September 4, 2014
Clean Mama’s Cleaning Routine
It’s obvious that I love a good cleaning routine. Honestly the reason I love a good cleaning routine is because I love a clean and organized house. With minutes a day and a plan, homekeeping can be enjoyable, simple, and easy to fit into your busy life and schedule. This post is intended to sum up my cleaning routine and point you in the direction of a little (or a lot) of help to get you started. In case you’re curious, I have been implementing this cleaning routine for nearly 15 years – as a newly married, full-time working gal, a full-time working out of the house mom, a stay-at-home mom, a traveling working in and out of the home mom, and now a work-at-home mom. This routine is for anyone that’s busy and doesn’t want to spend a lot of time cleaning. It may need to be tweaked for your life and schedule, but if you want to spend a couple minutes every day with a little homekeeping, the Clean Mama Cleaning Routine is for you! Remember, it’s just ‘everyday a little something’!
Every single day I accomplish a handful of daily tasks – chances are you do too. These daily tasks are little things that get done on a daily basis and take minutes but staying on top of them keeps the clutter and visual chaos away. On my daily list are the following tasks:
Daily tasks for your household may vary, but these are the main tasks that get checked off my list every.single.day. These simple tasks have a couple hidden tasks involved too – checking floors sometimes means a quick sweep under the kitchen table, other days it may include getting out the vacuum cleaner. Clutter refers to taking care of any clutter or the act of decluttering. This includes things like making beds, opening and dealing with mail, sorting out homework, etc. Laundry gets done every day. I am easily distracted and hate laundry – so I do at least a load every day from start to finish. It’s a great system – try it! Wipe counters is clearing counters, loading/unloading the dishwasher, checking bathroom counters, etc. Want more information? You can read more specifically about my daily cleaning routine here.
Every day of the week I tackle a larger cleaning task. Monday is bathrooms day, Tuesday is dusting day, etc. Each task builds on the next and the system itself flows nicely through the week. Friday is catch all day – a day of grace to catch up on anything that didn’t get accomplished during the week or to work on paperwork, bills, etc. Instagrammer? I post daily cleaning task reminders and lots of homekeeping tips – follow me here. I also post reminders of these cleaning tasks on Facebook each day – if you want my reminders to pop up in your feed follow me here. Go here to get more details on what’s involved in my weekly cleaning tasks and go here to see my favorite products for each cleaning task.
I also assign a handful of rotating cleaning tasks to each month – these tasks I complete on Fridays OR as I’m cleaning during the week. For instance if I’m dusting (on a Tuesday) I will dust the light fixtures for the month at that same time. (You can see the rotating cleaning tasks for each month on the free monthly calendars referenced below or in any cleaning product in my shop.) If you are just starting with a cleaning routine, you can easily leave the rotating cleaning tasks out and just do the daily and weekly tasks for a month or two until you want to add in the rotating tasks.
Here’s a FREE printable daily and weekly checklist (The Clean House Cleaning Routine) you might like too – it’s from my Modern Day Homekeeping series.
Every month I have a FREE cleaning and organizing calendar here on the blog – you can go here to get October’s calendar and hop over to the sidebar to sign up for my posts in your inbox so you never miss a free calendar!
If you want a very detailed and customizable cleaning plan – check out my post on how to make a cleaning planner and check out the Everyday Cleaning Planner in my shop!
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Megan Says
I love your checklists and your posts but as a stay at home mom with a 4 and 2 year old, I struggle just to keep the mess at bay, let alone actually cleaning. How did you fit it in when your kids were little??? I feel like my house will forever be messy/dirty!!!
Becky Says
Post authorHi Megan! My youngest is 2 so I am right where you’re at 🙂 I find that getting up a little earlier than everyone is a great time to start on a task or two and I will do a cleaning task while the little ones are playing or occupied with an activity (and I am in the same room). Little spurts is pretty much the name of the game and an evening clean up is essential. Just do a little bit everyday and slowly your home will be pretty clean – I never strive for perfection, just tidy. xo, Becky
PF Says
Hi Becky,
Your posts have been so inspiring for me. I love your description of how you organize your week with daily goals. Can you be more specific with the details. For example, do you dress in your cleaning clothes and clean the bathrooms first thing in the morning, before you get dressed for the day? Can you recommend a good detailed blog site on how to tackle the many steps of cleaning a bathroom, or a kitchen?
Thanks so much,
PF
Becky Says
Post authorHi Patty!
Here’s how I clean my bathrooms:
http://www.cleanmama.net/2013/11/simplify-the-season-speed-clean-your-bathrooms.html
Nicole Says
Hi Becky! Love your posts!! I’m new to your blog and I’m just getting started on your cleaning schedules. I was just wondering where you buy your essential oils for your cleaning products? Thanks!!
Ann Says
I LIVE by these weekly tasks lol.. always. So much more handier, you know what to do and keep on top off!
Lisa Says
This is so fabulous. Love it!
