Daily, Weekly, and Monthly House Cleaning Routines That’ll Save You Time (Plus Free Cleaning Checklist)
Your house is a mess and you’re too busy to clean.
You’re not alone my friend. It’s a problem we all face. What to do then?
Allow me to offer you some cleaning routine ideas to help you get that mess in check.
Hey, don’t get me wrong, I’m not here to preach as some “cleaning guru”. I’m just a regular gal who also shares your struggles with keeping a tidy home and not having enough time. I was able to make some great progress in the past year by developing and sticking to a cleaning routine that I could manage with everything that goes on in my life, and I’m here to share what’s been working for me.
But first, let me tell you the story of how I came to change my cleaning game and the realization I had that helped me shift my mindset towards cleaning.
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From Mess to Clean
My family never had a consistent cleaning routine when I was growing up. And boy, was our house a mess.
There were random piles of paper, knick-knacks, and clothes everywhere. Our bathroom and kitchen were places of horror, covered with grotesque grime and revolting stain. Every room was packed with things either too old or too broken to use—but “too valuable” to throw away.
Yep, that was how we lived, in a pig stye we made for ourselves. Now come to think of it, no wonder we were unhappy. A messy home, as research shows, can be a stressful home.
So I made a promise that I would change my ways when I moved out and had my own space.
It wasn’t easy, believe me. At first, it felt like I was in a constant uphill battle against dirt and clutter. I would spend hours on the weekend doing cleaning chores until I burned out. I had to sacrifice time for other things so I could focus on cleaning. It wasn’t pleasant. It wasn’t fun. It made me tired and angry.
Then I had an epiphany: Instead of making cleaning a chore, I had to make cleaning part of my life. From the second I woke up to the moment I fell asleep, I had to be mindful of my habits and how they affected my surroundings.
So I began to work on developing small cleaning habits that I could do every day, every week, and every month. And once I got into a groove with these habits, tidying up became a breeze. The best part is, most of the daily cleaning tasks take me less than 30 seconds to do, and yet they make a huge difference in terms of how my home looks and feels.
Keep reading to find out my daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning routines!
My Daily Cleaning Routine
1. Make the bed
The bed is the focal point of the bedroom. If it’s undone, the entire room will look messy. So I always make sure to straighten out my bed in the morning.
2. Wipe the bathroom counter and mirror
Bathroom counters and mirrors are hotbeds for all kinds of nastiness. It’s important to keep them dry all the time so they don’t become a nursery for bacteria.
3. Pick up debris from the bathroom floor
Wiping the bathroom floor with a bit of toilet paper every day will reduce the amount of hair and dust on the floor, and make your bathroom look a lot cleaner.
4. Put away clothes where they belong
I don’t fold my clothes like Marie Kondo, but every evening when I get home, I make sure I put my clothes back to where I found them in the morning. I don’t have clothes lying around on my couch, draped over the back of my armchair, or stuffed in piles in the closet anymore all because of this simple habit. And that’s good enough for me!
5. Wash dishes right away after eating
A full sink of dirty dishes takes way longer to wash than one or two dishes at a time. Dirty dishes not only harbour bacteria, they look and smell gross. So now I make it a rule to always wash my dishes right away after I finish eating.
6. Wipe stovetop, sink, and kitchen counter
If you or your family cook every day like we do, then cleaning what I call the “kitchen trifecta”—stovetop, sink, and counter—is a must. This helps keep grease and stain at bay and curb the growth of germs.
7. Vacuum and mop the kitchen floor
Again, if you or your family make good use of your kitchen, you should vacuum and mop the kitchen floor on a daily basis. This is where my cordless vacuum and my re-usable, machine-washable microfiber mop come in handy.
8. Tidy up the living room
The living room is one of the most beloved places in the home. So why not take care of it by tidying it up every night before bed? What I like to do is organize the cushions and fold the blankets on the couch, clear away any magazines or books from the coffee table, and put away the TV remote control. Then I’ll do a quick walk-around and collect all my cat’s toys and put them in his special toys basket. The whole process takes less than 3 minutes and makes my living room look as good as new!
