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I’m so excited to introduce you all to the new series for 2014. My word for 2014 is SIMPLIFIED so you’ll find that I’m integrating that into a lot of what I’ll be covering on the blog. I’m guessing you probably want a little simplified in your life too. The series will be the perfect combination of SIMPLIFIED cleaning and organizing to get your year (and mine) off to a great start and keep you that way through the whole year.
What’s behind the success of any clean and organized home?
Consistency and follow through.
I’m calling the series Start Here. because without starting something, you’ll never finish anything. Don’t get bogged down in the every day messiness that is life, you have to start somewhere to get anywhere and that’s what we’re doing today. Start here.
What will the series entail?
- THE CLEAN MAMA CLEANING ROUTINEÂ – every month of 2014 I will continue to post a FREE cleaning calendar with daily suggestions and rotating cleaning task suggestions. Doing a little bit every.single.day is what keeps my home neat and tidy all year long.
- A SIMPLE WEEKLY ORGANIZING TASK SUGGESTION – the goal is to have each and every nook and cranny in my house cleared out, decluttered, and only keep things that we love and use. If you’ve been following along, you know that I keep things simple and easy. The organizing tasks will be 15 minute suggestions – something that anyone can complete at some point during the week. Obviously, you can opt in or out of these suggestions, but it will be part of the series. (My biggest motivation is my basement – it’s full of boxes that haven’t been unpacked since we moved in almost 5 years ago. 2014 is the year that this ends.)
- INSPIRATIONAL IDEAS – from me and around the web intended to spark ideas and motivate. I strive to keep things simple, easy to implement, and affordable. The ideas that I will suggest will follow this mantra as well.
Is this all that I’m talking about in 2014? No, I will still be sharing simple ways to complete tasks, lots of DIY cleaning recipes – my book is coming out April 18th!, and other hints and tips that I find helpful.
Ready? We all have to start somewhere – let’s Start Here.
Here’s a little infographic that explains the cleaning and organizing schedule…
Want to join in on the fun? Grab a FREE cleaning and organizing calendar for January (this is free in my shop – if you’d prefer to grab it from Googledocs, you can go here to grab it) and give it a go. Follow along all month for motivational posts and tips to keep up with the daily and weekly tasks. New here? I’ll be explaining the tasks more in the next week – it’ll be fun and easy to implement, I promise!
Want to make 2014 the year that you cleaned and organized everything? Me too!
(If you like this calendar style, you’ll love The Simplified Life Series in my shop!)
Follow along!
Cici Says...
Yay! One of my goals is to be more organized and do a better job staying on top of my house cleaning!
Samantha Says...
I love your sight and follow a lot of you suggestions, but I really need help on how to keep up with everything after working all day, homework with kids, cooking super etc. Please is there anyone else there who needs a little extra help?? I love it when everything is clean and organized is makes me happy and a lot less stressed but keeping it up is sooo hard after a long day. Any helpful hints? Thanks!!!
Emily Says...
Samantha,
I’m the same. I have a nanny who helps start dinner, but I am exhausted at the end of the day to clean the entire house. I’m tired of saving everything until the end of the week to do all day Saturday. My kids are old enough to do some of the basic chores themselves, and I like this rotating calendar. I give my kids two chores a day (dishes or dinner helper, along with some basic cleaning, like dusting or vacuuming). They keep the same chores for a week and then we rotate them between family members – it helps to eliminate arguments over responsibilities. I’d like to figure out smaller maintenance chores to do each day, but save any big ones for Saturdays. The entire family helps clean up clutter right before bedtime. My husband helps out a ton, but he would probably do more if we had a schedule or list to divide and conquer. I think the hard part is being disciplined to get the list done. Making it a routine for the entire family makes it easier, and I’m always looking for ways for my children to learn responsibility and become more self sufficient.
Caroline Says...
That’s a really nice system, thank you for sharing it!
amber Says...
I am so excited to get started! I have triplets and a 3 year old so getting organized this year is gonna be my main goal. Can’t wait to see what you have in store for us 🙂
Carrie Says...
I have a question about keeping things that have been handed down by people we love. I have a number of small items owned by my grandmother, mother and father. I want to keep them, but I feel stuck every time I try to figure out what to do with them. I don’t want them to become clutter nor do I want to store them out of sight. Any suggestions?
Tina Says...
I really like the new format of the January cleaning calendar. Thank you for sharing this resource. Looking forward to a fresh start with cleaning and organizing.
Hoosiermama3561 Says...