Lauren Says
Hello Clean Mama,
I am so happy I found you and this printable! I already printed and am excited to start this with my husband this month. What is 3 bags/30 minutes? I can’t find anything on your search about it. I’m sure I’m just missing it!
Thanks,
Lauren
Becky Says
Post authorI’ll explain it on the first on Instagram 🙂
Susan Says
I am not on instagram, can you post a simple explanation for 3 bags in 30 minutes? thx.
Becky Says
Post authorFill up 3 bags in 30 minutes – bags of stuff to toss, relocate, donate. 🙂
Judy Hooks Says
If anyone can tell me how to actually print one of the printables so that the type is large enough to read and the copy does not have writing on the printables that covers so much of the sheet. When I click on FAQ it goes to the Etsy shop.
Becky Says
Post authorHi Judy!
Here’s the FAQ page link:
http://www.cleanmama.net/clean-mama-printables-faqs
Make sure you have the latest version of Adobe Reader 🙂
anne Says
Hi just found your site’s I really need help in love alone yet I’m fall of clutter, have a chronic illnesses and work and commute Monday through to Friday leave early home late I don’t have enough time to cook yet alone be organised anything ideas suggestions would be fantastic if need help thanks anne
anne Says
Sorry my autocorrect changed some of the words *in love was* meant to be I live
*If need* should be I need
Becky Says
Post authorHI Anne! I would suggest just doing 10-15 minutes/day and not worrying about what you can’t complete. Just do what you can and move on the next day! Your health is definitely more important – be well!
xo, Becky
Michelle Says
Hi Anne, I use to spend just 5 mins. In a Room a day cleaning, you decide how many rooms you can work on in a day and not feel overwhelmed. A lot can get done in 5 mins! I actually set a timer and really make myself stop, otherwise you can just keep going and thats not the pan. Do this everyday and things stay in pretty good shape. Good luck. Michelle
Heather Says
Hi, Becky!
I am so excited to begin your routine! I used to be such a routine clean type person…but then I had my third child. And then my fourth and then my fifth! Haha! My 5th has just turned a year old and I feel like I’m finally able to tackle the chaos that has become my home. I am looking forward to decluttering and your schedule will help me immensely. I am the type, when overwhelmed, I easily give up. I stay home with my kiddos and also home school. I already do at least one load of laundry per day (with 7 inhabitants, this is a MUST!), but its the clutter that is getting me!! With kids here all day you can only imagine what is happening in the next room while I’m cleaning a bathroom. CRAZY!! My oldest two daughters are great with chores and can help a lot. I’m training my 5 year old now. SO many words to say, THANK YOU! And I am hoping beyond hope that your routine will work for me!!
Lauren Says
Becky,
Wow! You’re so inspiring! My only problem is where do I start? Before I had Johnny (blessed baby #4) my mom helped me clean my entire house. Ever since I went back to work my house went to the way side. I am a nurse working 12 hour shifts 1 hr 20 min from home. I do have days off but my house is such a wreck I don’t know where to start.
Becky Says
Post authorStart with giving yourself grace. Four babies and working! You are busy. When you have days off, maybe do two tasks like floors and bathrooms. Double up on days off and just clear surfaces and tidy before bed on days you work. I would suggest downloading my free monthly calendar to help keep you on track. You can do it!
Nurya Says
Hi, I love your routines and am living by them including the cleaning planner. Could you tell me how often you find yourself doing the full kitchen clean? I don’t see the kitchen on the regular Mon-Thurs list. And I don’t see cabinets on the rotating cleaning checklist. Am I missing something? Trying to keep in the flow as I am learning a ton here.
Becky Says
Post authorI rotate through the rooms during the year – I cover that in Homekeeping Society but will be talking about it on the blog soon – stay tuned!
themis Says
When do you iron all the clothes that need to be ironed? And when do you clean your windows? What about cooking ? Those are my greatest struggles…
Becky Says
Post authorI find that by taking the clothes out of the dryer right away I don’t have to do much ironing 🙂
Taylor Says
Thanks for this – so helpful! I’ve been looking at different examples like this, but am wondering if you have any tips on how you divide dusting, vacuuming, and mopping into separate days. Usually when I dust, it falls to the floor so I want to vacuum right away – same with wanting to mop on a freshly vacuumed floor. Do you use any special cleaning tools or methods that help you keep these tasks separate?
Becky Says
Post authorHi Taylor! I’ve set up the cleaning routine so the cleaning makes sense from the standpoint of the proper cleaning order – bathrooms, dusting, vacuuming, floor washing….check out my cleaning favorites:
http://www.cleanmama.net/cleaning-favs
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Anna Says
HI! All your beautiful images and checklists are inspiring me to really get my house in order (hard to two with a clutter bug husband and a 6 year old son) I noticed your link to your shop on this post is to your Etsy page but you have a new shop. I am sure it would be a massive undertaking to update ALL the links, but I thought it would be helpful to let you know. Thanks again for all these resources (I’m a follower on IG as well).
b r Says
Post authorHi Anna! Go here:
https://www.cleanmama.net/free-printables
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