As the saying goes, “time is of the essence.” I gotta say I completely agree. I'm the type of person who wants to get it done so to speak. Time management truly comes into play in my life mostly when it comes to my housework, since I'm a stay at home wife. Let's be honest, no one likes a dirty house. I personally can't function in a mess. Not only is it hard to concentrate, it is a trigger to my anxiety. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not by any means a neat freak. Our house isn't one hundred percent clean at all times. I will wholeheartedly tell you I can't stand cleaning. I honestly hate it with a passion. However, what I hate even more is being overwhelmed. Which is what will and has happened each time I let the house and my chores get out of control, and when I don't take the time out to stay on top of what needs to be done. Yes, this means cleaning a little daily vs. cleaning when your house just looks a complete mess. In the past, I used to clean only on my weekends. I would start on Saturday morning get the majority of it done, and more than likely, whatever I didn't finish would get done on Sunday morning. It took a lot out of me, as I was trying to do everything pretty much in a day. Needless to say, it would take up just about my entire day, which used to be my only day off when I worked full time, it was just plain exhausting. I've also tried a few different methods like the popular "Fly Lady Cleaning Zone." I found it to be too detailed – it just didn't flow for me. For me, cleaning a particular room and or area a day works the best. I start early in the morning and try my best to get everything done before noon that same day. This way, one, I'm not overwhelmed, two, I still have my afternoon to do other things, and three, (most importantly) I accomplish something that day & feel very productive.
Monday
Living Room, Coat Closet, & Dining Room
Living room:
Dust & wipe down window blinds
Clean windows
Dust & wipe down bookshelf
Dust & wipe down TV stand
Vacuum ottoman & sofa (over & under cushions)
Wipe down ottoman & sofa (we have leather)
Vacuum floor & rug
Swiffer floor (if needed)
Water plants
Wipe down baseboards (once a month)
Dining Room:
Wipe down dining room table
Wipe down dining room chairs
Dust & wipe down shelf
Vacuum rug
Water plants
Wipe down baseboards (once a month)
Coat Closet:
Declutter
Reorganize
Swiffer floor
Tuesday
Master Bedroom & Closet
Master Bedroom:
Dust then wipe down the window blinds
Clean windows
Dust & wipe down TV stand
Dust & wipe down dresser
Dust & wipe down head & foot board of the bed
Dust & wipe down side tables
Change bedding
Make bed
Reorganize & declutter hair/makeup area
Vacuum floor
Wipe down baseboards (once a month)
Closet:
Reorganize & declutter
Separate dirty clothes in the hamper (makes laundry day easier)
Vacuum floor
Wednesday
Kitchen
Clean inside of the oven
Clean out fridge
Clean out microwave
Wipe down stove top
Wipe down counter tops
Wipe down all appliances
Reorganize & declutter pantry
Take inventory of fridge, freezer, & pantry (makes meal planning easy)
Swiffer floor
Thursday
My Spouse’s Den, Car, 1st Day of Laundry
Den:
Dust then wipe down window blinds
Clean windows
Dust & wipe down TV stand
Dust & wipe down bookshelf
Declutter
Vacuum floor
Wipe down baseboards (once a month)
Car:
Wipe down dash & center console
Wipe down car seats
Vacuum floor (once a month)
Wash exterior in a car wash (once a month)
Den:
Dust then wipe down window blinds
Clean windows
Dust & wipe down TV stand
Dust & wipe down bookshelf
Declutter
Vacuum floor
Wipe down baseboards (once a month)
Friday
Main Laundry Day
Wash & hang dry all jeans & denim items
Wash & dry all color clothes
Wash & dry all spouse’s gym clothes & towels
Wash & dry any delicate's
Iron all clothes that will be hung up
Hang up all clothes
I'm gonna be completely honest with y'all this system has totally been working for me thus far. It may seem like a lot to some people. It may seem like not enough for others. I don't feel rushed or overwhelmed when it comes to my housework. I truly feel like I'm being productive every day. I'm really enjoying it to be honest. When I stay on top of my chores my home is never a disaster, guys. What's most important to me at the end of the day is that my house is intact at all times. Is it perfect? Nope, not in the very least. Is it presentable if someone just happens to pop up? I can honestly say yes, it is. That's what I want. That was not the case before I implemented this system. I would wait until the house was a complete mess. No more. I honestly think you ultimately needs to do what's best for you. That's the only way it's going to work and you’re realistically going to stay on top of your housework. Maybe cleaning two rooms one day works best for you, or three rooms one day works best. Heck, maybe cleaning your whole house in one day works for you. You have to do you. As always, this is what works for me, y'all. I'm just here to share & give you some motivation. Until next time, y'all.