I was overwhelmed with always cleaning but not feeling like I ever made a dent in our household chores when I looked around. I wanted a system that helped me keep things (somewhat) orderly during the week, without sacrificing a weekend of family time, rest, or my peace. With homeschooling and smaller children, I often felt I had to sacrifice the home to stay intentional with them. It was a whirlwind of managing my time, but I’ve come to realize this: Small, simple rhythms each day cultivate good habits. So if you’re like me and feel pulled in all the directions with all the things, here’s my weekly cleaning rhythm that has simplified my week tremendously.
Monday: Living Room
clean windows, dust/wipe surfaces, shelves, fan, tv, blinds, wall hangings, vacuum, tidy cabinets, wash throw pillows + blankets, water plants
Tuesday: Dining Room/ Homeschool Nook
clear table, wipe surfaces, fan, blinds, chairs, clean window, dust homeschool shelving, clean out old papers, wipe down trash can, sweep + mop floor
Wednesday: Kitchen
sink deep clean, wipe down stove top + inside oven, clear countertops, organize misc. drawer, wipe surfaces, clean microwave, clean out/reorganize fridge, sweep + mop floor
Thursday: Laundry, Bedrooms, Home Office
wash bedding, dust end tables, tidy closets/drawers, weekly budget update, meal plan for the following week, empty office trash, vacuum, dust office surfaces
Friday: Bathrooms
mirrors, clean toilets, countertops, restock toiletries, baseboards, sweep + mop floors, empty trash, change towels
Saturday: Outside
pick up toys, pull weeds, sweep patio, wash off table + chairs, trim shrubs/ tree overhang, refill bird feeders
On top of those weekly chores, there are always certain areas in our home that need daily attention. I will tackle these chores each day throughout the day:
dishes, make the beds, 1 load of laundry, take out trash, wipe main surfaces, put toys away, and a quick floor sweep in the kitchen and dining room
I like to start my one load of laundry first thing in the morning, switch it to the dryer at lunch time and put the laundry away during my late afternoon before dinner prep. Dishes are loaded in the dishwasher right after dinner and my daughter unloads the dishwasher for her morning chore the next day.
For those who’d like to create your own cleaning rhythm, you can download the same (just blank) printable I use for free here! Fill it out how you need it, and just laminate to reuse, or print multiple copies and change your cleaning schedule by the week.
