How to Create a Realistic Weekly Cleaning Schedule

Keeping a clean and organized home can be challenging, especially when life gets busy!

Does this sound like you? You begin the week with a spotless home, only for it to turn into a disaster by the weekend because it feels impossible to keep up with cleaning throughout the week – especially after a long, stressful day. I’ve been in the same boat and know from experience that a cleaning schedule is the solution! 

Creating a weekly cleaning schedule is one way to stay on top of cleaning tasks without feeling overwhelmed or spending a large portion of your weekend dedicated to tidying up everything you missed during the week. A cleaning schedule breaks down tasks into achievable daily actions to help ensure your home stays neat and tidy all week. 

If you’re tired of being overwhelmed by a dirty and disorganized space and ready to reclaim the hours you usually spend on the weekend cleaning before you feel like you can relax, then I’ve got you covered with this post! 

Keep reading for a step-by-step guide to creating a weekly cleaning schedule for a cleaner and more manageable home.

Assess All Your Cleaning Needs:

Start by listing all the cleaning tasks that need to be done in your home. This might include tasks like vacuuming, dusting, washing dishes, doing laundry, and cleaning bathrooms. 

As you make your list, consider your weekly routines, schedules, and household needs. Be as detailed as possible so you don’t forget anything. And don’t worry if you feel like you are listing things in groups or orders that don’t go together – this step is just about thinking of everything you need to get done (we will organize and group tasks logically later). 

Decide on a Frequency for Tasks: 

Once you have your complete list of cleaning tasks, decide how often each task needs to be done. For example, you might need to vacuum and mop twice a week (who else has a shedding dog who brings in the dirt like it’s their job?)  but only need to wash towels and bedding once a week. 

The frequency for each task will be unique for each household. Spend some time thinking through the needs of your home and your ideal frequency for completing each cleaning task. 

You can also group tasks as needed to be done on a daily, weekly, and monthly schedule. 

Group Tasks Together:

Now that you know which tasks need to get done and how frequently, it’s time to organize them in a way that makes sense. Again, this is something that will look different for everyone depending on your home, your tasks, and your cleaning preferences. 

Consider what cleaning tasks naturally flow together. You can organize the tasks by category (ex: clean kitchen and bathroom sinks and counters) or by room (ex: Tuesday- clean whole kitchen, Wednesday – clean all bathrooms). 

There is no right way to group things, and you can always make changes as needed, but completing this step will make the next step of assigning your tasks to specific days easier. 

Assign Tasks to Specific Days: 

Now it’s time to assign your cleaning tasks to specific days. As you divide up your tasks, think about what recurring items you want to get done each day, which ones only need to be done weekly, and which ones you should make a note of to complete each month. 

When assigning tasks to days, remember your other weekly responsibilities and commitments and consider how much time you can allocate to cleaning each day of the week. 

Be Realistic: 

When creating your cleaning schedule, be realistic about your time and what you can accomplish on any given day. 

The purpose of having a cleaning schedule is to break down all of your tasks into more manageable chunks to complete day by day. Don’t defeat the purpose of having a schedule by overloading yourself on a day and setting yourself up for failure! 

Consider what other recurring tasks you have each week and your energy levels each day. If one day every week at work is particularly draining, choose tasks that align with your low energy levels or avoid scheduling cleaning tasks for that day altogether. 

Make it Visible:

Once you have created your cleaning schedule, make sure it’s in a place that’s visible and easily accessible. This will help you stay on track and ensure you don’t forget any tasks. 

Print your schedule out and hang it on your fridge, write it in your weekly planner, or keep it in a notes app on your phone where you’ll see it daily and can easily reference your list of tasks to stay on track. 

Be Flexible: 

Remember that your cleaning schedule should be flexible! Sometimes you’ll have an unexpectedly busy day at work or have a get-together with a friend that prevents you from completing your cleaning tasks as planned. 

Don’t beat yourself up if you fall behind schedule; adjust your routine for the week and get back on track next week! 

Make Adjustments As Needed: 

Make your cleaning schedule work for you, and don’t be afraid to make adjustments as needed! 

In addition to adjusting your cleaning schedule week-by-week when things come up, be open to changing the schedule as a whole as your other responsibilities and routines change or as you discover a more logical way to group tasks. 

As you go through the new routine you create, you might find that an activity, for example, “clean out the fridge,” logically makes sense to do before you get groceries each week.  Adapt your schedule as you discover a better way to do things. 

Continue tweaking your schedule as needed until you find the right fit that makes your life easier and your home feels more manageable! 

 

 

By following these steps, you can create a weekly cleaning schedule that works for you and your lifestyle. Remember to be realistic and flexible when creating your schedule, and don’t forget to celebrate your accomplishments along the way as you incorporate your cleaning schedule into your daily routines!