Easy House Cleaning Plan

Sometimes I feel like my house will never be clean.  I pick things up one day and then the next day it looks like a bomb went off.  I try to stick to this easy house cleaning plan though to keep things in somewhat decent shape.

My house I lived in when I was single was pretty much spotless.  I wasn’t a cleaning freak but things were certainly organized and tidy.  Then kids came into my life and all that changed!

Why Clean?

First off, some people are just naturally more messy.  My husband is one of those people who simply isn’t bothered by socks on the floor or dirty dishes stacked by the sink.  I, however, am the opposite.

Having things organized helps give me peace of mind and lowers any stress or anxiety I might have.  If my house is cluttered, then my brain feels cluttered.

I am not saying to Marie Kondo your house as I am certainly not that level of organized.  I like things picked up though and making sure everything has a place.  With a rather messy family, I have learned to find the balance though and find a “system” that works for us.

Don’t Set a Schedule

I am an extreme planner that loves routine, but cleaning my house is the one place where that just doesn’t work for me.  I have Googled easy plans for cleaning your house before and I have seen all these routines about what you should do each day, each week, annually, etc.

By trying to achieve that level of house cleaning where I clean bathrooms every Tuesday or clean my kitchen every night, I set myself up for failure.

After a long day of work and hanging out with kids, getting them fed and then off to bed, the absolute last thing I want to do is clean my bathrooms.  Honestly, I’m lucky if my sheets or bathrooms get cleaned once per month.

If I put this unrealistic pressure on myself to do all those chores consistently on the same day each week, then I’m just going to disappoint myself because it isn’t going to happen.

Find Motivation

For me the biggest motivator for cleaning my house is when I have guests coming over.  It is amazing how much work I can fit into an hour before someone arrives.

Another great motivator for me is sometimes just recognizing that my anxiety is high and if I clean my house then it will help me clear my head and make me feel productive.  If you give cleaning a purpose, then it won’t feel so much like a chore that you hate doing.

Tackle One Room at a Time

It is easiest for me to clean one room at a time.  I otherwise find myself getting distracted and cleaning little things up as I go and never really feel accomplished.  I like to start my focus on whichever room I spend most of my time in.

For me, I almost always start with my kitchen, living room, and then make my way to my bedroom.  Bathrooms are always dead last on my list (unless I have a guest coming over!).

If you have a room that is particularly daunting, start with that one when you feel most motivated to clean.  Everything else will feel easy by comparison.

Declutter First

Once you know what room you want to tackle, identify what items you can see that can easily be picked up.  I always start my house cleaning by doing a mass decluttering.  This means picking up any trash, compiling toys or random socks, loading/unloading the dishwasher, etc.

I don’t focus on deep cleaning at first, just getting rid of all the “stuff”.  You will be amazed at what a difference picking a few things up can make.

Use the Stairs

I grew up this way and I am sure I’m not the only one who piles things on the stairs that are intended to go up and be put away. My kids will of course walk over those piles a million times, but this trick comes in handy when doing a massive clean.

Every time I walk up or down the stairs I make it a point to carry something with me. It minimizes my trips up and down and it makes you be more efficient and productive.

1-Minute Rule

Going along with the stairs trick, I try to always abide by the 1-minute rule. This essentially says that if the task takes one minute or less, do it now. It is the difference between stacking dishes next to the sink to be cleaned later versus just rinsing them off and putting them in the dishwasher.

Focus on Common Areas

For cleaning to have the most impact in a little amount of time, focus on the areas you see most frequently or spend the most time in.

• Entryway: Hang up jackets & organize shoes
• Kitchen: Load/empty the dishwasher, wipe down counters, take out trash
• Bathroom: Clean sinks, mirrors, and toilets
• Bedrooms: Put clothes in hamper, toys away, make bed, dust surfaces
• Laundry: Load/empty washer and dryer, fold clothes, put clothes away

Robot Vacuum

To make your life easier, invest in a robot vacuum. They won’t do as good of a job as you would, but they are great for a maintenance option. I love this one by Eufy that we got as a wedding gift. It does a great job picking up crumbs left under the table or around the kitchen.

What is great about a robot vacuum is that they continue to work while you go knock out some of the other items listed above.

Get Kids Involved

My son hates cleaning his room, seriously HATES it. But, whenever we start tackling the tasks together we find a way to make it more fun.

If we are working on something together, then he all of a sudden has no problem wiping down tables on our porch or sweeping the entire downstairs. It goes a heck of a lot faster having some help as well.

We like to make it fun by playing a motivating cleaning playlist!

Deeper Cleaning

I do deeper cleanings on an as-needed basis and by no means keep any sort of schedule. To others, “deep cleaning” might mean being on your hands and knees to clean baseboards or moving the couch to clean behind it. We moved almost a year ago now and I have yet to do any of that.

For me, deeper cleans are the things like the following:

• Cleaning out junk drawer
• Wiping down appliances
• Cleaning out leftovers from fridge
• Washing windows
• Changing bedding
• Cleaning bathtubs and showers
• Wiping down and sweeping patio

I honestly do these items when they start to bother me. In the spring, the pollen in North Carolina is insane so I am wiping down things outside very frequently. I tend to clean out the fridge only when I realize I have no space left.

The key for success is to not do all your deep cleaning at the same time. It can drain you pretty quickly so pick one or two things to knock out when you feel motivated.

So, this is the one time where I say throw out the plan or schedule and find a system, even if it is messy, that works for you!

Struggling to feel productive? Check out my simple plan to be more productive. Perhaps your mental load is also holding you back, so be sure to read that post with tips to lighten your mental load as well.