Operation {Re}Organization: Let's Get Clean!

Confession: I'm lousy at cleaning. There, I said it :). Our house is far from clean 98% of the time. I have no routine, no set schedule, and a really hard time prioritizing scrubbing toilets over things I actually enjoy like spending time with family and friends and this blog. My current "routine" for cleaning includes frantic last-minute vacuuming and sink-wiping before we have guests over. Please tell me I'm not alone on this one.

But here's the thing - I really like having a clean house. The type A part of me has a mini internal freak out when I come home to visible dust bunnies and soap scum in the tub, so I think I've had enough of my current "routine." It's really been driving me nuts lately. 

For the past few weeks, I've been thinking about making some changes to the way I approach cleaning. I've discovered that I need a way to hold myself accountable without making things too cumbersome. This involves following a schedule. So I looked to Pinterest, Google and some other bloggers for some help. I found some good ideas and even came across this weekly cleaning schedule quiz from Modern Parents Messy Kids, that, as silly as it is, really helped me figure out what kind of schedule I wanted to have.

I'm a checklist kind of gal, so I wanted something that gave me the satisfaction of crossing an item off a list and getting things done a little at a time, but didn't want to be too strict about it (i.e. Monday is always vacuuming day). For instance, I know myself well enough to know a list like this one wasn't going to be a great fit for me:

{source}

More power to you if stick to a schedule like this - I wanted a little more flexibility. It's all about finding what works best for you. 

I ended up dividing up tasks into four categories: daily, weekly, monthly and as needed. No specific days assigned (except for the daily tasks, of course :) ).

Daily tasks:

• Loading/unloading the dishwasher (no dirty dishes left in the sink!)
• Make the bed
• Wipe down the kitchen counters
• Take out the trash and recycling

Weekly tasks:

• Sweep the floors and vacuum the carpets
• Scrub counter tops
• Scrub the bathroom (toilets, sinks and tub)
• Clean mirrors and windows
• Dust surfaces
• Change sheets (this will probably be a bi-weekly task)
• Declutter living room and return items to their designated spots
• Go through the inbox (i.e. incoming mail, coupons, bills, etc.)

Monthly tasks:

• Spot clean oven and microwave
• Clean out fridge and freezer (throw away expired items)
• Clean/dust baseboards and hard to reach corners

As needed tasks:

• Wash couch slipcovers
• Self clean oven
• Wash dog bed

Once I made the list, I decided looking at a plain ole set of bullets isn't much fun, so I made up a pretty-looking checklist to help me stay motivated and organized. If I've gotta do it, why not make it a little fun?

Since I didn't assign a task to a specific day, I made a grid to the right of the task's name so I can write in the date I completed it. That way, I can make sure I get to each task within its designated window of time. This checklist takes me through two months of cleaning.

This plan goes into effect today, so I'll have to update y'all on how it goes in another month or so. Ask me about it, ok? I need y'all to help me out. There's nothing like blurting out your plan to the blogosphere to keep yourself accountable, huh?

What's your cleaning style? Are you a checklister, a strict schedule-follower, or a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants cleaner? Any tips or tricks on getting it all done?

--------

This post is a part of the series "Operation {Re}Organization." To see other posts in the series, click the tab at the top of the page.

---------

linking up to: DIY Showoff, Rain on a Tin Roof, Home Stories A to Z, Uncommon Designs, If It's Not Baroque, Liz Marie Blog, House of Hepworths, Blissfully Ever After, Design, Dining and Diapers, Crafty Scrappy Happy, Craftberry Bush, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Tatertots and Jello, Serenity Now, It’s Overflowing, House of Rose, Love of Family and Home, Dear Creatives, Madigan Made, First Home...Love Life, Simply Dream and Create, Whipperberry, IHeart Organizing