Thank you thank you! I love your weekly routine. For years I followed a more complicated routine & while it kept my house spotless it was stressful & unrealistic. Now it’s easy and makes so much sense. Love your printables!
Mary Says...
I found your website recently and have been so encouraged. I am a SAHM with two under three and so many times I just get so overwhelmed with the housework and laundry that I just rake the house once a week and try not to look too closely at the floors. I started yesterday with the “Clean your bathrooms in 15 minutes” routine and it actually worked! I printed off the January cleaning schedule and all of a sudden I feel like I could actually do this! Thank you for the support and inspiration! My wonderful hubby thanks you too!!! I am looking forward to following your postings VERY much. 🙂
Rike Says...
Hi, I’m a german nurse and all i did this year was work, eat, sleep, work, eat, sleep,…. just if i had holidays i meet friends and clean my flat. But 2014 will be MY year! I’ll start to do sports, clean up our flat, plan my life and hope it will be better then just sleep/eat/work…. 🙂
thx for all that you’re sharing here!!!
Shawn Says...
I LOVE this calendar! Congratulations on working with ABFOL! When I print this calendar, it is scrambled – the tasks are just gray blocks. What am I doing wrong? I tried a couple other free printables (thank you!) and they worked fine. Thanks and Happy New Year.
Becky Says...
Post authorOh no! Make sure you don’t have it in ‘preview’. There’s something with MAC OSX that defaults to preview instead of Adobe Reader. Once you’ve verified that, make sure you have the most updated version of Adobe Reader (free):
get.adobe.com/reader/
Let me know if you have any questions!
xo, Becky
susan Says...
Love, love, love your ideas. Just found you from a friend. Unfortunately I can’t seem to get the calendar to download. it gets stuck every time I try. Any ideas?
Becky Says...
Post authorHi Susan! You might need to login to googledocs and get the printable. I’ll send it to you via email as well.
xo, Becky
Lacey Says...
Becky,
Thank you for blessing me. I’m 12 weeks preggers and need all the help I can get to keep the house in somewhat of order.
God Bless!
Gail Says...
I have been working so hard toward de cluttering out home, little by little. This will be perfect. Could use all the help I can find. Thanks this should be fun.
Jessica Says...
I love this calendar along with many of your other organization plans/ideas and printables. I’m making this part of my new years resolution and posting about it on my blog. i posted the calendar but added the link to this page along with credit and links to your blog throughout the post. 🙂
Kathleen Wilson Says...
Becky:
Thank you so much for your ideas and help! I am much more organized since I have started following you!
Jennifer Says...
I am having trouble downloading the calendar as well…seems to stop loading about 3/4 through. Thanks.
Becky Says...
Post authorI just emailed it to you Jennifer!
Maria Osborne Says...
great idea
Jessica Says...
I also have issues with printing any of the free printables on the site. I would love to be able to follow along as I have jsut purchased several of the printables from you site and this would be an added bonus.
thanks
Jessica
Becky Says...
Post authorMake sure you are logged into google – I’ll send the January freebie to you now 🙂
xo, Becky
Jai Says...
I totally need one of these!! I need to organize.
Kris Says...
I can’t open this either? Help please.
Becky Says...
Post authorsending now 🙂
Catherine Says...
Help! I am having trouble, too! I’ve tried to try everything suggested, but it’s just not working for me!
Becky Says...
Post authorI emailed it to you Catherine 🙂
Evelina Snell Says...
Why is the printable all blurred out – can’t see any of the text in the dates – when I click the print button? Please help! Thanks so much.
Becky Says...
Post authorOh no! Make sure you don’t have it in ‘preview’. There’s something with MAC OSX that defaults to preview instead of Adobe Reader. Once you’ve verified that, make sure you have the most updated version of Adobe Reader (free):
get.adobe.com/reader/
xo, Becky
Kathy Hart Says...
I’m sorry, but I have tried everything and your free January printable will not download. Are there any tricks I am missing?
Thanks,
Kathy Hart
Becky Says...
Post authorI just sent it via email.
xo, Becky
Camille Wilson Says...
I am getting a blurred version when I try to print on my Mac.
Becky Says...
Post authorOh no! Make sure you don’t have it in ‘preview’. There’s something with MAC OSX that defaults to preview instead of Adobe Reader. Once you’ve verified that, make sure you have the most updated version of Adobe Reader (free):
get.adobe.com/reader/
Let me know if you have any questions!
xo, Becky
Camille Says...
