Work From Home Cleaning Routines to Keep You Sane

Work From Home Cleaning Routines to Keep You Sane

Work From Home Cleaning Routines to Keep You Sane

Mustering up the motivation to clean your home while working full time (and be a caregiver in some cases) can be a REAL challenge. If you are struggling to do this let me assure you - you’re not alone! It is a widespread problem. Imagine, you just worked a full day and you’re tired. The last bit of energy you have, you use it to whip up dinner. After that, all you want to do is to crash on a nice comfy couch. Sound familiar?

The problem is succumbing to the feelings of tiredness and frustration. You deserve a clutter-free, clean environment where you feel peaceful and at ease, but you have to work for it. No one will do it for you - unless you can pay for it. Unfortunately, many of us cannot afford weekly professional cleaning services, so we HAVE to figure it out with what we got. Taking up this challenge is more important than ever, as many of us are working from home.

There are no hacks to this. We just need to commit and DO IT with NO EXCUSES. If you’re not used to a cleaning routine, it’ll be difficult at first, but KEEP GOING and don’t give up, eventually it will be a seamless part of your everyday schedule. To help you reach the goal of a tidy, clean house, we’ve put together a checklist of To-Dos with some helpful tips to keep you on the right track. Feel free to print it out and post it somewhere you can see it everyday.

Daily List

__Laundry

__Dishes

__Clear clutter and organize items in disarray

__File papers and tidy/clean work area

__Tend to pet’s sanitary needs (if any)

__Clean up floors as needed

Tips:

1. Commit to sticking to this daily list, every day, no matter what happens.

2. Identify your cleaning style and frequency to help you stick to your routine:

a) Do it all in 1 day

b) Timed sessions - clean until the timer is up

c) A room a day

3. How often you clean (frequency) depends on how fast you/others muddy the home.

4. Engage everyone in your household to contribute by making it a fun competition.

5. Put away the clothes you wore that day.

6. Keep cleaning wipes or towels handy in bathroom(s) or kitchen for easy access.

7. Clean the kitchen while you cook.

8. Some find it more efficient to do a load of laundry per day compared to a ‘laundry day’.

Weekly List

__Laundry (bed sheets, throws, towels)

__Dust electronic equipment, furniture, and shelves

__Clean bathroom(s)

__Vacuum

__Mop floors

__Clean kitchen appliances

__Take out garbage

__Check refrigerator for spoiled food

__Water plants (if applicable)

__Clear clutter and organize items in disarray

Tips:

1. Begin with your the kitchen.

2. Eliminate dust to protect furniture and improve air quality.

3. Take note of care labels on pillows, rugs, or throws.

4. Don’t forget entryways. Clean and tidy as needed.

5. Upkeep: take a day to note the condition of appliances, utility systems, and overall condition of the home. Keep track of anomalies.

6. Set a day to plan out and prep weekly meals.

7. Invest in a cleaning caddy to centralize supplies.

8. Keep a cleaner and sponge in your tub/shower to quickly clean every other day after you shower.

9. Remember to sanitize kitchen sinks, door handles, bathroom sinks, and toilets.

Monthly List

__ Dust ceiling fans

__Dust ceiling and wall corners

__Store winter/summer clothes, bedding, decor, etc

__Clean grill and/or patio furniture (if applicable)

__Clean exterior door(s)

__Inspect air conditioner and furnace; replace filters; clean vents

__Clean fireplace and chimney (if applicable)

__Clean refrigerator coils and vent

__Clean and organize closets and drawers

__Check smoke detectors; replace batteries (if needed)

__Clean dryer vent system (if applicable)

__Clean gutters and organize garage (if applicable)

__Sort and organize papers, finances, and/or mail

Tips:

1. The monthly routine will be easier if you maintain a daily and weekly cleaning schedule.

2. Monthly items consist of hard to reach and/or difficult chores.

3. Consider your personal situation and move weekly tasks to monthly if you find weekly is too frequent.

4. Group the tasks by category (like outdoor or utilities) and feel free to break those up to tackle them bit by bit. Example - outdoor on the second weekend of the month and utilities on the third weekend.

Seasonal List

__Wipe down walls and touch up paint on walls (if needed)

__Clean outside of windows and window screens

__Store winter/summer clothes, bedding, decor, etc

__Clean grill and/or patio furniture (if applicable)

__Clean exterior door(s)

__Inspect air conditioner and furnace; replace filters; clean vents

__Clean fireplace and chimney (if applicable)

__Clean refrigerator coils and vent

__Clean and organize closets and drawers

__Check smoke detectors; replace batteries (if needed)

__Clean dryer vent system (if applicable)

__Clean gutters and organize garage (if applicable)

__Sort and organize papers, finances, and/or mail

Tips:

1. Organize seasonal cleaning tasks by seasons like spring or winter.

2. Have fun with seasonal cleaning tasks by also incorporating decor changes to your space.

3. Leverage this time to inspect any outdoor items.

4. Use this time to analyze problem areas around the home and implement remedies.

5. Consider donating items that you have not used in over 6 months.

6. Use this time to implement new organization systems where needed (example: purchasing baskets for mail or pantry).