On one of the social networks I belong to answered a question about getting into a cleaning routine. I thought I would share my thoughts here too:

Daily I try and do:
* make my bed (not very good at this!!)
* provide good food – 3 meals a day
* dishes
* clean bathroom bench and toilet
* sweep the floor
* at least one load of laundry
* pick up stuff at the end of the day

Weekly my important things are
* wipe down stove, polish the kitchen sink
* scrub shower, clean mirrors
* fingerprints, aircon filters
* dust
* mop the floor
* clean out fridge
* do a weekly grocery shop

Monthly
* Change sheets (I actually do this fortnightly – alternating different rooms)
* deep clean bedrooms

* clean airconditioners if not done recently
* Windows for living areas (I don’t do bedrooms so often)

These are my basic basics – what I aim to have done even during busy times. I actually have more on my lists but these things are my priorities the rest happen when it happens – some times regularly and other times rarely! That is just the seasons of life.

I do try and deep clean one room a week – but this can easily be skipped depending on what else is going on in life. Of course the longer it doesn’t get done the bigger the job eventually becomes but if I can’t get to it – life doesn’t fall apart.

I have three chore times a day – this is well established in our family routine.
* After breakfast
* After Lunch
* Before dinner (and then dishes after dinner)

The kids help me – and have done so since they were about 3yo. When they learn a new chore we go through a training time. Initially they work with me and then I supervise and it isn’t till I know that they know how to do it do I leave them on their own to work.

Stick to your schedule – If I don’t get something done on the day I’ve planned I don’t squeeze it into tomorrows list – it waits it’s turn till next week’s designated day (but it becomes a priority). Of course there are sometimes where it needs to be done tomorrow but routine, regular cleaning I do on the designated days as much as I can even if I miss a week.

Have a reward – I try to do my housework a little bit every day, and I don’t plan to do anything on Saturday – that is my rewards day. The block of time I have on Saturday is to do anything that we didn’t get to – or if we had a good week and did everything we have some time off! Yay!! An inbuilt motivation.

Let somethings go and recognise the season of your life – There have been seasons in my life that the windows only get done if we are having visitors during the day (Our windows get very dirty due to frogs – we live in the tropics) The bedroom floors may hardly ever get mopped, ceiling fans get cleaned once a year (come the dry season when they get turned off and people can actually see the gunk built up on them!). etc…. I have had to let these things go. They don’t affect the health of my family or the welcome of guests. I cannot do it all. Then there are some things that affect my wellbeing -mental calm – like the floor. To me that has to be swept every day, maybe twice a day. I sweep though, I don’t vacuum as the noise of the vacuum gets to my head. Sweeping on the other hand is a relaxing activity that I can either listen to a mp3 audio session or do some thinking/praying. Know yourself and let some things go.

Be thorough – we often think as thorough as perfect. But it isn’t. Being thorough is about recognising your goal and doing your best to complete that. Is your goal a perfect looking home? Or is your goal a clean and tidy home with peaceful relationships. I like these thoughts on Thoroughness from Character First.

Thoroughness: Knowing what factors will diminish the effectiveness of my work or words, if neglected.
Opposite is: Incompleteness

Tips for thoroughness:
* complete my work
* pay attention to details
* make a list so I don’t forget
* finish what I start
* clean up along the way.

Well, I’ve convinced myself on how to face my cleaning responsibilities today – LOL – hope I’ve helped you too.