Hi! I tried to print this off but couldn’t get it to work. I have the latest adobe reader and was able to print off your kid chore lists but get the blurred grey lines with this every time. Can I get it another way? I am ready to get back on the clean mama cleaning bandwagon this January!!
Becky Says...
Post authorHi Camille!
I’m sending it to you via email instead – Make sure you don’t have it in ‘preview’. There’s something with MAC OSX that defaults to preview instead of Adobe Reader. Once you’ve verified that, make sure you have the most updated version of Adobe Reader (free):
get.adobe.com/reader/
Let me know if you have any questions!
xo, Becky
Lindsey Says...
Thank you for this! I’m home with my new little one and adjusting so this will be hugely helpful in breaking down what seems to be overwhelming 🙂
Jill Says...
Thanks so much for letting us use your wonderful free printables!! I found your website last year and am starting the new year off with all of your advice! I’m having the same issue as the others with the January printable and I can’t get my computer to print it no matter what I do! I tried everything you suggested and here I am 45 minuets later and haven’t gotten any further! Can you send it to me in an email? Thanks so much!
Becky Says...
Post authorI’ve added the printable in my shop instead of in googledocs – you can go here to download it for free:
http://www.cleanmama.net/product/cleaning-organizing-calendar-january-2014
xo, Becky
Christy Says...
I love following your blog!
Can you email me the January Schedule, too? I’m having the same problems as others have mentioned. Thank you!
Becky Says...
Post authorI’ve added the printable in my shop instead of in googledocs – you can go here to download it for free:
http://www.cleanmama.net/product/cleaning-organizing-calendar-january-2014
xo, Becky
Donna Says...
Hi Becky,
Sorry for being a pain! I have downloaded this printout from your shop and just printing it. Both times the writing is blurred. I am not a googledocs person. Is there any other way to print this ? I love all your ideas and being recently retired – I am eager to start a quick but thorough cleaning each morning and then get on with my quilting, knitting and sewing and of course shopping !
Thanks
Donna
Becky Says...
Post authorHi Donna!
I emailed it to you, make sure you don’t have it in ‘preview’. There’s something with MAC OSX that defaults to preview instead of Adobe Reader. Once you’ve verified that, make sure you have the most updated version of Adobe Reader (free):
get.adobe.com/reader/
Let me know if you have any questions!
xo, Becky
Weiting Says...
Hello.
I am a bit late for seeing this article, but I still would like to join. do I need to sign up something? or just simply follow the posts?
I love your products, but I live in Germany .. so pitty, thank you very much for also providing many free printables.
Hope I could get more organized and stick to my goal in 2014!!
Becky Says...
Post authorJust follow along!
jennifer Says...
Amen! Amen to unpacking the boxes that still are sitting from the move… four years ago. I am in!!!! This is the year of the unpacked boxes!!!! <3
Rachel Says...
Is there a way to get PDF of printables? All I have is an ipad and can’t get these to print. I found PDF link of the January calendar in your comment to someone and I can save to documents and print from there but otherwise it pulls it up as a pic and when printed it distorts and will not print full size page.
Becky Says...
Post authorGo here to grab it for free:
http://www.cleanmama.net/product/cleaning-organizing-calendar-february-2014
You can also email me and I’ll send you the pdf too.
xo, Becky
jeannie dougherty Says...
I just found your website. I absolutely love it. I cannot download your printable January calendar. Can you please send it to me? Thank you!
Sandy Says...
I ordered your book this afternoon (can’t wait to try some of the recipies), and printed out the May Calendar. I’m jumping in on the first!
Becky Says...
Post authorThank you Sandy!
xo, Becky
April Schlagheck Says...
Hi. I hope I didn’t miss this, but I am confused about the rotating cleaning tasks for the month. When do you do those? Thanks!
Delia Says...
Hello I am new here, and I am hooked to your blog. I just started following the schedule last week and it has already done wonders for myself!..I do however dont seem to understand the ROTATING CLEANING TASK FOR THE MONTH on the bottom left corner of the calendar. When or how am I supposed to implement these?
Thank you
Becky Says...
Post authorHi Delia!
I do the rotating cleaning tasks on Fridays or squeeze them in during the week when it makes sense. For instance, on Tuesday (dusting day) I dust the light fixtures. I hope this helps!
Patchouli Says...
Hi Becky,will you be selling the books for 2015 please ,I was going to buy one now but seems a bit silly when there are only 3 months left ,thanks
Becky Says...
Post authorI have all updated products for 2015 in my shop 🙂
xo, Becky