Does the idea of giving your home a Spring clean feel overwhelming to you? Do you find yourself wishing there were more hours in the day?
In this post, I’ll explain how to get more done in less time, and provide an example of a cleaning schedule (that you can download for free!).
How to Create a Quick & Simple Cleaning Schedule
As mothers, our days are filled with a never-ending list of things to do on our daily planner. Between the normal day-to-day stuff, taking care of our family, and balancing a busy schedule, we have a full-time job. It becomes challenging to fit in everything we need to accomplish in a 24-hour day. And if we’re going to be honest, a Spring clean may seem unrealistic.
But what if we could accomplish more in less time? If this were actually possible, it would allow us more time with our family and more time to focus on ourselves. I’m all for that!
The following steps focus on my two favorite words: quick and simple!
How to Get More Done in Less Time With a Cleaning Schedule.
1. Make a Spring clean task list.
First, write out a list of all the Spring clean tasks that you need to accomplish, and how often you want to complete them. Once you’ve assessed how often you want to do each task, assign a day for them. For example, Mondays are for dusting, Tuesdays are for bathrooms, Wednesdays are for bedrooms and washing sheets, and so on.
Tip: Put your list on the refrigerator, in your daily planner, or on the computer. Keep it somewhere where you will actually see it (and not forget about it). For monthly and yearly tasks, write them on a calendar in big bold letters so you can remember to do them later. Or, if you prefer a digital calendar, like me, schedule it into your cell phone’s calendar. This will help to establish a routine.
Want the Cleaning Schedule that I use?
Download your FREE copy below!
2. Prioritize effectively.
Second, determine which cleaning tasks are most important and what can possibly wait until later on in the day, week, or month. If this is something you’re having trouble with, you may be trying to squeeze in tasks that can actually be put on hold for a future time.
Tip: Note the deadlines for your tasks. If your in-laws are coming to visit, then cleaning the guest bathroom takes priority over dusting high shelves.
3. Avoid procrastinating.
Third, don’t put things off to the last possible minute. When this happens, we rush frantically to accomplish everything, but we end up doing a poor job and get ourselves all worked up for no good reason. There is a better way!
Tip: Use your morning hours wisely and get cleaning tasks started early in the day. Chances are you’ll finish them in one day rather than having it drag into a second day because you didn’t have enough time to get things done. For some, this may mean waking up an hour or two earlier instead of sleeping an hour or two later.
4. Do the unpleasant cleaning tasks first.
Fourth, get the things you dislike out of the way first. If you keep putting it off, you’ll attempt to squeeze it in somewhere, and you’ll get the feeling of being overwhelmed.
Tip: Schedule something fun after you finish your cleaning to-do list. This will motivate you to complete the list quicker.
5. Multi-task if you can.
Fifth, if you’re able to accomplish two cleaning tasks at once, then by all means do it. If you can run the dishwasher while you clean the kitchen or wait for a load of laundry to finish while you clean the laundry room, you can cut your time in half.
Tip: Don’t sacrifice the quality of the tasks you’re performing. If you forget to transfer the laundry from the washer to the dryer because you were consumed by another task, this only wastes more of your time if you have to rewash your mildewy laundry.
Focus on One Step at a Time
Rather than thinking about EVERYTHING that needs to get cleaned, just focus on one step at a time. As you see your list dwindling, it’ll provide the needed motivation to get the rest of the list done, too.
Your home may not always be pristine, but you’ll be amazed by the difference you’ll feel in your overall stress by implementing a quick and simple cleaning schedule.
Need Additional Help?
If cleaning your home is feeling like a struggle, I totally understand! You may want to consider hiring someone to help tackle some of the cleaning tasks. It doesn’t make you any less of a mom to do this! In fact, I have a cleaning team over to my house every 4 weeks, to clean every room in my home. It has made my own weekly cleans so much easier!
Another thing you can do is get the whole family involved in chore duties! Your kids from little ones on up can help keep things tidy and organized. Try some age-appropriate cleaning chores, starting as young as two years old!
Let me know how your Spring cleaning is going!
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Crystal Tharp
Crystal is the owner of The Organized Home, LLC and producer of The Home Approach® program; empowering moms to create an organized home that they love, so they can thrive at home. With over ten years of combined experience working in the Professional Organizing industry and coaching industry, she combines her expertise in decluttering, organizing, and home management with her passion for helping moms to bring out the best in themselves.
While coaching moms is her God-given calling, she also loves being a mom to her young children (ages 4, 6 and 8), date nights with her husband, and family outings on the weekends. Above all, she is most passionate about following Jesus and inspiring others to do the same.
