Have a Plan

I'm finally getting around to posting about the weekly cleaning plan I mentioned in one of my first posts. I first thought about having a weekly plan when I saw that a friend had a list of household chores to do each day pinned to her fridge.

Prior to this idea, my approach to keeping house had primarily been to clean when things started to look really dirty or if we were having people over. I knew this wasn't a good way to do it, but I wasn't willing to give up every weekend to cleaning either. Then, I realized that if I could just do a little each day it wouldn't pile up and become a huge task to be dreaded. Granted, I still don't enjoy doing housework, but it is much more enjoyable knowing I only have to do a couple things each day.

I've been reading "Home Comforts: The Art & Science of Keeping House" by Cheryl Mendelson and I feel that she makes some good points on why it is important to establish a weekly routine.

Having a weekly routine:

• helps get everything done
• gives a sense of accomplishment each day
• allows you to enjoy a clean home
• encourages you to be proactive rather than reactive
  

Mendelson also lays out a traditional weekly routine:

Monday: laundry
Tuesday: ironing
Wednesday: sewing
Thursday: shopping/errands
Friday: cleaning
Saturday: baking
Sunday: rest

My weekly routine is quite different from the one above. I've included my plan as an example, but I'm constantly adjusting it depending on what is going on in a particular week. As you will see, I've arranged my plan more by "home area" than specific tasks. Each day focusing on one or two particular areas that I've found need attention each week.

A few things to keep in mind when establishing your own routine. First, establish your priorities and start small. Don't worry if you can't do everything on a particular day, or even that week. Second, think about your home, the people who live there and how you live. The most important thing is to have a plan that meets your needs and is manageable for you/your household.

One other item to note is that the weekly plan doesn't include daily tasks. I'll admit that I'm not particularly doing all the daily things - which makes the weekly plan even more important, because at least I take care of everything once a week - but I always feel better when I do them each day. Your daily plan might include making the bed, putting away clothes (clean & dirty), washing the dishes each evening & putting them away, wiping counters, sweeping the floor, wiping down bathroom surfaces, putting away the mail or anything else you notice needs daily attention.