9. Clear the dinner table
A cluttered dinner table is truly an eyesore. Back in my parents’ house, our dinner table was always littered with mail, keys, newspaper, and other random things. It was so packed with junk that we barely had any space to sit and eat. So now I make sure only food and one or two decor items go on my dining table. I also like to give my dinner table a good wipe every day to keep the surface looking shiny.
10. Quickly organize shoes whenever leaving and entering the home
It takes only a few seconds to do for a better-looking entryway!
11. Rinse shower stall/tub
Rinsing the shower stall or bathtub after each use helps prevent soap scum from building up. Plus when it comes time to deep clean your bathroom, this habit will make that process way faster.
12. Take out the garbage
No matter how clean your home looks on the surface, if you have trash overflowing from your garbage bins, it will look sloppy and not to mention, it will make your house stink. Taking out the garbage won’t take more than a few minutes to do, but it’ll keep your house looking and smelling nice every day.
My Weekly Cleaning Routine
1. Declutter the fridge
I like to go through the fridge once a week and take out any expired or spoiled food item, and spot-clean any noticeable stains or finger marks. Doing this will help make more room in the fridge and keep it looking (and smelling) fresh for longer.
2. Wipe down the microwave
The microwave is one of the busiest kitchen appliances in our home. That’s why I like to give it a good wipe at least once a week to keep it clean and odour-free.
3. Thoroughly vacuum and mop the floor
Depending on your household size, activity level, and the number of pets you have, you may need to vacuum and mop the floor more than once a week. But if you spot vacuum and mop high traffic areas on a daily basis, it shouldn’t take you more than 20 minutes to do a more thorough vacuum and mop every week.
4. Vacuum the couch and armchair
Fabric couches and armchairs are cozy but they can trap an enormous amount of dust and hair, which can trigger allergies. The good news is you can keep the allergens down by vacuuming the surface of these items once a week. This is where a handheld vacuum with a powerful brush head would come in handy!
5. Clean the entire bathroom
Scrub the toilet, wash the sink and shower/tub. And don’t forget to mop the floor too. But don’t worry, all this will take no time at all if you follow my daily bathroom cleaning routine of wiping the counter and mirror, picking up debris from the floor, and rinsing the shower or tub. It’s amazing how everyday habits that take less than 30 seconds to do can save you so much time!
6. Complete wipe down of the kitchen
I’m only talking about the cabinet doors, drawer knobs, and the backwash.
That’s it? That’s right. If you already have the habit of wiping the “kitchen trifecta” and vacuuming the floor every day, there’s not much left to clean. Again, this is where your daily cleaning habits will shine.
7. Organize makeup
I love having different kinds of makeup, but what I don’t love is how cluttered they can get. Having a good makeup organizer helps, but I’ll still go over my makeup once a week to make sure everything is where they should be.
8. Tidy up desks and nightstands
I’ll start by getting rid of any old mail and recycling papers I’m not using anymore. Then I’ll take 5 minutes to straighten out a drawer. Finally, I’ll finish the process by spot cleaning surfaces.
My Monthly Cleaning Schedule
1. Deep clean the fridge
If you stick to the weekly routine of throwing out spoiled food and spot cleaning the fridge, you only need to deep clean the fridge once a month.
2. Dust wall corners and ledges
Even though they don’t grab your attention like a sink full of dirty dishes would, dirty wall corners and ledges can still mar the look and feel of your home. So show these often overlooked areas some much-needed attention by dusting them once a month.
3. Dust blinds
Window blinds are notoriously time-consuming to clean. That’s why it’s important to dust them at least once a month to keep them in good shape. I found the easiest and quickest way to do this is to turn them all to one side, swipe them gently with my Swiffer duster, then turn them to the other side and do the same.
4. Disinfect doorknobs and light switches
I recommend disinfecting these areas with a sanitizing wipe at least once a month, or more often if someone in the household is sick.
5. Organize drawers and closet
Don’t neglect your drawers and closets. Over time, they can get into a serious state of disarray. Spend some time each month to organize your closets and drawers to keep the chaos in check.
That’s it for my easy cleaning routine that’ll make tidying up a breeze. What does your cleaning schedule look like? Got any cleaning hacks you can share with me? I would love to hear them in the comments! And before you go, don’t forget to grab your free copy of my daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning checklist.
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