love or hate situation. Personally, I actually like doing the laundry. What I hate is ironing. And I say this because, where I come from, we iron some of our clothes, mostly the tops. So I despise doing that. But the laundry is fine. If you can’t do it or don’t have enough clothes for an every other day routine, definitely do it once a week, it will save up time in the end, and you will always have underwear and socks 🙂 

• Pick up loose ends around the house. This task, again, saves time when it comes to your weekly tasks. Just pick up the clothes you left on the floor last night, or the bills you put on your kitchen table when you came home today. When the weekend comes (or your weekly day to clean), you won’t have as much to do. Plus, your house won’t feel so crowded and messy during the week. 

Weekly schedule (usually on a Saturday or Sunday)

• Vacuum the floors. This cleaning schedule task always gets me because, for me, this is cardio. I have an old vacuum and it takes some effort to wiggle it around my house (no, sorry, I don’t have a Dyson yet). I don’t particularly like vacuuming, but hey, I consider it a workout and I do love to see my floors so clean.

• Mop the floors. Pretty explanatory. Also, the same remarks from the vacuuming part. Except I sometimes skip a week of it, if I’m feeling down or tired or lazy. Ups!

• Dust. This is a very important step for me, as I am slightly allergic to dust (I think). So I make sure all the furniture and tables and countertops are well dusted at least once a week. Don’t forget about the coffee table, the nightstands, the TV, the laptop, and so on.

• Clean the bathroom(s). This is, again, a bit of a cardio activity for me. I usually wipe down with disinfectant or a special solution: the toilet, the shower, the sink and the mirror. I also mop the floor.

• Change the sheets. Probably my favorite activity. Who doesn’t like the feeling of new sheets, am I right? I always ask my boyfriend to help, as the mattress is too heavy for me to easily lift by myself. 

• Change the towels.This usually differs from person to person. I usually keep them for a week, but some might do it more often. To each, his own. 

Monthly cleaning schedule

• Clean out the fridge. This might be something you haven’t thought about, but you need to do it. First, because there is usually a box of something or a bottle of something that has expired months ago. So second, you are wasting space for an item that doesn’t belong there and doesn’t serve you. And third, you have to wipe it down- there can be spills that can, in time, for germs and/or will be hard to get out. 

• Deep clean appliances. Another task I am not particularly fond of. But it has to be done. The oven and the kitchen stove are particularly important, especially if you cook a lot, but don’t forget the microwave, dish washer and the toaster.

• Deep clean the windows and mirrors. You might not do this every month (shh, I don’t), but from time to time you have to. Make sure you don’t forget the corners and the window sills, they get really dusty, too. 

• Wash couch blankets & pillows. If you’re a homebody, like me, the couch is a sacred place, so it NEEDS to be cozy and clean. That’s why you should wash your blankets and pillow cases at least once a month, you’d be surprised how dirty they get. 

Bi-annually checklist

• Wash the curtains. When was the last time you added this to your cleaning schedule? I admit, it’s definitely a long time since I did mine. I actually have it in mind to do this spring, or whenever I have the time to take them down, wash, dry, etc. It’s a process, especially if you have a big house, so just do it in chunks. Today, the living room ones. Tomorrow, the bedroom ones. And so on. 

• Deep clean the carpets. I’m not talking about vacuum-ing them. I’m talking professional cleaners or a good rub with a special detergent. They need it, trust me, especially if you have pets.

• Deep clean the trash can. I debated putting this bi-annually or monthly, so it really is up to you. Deep cleaning the trash can is important in order to avoid bad smells. 

• Thoroughly dust every surface. And I mean EVERYTHING. The doors. The cabinets and the top of the cabinets. The light fixtures. Behind the stove and the washing machine. Underneath the furniture and/or bed. Just go around the house and see what you haven’t touched or seen in a while. 

Let me know in the comments what your cleaning schedule is. Also, are you doing it all yourself? Or splitting the tasks with your partner / husband?

P.S. If you want to save even more time, check out my quick morning beauty routine!