Creating a Cleaning Schedule:
Creating a cleaning schedule that works for you can be tough. Sometimes, it can be difficult to find the right pattern and rhythm- especially with littles. In this post, Emily Wall is going to share how you can create a cleaning schedule that works for you!
I’m a busy ranch wife, mom of 2 toddler boys, and a small business owner, so I absolutely understand that keeping a home in order can be a straight up challenge sometimes. The mere fact that you have a home to keep though, means that there’s life happening inside it! Isn’t that one of the greatest blessings from God?
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
James 1:17 ESV
A great way to take the guesswork & mental load off of keeping a house clean, is to schedule it! My days are hugely unpredictable; no day is ever the same as the last. Since each day has its own challenges already, it’s a great help to simply look at my list for that day, accomplish only those things, and to then have the freedom to move on. It brings a sense of security and peace too, because I know that I don’t have to clean out my fridge today, since that’s tomorrow’s task!
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Matthew 6:33-34 CSB
Scheduling also ensures that cleaning tasks are done on a regular basis, rather than “when you find the time”. If you have trouble staying focused when cleaning, a routine could be beneficial for you too. If I’ve finally sold you on the idea of a cleaning schedule, let’s talk about how to create one!
Make a list:
Write down every chore that needs done around your home. Separate them into lists for daily, weekly, and monthly. Pinterest has a lot of graphics showing how a cleaning schedule could look, but I encourage you to think through this part on your own. This schedule should be unique to the needs of your family & your home!
Tip: For tasks that need done less often than monthly, make a separate list. We won’t incorporate those in our schedule, but it can be helpful to have them written down for reference. If you’d like, even considering scheduling them in your phone calendar. Most calendars will allow you to make them recurring (every other month, biannually, annually, etc.) When you get a reminder of one of those cleaning tasks, evaluate your schedule for the week & see where you can fit it in.
Divide the list:
We’re going to focus on the weekly & monthly list for this part. First, decide how many days your schedule will allow for cleaning tasks. Keep one day off as a Sabbath day! You’ll still likely need to do your daily chores on that day off, but you deserve a break from all the rest. If you work or have a particularly busy day any day of the week, feel welcome to leave it out too. Just remember that the more chore days you have, the less you’ll have to do each day.
Pick 1-2 days of the week to leave a window for a monthly task. Each week, rotate through your monthly list. Depending on how many monthly tasks you have, you may need to do more than 1 each week.
Now, divide your weekly tasks into the days you have available. It can be fun to have themed days: Toilet Tuesdays for cleaning bathrooms, Floors Friday for mopping, vacuuming, etc., Wash Wednesday for washing all bedding or doing laundry. The fun names are absolutely not necessary, but it helps me remember my schedule without referencing back to my master list.
Build it into your schedule:
Going back to our daily tasks, are any of them time specific? Making the bed, for example, is likely a morning chore and picking up toys might be done in the evening. Other chores can be flexible and done any time of day. Evaluate what needs done when, and be mindful about accomplishing these tasks during that time of day. You don’t need to have a rigid schedule per se, but a routine might be helpful. Let your daily chores become habit.
Any time of day, plan to work on your weekly tasks. I personally don’t have a set time of day to do my weekly chores, but most often I’m able to get them done just after my toddlers are awake, because they’re rested and content playing with each other. It’s okay to be flexible and do your chores any time that works best for that given day! Observe the natural rhythm of your home and build in chores where you see fit.
Allow others to help:
If there are other people living in your home with you, is it fitting to recruit their help? Some husbands help with household chores and others only do work outside. Some husbands don’t help at all, since they work labor intensive jobs. Gracefully accept the lifestyle God has blessed you with, and decide what works best for your family.
“Furthermore, everyone to whom God has given riches and wealth, he has also allowed him to enjoy them, take his reward, and rejoice in his labor. This is a gift of God,”
Ecclesiastes 5:19 CSB
If you have kids, involve them if you can! Some tasks might not be safe for children, but if they show interest in what you have going on, see if there’s a way they can help. Up until 2-3 years old, it can be hard to include them, because things will take much longer to get done with the help of a toddler. Beyond that though, you’ll start to realize that your kids are actually helpful! My 3 year old takes pride in a lot of what he does and he loves to tell me that he is a good helper. To tell you the truth, he actually is becoming a big help! Your kids can learn to accomplish a lot, and to do it with joy, if you encourage them with the right opportunities.
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.”
Philippians 4:4-5 CSB
Give yourself grace: Keeping up with a whole home (and life on top of that!) is no small task. It’s going to be a lot of work! Be graceful and kind towards yourself when things don’t go as planned. Remember that His mercies are new every morning, so it’s okay to sleep off the housework and try again tomorrow. After time, your schedule will become second nature and much easier to keep up with!
I pray that this blesses you, and that you feel encouraged and supported as a wife!
