Ever tried getting some housework or any kind of cleaning routine done during lockdown? Add to it a few children and pets running around whilst trying to check work emails.
Not happening?
Some of the essential chores are never-ending, and sometimes it can be completely overwhelming when you have meals to cook and work to do.
Sometimes it pays to look at what is and isn’t working and taking control of the schedule in a way that makes sense for you and your family.
Step one of your new cleaning routine
It is time to think about everything that needs to be done. But it has to be a realistic cleaning routine.
Not everyone has four hours a day to dedicate to a deep clean. Once you have your list finalised, it shouldn’t need to be done again – which is why it is a good idea to get it out the way early on.
Here are a couple of examples that can help:
- Wipe all surfaces twice a day with disinfectant
- Empty the bins – a weekly task
- Get rid of all of the rubbish and declutter – every few months, it is often better to hire a skip or rubbish removal to do this https://www.samedayrubbishremoval.com.au/ is a great option
- Clean the toilet 3 times per week
- General tidy up – daily.
Step two
The next step is for you to group the tasks by how often they need to be done. This makes sense because it will then be easier to allocate the correct amount of time to each group.
Here is an example:
- Weekly – change bedding, dust upstairs, clean windows, and mirrors.
- Daily – wipe bathroom down, vacuum the rugs, one load of laundry
- Monthly – descale kettle and coffee maker, declutter all the bedrooms, clean out the fridge
Of course, this list will again change depending on what you and your family need from your cleaning routine. There is no right or wrong way to plan your cleaning, it has to work for you. Some people prefer to dust every day, and others are happy to put it to a weekly task.
Step three
Your list is probably going to look a little overwhelming. We will often overestimate how much we can get done in a block of time, and that may lead to disappointment. When that happens, it can feel like you have made a mistake.
Create or download a weekly planner, there are many options on the internet. Add in essentials like working hours, school runs, and more. Ensure that you include travel time, too, as it is often overlooked.
Create the perfect cleaning routine
Now you have added everything into your weekly planner; you can clearly see the space that you have to put the cleaning tasks. Don’t forget to delegate tasks around the household too. Everyone in the house has a responsibility to keep it clean and tidy it too. There are many resources that can help find age-appropriate chore lists.
The only way to see if this plan is right for you is to test it out for a few weeks and see how it goes.